6.5x57 Ack Imp range report

[1000yardstare]

Started breaking in my new 6.5 mm Shilen #7M Super Match 28 inch 8 twist barrel. Brass is necked up 6AI cases from that previous shot-out barrel. Sent a couple to PT&G who made the 6.5x57AI reamer and Go gauge from the cases. Also included one with a 142 SMK seated to the desired depth as a guide to throat length. My `smith said it is one of the best reamers he has ever used.

My reamer is Kiff print #33378. Be aware that the reamer is intentionally short-chambered to ensure a strong crush fit for new 7x57 brass. If you want a less aggressive crush go with Kiff print #12371 (Ron Romines) made from .257 Roberts brass. For maximum head to shoulder length use Kiff print #5927 (Robert Mallory).

My new long range F Class rifle has a blue printed stainless action from a shot-out Rem 700 VSSF .220 Swift. Rebedded the recoil lug with JB Weld in an old and trusted Fajen prone stock with Anschutz fittings. Scope is a Bushnell 4200 6-24 Tactical in Burris 30 mm Z rings using the 10 minute inserts. Timney trigger and Harris bipod complete the rig.

Put together a group of reloading dies until I get custom dies made. Found there was enough neck clearance in my Redding 6AI neck bushing die to allow use of a .286 bushing for the larger 6.5 mm. Full length sizing with a .257 AI Sinclair body die. Shoulder bumped with a .260 Rem AI body die. Bullet seating using a Hornady 6.5x55 die with a micrometer seating stem.

Used my old Powley Computer from the 1960s to calculate the starting load. That cardboard slide rule mail ordered from Hutton`s Rifle Ranch when I was a University student came through with a load of 52 gr of a powder slightly slower than IMR 4831. I decided to go with 51 gr of RL22 as a starting load.

Weather was -6C (21F), bright sun, no wind, 12 inches of snow on the ground. Shot off a rest. Load is Win brass and primers, 140 gr AMax, 51 gr RL22. COAL 3.075 with bullet 20 thou off the lands. Chronod at 2930 fps. Was surprised by the velocity. Expected 2850 fps.

Cleaned the barrel every shot for the first ten shots while sighting in and chronographing. Cleaned every two shots for the next ten, no impressive grouping. Barrel came alive shot 20. Put 5 shots into 1/2 inch at 100 metres (0.45 moa). Cleaned the barrel and the next five went into another 1/2 inch group. Will clean every 10 shots up to 100. After that the barrel is on its own on the Army ranges this coming Summer.

My trigger finger was imitating a popsicle so was happy with the groups. Now will try groups with 139 gr Scenar and 142 gr SMK.

Pix below shows 1/2 inch group on the left. On the right is a pix of reamer, Go gauge and three cartridges, right to left, 139 Scenar, 140 AMax, 142 SMK.

 

[Gadget]

Thank's for the time and effort you put into a very precise and usefull report.

Gadget

 

[2644ever]

Glad you made it. It's a very efficient cartridge.

 

[40X Guy]

Looks like a keeper Bill, you should have fun with that rifle this summer. I see you also shoot in sub freezing weather.


Frank

 

[frnkeore]

1000yard,
I like this caliber, too. I had a original Mauser in the standard 6x57. And I have a 6AI.

My question is, how much more recoil did you notice between the 6AI and the 6.5AI?

Frank

 

[1000yardstare]

frnkeore......don`t really notice much recoil difference between the 6AI and 6.5AI.

What amazes me is getting the same velocity as the 6.5-284 with reasonable pressures.

Like 2644ever said...a very efficient cartridge.

Just had another dump of snow here in the Ontario boonies. Hope to get out Friday to group test 139 Scenars. Next week 142 SMK.

 

[1000yardstare]

Had some decent weather today, 0C (32F), bright sun, light tail wind, couple of inches snow on the ground. Went out to my club`s 300 metre range to test 142 gr SMKs. Didn`t feel like slogging out to the 300 metre boards so only shot 100 metres. Tomorrow will be warmer and will go out to 300 metres.

Load is 142 gr SMK, 48 gr RL22, Win brass and primers. COAL 3.090 inch which gives a 20 thou jump to the lands. Chronos at 2800 fps at 0C with easy bolt lift and extraction. Speer manual #14 has a velocity/temperature chart showing a roughly 25 fps gain in velocity between 0C and 30C so on a hot Summer day this load should still extract easily.

