Any experience with the 6.5x68?

[trappererick]

Looking to see if anyone here shoots or has had a 6.5x68? Looking for your take on this cartridge, like favorite loads, sources of brass, or any other information you are looking to share. I am in the process of putting together a switch barrel set up with a 8x68S barrel and the 6.5x68 as a second barrel. My main issue is finding 6.5x68 brass. I have a good source for the 8x68S and if I cant find any 6.5x68 will try and form some from the 8x68S.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I don't remember if the 7x68 is the same basic cartridge as the above. I know the Brenneke was a shortened version 7x64.
I had one 30 years ago, and a 6.5x55 at the same time.
The only brass/ammo I could get at the time was Herters and Kynock.
Hope you can form brass without destroying any if you can't source it, just neck down in a few steps, 30, then 7mm and finally 6.5.

Cheers.

 

[HunterMann]

I have not heard of either of those cartridges before, although I am familiar with the 9.3x64 Brenneke commonly found in African and Down Under countries.
Good luck with your project!

 

[del2les]

6.5x68 Schuler

 

[gunnar andersen]

Looking to see if anyone here shoots or has had a 6.5x68? Looking for your take on this cartridge, like favorite loads, sources of brass, or any other information you are looking to share. I am in the process of putting together a switch barrel set up with a 8x68S barrel and the 6.5x68 as a second barrel. My main issue is finding 6.5x68 brass. I have a good source for the 8x68S and if I cant find any 6.5x68 will try and form some from the 8x68S.

Here in Canada som RWS ammo have come in lately, so perhaps also in the US. They load with a 92gn, and 126gn bullet, Voere chamber barrels for both calibers, but the 8mm is most common, I did shoot this in a Blaser R8. Yes I think you can neck down easily, as the 8mm is likely the most common here.

 

[trappererick]

I appreciate everyone's response. What would the process be for sizing the 8x68S brass down? I am thinking a 8x68S neck bushing die and some different sized bushings but dont really know. I found a few places for brass but one of them is over $5 a piece. A place in Australia has it but mentioned that if the package gets x-rayed there might be issues with customs thinking it is ammo. I think my best bet would be forming the brass using 8x68S brass.

 

[HunterMann]

You can try bumping it down to 7mm and then 6.5 in 2 steps if you have the dies. I have done that taking .308 down to .264. Trimming and fire forming might be required. It rather depends on the brass you have. If it is too hard it may crumple the case. I have heard that annealing the necks would help, but I have never done it. Fortunately I have acquired enough proper brass that I no longer need to reduce from .308 brass.

 

[8x68s]

I have an 8x68s in progress at the smithy and had considered the 6.5 but thought better of it considering how much overbore it would be and the improbability of finding brass, considering the state of the industry. Went a different direction for a 6.5 magnum. This is the only source I have found for the 6.5:

QUALITY CARTRIDGE BRASS 6.5x68 UNPRIMED 20/BAG - Graf & Sons

New, unprimed brass. Made in USA. This is not loaded ammunition. Quality Cartridge is a devoted manufacturer of Custom, Obsolete, and Wildcat cartridge cases. They provide premium properly headstamped empty cartridge cases in the widest array of calibers.

www.grafs.com

I wonder, would Canada be more likely to have an importer for RWS?

Good luck with your project!

 

[Mikecr]

What would the process be for sizing the 8x68S brass down? I am thinking a 8x68S neck bushing die and some different sized bushings but dont really know.

Not sure how you would do this without a forming die.
A standard bushing die only sizes ~3/4 of a neck. A custom die can have a one piece neck and shoulder bushing. But each of those would be expensive. A FL die could do it, but I would want to increment size at least one cal between, with 2 annealings.

You also should know your chamber neck dimension, measure your 8x68 brass neck thickness, calculate thickness change with so much downsizing, and final thickness/clearance desired, and turn the necks for that -before any sizing (while you can get a good turning mandrel fit).
I can help with calculations.

There may be more to this, and more expense than you want to get into.

 

[sable tireur]

Obviously you can convert 8x68S to the 6.5x68 as it's being done by custom brass and ammunition makers here in the U.S. The problem I have with this is the cost, $140.00/20 pieces. But they are finished perfect and ready to load.

I bought the 6.5x68 and the 8x68 RWS brass when Huntingtons had it in stock. I bought a sufficient number to carry me through these rifles, probably longer than I'll make it. But trying to make new cases from the original 8x68S will have some drawbacks such as Mike mentions. I did this conversion quite a while back when Huntingtons was between orders from RWS. I made my own conversion dies which defeats the bushing sizing problems.

Personally, given the performance of the 6.5x68, I would look at the 6.5 Weatherby RPM and call it good to go. I understand the DIY thinking but sometimes you simply have to say enough is enough and take a slightly easier road.

Whatever you decide, enjoy the process!