easy open bullets for 6,5mm

[Ukko]

I just make new rifle in caliber 6,5mm grendel. Barrel will be 7"twist border barrels and plan is shoot so heavy bullets what will stabil by subsonic velocity. So what bullets open most easy in +140gr weigh class? And like i say muzzle velocity will be less than 1000 fps (320m/s).

 

[Varminator 911]

Ukko:

Jacketed bullets aren't made to expand when launched at less than 1000 fps. My first thought was a hornady amax but don't think they even make a 6.5mm. Nothing in 6.5 at 140 grains is going to reliably expand at those speeds.

I don't even know if the varmint bullets will expand. But Speer's 90 grain TNT might be as close as you will get.

 

[kiwi3006]

Hornady do make a 140 gr 6.5 a-max, but like Varminator 911 said they are unlikey to open reliably at 1000 fps.

See if you can track down some of the 156 gr projectiles. I use to use a 6.5x55 back in the 80's and either Norma or Lapua produced a factory 156 gr. They might not open at 1000 fps but I bet they would tumble like crazy and do a power of damage.
The reports I have seen for the 300 and 338 Whispers is that the big bullets (240 and 300 gr) tumble rather than expand when they hit game.

Stu.

 

[RT2506]

The long spitzer bullets tend to tumble better than a round nose bullet. Round nose bullets tend to just plow straight through.
Like has been said you are not going to find a jacketed bullet in .264 that will expand reliable at impact speeds under 1000 fps.

 

[azsugarbear]

Although I do not have specific information about 6.5mm bullets at subsonic speeds, I do know a fair amount about 30 cal bullets at subsonic speeds based on my work with the 300 Whisper.

After talking with technicians from nearly all bullet manufacturers, I can say with a high degree of confidence that there is not a 30 cal hunting bullet out there that will expand at subsonic speeds (1050 fps and under). I strongly suspect the same is true of 6.5mm bullets. Varmint bullets will not and neither will the green/safety bullets filled with powdered metal. I did find one small custom manufacturer that makes a 30 cal bullet that expands at subsonic speeds - but they are $1 apiece and he doesn't make any in 6.5!

Most 300 Whisper owners rely on tumbling for initial shock value. This usually means heavy-for-caliber bullets like the 240 gr. SMK. They barely stabilize with a 1 in 8 twist barrel at slower speeds and then upset easily when they come in contact with media. Other owners load a snub or flat nose bullet (like those made for the tubular-fed 30-30 Winchester) to minimize the "penciling" affect of spitzer point bullets. Unfortunately, I don't know any manufacturers that make a flat nose in 6.5. Finally, there are some that buy flat based bullets and then load them backwards like a wadcutter in a pistol cartridge. Again - the idea being to get the bullet tumbling shortly after contact. Some have reported that feeding backwards bullets becomes unreliable in some AR platforms.

One final thing to keep in mind when shooting subsonic is load density. Because it takes only a few grains to get a bullet up to subsonic speed, you will find most cases in 6.5 have too much excess case capacity and therefore, results will be erratic. Go with the smallest case you can find. Also, go with a fast-burning powder for more uniform results. For example: the 300 Whisper is a necked-up .221 fireball case (slightly smaller than the .223 case). I load 8 grains of Hodgdon Lil' Gun with a 208 gr. A-Max on top and easily get to 1050 fps.

Good luck to ya!

 

[Ukko]

Thanks for all. I know its not easy find any bullets what really work so low velocity but i hope i find some what open even little.

So now planing is look some lapua mega or norma oryx,alaska or vulkan. And if those working like FMJ then open nose little by lathe and see what happend. And ofcourse all is cast bullets what is even more simple reload by subsonic velocity than jacketed bullets.

And case will be 6,5mm grendel and i know what difficulties case capacity makes for subsonic cartridge. But reason why i use that grendel case is because its first simple i find all material ready from shop. Ofcourse open example 222rem cases isnt problem but anyway ready is allways more simple. Second is grendel cases i can buy ready for large rifle primer pocket what helping of loading. And vishtavuori have N32C powder what is really good for those ammo. It takes about double capasity than N320 and still burning rate and energy is same. So by that powder i get cases more full than other powders. And by grendel cases i can use full power load what isnt bad if i just want. And one big other reason is sako 6PPC A1 action what is ready for this grendel and its still really nice size in hand. I sakos action is much more nice handle than any other that size action by others manufacture.
And one other reason try first that 6,5mm bullets and not .30 like whisper is makes so low noice gun what is possible. Here In finland where i hunting mostly silencer in aloud in hunting and also really common too. And i believe i can makes more quiet gun bu 6,5mm bullets than + .30cal. Allways when silencer bullet hole is smaller, all pressure stay better inside. And that enrergy what i can bring in to game by 10g bullets is enough in my use, and i dont need more. So basicly i just want bigger 22lr not more. If i can get bullets open about +10mm diameter it will be enough in my use.

And like i say this is not my first gun which use silencer but first in this size.