Fired a 5 shot 3/8 inch group (0.34 moa) at 100 metres with the above load and then repeated with another 3/8 inch group. Made my day/week/month. Pix below shows the two groups. Called the low shot in each group. I am confident this load will shoot 1/4 inch when warmer climatic conditions allow less clothing.

 

[2644ever]

ThousandYard, give a try to MRP and N560, especially with the 142 grainers. Those are the very best powders for this wildcat, IMHO.

 

[1000yardstare]

2644ever....thanks for the tip. I have 2 lbs of MRP. Will give it a try.

At the beginning of this thread I started at 51 gr RL22, accurate but bolt lift a little sticky. Have backed off to a lower velocity node, 48 gr, more accurate than 51 gr, easy bolt lift and longer barrel life. Will probably chrono at 2850 fps in the Summer which gives 7 minutes of drift at 1000 yds in a 10 mph crosswind with the 142 SMK.

Shot at 300 metres today, 0C (32F), bright sun, light tail wind, same as yesterday. Same load, 142 SMK, 48 gr RL22.

I print my own 5 ring ICFRA F Class targets with the 1/2 minute V-Ring as used by Canucks, Brits and Aussies. 300 yd target is scaled up to 300 metres.

This will be my last bench session with this rifle. Got my windage zero and 300 metre elevation. Don`t want to wear out the barrel on the bench. Any further reporting will be in the Competition Forum once the F Class season ramps up in the late Spring.

The first target at 300 metres saw 5 shots into 2 inches (0.60 moa) scoring 25-3V and the second was 5 shots into 2 1/8 (0.64 moa) scoring 25-3V for a combined score of 50-6V. Considering the heavy clothing and cold fingers I was happy with that.

Pix below show the first target on the left, second target on the right. Called the high shot on the second target. Inner light circle is the 1/2 minute V-Ring. Inner dark circle is the one minute 5 ring. Outer light circle is the 300 metre ISU 10 ring.

 

[Larryh128]

Thanks for sharing, I have been considering this instead of a 6.5 x 284. Great info.

 

[sambubba]

I have a .260AAR (.257AI necked to 6.5 ) that is showing velocity results just like yours. My 6.5-284 barely beats it in velocity with some bullet weights and the .260 has been much more accurate with minimal recoil. My reamer is Kiff print #364238.

 

[1000yardstare]

sambubba.......Kiff print 12371 (Ron Romines) is also a 6.5/257RobAI. Would be interesting to compare the two prints.

My first long range F Class practise with the 6.5AI will be May 7. Course of fire is 600 yds in the morning and 1000 yds afternoon. We pay an Army Sargeant to RSO so we civilians can concentrate on our shooting.

I sighted the rifle at 300 metres and have laid off shooting it since then. I learned my lesson from the previous 6AI with which I spent too much short range bench time because it was such a pleasure to shoot and left half its barrel life on the bench. Barrel quit on me just before the Ontario 2010 Championships. Like falling off a cliff. Limped into the Championships shooting F/TR with my backup Savage VLP .308. Ate humble pie but with enough beer at night humble pie doesn`t taste too bad.

So the Shilen 6.5AI barrel has to see me through a bunch of F Class practises on a local Army base as well as a 3 day competition in May, the Eastern Canadian Championships 3 day shoot in July, the 3 day Ontario Championships in August and the 10 day Canadian Championships later in August.

All this will get me up to 1200 rounds so looks like next Winter I am getting another 6.5 Shilen Select Match barrel.

Such is life but man, it is fun.

Bill

 

[Elwood]

Bill, I know barrel life is hard to predict but what numbers would you be happy with using the 6.5AI? I know you said your 6AI quit on you at 1200 rounds, so the 6.5AI should easily pass this, maybe 1500+ ?

 

[1000yardstare]

Elwood..........to be honest I would be happy with 1200 rounds from the 6.5AI but I am hoping for 1500. The Shilen Select Match barrel required maybe 20 rounds of break-in and even then hardly any copper fouling. So I am thinking the quality of the barrel is going to be a big factor in edging me towards 1500 rounds.

The unknown factor is the efficiency of the 6.5AI compared to the 6.5/284. Talking to 6.5/284 shooters they are getting 1000 rounds before the throat goes shooting at 2900 - 2950 fps with 28 to 30 inch barrels and 49 or 50 gr H4831sc, depending on the seating depth of the 142 SMK. I have never owned a 6.5/284 so am taking this at face value from other F Class shooters. This ties in pretty well with the 6.5/284 cartridge guide in this forum.

