Decisions decisions

[Chris Butler]

I've reviewed a lot of posts on the 6.5 cartridges and I'm not finding what I'm looking for.
Does anyone have a resource they can point me to on researching the pros and cons of the different cartridges in this family?
I'm looking to build a new rifle for precision/long range comps.
I already have a 6.5 Creedmoor. I'm trying to decide between the 6.5x47 Lapua and the 260 Rem.
I don't want to rule anything else out just yet. This is going to be a winter project.

I also need to learn more about barrel contours? A good guide in that direction would be appreciated as well?

Thanks in advance!

 

[FeMan]

What discipline exactly are you looking at participating in? One good way to narrow it down is to look at what is the most popular among the winners.

 

[Clancy]

I've reviewed a lot of posts on the 6.5 cartridges and I'm not finding what I'm looking for.
Does anyone have a resource they can point me to on researching the pros and cons of the different cartridges in this family?
I'm looking to build a new rifle for precision/long range comps.
I already have a 6.5 Creedmoor. I'm trying to decide between the 6.5x47 Lapua and the 260 Rem.
I don't want to rule anything else out just yet. This is going to be a winter project.

I also need to learn more about barrel contours? A good guide in that direction would be appreciated as well?

Thanks in advance!

Not doubting you.... but you’re telling me in the hundreds of thousands of threads on this you can’t find what you’re looking for?

6.5x47.... a real darling, my favorite round. It’s won a ton of comps and set records to boot.

260 Remington, an excellent hunting round capable of greater speed. Small primer brass available nowadays helps with this. Not the best choice for magazine fed rifles, not as accurate in my opinion, and you’ll need to trim more.

If you’re building a hunting rifle, then I’d say 260.

If you’re trying to shoot 3/4” groups at 600 yards, 6.5x47.

If it’s a hybrid like mine, 6.5x47.

All my hunting rifles wear #5 contours.

My “hybrid” is a proof Sendero.

 

[mongo chicago]

After everyone chimes in with their opinions, it will all boil down to what really floats your boat. All cartridges will have SOMETHING that can be considered a plus or minus. After all my research, I went with the 6.5 x 55 Swede. No regrets, I'm happy.

 

[Chris Butler]

What discipline exactly are you looking at participating in? One good way to narrow it down is to look at what is the most popular among the winners.

PRS style matches mostly. In 2017 the 6x47 Lapua, 6XC and 6.5x47 Lapua were neck and neck amongst top 10 finishers.

Not doubting you.... but you’re telling me in the hundreds of thousands of threads on this you can’t find what you’re looking for?

mongo Chicago answers this

After everyone chimes in with their opinions,....

Don't get me wrong, I certainly value opinion, data is what drives my educational process.

 

[Clancy]

If you’re shooting PRS style matches I’d get a 6XC as 6mm is the current obsession and you can buy badass brass from Alpha that’s ready to load.

Second choice would be a 6.5x47.

I’d rather shoot a 308 than get on the Creedmoor bandwagon.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Clancy,

funny thing, I have put a couple hundred rounds of 260 thru my AR-10 with zero feeding/ejection issues. Several 25 round magazines as fast as I could pull the trigger.

 

[geraldgee]

Have you looked here:
http://precisionrifleblog.com/

Lots of "data-driven" information.

Good luck with it.

EDITED: Don't overlook the 6 BRA

 

[Chris Butler]

Have you looked here:
http://precisionrifleblog.com/

That was the first place I looked.

The focus right now seems to be ELR. That’s out of my league right now.

 

[Clancy]

Clancy,

funny thing, I have put a couple hundred rounds of 260 thru my AR-10 with zero feeding/ejection issues. Several 25 round magazines as fast as I could pull the trigger.

You’re missing the point. Of course it feeds well.

And I’m sure they’d love to hear about your mag dumps over at ar15.com....

 

[10XSHOOTER]

I shoot a .260 Imp 30*. No feeding problems. 2950fps with Molyed 142's 46.0 H4350 BR-2's Lapua brass. Kreiger med palma. 26"
Best so far 199-15x @ 1000yds.
another option is the 6.5 SLR ,260 shoulder pushed down to 30* Longer neck. Look at 6mmAR.com for info.

 

[Delfuego]

Oldie but a a goodie from Zak at Thunder Beast. http://demigodllc.com/articles/6.5-shootout-260-6.5x47-6.5-creedmoor/

My 2 Cents:

6.5 Creedmoor if you don't reload.
6.5x47 if you do reload.
260 Ackley to push the envelope.

PS: Stay far away from the precisionrifleblog. It will just muddy the waters.

 

[Clancy]

Surely you guys understand it’s not the feeding of a bottleneck 260 that concerns.

It’s the fact that you ARE going to eat up valuable case capacity in an AI mag, and will without a doubt have trouble as you begin to chase the lands in a longer freebore.

Again... to be clear to those (and only those) who think they know but don’t, I said it wasn’t the best choice for magazine fed rifles. I didn’t think anyone would take that as it had trouble feeding, only OAL issues.

I guess that’s what I get for trying to help.

 

[Delfuego]

I never had magazine length issues with my 260's. I can see how you could, but I think a good reamer and a good gunsmith make it a less of an issue.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Clancy,

attitude is the issue. Think positive. No "buts"...
jeez, I always heard that oal was a specific chamber issue. For instance, I use Mag-Pul magazines for 308 family cartridges in my AR-10s. They make one that will accept a 2.81" length round to allow 175gr 308 rounds to feed.

 

[Clancy]

You guys are telling me that you’ve never eaten up case capacity, ran out of room chasing lands or been forced to seat bullets below the neck shoulder junction and thereby have to neck turn?

Absolutely not.... I’m over it.

 

[Laurie]

I did a 5-part review of the 6.5s in the e-zine Target Shooter:

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=2022

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=2100

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=2304

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=2333

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=2353

It likely won't help you as has been said many times before and since, there is nothing much in performance terms between the 6.5X47L, Creedmoor, 260 Rem, and 6.5X55mm and all are capable of outstanding precision in the right rifle. It always comes back to personal preferences, availability of factory rifles (if the smokepole is so restricted), brass, and price. 6.5X47L may have a slight edge in out and out precision, but has only one manufacturer of its cases and almost no factory rifles on offer.

The 260's restrictions caused by deeply seated bullets in magazine rifles are often overstated by critics and despite being the least 'sexy' of the modern smaller trio, it can perform as well as the others and often shoots outstandingly well despite its 'old-fashioned' longer more tapered case and 20-degree shoulders. (I'm just starting a load development programme for a long-throat 260 to be written up next year sometime.)

 

[joshb]

Laurie’s info is always spot on. I think Delfuego nailed it!

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Get the 6.5x47 Lapua and don't look back. You will be pleased.

 

[Chris Butler]

Get the 6.5x47 Lapua and don't look back. You will be pleased.

OK!