6.5WSM

[victor]

Hi Guys,

I would like some info from owners of 6.5WSM guns. I am currently having a rifle built with switch barrels. One will be .300WSM and the other will be 6.5WSM.

My problem, I don't know much about the 6.5WSM.

1. I have read that you can reach velocities up to 3,400 FPS with 140 gr bullets, but that they are not accurate at that speed and their best accuracey is around 3,000 to 3,100 FPS.

Is this true?

If so, maybe I should just chamber my second barrel to the standard .270WSM and not deal with the hassle of customizing cases and all.

2. If I do go with the 6.5WSM, where do I get dies, how much do they cost to be made. I would need a full length resizing die and a bullet seating die (a micrometer type bullet seating die would be preferred).
This rifle will be chambered by Kirby, he happens to have the 6.5WSM reamer and that's how this cartridge was selected.
Do I need to supply the Die maker with the dimensional specs of the reamer. I would suspect so. Any info here?

3. Anybody have any load recipes for the cartridge and velocity/accuracey data?

The components for this rifle will be a Remington 700 type short action, with Rock Creek 5R, #3 contour barrels & H-S Precision Sporter stock. This will be my steep mountain carry gun for elk and deer, capable of unmentionable accuracy, at least for now.........

Any advice with this round, would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Vic

 

[sewwhat89]

The 270 WSM may make you look like a genious! Berger is making some .277 bullets soon. I was told they should be released with the .338s or very shortly thereafter. I would not want to speculate on a weight, but my guess would be in the 145-155 gr range. In your 270 WSM, that should be good for about 3100 fps with ease. Just something to consider.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Vivtor,

Well, if someone is getting 3400 fps with a 140 gr pill in a 6.5mm WSM they are either running a 40" barrel or running pressures to blowing primer pocket pressures or more then likely a combo of both.

A 6.5mm WSM will not outperform a 264 Win Mag loaded to the same chamber pressure in the same length of usible barrel. 3150 to possibly 3200 fps will be all you will get in the 6.5mm WSM in a conventional length barrel, even a long one at 28".

My 6.5mm AX is a 300 Dakota necked down to 6.5mm and blown out as much as possible and it will get you around 3400-3425 fps in a 27" barrel with a 140 gr bullet and not much more.

You hear the comment alot that a round will get 3400 fps but is only accurate around 3000-3100 fps. Thats funny, thats the top end of where the round should be anyway, the 3400 fps part of the comment is generally greatly exaggerated in most every case, not only with the 6.5mm caliber but most other rounds.

Most cartridges will be most consistant in their top working pressure ranges of around 60,000 to 65,000 psi. So those that say they can get substantially more velocity then they are using but down load for accuracy are generally either full of hot air or they pushed their rifle WAY to hard during load development.

As far as dies go, all of my customers just called up Redding and ordered dies from them. They are a catalog item and my reamer is the standard 270 WSM necked down to 6.5mm. The Redding dies work very well.

3. I would have to look up my load for my XP-100 but it is driving a 120 gr Ballistic Tip to just shy of 3100 fps in a 15" barrel. I was planning on shooting the 140 class bullets but the 120s shot so well I have never changed from those!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Agunner012]

68.4 grains of Retumbo gave us 3,400 fps. with a 123 gr. Scenar boatail. Hope this helps. As always work your way up, this is one accurate load in my 6.5 wsm.

AG

 

[victor]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I've thought about this for a little bit and I think I will just use the KISS method here (keep it simple stupid). Why bother going to the trouble of making a custom round that will have the incorrect head stamp on the case, require non-standard dies, and not have the ability to go to the local sporting goods store to purchase factory loaded rounds, if I need to in a pinch. Also, the ballistic performance between the 6.5WSM and the .270WSM is pretty much splitting hairs from what I see so far.

Also, I already have a .270Wby Mag so I have plenty of bullets stocked up, why complicate matters with another caliber, I'd only need to setup more storage in my reloading cabinet and real estate is mighty scarce in there as it is.

Now some may say, why do I need a .270WSM when I have an excellent .270Wby. Well, I'll think on that and get back to you, but right now I just know I need one.

Kirby, I sure hope you have a .270WSM reamer in your arsenal of tools.

As a matter of fact, it would be nice to post all the reamers that you do have, so we can pick and choose what calibers you could make for us.

Regards,
Vic

 

[722 WILDCAT ENTHUSIAST]

gun)I disagree that the 270 WSM is the equal to the 6.5 WSM because of the availibility of high ballisitic coefficent ammunition it is however a standardized cartridge so if you dont handload its the way to go

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

gun)I disagree that the 270 WSM is the equal to the 6.5 WSM because of the availibility of high ballisitic coefficent ammunition it is however a standardized cartridge so if you dont handload its the way to go

This thread is almost 5 years old, Kirby (fiftydriver) is the only guy who is still even active on the fourm.

 

[722 WILDCAT ENTHUSIAST]

boohooo!!

 

[65WSM]

I have a 6.5 WSM that was built in 2005. It has a 9 twist and was designed to shoot 120 gr Barnes X bullets with Reloader 22 and 25 powders. It is built on a Model 70 short action. I bedded it into a MPI graphite stock and weighs an honest 7.5 lbs with a Sightron 2-10X 32mm compact scope in Talley lightweight rings. I abandoned the floorplate and have a 26 inch fluted barrel.

I have found I can get 3280 fps with 130 Accubonds with either Retumbo or Ramshot Magnum. The 130 Accubond has a greater BC than any other bonded hunting bullet I am aware of. Retumbo seems to be more accurate than Ramshot Magnum in my barrel and the Bartlein barrel of a friend. A third friend is happy with Magnum.

