6.5 vs .257 cartridge question

[bobcat93]

What is the difference? I mean really. Can some one tell me.
Lets take the 30-06
Now lets stick a .257 bullet in it.
The 25-06 is way more snappy then the 30-06
I do prefer the 25-06 over the 30-06 in terms of precision. Ive just had an easier time tuning 25-06 loads over 30-06. That could be because of Bullet B.C...i dont know because ive never once paid attention to those numbers.
Now what happens with a 6.5 bullet? I dont know because ive never shot one, and i dont follow numbers.
I dont know of any bullet that has a larger selection of on the market like the diverse. 308
So now were back to the 30-06..
If i was shooting antelope in Texas id want a 25-06, if im after that trophy buck, its the 30-30, or 30-06..only because i have experience with those cartridge and know what they can do.
So where does the 6.5-06 fit into all this? What would you use it for..sound like its on the edge of a a barrel burner with not much to gain.
Im just curious
Thank you

 

[SBS]

Good cartridge, sufficient for any light & medium big game animals, holds a tad more powder than the 6.5-284 and feeds more readily out of a long action. Great selection of bullets these days and flat shooting without a lot of recoil. In spite of his love for the .270, O'Connor used it for Pronghorns (although I think he used the .280 case for a little more powder). And since it uses a larger bullet than the .25-06, it not a barrel burner by comparison.

 

[B23]

Honestly, before Berger, Hornady, and Sierra started making high BC .257 bullets in the 130gr range I think the 25 caliber anything were all but forgotten and essentially a dead caliber. Then comes along these new 130's with their impressive BC's and it breathes new life into a once nearly forgotten caliber. I'm not sure if the 25 cal has ever been as popular as it is right now.

There definitely has been a trend developing over the last few years towards smaller calibers. I'm guessing the 6, 6.5, and now .257 trend is largely due to the introduction of heavier for caliber bullets with their high BC's yet they have less recoil, some substantially less, then larger calibers that require much heavier bullets to achieve the same BC.

As for which caliber or what cartridge is more "accurate" then the other I've always been of the mindset none is really any more or less accurate then another but some definitely are much easier to dial in and keep in tune then another.

I think what a person uses something for is largely a personal choice. We can debate what a certain caliber or specific cartridge is better at then another till the end of time and usually a good argument can generally be made for all of them but if I know nothing else I can say with confidence we will all never agree on what is best that's why I am thankful everyday to live in a country where we have so many choices.

 

[nakneker]

Everyone needs a 30-06, it’s does a lot of things well, 25-06 has always been a favorite but my favorite cartridge based on the 06 case was a 6.5-06AI I had. It was just one of those rifles did so many things on a high level.

280 and 270 are also very capable.

 

[STOMP442]

The 6.5-06 is a fantastic cartridge. Performance wise it is everything the new 6.5PRC claims to be. 140 class bullets at 2900 plus with relative ease, light on recoil and excellent accuracy and ballistics, with a great selection of bullet weights for any purpose. My personal opinion, and the reason I love a good 6.5 is because its the goldilocks of calibers. To me it's just right. Load the 6.5-06 with a Berger 140 vld and kill anything you want with it.

 

[Bill Norris]

The 6.5-06 is a fantastic cartridge. Performance wise it is everything the new 6.5PRC claims to be. 140 class bullets at 2900 plus with relative ease, light on recoil and excellent accuracy and ballistics, with a great selection of bullet weights for any purpose. My personal opinion, and the reason I love a good 6.5 is because its the goldilocks of calibers. To me it's just right. Load the 6.5-06 with a Berger 140 vld and kill anything you want with it.

And tossing that same bullet in the 260AI case with the right powder you can also rock it at 2900 fps and feel comfortable it's gonna do its job again on the target bullseye or that trophy you been watching all off-season.

 

[CJ6]

6.5 has a larger bullet selection over the 257.