I am running my 6.5AI at 2850 with 48 gr of slower RL22 and 142 SMK in cold weather. Plan to cut back to 47 gr RL22 in the hot weather. Should still get 2850. So with a slower powder running at a slower velocity I would expect to get at least 200 rounds more barrel life with the 6.5AI compared to the 6.5/284.

Another comparison that has to be made is the 49 gr RL22 running 107 SMK at 3250 fps out of my former 6AI. This combo gave 1200 rounds barrel life. So would using less powder at a lower velocity in a larger bore give me another 300 rounds above 1200?

I will have to wait until next October to see how accurate my expectations are. Will report back on same.

Bill

 

[Elwood]

So would using less powder at a lower velocity in a larger bore give me another 300 rounds above 1200?

I will have to wait until next October to see how accurate my expectations are. Will report back on same.

Bill

Bill that was my reasoning as well.

I would also be curious as to how much barrel life the long neck and 40 degree shoulder angle buys you over the 6.5x284.

I look forward to your updates.
Ian

 

[sambubba]

With my .260AAR, 47g MRP or Rl22 was max with a 140g. I also used Winchester WXR which is supposed to be the same as RL22. Great load!

 

[mattri]

Any news on this project? How has it been doing in matches?

 

[Lazydays]

Started breaking in my new 6.5 mm Shilen #7M Super Match 28 inch 8 twist barrel. Brass is necked up 6AI cases from that previous shot-out barrel. Sent a couple to PT&G who made the 6.5x57AI reamer and Go gauge from the cases. Also included one with a 142 SMK seated to the desired depth as a guide to throat length. My `smith said it is one of the best reamers he has ever used.

My reamer is Kiff print #33378. Be aware that the reamer is intentionally short-chambered to ensure a strong crush fit for new 7x57 brass. If you want a less aggressive crush go with Kiff print #12371 (Ron Romines) made from .257 Roberts brass. For maximum head to shoulder length use Kiff print #5927 (Robert Mallory).

My new long range F Class rifle has a blue printed stainless action from a shot-out Rem 700 VSSF .220 Swift. Rebedded the recoil lug with JB Weld in an old and trusted Fajen prone stock with Anschutz fittings. Scope is a Bushnell 4200 6-24 Tactical in Burris 30 mm Z rings using the 10 minute inserts. Timney trigger and Harris bipod complete the rig.

Put together a group of reloading dies until I get custom dies made. Found there was enough neck clearance in my Redding 6AI neck bushing die to allow use of a .286 bushing for the larger 6.5 mm. Full length sizing with a .257 AI Sinclair body die. Shoulder bumped with a .260 Rem AI body die. Bullet seating using a Hornady 6.5x55 die with a micrometer seating stem.

Used my old Powley Computer from the 1960s to calculate the starting load. That cardboard slide rule mail ordered from Hutton`s Rifle Ranch when I was a University student came through with a load of 52 gr of a powder slightly slower than IMR 4831. I decided to go with 51 gr of RL22 as a starting load.

Weather was -6C (21F), bright sun, no wind, 12 inches of snow on the ground. Shot off a rest. Load is Win brass and primers, 140 gr AMax, 51 gr RL22. COAL 3.075 with bullet 20 thou off the lands. Chronod at 2930 fps. Was surprised by the velocity. Expected 2850 fps.

Cleaned the barrel every shot for the first ten shots while sighting in and chronographing. Cleaned every two shots for the next ten, no impressive grouping. Barrel came alive shot 20. Put 5 shots into 1/2 inch at 100 metres (0.45 moa). Cleaned the barrel and the next five went into another 1/2 inch group. Will clean every 10 shots up to 100. After that the barrel is on its own on the Army ranges this coming Summer.

My trigger finger was imitating a popsicle so was happy with the groups. Now will try groups with 139 gr Scenar and 142 gr SMK.

Pix below shows 1/2 inch group on the left. On the right is a pix of reamer, Go gauge and three cartridges, right to left, 139 Scenar, 140 AMax, 142 SMK.

I've been thinking about the same cartridge for a year or so. Was kinda in a quagmire as to wether or not to go with a 30 degree shoulder or a 35 degree shoulder, plus the standard Ackley 40 degree shoulder. I've also given the 7x57AI a lot of thought as well. So thanks for your post, and specially the print numbers!
gary