I am currently constructing a 6.5 WSM with a 28 inch Krieger 8 twist to shoot 140 and 140 gr bullets that are target bullets and not bonded. I plan is to use Vihtavuori N-570 to get over 3100 fps. Retumbo, R-25 and Magnum may also be in that ballpark. If I get to 3200 fps I will be pleased (remember I am gaining barrel length and weight). I should be able to tell you this Summer what 140 gr bullets can do in 6.5 WSM.

I built a 6.5 X 284 with one of the Bartlein barrels that were made with my friends 6.5 WSMs. It will drive 130 Accubonds just as fast as the 6.5 WSM with Vihtavuori N-560. The larger WSM case gains you nothing. VV N-560 is amazing in the 6.5 X 284 but burns fast for the more spacious case.

 

[65WSM]

I just shipped my third 6.5 barrel away for a muzzle brake. Enclosed are two photos of 6.5 WSM rifles. The first is a Model 70 in an MPI lightweight stock. It weighs 7.5 lbs as you see it with Sightron 2.5-10X 32mm in Conetrol rings and bases. I would not want it any lighter. It has a 26 inch Rock Creek 5R barrel in their #3 which is lighter than my Bartlein and Krieger #3 contours. All are fluted by the maker.

The Winchester magazine length is 3.15 inches. That works well with the 130 Nosler AB and will seat Berger 140 VLD Hunting and Hybrid Targets but deeper than I seat them in the Highwall. The "Short Action" Remington magazine is a problem. You could expand the magazine with the help of Wyatt boxes prehaps but I have not done this. I like Model 70s.

Before I chose 6.5 WSM I was a .264 Winchester Magnum handloader, going back to the late 70s. The published Winchester catalog data showed a 140 gr Spitzer at 3200 fps. Winchester used a bullet with nose before the channellure of bore diameter to ride on the lands and the base of the bullet was bore diameter to engage the rifling in the barrel. In practice it slammed into the rifling at an angle and had a lot of yaw to the target and 2.5 inch groups were common.

Handloading with Sierra 140 Gamekings or Nosler Partitions, 3150 fps is as fast as I ever got without the primer pockets bulging.

I tell you this because the capacity of the 6.5 WSM (Norma .270 WSM brass) is about 5 grains of powder less than the .264 Winchester Magnum.

Retumbo and VV N-570 can get you to 3200 fps from a 28 inch barrel with 140 gr Bullets in the 6.5 WSM. I can do this in my Highwall. I would doubt that you would see 3200 fps and without destroying the primer pockets in a 26 inch barrel.

If you send me an email I will send you a spreadsheet of my load and chronograph data.

A lot of the amazing chronograph readings that I see are from short radius chronographs that are not set up with the senors parallel to the bore.

 

[Trickymissfit]

just drooling over the Hi-Wall!!!

Looking at the AA powder handout they gave me awhile back, they are using Magpro (designed for the WSM case). With the 270WSM (very close to the 6.5WSM), and shooting the 140 grain Hornaday over 74.2 grains of Magpro; they got 3275 fps. The 130 grain bullet from Sierra got 3359fps using 75.5 grains of powder. Now these charges are very stiff! (64K psi). AA lists 65.2 grains as max with the .264 mag and the same bullet for 3079fps. (64K psi as well). Speer lists 73 grains of H870 for 3130fps in the .264 mag. Hornaday lists 77.3 grains of H870 as max for the same velocity. What is really interesting is that Hornaday says they used a 24" barrel in the WSM, and so did AA. With a 26 or 27" barrel I could see a comfortable 3200fps to 3300fps.
gary

 

[yobuck]

this cartridge has been around long enough at this point to get some good feedback. in my opinion slower powders like retumbo are less suitable unless
the barrel is at least 28"
rl22 7828 and h1000 will produce velocities in the +32 to +3300 range with
140s from a 26" barrel. pressure will no doubt be higher than some are comfortable with.

 

[Trickymissfit]

this cartridge has been around long enough at this point to get some good feedback. in my opinion slower powders like retumbo are less suitable unless
the barrel is at least 28"
rl22 7828 and h1000 will produce velocities in the +32 to +3300 range with
140s from a 26" barrel. pressure will no doubt be higher than some are comfortable with.

That's why I went with Magpro. It's one down from H450, and falls right in the middle between H4831 and IMR4831. Doesn't quite do as well as 3100 in big overbore cases; yet does extremely well in the short mag case (a little better than 3100). Seems to shoot well in my 270mag case, so it ought to work well in the .257 and 264 mag as well.
gary

 

[65WSM]

I have trouble attaching this as an attachment but this is a quickload output. Quickload shows the time in the barrel and muzzle pressure which will help you select powders. The chosen parameters in this run are the Maximum Pressure of 61400 psi with 130 gr Accubond bullets. A friend has the program on his computer and I do not have a 140 gr output handy. Stay tuned I will get one for you. The 6.5 WSM cartridge will achieve the highest velocities with a burn rate just below what the 50 caliber benchrest cartridges are using. VihtaVuori's burn rate chart is the only one that shows the relative closeness or distance between powders from different sources.

Please note that MagPro is a ball powder manufactured by St Marks in Florida. These ball powders are the reason that Bruce Hodgdon sought out a better supplier (ADI which is owned by the French but is in Australia). The St Marks ball powders are known for their temperature sensitivity. That is why the necessity of the "Hodgdon Extreme" line of powders. The US Army also sourced Bufors produced powder for their .308 Sniper ammo. The testing was done by a friend, a Physics professor, Dennis Skailand. They shot in the Winter near Nome and in the Canal Zone of Panama.