 

[Nomosendero2]

I like 25's and 6.5's, I have both.
I used the 25-06 for years, later converted my Sendero to a 25-06AI. I have taken several Deer and Antelope with that round.
I bought my Wife a 6.5 CM several years ago and she has done well with it, including 1 Bull Elk. Her limit is 300yds so the CM just gives her a heavier bullet for bigger animals and she does very little of that.
The 25-06 shoots flatter out to 400+ yards and hits plenty hard for Deer Size game, the CM will start winning after 500 or so in wind deflection and a little on trajectory as you go further due to better bullets.
I bought a 6.5PRC Tikka 3 years ago and I really like the round. It will do anything the 25-06 will do on the
light end and do better for long range shooting with the heavier bullets and better for bigger animals.
The PRC hit the sweet spot for me.
An earlier post stated that the 6.5-06 is right in there with the PRC and I agree with everything he said.
But that is a handloader's cartridge and I handload as well (hence the 25-06AI} but I prefer a round that I can also buy factory ammo for and the PRC now has some great factory offerings. I plan on passing down some of my guns down to my kids and they don't handload.
The long term for the 25's is looking up with new high BC bullets. However, at this point we don't know if this trend will stick, even if it does it will take years to have the bullet selection to compare with 6.5's.
Either will bring you success, the driver and the bullet selection matter more than headstamps but for me I lean to the 6.5 cal.

 

[284winner]

Both pretty much quarter bore bullets. .257 vs .264. I mean there is only a .007" difference in the bullet diameter. The .264 offers more bullets for hunters and comp shooters. The 257 is the fairly new kid on the block to the heavier bullet selection. The 130+ grain option in the 257 is hands down better than the 130 grain option for the .264 in terms of BC. My 25-284 shoots flatter than my 6.5-284 beyond a certain range. Not sure ones any more of a barrel burner than the other. The .264 offers heavier for caliber bullets at this point. That likely will change over time. I love both and I think they both fit in the same game killing category. Tough choice if you reload. If not, it's an easier choice.

 

[Bill Norris]

Both pretty much quarter bore bullets. .257 vs .264. I mean there is only a .007" difference in the bullet diameter. The .264 offers more bullets for hunters and comp shooters. The 257 is the fairly new kid on the block to the heavier bullet selection. The 130+ grain option in the 257 is hands down better than the 130 grain option for the .264 in terms of BC. My 25-284 shoots flatter than my 6.5-284 beyond a certain range. Not sure ones any more of a barrel burner than the other. The .264 offers heavier for caliber bullets at this point. That likely will change over time. I love both and I think they both fit in the same game killing category. Tough choice if you reload. If not, it's an easier choice.

Just getting started with the 25 X 47 Lapua and heavy bullets in a 1 - 7.5 tw. barrel. So far I am impressed with the performance but have not taken it out to longer distances yet. But if the higher B C creates the promised improvements I think in time the 6 mm and 6.5 mm will have a hard time keeping up with it in the wind.

 

[284winner]

Just getting started with the 25 X 47 Lapua and heavy bullets in a 1 - 7.5 tw. barrel. So far I am impressed with the performance but have not taken it out to longer distances yet. But if the higher B C creates the promised improvements I think in time the 6 mm and 6.5 mm will have a hard time keeping up with it in the wind.

I think we'll see heavier .257 bullets released by Berger and Hornady before long. Probably in the mid to upper 140s. When it happens, I think they'll be tough to follow even with the upper 150s offered currently for the 6.5

 

[Bill Norris]

I think we'll see heavier .257 bullets released by Berger and Hornady before long. Probably in the mid to upper 140s. When it happens, I think they'll be tough to follow even with the upper 150s offered currently for the 6.5

Seems like that is the trend for now with the .257 caliber. Makes you kinda wonder if the 7 SUAM would be the prime case to turn to and neck it down to drive them bad boys on down the road. ODCR has already started building one that drives the heavies that we have now really fast.

 

[284winner]

Seems like that is the trend for now with the .257 caliber. Makes you kinda wonder if the 7 SUAM would be the prime case to turn to and neck it down to drive them bad boys on down the road. ODCR has already started building one that drives the heavies that we have now really fast.

