Choosing a 6.5

[model 12 toby]

6.5x55 swed is nice. almost went that way. I'mglad I went with lapua other than availability of brass. course I got 100 and if I'd get another 100 that'd last me quite a while.

 

[cruiser49]

I have a 6.5x47 Lapua and it was chosen over a 260 Rem because of expected barrel life, everything else being relatively equal. In the Bulletin section of this site there is an article on April 9, 2011 comparing expected barrel life thru a math calculation of an overbore index. The 6.5L has a lower "overbore index" than the 260. It's not a definitive study but does give some interesting information and rankings.

FWIW, if I can only have one rifle in the future, it will be a 6.5x47L... so very accurate and easy to load for and easy to shoot!

 

[model 12 toby]

your 100 pecent right about the 6.5x47 lapua. I've only fired round 125 rounds through mine and I'm sold. only thing I'll probably ever have a chance of putting together is a 6mm br or some kind of 22. I shot a 1" group at 340 on tuesday with bi pod and rear bag laying on the ground. shot two 3/4 groups at 265 yards too in same fashion. most accurates rifle I ever owned. recoil almost nill.

 

[ktoney]

I have run 6.5x47 for yrs it will do everything and more that a 260 can
20" broughton 5C
123 skinnie
3023fps

Now with crazy price of x47 brass i wont build another
however utilizing the same dies and necking up 6xc to 6.5
You have the pert much same thing with large primer and $30 x100 cheaper brass, about same price as CM bras
Norma Xc brass is very good, rated @ 65k psi
so my solution
6.5XC

 

[Sgt 45]

Well you guys are all wusses, a .375 H&H is what you need :-X. I just got a 6.5x47L and love it. Very easy to load for and I'm getting a bit snobbish as I'm looking for a load that will give me 1/4moa or less. I've fired a couple of 10 shot groups < 1/2 moa many 5 shot groups < 1/2 moa. I would love to find a range in my area that was longer than 100 yards though. I think that whatever you decide in the 6.5 family, you will be pleased with. The other nice thing is that powder and bullets don't break the bank.

 

[model 12 toby]

i use the fields. got 265 yard range in my yard and farmer up over the hill has 770 yard he lets me use. I get better moa at distance than i do at 100 yards usually.

 

[crashem]

The mid 6.5 are all basically the same.

The rem is cheaper to own
The CM is more work but gives a little more vel. (for wind at long range)
The lapua is thought of as modern or somewhat exotic. (the brass may last longer)

They all can shoot very small groups
They all are easy on barrels
They all are forgiving loads

I think the diff between the 3 is not enough to worry about. You cannot make a bad decision.

So with this info. I went with the 260 it is ready to go. even if you are competing. lapua brass is available it holds more powder then the 47. the 260 charge is about max for a 6.5 in pressure.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

I like my 260 Rem, it's my third one and I am currently getting the spec together for the re-barrel job.
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/gallery/member-galleries/p2948-remington-700-sa-in-260-rem.html
It's got a Wyatt's Extended Magazine which helps with the 140 A-Maxs.
Regards JCS

 

[mikecr]

I consider a 260AI to be the best overall capacity & design for 26cal.
And this is just my opinion.

The mini-mouse 6.5s are designed for, and good choices for, mid ranges with lighter 123/130gr bullets(not 140gr).
The straight 260 is a bit shy on capacity/design for 140gr bullets.
But an improved 260 (e.g. AI) will hold it's own with 140gr bullets @ 1kyds, while not sacrificing so much barrel life as the 6.5x284.

That's not to suggest a 260AI will match the strengths of either the 6.5x284, or the 6.5x47L/CM.
But IMO it will better both in the long run @ 1kyd.
Just watch & see.

 

[dooley]

I have a 260 and a 6.5x47 both with 30inch barrels, accuracy wise there is not much to choose between them, However with the 260 I can get higher vel
with the heaver bullets but more important to me I get much lower extreme spreads, I can get 5 shot extreme spreads under 10fps with very little case prep, not even weighing the cases, I can't get ES's under 10fps with the 6.5x47. dooley UK

 

[model 12 toby]

shot 4" group at 806 yards on tues morning with 6.5x47 lapua. windy conditions. not real windy but more than I'd of liked. laying if field with bi pod and bag.

 

[6pt-sika]

I've been having an affair with 6.5mm's for over 35 years I suppose !

Started with the 6.5 REM MAG in one of the tang safety Ruger 77R's from back in the 70's . Then came a Pre 64 Model 70 in 264 WIN MAG with a factory 26" stainless barrel !
That Winchester was a consistent 3/4 MOA rifle for 3 shots at 100 yards with nothing done to it other then working up a load . I hesitate to mention the number of deer I killed with it in about 5 seasons .

And then in 1996 Remington saw fit to bring the 260 REM out in the stainless synthetic Model 7 and I got the first one in our local gunshop (which I still have) . This gun with the Nosler 125 Partition is another deer killer . When I first got this rifle I tried just about every bullet combination I could find at the time from 85 grains to 160 grains and it quite frankly shot them all with acceptable hunting accuracy and generally it was all sub MOA for 3 shots . Believe it or not with that little whippy barrel I shot several 3 shot groups that were in the mid 2's using both the Nosler 125 and 140 Partitions . Yeah I know Partitions are not supposed to shoot that well . But they did when that gun was practically new . Dunno if they'll do it now as I've put quite a few rounds down the pipe , but it's still a deer killer . As a matter of fact according to my deer ledger this rifle has killed more deer then any other rifle I've ever owned . And over the course of my 51 years I'm well on the way to 300 total deer kills .

