Please advise on best 6.5 for my new build

[comfisherman]

The 264 should feed in the magazine, or at least be relatively easily made to work. The easiest is the 6.5x300 wby, while I understand the reluctance with recoil usually they can be loaded to a softer lower velocity node. My last 270 wsm loaded with heavy for caliber bullets and the slower powders shot real good near the starting load. It was still a mite faster than a 270 win but perceptible less recoil and blast.. While the powder weight factors into the recoil equation it doesn't make as much of a difference.

It's always interesting in the nosler load data to see how many loads had best accuracy with a starting load. Usually that little asterisk gets ignored as we rarely buy a cartridge to drive it slow. But the 200 fps loss would drop the recoil lower, probably still be a mite bit faster than top end 264 loads but could split the difference. Upside is neck the 300 wby brass down, swap barrels and off to the races.

 

[Chamberman]

6.5 x 257 WBY/ .264 Brooks gets my vote! Simple neck up of 257 WBY or neck down of 270 WBY.

FAST, FLAT LASER BEAM!

 

[smokey3]

The 264 should feed in the magazine, or at least be relatively easily made to work. The easiest is the 6.5x300 wby, while I understand the reluctance with recoil usually they can be loaded to a softer lower velocity node. My last 270 wsm loaded with heavy for caliber bullets and the slower powders shot real good near the starting load. It was still a mite faster than a 270 win but perceptible less recoil and blast.. While the powder weight factors into the recoil equation it doesn't make as much of a difference.

It's always interesting in the nosler load data to see how many loads had best accuracy with a starting load. Usually that little asterisk gets ignored as we rarely buy a cartridge to drive it slow. But the 200 fps loss would drop the recoil lower, probably still be a mite bit faster than top end 264 loads but could split the difference. Upside is neck the 300 wby brass down, swap barrels and off to the races.

That was my thinking also with the 6.5x300. I usually look at my Nosler manuals first although I check many reloading books and powder manufacturers before attempting a new caliber.

 

[WildRose]

Thanks for the responses. I was planing on 1in 7 twist which should stabilize my chosen bullet. Lol and as of late I stock up on all shooting supplies when I find them.

I've read the 6.5-300 and 26 nosler in a 8-9 lbs rifle run around 26-28 foot pounds. The older I get the less I like the hard kickers and this will be a hunting only rifle so want to stay away from a break. My 300 wsm has around 27 foot pounds. I shot the 300 Weatherby for over 20 years and never missed an animal because of recoil. I bought into the hype and bought a 6.5 prc and thought wow this is fun to shoot. would like to keep it around 20ish for this rifle.

These are ball park but according to Chuck Hawks, the 26 NOS in an 8lbs rig puts you at 23.9 vs the .264 at 19.2lbs.

The 6.5-300Wby shows to come in at 21.1. Compare those to the .260 Rem and the 6.5CM that come in around 11.9lbs.

All of these are for 140gr bullets if my lines are lined up right.

Rifle Recoil Table

Of course a lighter rifle or heavier bullet is going to change the equation. There are a good many online calculators you can use to get more specific.

For my money I can't see anything persuading me to do anything other than build my 6.5-300Rug as my 2022 6.5 Project.

Keep in mind if you plan on doing a lot of high volume shooting the harder and faster you push them through an overbore cartridge the more barrels have to be considered as "expendable" because you're going to go through a lot of them.

Even the .264 and 6.5x.284 loading hot are considered by most people to be, "Barrel Burners" so pushing bullets faster with the bigger cartridges will almost certainly reduce your barrel life considerably.

 

[Capt RB]

Peterson is now making 270 Weatherby brass so a 270/6.5 wby would be a simple neck down and turn/ream also. I am using Peterson in 6.5 Creedmoor and will be using it in 300bee when it is finished. That is a very consistent product that will last if you run it hard. YOu will have plenty of room in a 3.715 mag to run any bullet if you go the dbm route Should run 3250 with 8133 rl33 lrt and magnum. Retumbo should touch 3200 as well. I haven't run the VV powders to comment on them.
If you went suppressor you would be hard pressed to beat the 6.5/300 in a mkV I'd think 3450-3500 should be near max. with a .360ish g7 wow

 

[swat]

I am 60 also, and built a rifle off the Big Horn short Action. I shoot several calibers with it. my favorite by far is the 18 inch 6.5 Saum barrel to hunt with, and shoot to 1000 yds. I push a 135 Berger classic with 53 grains of H 4350 at 2990-3015 fps. It is just plain fun to shoot, and is a tack driver. Short gun and weighs 8.5 lbs.

 

[tmmcampbell]

Thank you all for your input. Gave me plenty to think about and changed my mind. I decided I'd go the all American way with bigger is better and rebarrel to the 6.5-300. Recoil will be more than I was shooting for but still noticeably less than the 300 it is now.

 

[Mike D Texas]

264 WinMag checks all of the boxes you want. There's plenty of seven rem mag brass to neck down if needed. You also would not need special dies as you would with a 6.5/257 Wby.

Have your own reamer built to seat a 156 Berger EOL at 3.550 inches and your 135 Badlands will be perfect without eating up powder capacity.

 

[dogz]

Long story short, I have a 60 yr old Mark 5 300 Weatherby that has great sentimental value to me. The barrel is shot out. I've decided to re-barrel it to a 6.5. for several reasons. 1. I want to hunt with it again. 2. I want less recoil (no muzzle break!) I would like to be around 20 foot pounds of recoil.

It will be used for deer and antelope. I have several other larger calibers for larger critters. I'm planning on shooting 135 badlands Precision bulldozer-2 bullets, and h1000, h4350 or vv570. (I have several pounds of these powders) I would like to be as far north of 3000 as I can get.

I saw weatherby came out with the 6.5 rpm and thought I had it. However, it won't work with my magnum bolt face. Now I'm leaning towards the .264WM.

Considering my parameters is there a better cartridge for my needs?
Thanks in advance.

Easy button would be a 257 Wby in a 8 twist

 

[WildRose]

Thank you all for your input. Gave me plenty to think about and changed my mind. I decided I'd go the all American way with bigger is better and rebarrel to the 6.5-300. Recoil will be more than I was shooting for but still noticeably less than the 300 it is now.

I'm shooting a 6.5Lrm which uses the same case, I don't think you're going to find the recoil at all unpleasant. My next 6.5 will be using the 375case blown out and improved a bit with a shorter neck than the LRM, just a straight necked down 300PRC like you're doing.

You should be able to run 140gr bullets around 3600fps with what you're doing as I'm currently getting right at 3,440 with an ES of 8-12fps depending on which batch I'm shooting and yes, it's really a blast.

 

[Capt RB]

I'm shooting a 6.5Lrm which uses the same case, I don't think you're going to find the recoil at all unpleasant. My next 6.5 will be using the 375case blown out and improved a bit with a shorter neck than the LRM, just a straight necked down 300PRC like you're doing.

You should be able to run 140gr bullets around 3600fps with what you're doing as I'm currently getting right at 3,440 with an ES of 8-12fps depending on which batch I'm shooting and yes, it's really a blast.

6.5-300wby not prc

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Whichever way you intend to go; buy 200 pieces of brass FIRST.