loading 6.5x47 or 260 Rem with 140s (not a ballistics discussion)

[XTR]

I'm kicking the idea of a 6.5 around and I'd long ago decided that if I ever built one I'd do it in 260 Rem just for availability of brass. All of the discussions of the three short action 6.5s (6.5CM, 6.5x47L and 260Rem) all center around person experiences (almost all good with all of them) and the general agreement that the three are effective ballistic triplets.

A few weeks ago I was talking to someone and he commented that he went with the 6.5x47L because the brass is a little shorter and in a mag fed configuration he can seat the heavy bullets longer.

I haven't ever loaded a 6.5, think the difference in trim to is in the neighborhood of .175 or so.

What is the difference in measurements to the shoulders?
How much do you actually gain in seating depth with 140s?
How much MV do you lose in the 6.5x47 in real world loadings with 140 class bullets?

 

[mikegaiz]

What type of shooting are you planning on doing?

 

[XTR]

What type of shooting are you planning on doing?

I'm looking to put this in a rifle with a DBM system. Maybe for some dabbling in UKD shooting and probably for hunting. This is not intended to be a single feed setup.

 

[mikegaiz]

Why 140's for UKD a flatter trajectory is more important than a heavier bullet (ranging errors). I would go with 123's. The BC are still real good. I use 107 and 123 for varmints good out to 1200 yds. UKD with a good hit rate on small targets. I use 123's and 142 for 1000 yd shooting.

 

[XTR]

Why 140's for UKD a flatter trajectory is more important than a heavier bullet (ranging errors). I would go with 123's. The BC are still real good. I use 107 and 123 for varmints good out to 1200 yds. UKD with a good hit rate on small targets. I use 123's and 142 for 1000 yd shooting.

That really makes sense. I was thinking like a long range shooter for one, and for two that everyone who gets a 7-08 wants to try to run 162s (i use 140s) for the high BC.

I'm sure I'll look around for some info but how fast are you able to run your 123s and are you running a 260R or a 6.5x47L

 

[nhm16]

Also consider the Berger 130 hunting VLD which I use with two different 6.5x47Ls and a .260 Rem. Very accurate. One of my 6.5x47Ls is built on a Stiller Tac 30 with a 22" barrel and a Manners T-5A with their mini-chassis DBM systems. It's a laser, and I can get it to 2800fps with H4350. Chamber is throated fairly short (probably optimized for factory 123gr loads, not for shooting heavies in F-class) so a loaded round will handily fit in an AICS magazine with room to spare.

 

[wwbrown]

If I was building a going to shoot 140 g bullets I would spin on a .260 Rem, if you would think about the idea of shooting 130 Bergers or 136 Scenar L I would do a 6.5 x 47L. I love the 6.5L and have shot three barrels out with it, but I think the case capacity is a little small for the 6.5 L. I know people who have had great luck with the 140s in a 6.5L but some who have tried to no luck. I know very few who have tried the 130 VLDs that were not able to shoot great.

DBM's usually love the .308 based cartridges so that is another edge to the .260 Rem, yes people have used the 6.5 L in DBM but remember the DBMs were designed to shoot .308 for the most part. When I built my first 6.5L I was torn betwen the 6.5 L and the .260 and the 6.5L won because I could not get Lapua .260 Rem brass. In hindsight I am glad I went with the 6.5 L because it so accurate and easy to tune a load for, but at that time the 6.5L brass was just in the country so there were very few reports on it.

Long Story Short Version: Pick one and go with it, I bet you will be very happy with it.

 

[Deton8tor]

I run a .260 with Lapua brass and 123 Scenars. My gun does not like the 130-140 class bullets. It shoots them, but not as good as the 123's. I shoot steel out to 1000 w/o issue and hunt with it as well. Nosler brass is pretty good, but pricey. I am considering a 6.5L in the near future, but I have been with a .260 so long I just don't wont to re-tool. I believe Eric Cortina can give very good direction on the 6.5L if you run in to issues or have questions regarding its performance.

 

[XTR]

I'll probably make it a 260, but I think it's kind of a toss up, esp if I'm running 130s. Both look like they have capacity and make mag length. Planning to run this at AI mag length. One of the advantages of the 260 would be cheap R-P brass for those times that you may not be able to police your brass.

It doesn't look like there is a bad choice between the two.

 

[jonbearman]

Why 140's for UKD a flatter trajectory is more important than a heavier bullet (ranging errors). I would go with 123's. The BC are still real good. I use 107 and 123 for varmints good out to 1200 yds. UKD with a good hit rate on small targets. I use 123's and 142 for 1000 yd shooting.

What does UKD mean?

 

[lawman29]

UnKnownDistance

 

[Patch700]

If you can get a 140 class 6.5 bullet to trip the beams at around 27-2800 fps then i don't suppose it'd care what case it came out of... If you can do it using 40 grns or less of powder that's even better.. 6.5x47 L gives you a small primer pocket , that's a selling feature in my book for a case designed to use aprox 40grns of powder and still come in at around 2.850" from tip to base.

 

[Joe C]

I went with the .260AI for my new open rig. And now I'm going to do one for hunting. My reamer has a LONG throat and I plan on using the same bullet for hunting as I'm using for open...the 142 Cauterucio bullets. The round has been super accurate and easy to find a load for with my current barrels.

 

[BoilerUP]

123s are flatter than 140s at extended ranges...but you do sacrifice a fair bit in the wind even with the ~200fps difference between them. 130s are a tweener for both, though I've found Bergers like to run a little closer to 123gr velocities than perfectly splitting the difference between 123s and 140s.

A 6.5x47L throated long specifically for 140s will maximize case capacity while still fitting in a standard AICS mag; a 260 running 140s (like VLDs or Hybrids) can start intruding on case capacity at AICS mag length but still works just fine.

And as tweeners go...6.5 Creedmoor splits the case length of both and works very well in either an AICS or even AR10 magazine.

Also worth noting that RP 260 brass is unobtanium right now not unlike Win 284 brass, and I'm not sure Remington even knows when they'll produce more.

 

[lawman29]

If you're not going to shoot the 140's, then just for the sake of discussion throw one of the varieties of 6mm into the conversation before making your final decision. The 105 hybrid bc is ~ the same as the 130s and you're gaining a lot of speed. Good for UKD and the 105s are fine for deer & antelope.

 

[Raptor]

I agree with lawman29. I have a 260 and I am on my 4th barrel. This one is a 260 30 degree. I used to shoot the 140s until I tired the 123 Lapuas. They are very accurate and I had shot them out to 1300yds. I could push mine right at 3000fps. With all that being said, I have found the 260s to be "Picky" as far as accuracy goes. It seems like every other one will shoot lights out for me.

I also would look at the 6mms and maybe give them a try. I have a 6SLR and its a damn hammer!! I normally shoot 107MKs in it and it will shoot 5 shots into a 1.2 to 1.5"s at 300yds most anytime I take it out. I recently tried some of the 105 Hyb. and the 115 DTACs. I shot 5 five shot groups with 3 different bullets and three different loads and the average for all 5 groups at 300ys was just over 1" !! I had a .7 group and a 1" group and three 1.2" groups. What's not to like!!