Ahh, need help with new build. 6, 6.5, or 7mm

[lovdasnow]

thanks for reading this guys. i have been researching for the last couple weeks, and feel like i'm in information overload big time. I already have a custom built 300RUM for hunting, but i start shooting it at rock chucks in the spring, and can't stop a little hard on the barrel. so i'm looking to start a new build.

what i'm looking for:

I have a rem 700SA, so i would like it to fit on that.
barrel life. at least 2000 rounds, would like it to be closer to 2500-3000
barrel length. would like it finished around 22-26 so i can shoot it with a suppressor
want to be able to shoot varmints to 1k
don't want to fireform brass
min recoil

I've been focusing on the .284 win, the 6.5x47, 6-6.5x47, and 7mm-08.
i would like to push a high bc bullet to 2800-3000fps with good barrel life. (is that possible?)


so, if some of you could maybe help me sort my thoughts out a little more.

your recommendations would be great. any of these i should throw out of the mix, or something else i didn't think of that i should be looking at.

thanks again. jon

 

[Longshot38]

What about 6.5 Creedmore or 260 Remington? Both will run in a remmy short action and accomplish your goals.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

sell the action and buy my rifle. It has everything you want and Kirby already did the load work up.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f25/mcmillan-260rem-308-win-sale-49146/

 

[lovdasnow]

longshot, thanks for the info. with the creedmore round i think that your only option for brass is hornady, and with lapua making the 6.5x47 and it being so close, that if i were to go that route i would just go 6.5x47. am i missing something?

260 rem?? looked at it a little bit, interesting. how is the barrel life?

hitman, thanks for the offer, but i think if i'm going to spend that much, i'd just as soon have everything exactly like i want it. but thanks anyway.

the 6.5x47 looks decent but i've gotten mixed info about barrel life, some say 1500 and then others say 2500? still can't decide on this on.

thanks again

 

[elkaholic]

If you want to stay factory and have good barrel life, the .260 would be hard to beat.......Rich

 

[CapDog]

The 6.5x47 has great brass available although the .260Rem now has Norma brass available. The 6.5x47 runs at high pressures compared to the .260Rem. I like the fact that with the 6.5x47, even in the factory remington mag, you don't use up tons of case space with the long bullets in 6.5mm. Either one will work well and should get you to 2500 rounds out of them. I'm a big fan of Lapua brass and would probably go that route.

 

[lovdasnow]

so am i hearing that you can push the 6.5x47 faster than the 260, and also have better brass?

would barrel life be similar in these two rounds?

thanks all for helping out, this helps me to be able to write some of the ideas running around in my head, and adding and eliminating others.

so is the 284 out with the short action?

 

[trueblue]

The 6.5x47 and 260 are almost identical, but I would recomend bushing the firing pin hole on the bolt of the 6.5x47 due to pressures and small primers used.
The 260 can use Lapua brass as well, if I am not mistaken. Just neck down 308 or neck up 243 brass.
The 6.5x47 Lapua is best with the 130gr and the 260 with the 140's, so take your pic.
The 284 is a great round as well. There is some good reading on these calibers on 6mmbr also.

 

[lovdasnow]

thanks trueblue, that clears some things up a bit. the info on the lapua brass helps. i have been reading a lot on 6mmbr, great info over there.

so barrel life on the 6.5x47 and 260 would be the same? and is that around 2500?
i may be wanting too much of both worlds? long barrel life (3k+), and speeds around 3k fps?

just read a great article on some of the calibers i've been looking at http://demigodllc.com/articles/6.5-shootout-260-6.5x47-6.5-creedmoor/

that made me lean a little toward the .260 still cannot find a round count for barrel life on the 260?

 

[Mikecr]

On the 6.5x47L;
Whenever someone suggests you can do as much with less as more, you should first consider them ignorant, then anything you like.
Nothing is free.

A 6.5x47L has significantly less capacity than a 260(+5gr), a 6.5x55(+5gr Lapua), and way less than a 6.5/284(+20gr Lapua). It therefore cannot match their loads to potential.
So when someone says they can get 260 velocities from a smaller 6.5x47L, they are FOS, because whatever you can do to one, you can do with the other. And that includes running extreme pressures, and light bullets..

It might provide your barrel life goal.
However, the reason most shooters using the 6.5x47L neck down to 6mm, is to IMPROVE it's potential.
The case in form is disadvantaged in that it gives up the entire advantage of 26cal.

Ok, rant off
Sorry

 

[CapDog]

so am i hearing that you can push the 6.5x47 faster than the 260, and also have better brass? QUOTE]

Nope, the 6.5x47 operates at higher pressures than standard .260 loads. (that's one of the reasons it uses the small primer) Jack the .260 up to the same pressures and you will drive the .260 faster because it has more capacity.

Necking up .243 Lapua brass for a .260 is pretty easy, I do it for my 260AI, which isn't one of your options since you ruled out fireforming. I did end up with a lot of doughnuts in the neck that had to be reamed out.

Too bad a .260AI isn't an option for you. It is a pain to fireform the brass, but once it is done there is very little maintenance too do with the cases. I'm on my 4th firing of my brass now and still no trimming. Easily drives the 140's to 2950fps. Just got some new bottom metal that will allow me to seat the bullets out farther than before so I'll see if I can tweak it some more in the off season.

 

[lovdasnow]

Mikecr: i'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that you don't like the 6.5x47

i have been reading a lot and still can't find very good info on barrel life for the 260 or 6.5x47?
some say 2000, others say 3500. that's a pretty big spread

ya fireforming is out. i know myself to well, and i know i don't need any more steps to an already tedious process. i would rather go shoot.

man, i don't know why this is such a tough decision for me. i was getting pretty settled in on the 260, and then just had a long conversation on the phone with a very knowledgeable guy who steered me toward the 6.5x47 pretty hard. i do like the idea of factory lapua brass for the 6.5x47. so that is a pro.

so. what round would perform the best, with good barrel life, from a 22-24" barrel?

 

[elkaholic]

Equal barrels, you are going to get higher velocity out of the .260.

 

[CapDog]

Strictly speaking from a load and go perspective the 6.5x47 is a better option. Lapua brass in my experience requires very little prep. It shines with the 123-130gr class of bullets and will run well out of a factory Rem mag which limits you to around 2.825" COL if you want to mag feed.

If you don't mind a little prep you can get good quality brass for the .260 Rem or pay for Nosler brass. (May have said Norma brass in my previous post). I've never used it but I'm told it is fairly soft brass and guys who load it hot don't get many loadings out of it. The few I know loading it to regular pressures are into the double digits on reloads. The .260Rem does have more capacity, but if you plan on shooting 140gr bullets in the standard Rimington mag you do have to seat them pretty deep and loose out on some potential case capacity. If you have an aftermarket mag system it's not as much an issue.

I can appreciate it's a tough decision. I have a short action Rem700 that is itching to be barrelled in one of these rounds as well.