6.5 long action hunting rifle opinions

As Raven 81 mentions above the Hornady 6.5 PRC is also an option, I'm actually having one built right now,
Defiance Action,Benchmark Barrel, Wildcat Stock,Timney Calvin Elite Trigger
Here's the barrelled action......soon to be stocked and ready to go !

 
Maybe so Mud - but hey - I doubt I will put 1,000 rounds thru it. I shoot more in my mind now than at the range. :)
 
My general purpose hunting rifle is a Mauser 98 with a 22" barrel, chambered in 6.5x55 (standard). I load it to 57 - 58K psi with Norma and Lapua brass. From that, I'm getting a hair under 3K fps with a 127 LRX. My hunting takes place at ~750 - 1,200' ASL; in typical spring and autumn conditions, I've still got >1,000 ft lb at the 600-yard mark. The projectile remains above 1,700 fps to ~750-yds; this velocity is the lower end of what Barnes has recommended to me through email communication. At that range, for what it's worth, the energy is in the realm of 825 ft lb. I feel comfortable loading hotter than 58K psi, but there is no point. My whitetail and hog hunting takes place at ranges shorter than 500-yds most of the time.

Once-fired Norma brass can be bought for $0.25 - $0.33, and 6.5x55 is the least expensive centerfire brass that Lapua makes (since this is the standard target cartridge throughout Scandinavia, they have the most on hand). Barrel life is in the 2,500 - 3,000+ range, depending upon your loads, shooting regimen, and personal accuracy requirements. It's easy to get 1:8 barrels for 6.5, as you know, and the throats for the Swede are nice and long to permit loading out of the newer, long-range projectiles.
 
I'm just curious about other shooter's opinions if I made the right choice or not, or if there is something even better that we overlooked. The selling point for me was that he claimed accuracy in the 6.5x284 will be perceptibly better, and the velocity difference will not be a huge factor at the 600 yards which is the limit of my field of view from my hunting spot.
 
I can only give you my perspective as a benchrest competitor; not as a hunter. At 600 yards, essentially the ONLY caliber in use that isn't a 6mm BR variant is the 6.5x284. Your smith steered you right.
 
The standard Swede is used in shooting competitions out to 600m in Scandinavia; not benchrest, mind you, but target competitions nonetheless. Not to be argumentative. Just making the point.

There are so many 6.5-mm options in existence now, that anything upwards of the MV provided by a 6.5CM with a barrel of sufficient length for hunting is adequate at the modest range of 600yds. with the proper projectile and conditions, for deer and hogs, anyway. I have a .260 Rem with 24" barrel that will do the job at that range.
 
The standard Swede is used in shooting competitions out to 600m in Scandinavia; not benchrest, mind you, but target competitions nonetheless. Not to be argumentative. Just making the point.

There are so many 6.5-mm options in existence now, that anything upwards of the MV provided by a 6.5CM with a barrel of sufficient length for hunting is adequate at the modest range of 600yds. with the proper projectile and conditions, for deer and hogs, anyway. I have a .260 Rem with 24" barrel that will do the job at that range.

Yes, I understand LOTS of calibers are in use in lots of varied competitive formats. However, BENCHREST, being all about precision groups to the exclusion of almost everything else, reveals calibers that have inherent edges in the precision department. That was my only point.
 
Whoever's telling you that load of crap, is yanking your chain hard, because they want to make a sale.
YUP,.. My .270 Weatherby Magnum, at 3,100 with a 150 grain Horn bullet and 3,200 FPS with 130 Nosler Part's,.. "went south",.. somewhere between, 800-900 rounds and I NEVER, got it "Hot" ! It was a ,.."Killer", tho !
 
As far as, "Long Range accuracy" goes, the next 1,000 yard Record group, will probably be shot with, the 7 mm-.270 WSM (or, 7 mm-.300 WSM) "wildcat" as, the Canadian's and the Brit's, are heavily "into" that, caliber, presently
 
I have a 6.5 X 284 built on a Pierce Ti and 26" PR Carbon. I haven't been that impressed with the cartridge either when compared to the 6.5 CM. However, I'm currently overseas and my Buddy is working on load development with RL16. He's easily getting 3100 FPS with 140 EH on a ladder and no signs of psi. So we'll see how the accuracy/SDs work out once he tweaks a flat spot and then plays with seating depth. But the winds out west have been crazy lately.View attachment 96758
Give up on RL16 and go to either H4350 or H4831SC:
http://www.6mmbr.com/SixFive284.html
 
I had Kirby Allen build me a 6.5-06 AI some 10 years ago. It has been a great rifle. With custom builds being somewhat expensive, most of my early rifles are designed with a dual purpose in mind. My 6.5-06 AI is a medium weight rifle with a 26" barrel (1 in 8 twist) in a Manners carbon stock. It was built as a deer rifle shooting the 130 grain bullet at 3,150 fps. Works great for smaller build young men and women as well.

However, the one in eight barrel twist allows this rifle to transition into a potent elk round as well. It will push the 160 grain Matrix VLD at 2,950 fps.

If you are sure that your use for the rifle will never exceed 600 yds, or that it will be a single use rifle, then the 6.5-284 will do right by you. If long range could be in the cards, then the additional umph behind the 6.5-06 AI will do better with the heavier bullets.

To me, the main drawback to the 6.5-06 AI is the initial brass prep. It takes time to form the brass (either fire-form or hydraulic). It is not a big deal for me as reloading is a type of therapy for me and I enjoy it. If precision reloading is not high on your priority list, again the 6.5-284 would fit the bill nicely.
 
how 'bout n160? the smith suggested that for the x284 ......... and I have 8lbs sitting around....
my 6.5-06 rifles like 4350, h1000, and hybrid 100v

No one I know uses it, mostly because of cost. Some have played with H1000 as well. If you don't have H4350 or H4831SC, I would absolutely develop a load for N160 if its just collecting dust. If you are rich, I would start off with H4831SC.
 
Whenever possible, I try and use the extreme powders from Hodgdon. We can see some big swings in temps in a single day out west. My best load for the 1340 gr. bullet was with H4831SC. The 160 gr. Matrix is powered by H1000.
 
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