A few years after that 260 I got a hankering for a 264 WIN MAG . Had a couple of the AccuSport 700BDL Stainless Syhtetic rifles in 264 WIN MAG and they both shot well . But a couple years ago Ruger made a one year run of the #1B in the 264 WIN MAG , that rifle with a Hornady 129 SST and a goodly amount of IMR4350 shot groups down in the 1/2 MOA area and of course it's done in several deer as well in the last couple years .

Did the 6.5-06 on a Mauser 98 action with a carbo steel Shilen #3 barrel . That one was also a shooter at 100 yards with the Hornady 129 SST , the gun was smithed by Steve Hawkins of Hawkbill Custom Rifles . I am not a big advocate of Mauser actions and even though this thing was a sub MOA shooter I never did warm up to it . Although I can say while I owned it I fired it at 4 deer and all were killed with one shot , none went over 40 yards after the shot . So now I have a Clymer 6.5-06 reamer a set of Redding dies and a Shilen #3 contour carbon steel barrel waiting for me to find a 700 long action that suits my fancy !

But I digress . I've messed with a couple of the old 96 Mausers in 6.5x55 in the last year and to be honest I like them quite a bit .

The 6.5 Creedmoor I have found to be an excellent shooter from the bench . I have several friends that own the Savage Competiton gun with the fluted carbon steel barrel and another friend with the Savage Model 10 Long Range Hunter and all four of those rifles shoot in the 3's no problem . With me or most of them behind the stock I might add .

The 6.5 Lapua intrests me quite a bit although I've not owned one yet . I've not fired one either but I did watch a fellow at our loacal club shoot his and he was getting groups in the mid 3's no problem . Dunno what his load was or who smithed his rifle . But it was a short action 700 with a stainless heavy barrel .

Another that intrests me and I've not had occasion to mess with so far is the european 6.5x57 . Now granted I realize for all intents and purposes the 260 , Creedmoor , Lapua , 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 are all pretty close when it comes to deer killers and to a certain extent on paper . But for some reason I sure like messing or researching the whole bunch .

I didn't touch on the 6.5-284 , nothing against that one I've just never had occasion to try one . To be honest I like the 6.5-06 a shade more . Oh BTW another friend has a 6.5-06AI that is rather sporty his was done on a Remington 700BDL and rebarreled with a stainless Lilja of about a #4 contour and it does rather nicely but his velocity really wasn't any great amount more then the plain 6.5-06 I had . Same friend has a Remington Model 7CDL that he rebarreled to 6.5 WSSM and this one seems to be coming an as well in his little rifle . Actually when he did his 6.5 WSSM two other friends had a pair built as well , one guy wanted more speed and had the chamber recut to 6.5 WSM and the third fellow shot his HB 6.5 WSSM got it where he was happy and we've not seen the rifle since .

So you might say I likes 6.5's quite a bit !

There's another area I've not touched yet however . Mr. Hawkins that built the 6.5-06 I had has also done some 6.5 Ultra Mag's and I've kinda given that consideration as well as a 6.5mm-300 Weatherby . I realize both of these are throat burners if you shoot them a lot but I was thinking more as a Beanfield Greenfield Cutover deer rifle .

Anyway I'm sure thats not the info the original poster was looking for and it does kinda ramble , but it is my honest opinion .

 

[dooley]

joejo, I have an A/I with a 31 inch barrel, tthe max speed I can get using 139gr scenars is around 2900 fps, what powder are you using, I have had the firing pin hole bushed and the pin reduced in size with 2 thou clearance
dooley UK

 

[mikecr]

I'm shocked by the low velocities you guys are getting with an improved 260. I see the similar postings with 6.5x284s.

I shoot a 26wssm Imp that matches the 260AI capacity(from all data researched). My accuracy is at 3020fps with a 28" barrel, and this is relatively mild load of 47.4 IMR4350. I don't even FL size with it and will never need to.
MY max, as determined through testing/measurement was ~mid 3200fps. This and beyond is where I'd expect a 6.5x284 to catch another node with ease, leaving me in the dust.

Now the lethargic velocities with 6.5x47/140s is predictable, as it's too small for these bullets. But a 260AI has way more capacity at +10gr H20, and a 6.5x284 holds another +10gr H20.

31" barrel, 139Laps, ~2900fps max?
There has got to be a learning opportunity there -for me.
Have you measured H20 capacity? I'd love to know what it is.

 

[dooley]

mikecr, a missunderstanding it an accuracy international in straight 260, not ackley improved, 1-8 twist 5R rifling, maybe this slows it down a little.
dooley UK

 

[BOBC]

Don't think you will make a mistake with a 6.5X47 or 260Rem. I've had a 260 Rem since it was introduced. It shoots nice little bug hole groups and still does after 1800 Rd's. I talked with a well known Camp Perry shooter who told me his 260 Rem gave him about the same barrel life as his 308Win.and with about a third less wind drift.