Thoughts on a 6.5 for deer

[montana_native]

Thanks for all of the advice. It sounds like the 6.5x47 should fit the bill.

Again, I appreciate it!

 

[181backup]

Sounds like the 6.5 x 47 runs in the lead but the creedmoor also does well on deer. Brass is easy to come up with, you can even buy factory loads. Why no love.

 

[joejo]

Go 6.5x55. It will do everything you want and in a pinch you can usually find factory ammo if needed. I get about 2850 out of 140s in a 24 inch factory remington classic

 

[joejo]

Not to mention, cheaper brass and dies

 

[XTR]

Sounds like the 6.5 x 47 runs in the lead but the creedmoor also does well on deer. Brass is easy to come up with, you can even buy factory loads. Why no love.

Because the only brass available is Hornady

 

[181backup]

Sounds like the 6.5 x 47 runs in the lead but the creedmoor also does well on deer. Brass is easy to come up with, you can even buy factory loads. Why no love.

Because the only brass available is Hornady

Hornady brass won't produce groups?

 

[DumpHollow]

Sounds like the 6.5 x 47 runs in the lead but the creedmoor also does well on deer. Brass is easy to come up with, you can even buy factory loads. Why no love.

Because the only brass available is Hornady

That's not true. Both Nosler and Norma are offering 6.5 Creedmoor brass. Availability has been sparse, but what hasn't. .and. Winchester is offering ammo.

 

[XTR]

I stand corrected. My info must be a little dated.

 

[Changeling]

I have a #4, 8-twist McGowen blank that will finish up to 26". I have been debating on what to chamber it in for a hunting rifle for my wife. The action is an old Model 70 pushfeed so I can go either long or short action.

I am already set up with 6.5x47 Lapua components so I was thinking of taking that route. Does anyone have experience taking deer with this round? I can't imagine her shooting beyond 600 yards.

I am also interested in the 6.5x55 Swede. It looks like it can get a 140 grain bullet to nearly 3000 fps when loaded to modern pressures...unless I have been misinformed.

Thanks for your thoughts.


Hear you go MN: http://www.accuratereloading.com/65smauser.html

This will answer your questions on the 6.5 x 55 Swede, hopefully. It is a wonderful cartridge that will get 3000 fps with 140gr bullets or very close. If that is a little to much for your wife it can be downloaded to lower velocities (6.5 x 47).
If you ever plan on hunting Elk the 6.5 x 55 Swede will allow "more velocity" with heavier bullets like the 160 gr witch will deliver near the top of the 6.5 caliber potential in the killing one can deliver to them without going into a Magnum caliber with greatly reduced barrel life.
Quality brass is available from just about all the important manufactures and will remain so into the foreseeable future.

You will be able to see from the "Link" that it is capable of some awesome accuracy!

Good luck in your decision

 

[p-man]

I am shooting both the 6.5x47 & 6.5x55 - take your pic which caliber is most convenient AND practical for you. With the Swede round, you may be able to reach 3000fps with 140's with major load dev work but why push it. But you CAN plan on finding loads fairly easily that will give you velocities in the 2800's with 139-140's, 2900's with 130's, and over 3000 with 120-125's. If elk is ever on the menu for your wife, you can get over 2500fps with Hornday 160 round nose or Woodleigh 160's with that twist. Brass is easily available and the powder choices are endless. I too have one of my 6.5x55's on a Mod 70 pushfeed with an 8-tw #3 Shilen and it does fine. I also have a 6.5x47 on a Model 7 with a Shilen #1 working up loads for a youngster's gun. As efficient as the Lapua is, I don't think you will have enough case capacity to match velocities with the Swede as you approach the heavier bullet range. BTW, in Europe, the 6.5x55 is loaded primarily in 139 grain and 156 grain offerings and Scandinavians take more moose with the 6.5 than any other caliber. Bottom-line, you'll be happy with either.

