6.5mm on Rem 700 LA, help me decide which cartridge...

[cdherman]

I have a rem 700 BDL long action that I have decided needs a new tube. Not a magnum action, bolt face and magazine set up for 25-06 currently. Has a very nice looking stock, but is not a shooter.

I have decided on .264 for sure, as I want to use this for long range hunting and just love the bullet selection etc. No debate here.

But which choice? 6.5-06 would be easy, BUT I do not really like the idea of incorrectly stamped headstamps and lack of comercial ammo (though I am an avid reloader).

260 rem really makes no sense, given that I have a long action.

6.5x284 has been my most recent choice, but this is a hunting rifle. Second and third shots sometimes do happen. My concern with 6.5x285 is one of how easy it will be to make sure the gun feeds and chambers reliably.

6.5x55 might be a choice, but I have Swede already and I try to avoid loading for two or more guns of the same cartridge.

I do not believe I can get a .264 Win Mag in there, so that's out of the question, and furthermore, I am not a belted magnum fan, from a barrel and accuracy standpoint.

This will be a pretty much "no holds barred" gun -- I want it to be fine looking and a tack driver and I have as much money as needed. The BDL action is a keepsake, given to me by my father. I want to keep the wood stock and blued action to keep a traditional look and for the sentimentality.....

Soo...

Am I missing anything here? I want a potentially commercially loaded cartridge or at least one that I can get with a proper headstamp. I want it to feed well, and reliably. I want inherent accuracy.

I posted this similar question a couple years ago, but I am curoius what has changed. Have been reading and searching and cannot quite make up my mind to move forward.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

6.5x284 or the 6.5-06 get my vote. I have never heard of issues regarding the 6.5x284 and feeding. Also its a SAMMI approved round but you will have to make sure your smith cuts you chamber for factory ammo ie SAMMI spec.

 

[eddybo]

I know it isn't a .264, but I would go with a 280AI.

 

[AndyW]

6.5x284

Competition proven accurate, silly easy to make shoot, headstamped lapua brass

 

[durak]

6.5-06 AI all the way - a 6.5-284 makes no sense on a long action, you'll have feeding problems without working things over a lot. For wildcats - 6.5-338 RUM (6.5 Allen Mag), 6.5 WSM, 6.5-300WM, or 6.5 STW - all will fit in a long Remy. I have a 6.5 WSM on a long action M70 - had to do a lot of work to the mag box to get it to feed right, but it allows me to seat the bullet out of the case......

 

[Edd]

6.5-06 AI all the way ......

Doesn't Quality Cartridge make brass with that head stamp?

 

[kiwi3006]

You could definitely get a 264 win mag in there. I have a rem 700 LA in 30/06 that I re-barelled to 7mm rem mag. The smith opened up the bolt face and fitted a sako style extractor. There is heaps of room in the magazine, even with a 168 berger loaded to touch the lands.
The belted magnum reloading issue is all rubbish. I just full length size all my brass and would be on the 5th reload so far.

If you want to stick with correct head stamp then you seem to be stuck with 6.5/284 or 264 win mag.

Otherwise the simplest would be 6.5/06.

 

[durak]

I agree about the belted mags - All you have to do is have the belt portion of your chamber extended on a belted mag so that the cartridge belt doesn't touch, then it head spaces of the shoulder - Or - turn the belt on the case off... I did this with a 7 mag that had poor acurracy and it fixed it.

 

[cdherman]

OK, ?? for the 6.5-06 AI fans:

-- Am I correct that the blownout 6.5-06 AI will absolutely not chamber in a 25-06?

-- The 6.5-06 AI come close to 264 Win Mag right? And exceeds the 6.5/284 by 100-200 fps in most bullet weights?

-- The fatter case in the AI, plus the more severe shoulder will at least theoretically affect magazine and feeding. Any experience about ammount and modifications to the existing 25-06 magazine and feed rails?

I did some more reading and the 6.5-06 AI sounded attractive in many ways. A little more omph than the 6.5-284 and I happen to have about 500 rounds of 25-06 brass, 250 of which are new unfired........

I would be looking at potentially at having GA Precision truing the action, working the bolt, putting a Bartlein barrel at at least 26", in heavy sporter sort of weight, no more than 28" Might go 27" just cause I cannot decide....

I really want max accuracy, in a carry weight rifle. I know, cannot have everything in this world, but never hurts to try....

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

OK, ?? for the 6.5-06 AI fans:

-- Am I correct that the blownout 6.5-06 AI will absolutely not chamber in a 25-06?

-- The 6.5-06 AI come close to 264 Win Mag right? And exceeds the 6.5/284 by 100-200 fps in most bullet weights?

-- The fatter case in the AI, plus the more severe shoulder will at least theoretically affect magazine and feeding. Any experience about ammount and modifications to the existing 25-06 magazine and feed rails?

I did some more reading and the 6.5-06 AI sounded attractive in many ways. A little more omph than the 6.5-284 and I happen to have about 500 rounds of 25-06 brass, 250 of which are new unfired........

I would be looking at potentially at having GA Precision truing the action, working the bolt, putting a Bartlein barrel at at least 26", in heavy sporter sort of weight, no more than 28" Might go 27" just cause I cannot decide....

I really want max accuracy, in a carry weight rifle. I know, cannot have everything in this world, but never hurts to try....

Remingtion chambers there long actions all the way up to 338 Lapua mag so your little 6.5 based wild cat is going to fit fine. You may need a wayatts extended box mag to have your rifle function as a repeter.