First season with the 6.5 Sherman

I have a great arrangement with a hunting partner. Being the better shot by a healthy margin, I do the shootin'. He does the cuttin'. I know, it's generous of me.

I remodeled a wonderful old cabin several years ago. A group of guys had bought it and used as a hunting cabin. The walls were plastered with decades of hunting liscences, photos, and memoribilia.
 
Thanks Rich for sharing your elk experience last fall. About the time I read that I was starting to feel a little like Superman with this new gun. It made me pay closer attention to things.
At our hunting elevations the Bergers don't drop to the 1800fps threshold till 1200yds. I have a box of A-max that I'll see if they will shoot as good as the Bergers, just in case I need a backup bullet.
I don't know how much difference it will make, but measuring the bearing length on both bullets was a bit surprising. The A-max bullet only varied at the most .002 and that was only a few in a good sized sample, while the Bergers had a .010 range. It looked like I would have to have to sort through quite a few to get enough the same to fill a box. Cliff
 
Thanks Rich for sharing your elk experience last fall. About the time I read that I was starting to feel a little like Superman with this new gun. It made me pay closer attention to things.
At our hunting elevations the Bergers don't drop to the 1800fps threshold till 1200yds. I have a box of A-max that I'll see if they will shoot as good as the Bergers, just in case I need a backup bullet.
I don't know how much difference it will make, but measuring the bearing length on both bullets was a bit surprising. The A-max bullet only varied at the most .002 and that was only a few in a good sized sample, while the Bergers had a .010 range. It looked like I would have to have to sort through quite a few to get enough the same to fill a box. Cliff

I've noticed that the Bergers have more variation as well. They still shoot well though! Be careful with the A-Max at closer ranges. They might make the Bergers look like armor piercing!
 
Thanks Rich for sharing your elk experience last fall. About the time I read that I was starting to feel a little like Superman with this new gun. It made me pay closer attention to things.
At our hunting elevations the Bergers don't drop to the 1800fps threshold till 1200yds. I have a box of A-max that I'll see if they will shoot as good as the Bergers, just in case I need a backup bullet.
I don't know how much difference it will make, but measuring the bearing length on both bullets was a bit surprising. The A-max bullet only varied at the most .002 and that was only a few in a good sized sample, while the Bergers had a .010 range. It looked like I would have to have to sort through quite a few to get enough the same to fill a box. Cliff

Hi Cliff, I meant to tell you that I shot some A-max's one time with the identical load of 63 grs. retumbo that I loaded with the Bergers. The seating depth and EVERYTHING being identical (.010" into lands). The velocity was within 5'/second and they grouped in the same hole at 100 yards! I was always going to shoot them at longer ranges to see how far out that scenario held up but never did. My intent was to sight in with the A-max's out to max range and use the Bergers at maybe out to 700-800 yards? I still think this might work very well and am going to try to get around to doing it this summer (if I can keep from playing with my new 30/375 S.I. that should be together soon)! Maybe you can beat me to the punch and let me know what you think? I am convinced that if you are going to use a 6.5 at 1000 yards for game, the A-Max would be a better choice.......Rich
 
Here is a pic of the PST mounted in Burris signature rings with the .010 inserts.
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I like the scope itself fine so far, but it sure doesn't fit the rifle as good as the leupold. Maybe after a summer's shooting it will grow on me.
I have already found that for me the 0 stop feature is absolutely a must.
After getting it zeroed at 100 it shot to the numbers to 1430yds with both Bergers and the A-Max.
I dropped down a couple grains for the A-Max. I wasn't too sure if the longer bearing surface would raise the pressure noticeably.
We didn't get anything on paper, just gongs and rocks for a trial run.
Will have another go at it this weekend if I can get Rhian to crunch the numbers for me.
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Rich, is there another bullet that you would use beside these two. Cliff
 

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Numbers crunched!! I set the wind at 5mph. Confirmed at 1030 and 1435 yards. I'm really like everything on that PST, if only it had more MOA on the 6-24, JB's Sightron SIII 6-24 is ordered so we'll have to have an optics shoot offgun)

I put a few rounds through it with the PST on it and man 600 yards was just stupid easy with this chambering!!!

6.5_Sherman.png
 
That is quite good performance for a non-extreme magnum.

Quite the effective cartridge.

One of these times we otta sneak out and shoot something worth shootin'.

I'll mozy up that way and wonder around. You shoot the woofs and I'll shoot the yotes. :)
 
Man, you guys are having too much fun! Where is your shooting platform located? Cliff, I sure like the looks of that old classic! You will get used to those monster scopes:D
If your rifle will group them, the Swift Scirrcco is a very good performing bullet on elk or smaller. Sometimes I've had trouble getting them dialed in, they are a little finnicky. They expand down to fairly low velocity and stay together well at the higher end. Keep the pictures coming. Sure would be fun to do a hunt with you guys some time. Ever consider Idaho?..........Rich
 
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