If you don't want to buy a new stock or magazine along with that rebarrel tell me how long of an overall length your current magazine can feed. And what powder do you have on hand?
Cartridge Choices for Long Action Build?
- Thread starter john 800
- Start date
DaveTooley
Gold $$ Contributor
If you want a bit more speed over the 6.5X55AI go 6.5-06 AI. I built a lot of those for 1K BR before we had good 284 brass.
For a 6.5 in a 30/06-length action, I always like the 256 Newton. The standard 6.5/06 is easier but lacks the panache. WH
KMart
Gold $$ Contributor
I have a straight 6.5x55 on a push feed Winchester 70, 28" barrel. Shooting a 140 bullet and RE-16. 3000 fps was easy to reach...and accurate. Re-23 is also friendly in this rifle.
Out of a 30” barrel it should do 2830-2850 without any issues or wrecking brass and at my common 3000 DA that’s almost 1900 yards
My 7SAUM running 50 fps faster with 190’s is 2 mils flatter at 2000 than my friends 338 lapua and 338 Norma with considerably less recoil and cost
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
I went to eat lunch with one of my friends and I had forgot about the 6.5x55 AI I chambered for him a few years back. He uses it for long range prairie dog hunting.
His load is 51 grns of H4831SC behind the 140 grn Berger VLD, 1-9 twist barrel, 3050 fps.
His load is 51 grns of H4831SC behind the 140 grn Berger VLD, 1-9 twist barrel, 3050 fps.
6.5x68. You can get great quality RWS brass. It has around 86gr powder capacity. I’m going to try it out. I have a reamer and barrel on order. But wow, the lead times. 14-16 weeks for the reamer. A year for the barrel.
I'm not against innovation and improving things.
However, unless recoil tolerance is an issue, I'm having a difficult time understanding why anyone would want or need something different than a 270 Win if the purpose is hunting deer / black bear game species. Same goes for the 30 06 which extends the range of huntable species to heavier game. These two cartridges will do just about anything for North American hunting and have a long-proven history of success.
The AI and magnum cartridges do offer some additional velocity / energy but how many hunters have the field shooting skills to take advantage of the increased ballistic performance? Based on what I've seen on the range over the last 50 years or so, very few. The average, even experienced hunter is well served with the 270 or 30 06.
Lighter recoiling calibers do have their place are a good choice if recoil reduction is needed for health reasons or wanted simply to avoid the recoil. There are a lot of good choices here for deer size game such as the 243 Win, 260 Rem, 6.5 Creed, etc.
Shooting animals beyond your reasonable field skills, just because the cartridge may be capable, should be avoided in my opinion. As hunters we have an ethical responsibility to take responsible and safe shots.
However, unless recoil tolerance is an issue, I'm having a difficult time understanding why anyone would want or need something different than a 270 Win if the purpose is hunting deer / black bear game species. Same goes for the 30 06 which extends the range of huntable species to heavier game. These two cartridges will do just about anything for North American hunting and have a long-proven history of success.
The AI and magnum cartridges do offer some additional velocity / energy but how many hunters have the field shooting skills to take advantage of the increased ballistic performance? Based on what I've seen on the range over the last 50 years or so, very few. The average, even experienced hunter is well served with the 270 or 30 06.
Lighter recoiling calibers do have their place are a good choice if recoil reduction is needed for health reasons or wanted simply to avoid the recoil. There are a lot of good choices here for deer size game such as the 243 Win, 260 Rem, 6.5 Creed, etc.
Shooting animals beyond your reasonable field skills, just because the cartridge may be capable, should be avoided in my opinion. As hunters we have an ethical responsibility to take responsible and safe shots.
Liven The Dream
Gold $$ Contributor
.270 is a True Winner. Had Two Hunting Rifles . Took 99% of my Game
6.5X55 Great ,You will need to open the Bolt Face ??? One 1000 Yard Prone Rifle. Hard on Barrels
.284 Just Wonderful But Brass $1.36 to $1.58 each Have Two F/Open Rifle , Short Barrel Life and over $2.40 a Trigger Pull.
Good Luck
6.5X55 Great ,You will need to open the Bolt Face ??? One 1000 Yard Prone Rifle. Hard on Barrels
.284 Just Wonderful But Brass $1.36 to $1.58 each Have Two F/Open Rifle , Short Barrel Life and over $2.40 a Trigger Pull.
Good Luck
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
The Easy button is a std 280, nothing fancy.
My load is right out of the Nosler manual #4 before they dropped the load due to Rem 7400's.
In a 24" barrel, 160-162 at 2900 is real world in several 700's.
IMR 7828 and the Federal 210 was the only primer that gave me bug hole groups
I have customs in the 280 AI, 6.5/06 and 6.5x55, and there is no down side to either.
In today's world, Brass and dies are difficult to get. Sweden and Finland are gearing up for war with Russia, so beware of your choices.
For White tails, the 160g Sierra BTSP at the velocity range of the std 280 load above(2900) is simply magic....they rarely EVER run! The 162g SST is a much tougher bullet than you could ever imagine, and the 162g Hornady BTSP saws up large hogs like a chain saw.
As a rule, the std 280 runs about 10,000 cup less than the 270 at the same load and powder charge, according to Ken Waters.
My load is right out of the Nosler manual #4 before they dropped the load due to Rem 7400's.
In a 24" barrel, 160-162 at 2900 is real world in several 700's.
IMR 7828 and the Federal 210 was the only primer that gave me bug hole groups
I have customs in the 280 AI, 6.5/06 and 6.5x55, and there is no down side to either.
In today's world, Brass and dies are difficult to get. Sweden and Finland are gearing up for war with Russia, so beware of your choices.
For White tails, the 160g Sierra BTSP at the velocity range of the std 280 load above(2900) is simply magic....they rarely EVER run! The 162g SST is a much tougher bullet than you could ever imagine, and the 162g Hornady BTSP saws up large hogs like a chain saw.
As a rule, the std 280 runs about 10,000 cup less than the 270 at the same load and powder charge, according to Ken Waters.
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butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Open the boltface for a 6.5x55?? Very easy to turn the rims.
Since I didn't know any better, I didn't open the boltface on my 6.5x55's and they worked fine. I got away with this for thirty years and was happy with it until I got connected to the internet and learned what an idiot I had been. WH
For Elk, 280AI. I just ladder tested mine and it's shooting sub MOA 168accubond at 2850FPS and with a Hellfire break kicks less that a 7mm-08. It's my Elk rifle. It's 1/8 twist. Because I built this rifle specifically for Elk, I wanted a caliber that was heavier/longer for Caliber shooting longer bullets. I'm building a 6.5 PRC for NRL/Deer. For target/NRL/Deer I'd build something in the 6.5...just because.
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