 

[Caleb85]

I don't like the lack of talk about the Creedmoor! ! My wife is building one and it took us forever to decide on a 6.5 case, we settled on the Creedmoor because for a walking hunting rifle brass is cheaper than the lupua and if something was to happen on a out of state hunt and her hand loads were lost, they offer factory 120gr. And 140gr. A max for under $30.. I hope we will be satisfied with our decision.

 

[181backup]

I don't like the lack of talk about the Creedmoor! ! My wife is building one and it took us forever to decide on a 6.5 case, we settled on the Creedmoor because for a walking hunting rifle brass is cheaper than the lupua and if something was to happen on a out of state hunt and her hand loads were lost, they offer factory 120gr. And 140gr. A max for under $30.. I hope we will be satisfied with our decision.

I don't know why no creedmoor talk but I built one this summer and so far no complaints. Even with Hornady brass it's been producing really nice groups. 140 gr. A-max did its job on a doe this year though the A-max doesn't group the best good for hunting and the VLDs seem to group best.

 

[XTR]

It has been pointed out that in addition to Hornady, Norma now makes 6.5 Creedmoor brass, but as far as I know that's a reasonably new development. A couple of yrs ago it was only Hornady, and there are people who believe that bullets loaded in Lapua brass never miss, kind of like the way tactical guys feel about rifles built by GA Precision.

Lapua has a following, and it is significant. That has given the 6.5x47L a head start in many circles, esp a board like this populated by target shooters.

If you look back at the comparisons between the 6.5x47L, the 6.5 C and the 260Rem they are ballistic triplets. If I was building a hunting rifle I'd probably go with the 260 Rem and shoot 120-130 class bullets.

 

[flatlander]

I've shot a few 1000yd any rifle/any sight prone matches with a 30" Krieger medium Palma bbl in 6.5x55 on my Palma rifle. Used Lapua 139s & S142MKs loaded to just over 2900fps with N160, and had excellent results there. I suppose you might be able to get close to 3000fps with 140-class bullets out of a 30" bbl using N560 or another similar double-base powder, but considering that I only get another 50fps or so out of another 30" bbl in 6.5x55AI, I think expectations of 3000fps are unrealistic.

Having shot several thousands of rounds in 6.5x47, 260 Imp 30*, and both std & AI 6.5x55, there's no question in my mind which round I'd go with for a lady friend or wife - the 6.5x47 wins, hands down.

 

[Caleb85]

I hear you flatlander, but I just cringe at the thought of her losing brass in the field at $95 -100!

 

[flatlander]

Caleb85 - I hear you on brass loss. Some of the tactical matches are run with tight time limits, and brass loss there is almost unavoidable, which would make it a little tougher for me to follow through on each shot - I'd likely be instinctively looking to see where my spent cases were going instead!

No doubt the increased availability of 6.5 CM brass will help make it more popular - certainly can't hurt anyway. Closest I've come to being around a 6.5 CM was chambering a friend's bbl in 6 CM. However, I did see that several of the top 50 shooters in the PRI series are using both 6.5x47 & 6.5 CM, though the vast majority are using 6s of one flavor or the other - 6x47 is very popular, followed by 6XC & 6 CM. Good luck with your wife's 6.5 CM build.

 

[Caleb85]

Ya I been wanting to build a 8 twist 6mm and I yesterday I cam to the conclusion that since there will be. A 6.5 CM in the house then I will split the brass with her and to a 6 CM so I ordered 300 pieces of 6.5 CM brass!!! ;D

 

[tgonza]

I built 6.5-284 for long range deer hunting. Finally got drawn and shot one with 140 gr. Berger VLD Huntings. Great bullets and I'm using them for January oryx hunt. Even though deer ran a little ways, when opened up heart was shredded. I'd like to say I utilized the long range capabilities of the rifle but ranged shot distance afterward at 77 yards! I'm confident I could have killed one at very long range as I was easily hitting metal gongs at 500 yards.