6.5 which wsm?

[calib]

If a company was to produce a 6.5 wsm what wsm case would you want it to be off of the 300, 270 or 7mm?

I have seen reamer prints for the 270 and 300 versions and shoulder lengths were the same. Would a 6.5 based off the 270wsm ve the most common reamer or not?

 

[Ledd Slinger]

@L.Sherm knows just about everything there is to know about the 6.5 WSM. He's owned and shot them for years now. Been through all the hardships and full range of load devlopement. Killed deer and bull elk with the cartrdige as well. Hopefully he can chime in with his input.

 

[geraldgee]

I would think whichever case provided the longer neck.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I built my 25 Pronghorn (25-300WSM) due to the longer neck, unfortunately it is/was very fickle with powder selection. It would track nicely, then when you thought you had a good node, pressure would go on an excursion without warning.

All this said, the 6.5 WSM is different kettle of fish.

I would base it off either the 270 or 300, as the 7mm has a shorter neck.
The 270 will be easiest to form brass off of though.

Cheers.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I built my 25 Pronghorn (25-300WSM) due to the longer neck, unfortunately it is/was very fickle with powder selection. It would track nicely, then when you thought you had a good node, pressure would go on an excursion without warning.

All this said, the 6.5 WSM is different kettle of fish.

I would base it off either the 270 or 300, as the 7mm has a shorter neck.
The 270 will be easiest to form brass off of though.

Cheers.

Yeah you can run into those same pressure problems in the 6.5 version. L.Sherm had some issues in that department with certain powders while going through the growing pains of learning the cartridge. I believe there were some specific reamer design issues that need to be avoided to prevent this if i remember correctly, but i can't recall the exact details. Pretty sure he had his reamer re-ground because if it. The barrel he has now shoots great with H1000 and 140gr Berger VLDs up around 3200 fps.

 

[Raythemanroe]

300 WSM

Ray

 

[calib]

Seems like on this thread and a Facebook page I have been dealing with it is a toss up between 270 and 300 wsm. I have seen 2 reamer prints and dimensions were the same as far as shoulder, can anyone say what the differences would be other than maybe turning a 300 wsm neck

 

[STOMP442]

I have built a few 6.5-300WSMs and I have always used .270 WSM brass to form cases. Even when going from .270 to 6.5 turning the necks was required for best uniformity of the necks and best results on paper. It's a cool cartridge and performs very well. Works wonders on long range Coues Deer and can be very accurate. This is the last rifle I built chambered in the caliber. 63.5gr of Retumbo and the 147 Hornady at 3086fps shot really well when the bullets made it to the paper. I ended up switching to the 142 Match King after having issues with the Hornady bullets.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Yeah you can run into those same pressure problems in the 6.5 version. L.Sherm had some issues in that department with certain powders while going through the growing pains of learning the cartridge. I believe there were some specific reamer design issues that need to be avoided to prevent this if i remember correctly, but i can't recall the exact details. Pretty sure he had his reamer re-ground because if it. The barrel he has now shoots great with H1000 and 140gr Berger VLDs up around 3200 fps.

I even lengthened the throat with a custom ground throating reamer, I added a 3 degree taper and finished the throat at .220”.
Made no difference to pressure excursions, after being totally frustrated with that problem, I pulled the barrel and replaced it with a 270 Weatherby, haven’t looked back since. My 25-06 does all I need anyway.

Cheers.

 

[shoot4fun]

If it were me (and I know it's not) I would scrap any idea of a 6.5 WSM in favor of the new 6.5PRC from Hornady.
Being a true fan of the 6.5 bullets I still held off on any attempts at a magnum version until the PRC came along. It's early yet but so far I can say I'm glad I waited for it.

