First Custom Build what do you think?

[trappererick]

Hey guys this is my first post here on your forums. I am a Marine Scientist who lives and works in Downeast Maine. My hobbies are fly fishing for trout and salmon, bird hunting with my german shorthair Jaegar, deer hunting and reloading and shooting for both my pistols and rifles. I have finally decided to take the plunge and send out an action I have for my first custom build.

The base action is a New Haven CRF Model 70 WSM action. The action is going to be trued, have the lugs lapped, and a Shilen SS 20" barrel not sure the contour as I am leaving that up to the smith, but it will be a sporter or lightweight. Gun is going to be chambered in 6.5 Remington Magnum with a 1:8 twist, and 11 degree recessed traget crown. I have sent the smith two dummy rounds using the bullets I plan to shoot from this gun so he can deep throat the chamber if necessary. The OAL length of my rounds using the lapua Mega 155gr and the Norma Vulcan 156 gr are both right at about 3.0" and function through the magazine of the WSM action. This set up is then going to be pillar bedded and free floated into a lightweight synthetic and toped witha leupold ultralight 3x9 in quick release mounts. The action is also being set up for the smiths switch barrel conversion as next year he is getting it back with instructions to install a 350 Rem. Mag barrel on it. My goal is to have a finished weight of between 6 and 6.25 lbs on the rifle and use it for a nice light weight walking around gun for whitetails, black bear and the ocassional coyote that stops long enough to get shot.

What do you guys think? I know the 6.5 Rem Mag is not as popular as some of the other 6.5's but I have had a love affair with this round for a long time and have one in a Remington 600 that I absolutely love. I have around 750 pieces of brass for the 6.5 and love reloading so ammo is not a problem. I also know my bullet choice isn't the sexiest long range pill but for the shots I take and the tough angle shots I sometimes have to take I need a bullet that will penetrate and hold together well.

How do you think it will work out?

 

[elkaholic]

Hey guys this is my first post here on your forums. I am a Marine Scientist who lives and works in Downeast Maine. My hobbies are fly fishing for trout and salmon, bird hunting with my german shorthair Jaegar, deer hunting and reloading and shooting for both my pistols and rifles. I have finally decided to take the plunge and send out an action I have for my first custom build.

The base action is a New Haven CRF Model 70 WSM action. The action is going to be trued, have the lugs lapped, and a Shilen SS 20" barrel not sure the contour as I am leaving that up to the smith, but it will be a sporter or lightweight. Gun is going to be chambered in 6.5 Remington Magnum with a 1:8 twist, and 11 degree recessed traget crown. I have sent the smith two dummy rounds using the bullets I plan to shoot from this gun so he can deep throat the chamber if necessary. The OAL length of my rounds using the lapua Mega 155gr and the Norma Vulcan 156 gr are both right at about 3.0" and function through the magazine of the WSM action. This set up is then going to be pillar bedded and free floated into a lightweight synthetic and toped witha leupold ultralight 3x9 in quick release mounts. The action is also being set up for the smiths switch barrel conversion as next year he is getting it back with instructions to install a 350 Rem. Mag barrel on it. My goal is to have a finished weight of between 6 and 6.25 lbs on the rifle and use it for a nice light weight walking around gun for whitetails, black bear and the ocassional coyote that stops long enough to get shot.

What do you guys think? I know the 6.5 Rem Mag is not as popular as some of the other 6.5's but I have had a love affair with this round for a long time and have one in a Remington 600 that I absolutely love. I have around 750 pieces of brass for the 6.5 and love reloading so ammo is not a problem. I also know my bullet choice isn't the sexiest long range pill but for the shots I take and the tough angle shots I sometimes have to take I need a bullet that will penetrate and hold together well.

How do you think it will work out?

Welcome to the forum Trapper! It is always nice to see new members. First of all, there is nothing wrong with the 6.5 RM. For what you are attempting to do, velocity is obviously not your goal. Having said that, you might want to consider a shorter case because seating a bullet that long in a 6.5 RM will take up a lot of space in your case. You will not be able to seat the bullet where it really should be, and have it fit in your magazine. You might want to consider something like the Creedmore or 6.5 remington so you can better utilize the magazine room that you have. You won't lose that much velocity and will have a more efficient cartridge that is easier on barrels. Just a thought.........Rich

 

[trappererick]

Rich,

Appreciate the reply but I am confused by you suggestion of using the Creedmore to better utilize the longer bullets I plan to shoot. The OA case length of the Remington Magnum is 2.8 and the Creedmore is 2.82 not much of a difference. The Winchester action I am using has a useable magazine length of just over 3" and I am seating the Lapua Mega and the Norma Vulcan and Oryx to 3" which is better than the Creedmore with more case capacity. I actually shoot the Lapua Mega in my Remington 600 at 2.8" OAL and it handles just fine. In fact the Lapua Mega at 155gr is shorter than the 130 gr Barnes TSX and the Nosler 125 gr Partition. I know the neck on the 6.5 Rem. is pretty short but the extra length the Model 70 action gives me allows me to seat the Lapua out to the first crimp groove and not extend down into the case. Plus I am not sure I could convince the wife I need another caliber rifle. Thanks again for the welcome.

Erick

 

[elkaholic]

Rich,

Appreciate the reply but I am confused by you suggestion of using the Creedmore to better utilize the longer bullets I plan to shoot. The OA case length of the Remington Magnum is 2.8 and the Creedmore is 2.82 not much of a difference. The Winchester action I am using has a useable magazine length of just over 3" and I am seating the Lapua Mega and the Norma Vulcan and Oryx to 3" which is better than the Creedmore with more case capacity. I actually shoot the Lapua Mega in my Remington 600 at 2.8" OAL and it handles just fine. In fact the Lapua Mega at 155gr is shorter than the 130 gr Barnes TSX and the Nosler 125 gr Partition. I know the neck on the 6.5 Rem. is pretty short but the extra length the Model 70 action gives me allows me to seat the Lapua out to the first crimp groove and not extend down into the case. Plus I am not sure I could convince the wife I need another caliber rifle. Thanks again for the welcome.

Erick

Erick.....Normally, heavy (long) bullets are a problem in "so called" short action rifles. The 6.5 Creedmore is 1/4" shorter case than the 6.5 RM which I thought would be very beneficial. I confess that I am not familiar with the bullets that you mentioned so you may be just fine.......Rich

 

[trappererick]

Rich,

Thanks for the explanation, I understand what you were getting at now. Those bullets I am shooting are not that common but do the jog I need them to do pretty good. Maybe I will lokk into getting a Creedmore it sounds like a pretty decent round.

Erick