6.5 stw

screech · #1 03-10-2006, 08:21 AM

Hello, For those that no more than me. What will an 6.5 stw do versus an 264 winchester. I know that the 264 is an barrel burner and I assume this chambering will be to. Do you know about how many rounds a barrel will hold up to with careful shooting. Thanks for any info

Fiftydriver · #2 03-10-2006, 11:09 AM

On average I would say you would get 200 fps velocity gain with a 27" barrel or longer. Throat life will be in the 1100-1200 round range with proper barrel choice and care. This is for big game accuracy.

The heavier the bullet, the larger the velocity advantage. The lighter the smaller it will be compared to the 264 Win Mag.

Kirby Allen(50)

eshell · #3 03-10-2006, 02:04 PM

I understand that the 6.5 STW is very similar to the 6.5-300 Weatherby.

With a 6.5-300 Weatherby Mag, a 30" barrel, 140 Bergers and 83 grains of H-870, I was getting 3,400 fps. Swap the 140 Berger for a 120 Ballistic Tip, and I'd get 3,500. IMO, these cartridges are really at their best with the heaviest (best BC) bullets around.

Shot slowly and mostly for groundhog and deer shooting, the throat lived for 750 rounds, then mandatory cleaning (or face high pressures) got too frequent and too hard to do. Still shot 3/8 moa when I took it back to the smith, just terrible to operate.

A .264 WinMag is much more enjoyable to shoot and maintain, not to mention cheaper. IIRC, a .264 can get within 150-175 fps with the 140's using 20% less powder and 10% less throat.

I have a "love/hate relationship" with this rifle, because it shoots like a laser and kills like lightning, but, man, it is ever hard on barrels and tough to get completely clean. Takes a lot of the fun out of it. Because I was already invested in custom dies and a few hundred rounds of prepped brass when I had it set back and re-crowned, I went back to the same 6.5-300Wby. Otherwise, I'd have gone to a .264.

I also have a 6.5-284 Norma and often wish it had a bit more power, which puts one right at the .264 level.

Varmint Hunter · #4 03-10-2006, 02:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
With a 6.5-300 Weatherby Mag, a 30" barrel, 140 Bergers and 83 grains of H-870, I was getting 3,400 fps. Swap the 140 Berger for a 120 Ballistic Tip, and I'd get 3,500. IMO, these cartridges are really at their best with the heaviest (best BC) bullets around.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just a note here. The 7STW will launch bullets of the same weight as mentioned and at velocities greater than mentioned in a 30" barrel. The barrel on the 7 STW would last longer if both barrels were taken care of in the same manner. The advantage of the 6.5STW would be slightly higher B/C's for bullets of the same weight and style as the .284's.

screech · #5 03-11-2006, 10:05 AM

Thanks guy's. I was thinking of adding one of those 264 winchesters in the sendero to my collection and then having it drilled to a 6.5 stw. Dosen't sound like it would have a long enough barrel to make it do anything good for it though. Thanks guy's

eshell · #6 03-13-2006, 10:25 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
With a 6.5-300 Weatherby Mag, a 30" barrel, 140 Bergers and 83 grains of H-870, I was getting 3,400 fps. Swap the 140 Berger for a 120 Ballistic Tip, and I'd get 3,500. IMO, these cartridges are really at their best with the heaviest (best BC) bullets around.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just a note here. The 7STW will launch bullets of the same weight as mentioned and at velocities greater than mentioned in a 30" barrel. The barrel on the 7 STW would last longer if both barrels were taken care of in the same manner. The advantage of the 6.5STW would be slightly higher B/C's for bullets of the same weight and style as the .284's.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree Varmint Hunter. There are some excellent heavy 7mm bullets out there now too. The 7STW will replace this 6.5-300Wby when I burn out what's left on this barrel. . . [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

I don't mind paying to play, but I think I did go a little too far for max benefit vs maintainence effort. . . [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]