The 257 Weatherby is a smoker. Buddy of mine runs one. I considered a 300 PRC case necked down to the 257. Just didn't have the appetite for that size cartridge. It's why I settled on the 284 parent case. Now I'm actually looking at building a 25 Grendel. Won't use the heavies. The 284 case is perfect for the 130-138 grain bullets IMO

 

[ISS]

Just think of the 284 VS the '06 cases as the same capacity +/-. The 284 case IS about half an inch shorter if that matters. I prefer the 284 case. I also prefer the .257 diameter, don't own a 6.5.
Personally, if a 25 isn't enough, I just get my .300WM out of the gun vault.

 

[std7mag]

@bobcat93,

You're missing out by not taking the 25-06 with you on deer hunts!

My second largest deer was taken with my 250 Savage.
And I have taken multiple deer with 257 Roberts, 257 Roberts AI and one of my 25-06s. (I have 2)
And I even take a 25 caliber with me for black bear hunting and don't feel undergunned.

Out west, where there are no caliber restrictions people take elk with a 25 caliber each year.

I guess with any of the smaller calibers, the caveat is to pick a good bullet.
My go to is the 115gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. (All of my 25 caliber rifles are 1:10 twist)
The next is the 115gr Berger VLD.
They do perform differently.
The NBT expands after a couple of inches and holds together giving you an exit wound. Lots of internal damage.
The VLD goes in 1-3 inches and rapidly/violently expands. Often coming apart. Massive internal damage!! I've never had an exit wound. Often finding the jacket under the offside hide. This with 25 caliber and 7mm.
But furthest I've had one go after being hit is 20 yards.
Typical results are like my daughter's first buck with my Ruger 77 MKII in 257 Roberts. Distance around 60-70 yards.
"He flinched, kinda puffed up and went straight legged, then fell over".

As for the 6.5-06, I don't have one. I keep hearing about what a good cartridge it is.
So if you have 6.5 caliber bullets and reload, I say go for it!

 

[Kurz]

Heavy .257 bullets:


This company only works through Facebook and email contact.

Black Hole Bullets:



This company is currently For Sale but still manufacturing until it's sold.

 

[Ranger188]

I don't think they need to make heavier bullets in most calibers.
They have hit their performance peak. Any heavier and then the bullet starts to become to long
and needs a faster twist to stabilize them and longer freebore, then you need a bigger case to drive them.
You start to get diminishing returns.
Looks good on paper and they sell more bullets, but in general the heaviest bullet
or highest B.C. isn't the most accurate.

 

[Ranger188]

I have a 25 saum imp. and it's a shooter.
I like it better than my 6.5 saum.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

The new 25 bullets have put a low recoiling rifle into almost magnum ballistics. Watching the 25s shoot with the 300s at 1k, they are not that far behind now. Now Im not talking the big 300s, but stuff like the wsm. Its true there's not a lot of bullet options, but when you look at bullets that win matches, there are not a lot of options in any caliber.
For competition, I would say there's not a big difference between a 25 or 6.5. Both are doing well. For hunting I like the 25. I personally don't consider either big enough for elk so if I scratch elk off the table then Im thinking mid range deer and antelope. For that, Id rather have the extra speed of the 25 if we compared say a 25 prc vs a 6.5 prc.

 

[B23]

Seems like that is the trend for now with the .257 caliber. Makes you kinda wonder if the 7 SUAM would be the prime case to turn to and neck it down to drive them bad boys on down the road. ODCR has already started building one that drives the heavies that we have now really fast.

When it became reality there was going to be more then just a couple mid 130's .257 bullets available to us the RSAUM case size seemed like it would be a really good fit for this caliber and weight class. Having a few hundred pieces of new ADG 6.5 RSAUM brass sitting on the shelf I started acquiring parts to have a 25 RSAUM built. Dropped everything off at my smiths and a few months later I had a 25 SAUM that was launching 134 ELD-M's down range at just a tick under 3200 from a 22in Bartlein barrel and I couldn't be happier with how well it shoots. I think once it gets a few more rounds through it it'll likely end up settling in somewhere slightly over 3200.

The 25 WSM's and 25-7PRC's shoot the same bullet/s a little faster but they're also using a fair bit more powder to get there too. I've never been one to be overly concerned about barrel life or "efficiency" but I think the RSAUM case size and .257 caliber makes for a really happy combo without going quite so overbore as the WSM, 7 PRC or even 257 Weatherby.