 

[L.Sherm]

I built my first 6.5x300wsm right after the wsm's came out I almost literally wore my first barrel out with load development since there was zero out there at that time. It's a 26" tube pushing 140 Berger vlds at 3220 and can shoot better than I can drive it. I use H1000 and neck down 270 WSM brass and turn the necks. I believe neck dia. and freebore are the key to this cartridge just like a lot of others. I don't think a no turn works as good, did not for me anyway. The 6.5x300wsm is a great 6.5 hunting round it's been my go to for awhile now, is it round to sit at the bench and shoot a lot probably not because it is hard on barrels but dont get it hot and just hunt with it and it will serve you well. The only draw back is it needs a med. Length action to take advantage of the o.a.l

 

[calib]

If it were me (and I know it's not) I would scrap any idea of a 6.5 WSM in favor of the new 6.5PRC from Hornady.
Being a true fan of the 6.5 bullets I still held off on any attempts at a magnum version until the PRC came along. It's early yet but so far I can say I'm glad I waited for it.

Hornady brass?

 

[calib]

Great info here. What would ideal neck thickness be from a factory round .015 or .014 thou or thicker?

This is not related to the original post but looking to get a 24" tikka creedmoor reamed out to 6.5 wsm thinking run the 140 at a good clip for a hunting and steel at long range once in a while rifle. 3200fps could be fun

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Great info here. What would ideal neck thickness be from a factory round .015 or .014 thou or thicker?

This is not related to the original post but looking to get a 24" tikka creedmoor reamed out to 6.5 wsm thinking run the 140 at a good clip for a hunting and steel at long range once in a while rifle. 3200fps could be fun

No possible way of doing that with a Creedmoor chambered rifle. The WSM cases use a magnum bolt face and there's absolutely NO way that magazine will work. WSM cases have an even wider body than Ultra Mag cases (about .005" wider at the base)

L.Sherm converted his 7mm Rem Mag to a 6.5 WSM and I had to cut out the mag box walls to make it wider and modify the mag feed rails to get it to feed properly. Even after that he can still only fit 2 cases in the magazine. Absolutely no possible way to make a Creedmoor magazine work for the WSM case.

 

[shoot4fun]

Hornady brass?

Yes sir.
Contrary to internet hearsay Hornady brass is good to go. In 6.5 Creedmoor I have cases that lasted thru 12 firings before primer pockets got too loose for my tastes. Neck wall thickness, at least on what I've measured, is comparable to even the newer blue box Lapua brass.
I'm only thru two firings on the PRC brass at this point but when I loaded them for the third I saw no potential issues.

 

[calib]

No possible way of doing that with a Creedmoor chambered rifle. The WSM cases use a magnum bolt face and there's absolutely NO way that magazine will work. WSM cases have an even wider body than Ultra Mag cases (about .005" wider at the base)

L.Sherm converted his 7mm Rem Mag to a 6.5 WSM and I had to cut out the mag box walls to make it wider and modify the mag feed rails to get it to feed properly. Even after that he can still only fit 2 cases in the magazine. Absolutely no possible way to make a Creedmoor magazine work for the WSM case.

I will have a magnum faced action I won't be converting the action just the barrel

 

[Beeman]

Look into the 6.5 SS (SHERMAN SHORT). Rich now has head stamped brass available. Would get a 140 to that 3200 fps I think.

 

[calib]

I know of rich's cases he lives just up the road from me.

I bring in bertram brass and am planning to bring in and then run either the saum or wsm in 6.5 in this fun and want to run it hard to see how it holds up. We have had people running our 7 saum necked down no issues in a gap chamber as well as the 7wsm necked down to 6.5 no turn and throwing the 150smk at 3400 plus, but more accurately 3200 to 3300fps.

This is why the questions

 

[calib]

We decided we will be making the 6.5 wsm off the 270wsm case and will have some in the next month or 2.

I cant wait to put together the 6.5 wsm on the tikka action with a 24"barrel and run some 130 scirroco, maybe a 135 jlk and 140 berger hvld and see how it does. I want flat fast and hard hitting obviously accurate.

 

[rhovee]

I have a 6.5 wsm Benchmark barrel that is on a Sako A7, same thread as Tikka. It’s got about 400 rounds down it. 1:8 24” spiral fluted #4. $150. It’s threaded for a break. 1/2”x24 I believe. I got bored and changed it out to a 7 saum.