6.5 mm short action round choice

[C Mahoney]

Good morning Gents, I have an old Remington 700P in .308 that I want to have re-barreled in a 6.5mm round. I plan on trying out the new Magpul hunting stock on this rifle and using it for deer hunting (muleys and blacktails). I would ultimately like it to be a 600 yard rifle for hunting and shoot it farther on the range. I plan on loading bullets in the heavier range for this rifle. I am leaning towards a .260 Remington, but would like to hear any opinions you have to share.

Thanks for the help.

 

[MudRunner2005]

.260 AI gets my vote...

 

[devildogg]

[FLOATLEFT]6.5x47 lapua 130 gr Berger or accubond at 3000 fps and u won't have to worry about your oal. [/FLOATLEFT]

 

[Predator 22]

260 ai gets my vote to.

 

[stomp442]

Another for the .260 Ackley. 140 Bergers around 2950 is a beautiful thing and lethal way past 600 on deer.

 

[16Bore]

Whatever Lapua makes brass for and twist it 1:8

 

[shawnb]

im really wanting a 6.5gap but am also leaning towards a 6.5x55ai. i havent been able to find much info about the 55ai but it seems like it would be pretty nice.

 

[IdahoCTD]

For a hot round you can do a 6.5saum or 6.5ss. For a super low recoil round I'd do a 6.5x47L. It's about 300fps behind the 6.5saum but it also burns 20 grains less powder. I have both and I'm going to build a light weight 6.5x47L improved (shoulder pushed forward) with a bore rider throat to see what I can get for velocity. There is a guy on 6mmbr.com shooting 140's 2950fps with a standard 6.5x47L and a bore rider throat out of a 25.5" barrel. I want to get 2850+ out of 140's in a 20" barrel to use a suppressor.

 

[matt_3479]

My rifle will be complete first week of June, and I went 260 rem with 26" tube. I was debating 6.5x47 lapua and might still do it.
The 6.5saum will require a different bolt face, not a huge deal but something to think about.
The 6.5x55 is a great round! Little under appreciated in my opinion sometimes but for full potential a long action is better for that when being mag fed.

 

[Garycrow]

I have two 6.5x47 Lapuas now, one's a lightweight hunting rifle built off a borden alpine action and the other is a remington short action in an A5 stock. Both wear bartlein 5R barrels, 8 twist M24 profile on the remington & 8.5 twist #2 on the borden. I love the round, really easy to tune and shoot. Any velocity it gives up to a 260 is minimal and the shorter case solves any magazine constraint issues with the long 6.5 heavyweight bullets. The big problem with the 260 is magazine constraint issues unless you go to a wyatt's box or AICS magazines. The 6.5 creedmoor is a better case design than the 260 but no Lapua brass for it. The 6.5x47L is the best of the bunch but you give up a tiny bit of velocity. That's no big deal to me because it's so easy to make shoot, it's like a big 6BR.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I have two 6.5x47 Lapuas now, one's a lightweight hunting rifle built off a borden alpine action and the other is a remington short action in an A5 stock. Both wear bartlein 5R barrels, 8 twist M24 profile on the remington & 8.5 twist #2 on the borden. I love the round, really easy to tune and shoot. Any velocity it gives up to a 260 is minimal and the shorter case solves any magazine constraint issues with the long 6.5 heavyweight bullets. The big problem with the 260 is magazine constraint issues unless you go to a wyatt's box or AICS magazines. The 6.5 creedmoor is a better case design than the 260 but no Lapua brass for it. The 6.5x47L is the best of the bunch but you give up a tiny bit of velocity. That's no big deal to me because it's so easy to make shoot, it's like a big 6BR.

But the 6.5 Creed is NOT a better case design than the .260 AI, which still reigns supreme in both velocity and brass (Lapua).

 

[Garycrow]

But the 6.5 Creed is NOT a better case design than the .260 AI, which still reigns supreme in both velocity and brass (Lapua).

It is if it's going to be magazine fed through a short action.

The Magpul chassis he intends to use accepts AICS magazines. The internal dimensions of that magazine limit COL to 2.880". Unless a .260 AI (or regular .260) chamber has an abnormally short throat you're not going to be able to reach the lands with many of the heavier 6.5mm bullets like a 140 Berger VLD. You're going to be left jumping the bullet to be able to keep the COL to a length that'll cycle through the magazine. That's not a situation I would accept in a custom rifle, I want to be able to touch the lands with any bullet I intend to shoot and still have it cycle through the magazine. The 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x47L will do that.

A .260 or .260 AI intending to shoot heavies on a short action is either going to be a single shot or requires a BDL setup with a Wyatt's box in my opinion, AICS magazines aren't going to work unless you can modify them to accept a longer COL. The SAAMI max length for a .260 is 2.800" but that was before VLD's and fast twist barrels became the rage, plus the .260 ammo you find at wal-mart isn't loaded with VLD's. Most 260/260 AI loads using VLD's or other heavy 6.5's are going to be over 2.9" to touch the lands which will not work through an AICS magazine.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

[FLOATLEFT]6.5x47 lapua 130 gr Berger or accubond at 3000 fps and u won't have to worry about your oal. [/FLOATLEFT]

Very efficient round. This gets my vote. 8" twist min. Long bullets on the horizon.

Steve

 

[MudRunner2005]

It is if it's going to be magazine fed through a short action.

The Magpul chassis he intends to use accepts AICS magazines. The internal dimensions of that magazine limit COL to 2.880". Unless a .260 AI (or regular .260) chamber has an abnormally short throat you're not going to be able to reach the lands with many of the heavier 6.5mm bullets like a 140 Berger VLD. You're going to be left jumping the bullet to be able to keep the COL to a length that'll cycle through the magazine. That's not a situation I would accept in a custom rifle, I want to be able to touch the lands with any bullet I intend to shoot and still have it cycle through the magazine. The 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x47L will do that.

A .260 or .260 AI intending to shoot heavies on a short action is either going to be a single shot or requires a BDL setup with a Wyatt's box in my opinion, AICS magazines aren't going to work unless you can modify them to accept a longer COL. The SAAMI max length for a .260 is 2.800" but that was before VLD's and fast twist barrels became the rage, plus the .260 ammo you find at wal-mart isn't loaded with VLD's. Most 260/260 AI loads using VLD's or other heavy 6.5's are going to be over 2.9" to touch the lands which will not work through an AICS magazine.

I'm pretty sure that Magpul stock will also allow you to use a factory BDL bottom metal, as well...Therefore you can seat your bullets a little longer than the AICS mags...