Barrel life of 6.5/06
- Thread starter Waynzee
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Depends how mean you are to them. I have put a serious hurtin on one in a week of turtle shooting with fast powder and 100gr bullets. Smoked it in probably 800 rds. Had others make it 1800 with Retumbo or 7828 and 140s in the winter on rocks and mammals.
Take it easy on one and you can see 2k+.....hot rod it in the summer with 4350 and fast strings.....cant get 1k.
I don't have a big 6.5 right now but with the 147 out it may be revisited.
Frank in the Laurels
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,753
As a benchrester or hunting rifle, that's the question ? I don't think many will need bench rest accuracy out of this old warhorse but they do show up from time to time on the 1000 yard match circuit, so as far as hunting goes, the rest of your life it'll still be able to hit any deer or elk with it with no problem, one of the oldest if not the oldest 6.5 hot rod...myself I think it might be the best 6.5 going, a big jug of 4350-H and your good to go....great cartridge !
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
I don't know that the accurate barrel life of a 6.5x06 would be 'better' than any, but certainly would be worse than some.
A 260AI is loaded to the same accurate nodes, with the same bullets and powders, but using ~10gr less powder. So it's barrel life, and IMO pretty much everything else about it, is better.
You can see this at reloadersnest. The Rifle Section @ www.reloadersnest.com
Keep in mind that barrel life, and accurate barrel life are completely different.
Truly, 'barrel life' in itself, is as long as you can still fire bullets out of it.. And many folks don't understand accuracy, qualifying of it, or recognition of it's degradation.
With this, there are always wild claims to filter through.
There are some here who actually reach peak load potentials, and can spot loss of that accuracy, to the shooting session. The rest chase their tails until it's undeniable..
If I really loved use of a 6.5x06 cartridge, I would get a barrel for one melonite treated, to pretty much remove barrel life as a concern. This, provided carbon is well managed.
A 260AI is loaded to the same accurate nodes, with the same bullets and powders, but using ~10gr less powder. So it's barrel life, and IMO pretty much everything else about it, is better.
You can see this at reloadersnest. The Rifle Section @ www.reloadersnest.com
Keep in mind that barrel life, and accurate barrel life are completely different.
Truly, 'barrel life' in itself, is as long as you can still fire bullets out of it.. And many folks don't understand accuracy, qualifying of it, or recognition of it's degradation.
With this, there are always wild claims to filter through.
There are some here who actually reach peak load potentials, and can spot loss of that accuracy, to the shooting session. The rest chase their tails until it's undeniable..
If I really loved use of a 6.5x06 cartridge, I would get a barrel for one melonite treated, to pretty much remove barrel life as a concern. This, provided carbon is well managed.
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
There is a lot to like about the old 6.5/06 for many reasons, but I personally would recommend the A.I. version. You won't lose any barrel life and you will gain performance and case life with it. I shot the barrels out of 2 of them, but it took a lot of rounds if you are considering hunting accuracy. I was well over 2000. I built the Sherman in 2008 and gained even more performance, but there is nothing wrong with the '06. Also, plus 1 on nitriding.....Rich
