6.5/284 vs. 6.5/-06

[spradley19]

Could someone tell me which would be a better cartridge to go with? I have been hearing a lot and researching the 6.5/284 but recently I had a smith that I use suggest the 6.5/-06 instead of the 284. Just wanted to know if some of you guys have experience with either?

 

[Dano1]

They are for the most part, the same thing, but the 6.5-06 is a long action number and a 6.5-.284 is a Short action cartridge. Both have almost the same case capacity. A 6.5-.284 is some what limited to bullet length if in a short action, however if loaded in a long action, it doesn't matter.

The 6.5-06 can have issues with bullet length in a long action, but it's a rare thing.

Load data is interchangeable because they are so similar. If you throw a 6.5-06 Ackley Improved or 6.5 Gibbs you have a diffrent story. They are faster.

As far as accuracy is conserned, that depends on the rifle, the reloaders ability and the nut behind the trigger. Some say that a short action is more accurate, but I've seen some really accurate long actions too.

I've been looking too and I settled on the 6.5-06 AI. It looks fun to me. Should be done by mid May at the latest.

Dan
Dan

 

[maxxlogan]

How about the 6.5x55 Swede.......

Just as easy to load...shoots flat enough and can get same accuracy (repeatability) from the round...

I like to avoid the wild cats but some just cant resist....

 

[Rimfire]

Both are long action cartridges. I havre owned a 6.5-284 on a short action and would not do it again. Even with 120 class bullets I had to remove the bolt to remove a live cartridge in a 700 action. Both are great cartridges. The 6.5-284 will be easier to load just buy lapua brass and have at it, no fire forming. All depends on what you want to do.

 

[spradley19]

I guess I should have given a little more information. I am looking for a lighter weight 1000yd rig for hunting deer and smaller game. It will be pretty hard to give up shooting the 300RUM but I am just getting the new gun itch!

 

[Bart B]

Years ago, a couple of folks tried the 6.5-06 for 1000-yard matches. After wearing out a few Hart barrels (about 900 rounds each) they quit.

Accuracy with the '06 case necked down to 26 caliber was no better than the original .30-06. Best they could do for 20 to 25 shot groups at 600 was 5 - 7 inches, about 15 inches at 1000. Couldn't keep muzzle velocity spread low enough. With some newer powders made now, who knows?

These days, the 6.5-.284 is winning long range matches. The way to go, it seems.

 

[puppezed]

There are also other good 6.5 calibers like .260 rem and 6.5x47 Lapua.
Take a look at this shootout:
6.5mm Shootout: .260 Remington vs. 6.5x47 Lapua vs. 6.5 Creedmoor

 

[yobuck]

probably 10 years ago, my son rebarreled his 40x rem. to 6.5x06.
he was so happy with it on groundhogs, he decided to try it on deer.
no talking him out of it.
he found a buck at about 700, and the shot drifted a little too far back.
he never found the buck. never used the gun on deer again either.
i would stick with the rum. for deer.

 

[maxxlogan]

i shoot the 6.5x55 and have dropped five deer at ranges from 500-900 yards. five deer in as many shots at deer. and have passed many shots up due to bad weather or no clear shot.
deer are medium game and the 6.5 proj is sufficient for a clean kill, if you are hunting elk or moose, that is different. obviously a 300 yard shot and an 800 yard shot require not just the right load, gun, and optics but most importantly skill to take the shot at those ranges from a cold barrel. if wind is an issue, wait. better still if u get that chance go out and hit gongs on a windy day and you will gain more skill. the 6.5 round bucks the wind with the best of the 30 cals, if not better, so to say it was caliber choice that fouled the kill is wrong.
i have shot goats many a time at 700-800 yards across a steep gorge in winds up to and including 25MPH. but i also practiced at those cross winds and build up data, not just rely on software for my windage. when the wind picked up harder, i chose not to shoot, simple..
practice, practice, practice....more important that caliber choice...
any of the 6.5 rounds is great.....if a bigger caliber gives you more confidence, sure go for it..
one bit of equipment i can't live without anymore is the cosine gauge..it will explain many near hits.. and clear misses...

 

[Bart B]

There are also other good 6.5 calibers like .260 rem and 6.5x47 Lapua.

Checked the article your link went to and the following part of it got my attention:

"They ... provide better trajectory performance for both wind and drop than the standard 190gr SMK load in .300 Winchester Magnum,..." (then later) "Once you're using the same high-BC bullet, adding 150 fps to get 2970 fps instead of a more sedate 2820 fps only gains about four inches of wind drift per 10 mph cross!"

Wrong; a 190 SMK leaving a .300 Win. Mag drops about 10% less than the best of those mentioned in the article and much less than those using less powder than the 6.5-284. And the 6.5-284's wind drift at 1000 yards with a 140-gr. bullet is the same as a 190 SMK from a .300 Winnie. The 1000-yard wind drift difference between a high-BC 140-gr. bullet leaving 2820 and 2970 fps is about 10 inches, not about 4 inches.

I think the barrel life numbers are wrong, but barrel life claims usually have a wide range. Barrel life is inversely proportional to shooter's accuracy skills. Folks who don't shoot very accurate claim longer barrel life than those who do.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Anybody have current thoughts on the 6.5 Creedmore since this article in 2007?

Steve

 

[maxxlogan]

BartB the article is correct....

I shoot 6.5x55, at 1000 yards i get 8in drift at 10Mph. 139gr scenar at 3200fps, at 3000fps the windage difference is just under 2in. drop another 100fps and the diff is a further 5in...in my setup....
so it is quite accurate..

 

[silvertip-co]

A 6.5-06 is actually a .256 Newton. Mr Newton, Esq. would be proud.

 

[Bart B]

BartB the article is correct....

I shoot 6.5x55, at 1000 yards i get 8in drift at 10Mph. 139gr scenar at 3200fps, at 3000fps ...

That's amazing.

More velocity than my .264 Win. Mag. would shoot a 140-gr. HPMK with max loads from its 28-inch barrel. And 1/9th the 10 mph crosswind drift my load had at 1000 yards.

Those Scenar's must be something special!!!! And so are those 6.5x55 cases you use!!!!