Having a 6.5 decision debacle.....

[Don A Parsons]

I keeping my 6.5 A-square capped at 350 ish on out to 400 meters...

I'm using 147gr ELD-M's @ 2850 ft-per seconds...

The reason for picking this distance is the ft-lbs energy that I'd like to see above the 1700 ish lb mark...

Just me I guess,,, Elk """can/ could""" be tricky to bring down """if""" the shot placement is off a bit,,, my plan is to dump a few extra shots in to it if at all possible...

I shoot my 30/06 along side of my 65 at the range on iron gongs as well as huge Granite boulders in the field...

The 65 chips away at the rocks ok so long as they are up to speed,,, they don't have alot of frontal impact like the 30...

My Ought-6 with 180's on the other hand has lots of Punch-Junk at that range on out past that,,, a person definitely can hear the Wack on solid objects,,, hydrolic shock on critters fore sure...

Don't get me right or wrong since this will be the first year going after the thick skins with a 65,,, what it lacks in frontal impacts it makes up for in pin hole-ing,,, it most likely won't be the shoulder smasher like my 30,,, its always been planting the boolitz in the hart and lungs /// """the semi soft spot hopping to sneek one between the ribs or smash the impact side hard..."""

Thick skin critters have pretty tuff ribs at times,,, bigger the critter the tuffer they are...

YouTube is full of clips of folks shooting critters at 6 to 800 + yards,,, good on those shooters since they have the skills to get it done...

Not so much for me even though I live most of time at a shooting range,,, what I can pull off there does not follow me into the wilds...
I to am a bush hunter,,, 60 feet on up to 140 ish yards with exceptions beyond that in the openings,,, most thick skins I have taken are bellow the 100 meter mark... Ha

Any Who,,, find what works and get at it,,, you and your Pops will do fine... Get sighted in and enjoy the wilds...

 

[sable tireur]

I have been sitting on the sidelines with the 6.5 cals for along time.

I have decided to build a light handy 6.5 for hunting. My dad has recently retired and I think some more hunting is in store for us. Elk, deer, antelope maybe hog. My personal ethics, skills etc put a 600 yard cap on shots conditions depending. I enjoy ringing steel further out!

I run suppressed and want a barrel length of 20-22" to keep everything reasonably portable. I reload heavily for other calibers. (.308 .300 wm, etc.) I intend to reload using a 130 to 140 class bullet ( probably 143 eldx). I dont want to have to fire form or turn necks, ain't nobody got time for that!

The way I see it I have two direction's caliber wise.

1. 6.5 creedmoor, 260 rem, 6.5 x 47. All are around the same class netting 2800 on the high side, mid 2700's more practicality.

2. 6.5 PRC, 6.5-284, 6.5-06, 6.5 X 55. These would net roughly 3000 fps, excluding the Swede, mid 2900's with barrel length.

3. 264 win mag, 26 nosler, 6.5 saum, the boutique various 6.5 Sherman's (sorry elkaholic) and similar Wildcats. Probably could break 3100-3200 but is a significant amount of overbore waste for barrel life and components used, chasing velocity on a short setup.

First of all, I think it's important to point out that your discussing ONE CALIBER, 6.5mm and several CARTRIDGES.

Most of the aspects of each of the cartridges suggested have been discussed. In reality, you are confronted with the same decision since all of the cartridges you list are excellent choices. The only change I see is to eliminate the .260 Rem. since the 6.5 Creedmoor is a better replacement no matter what the haters say. The truth hurts!

There is great brass available for all of the other choices and the Creedmoor has superb factory ammunition.

The limitation really is the barrel length since you want to use a suppressor. It will take a little extra work during load development but even the larger capacity case like the Nosler can be made more efficient by using a powder like Re-33, Retumbo or VVN-570 under the lighter bullets in the 130 class. I know this might be counter intuitive but it's actually true by testing.

Enjoy the process!

 

[CVCOBRA1]

The new .260's have an 8 twist just like the CM and can get an extra 100 fps out of them over the CM

 

[sable tireur]

Whatever let's you sleep at night...

 

[Rick Richard]

Can't go wrong with any of them mentioned. However, if elk is in the equation then I would select a hot rod or big boy 6.5 such as PRC, SAUM or Rem mag. Personally, for deer and all around shooting I really like my 6.5X47L.

 

[Don A Parsons]

This is true, anything and everything will bring down critters,,, purhaps there are many factors at play...

Only the shooter will know or find out once the boolit is launched """if""" it's going to work or not...

There is no golden rules,,, only those that each of us attempt to do in hopes of a good harvest...

I practised this in my 300 and 338 magnum days,,, then with the mid size bores along with archery...

Limit our distance, close the gap if possible,,, and pray for the well paced shot...

The thick skins some time Bow Down on the spot,,, other times they bolt and put on the miles or yards...

The all depends comes to mind...

Been there done that a time or two...

Good luck finding what works,,, good times come to those with boots on the ground

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

Like almost everyone else has said in one way or another it depends on what you're going to be hunting. Personally I'd take the 260 Rem over the 6.5CM. It gives you a bit more in the energy/velocity dept. with about the same recoil. The others while good cartridges in their own right IMO aren't worth the extra pounding you take for not much increase in vel and eng.

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

From someone that has a few 6.5 Creed's in the safe and a 6.5-300.....I would go with the 6.5 PRC as the "one". I have some great loads worked up for the Creedmoor with 142 ABLR and 143 ELDX just under 2900fps shooting bugholes. However, it's rough on brass and on the ragged edge.
If I was in your shoes, hands down I'd go for the 6.5 PRC and not look back. Seems to really strike a balance of the best of all worlds the 6.5 has to offer.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

If you go over to the Grendel forum you will see that elk have been taken with the 6.5
Grendel. Not even close to being one of my choices and I've built two of them in the AR platform. You are limited to 129g bullets because of the mag length. It is a fun and accurate round and for me makes a great cab gun for coyotes. It just flat works after my .204 Ruger's and even my .223's gave me poor results.

 

[Rprecision]

I went through the same process and decided on a 260 AI so i could shoot factory ammo or fire formed AI ammo for another 1 to 200 fr/sec if I was going after large game.

The 260 Rem AI will push a 130 over 3000 ft/sec with ease and the 140 is very close to 3000 ft/sec. Its like having two rifles in one. Plus there will always be a supply of 308, 708 , that can be used for the 260 with a simple neck sizing.

I also though about doing a 6.5 CM AI to take advantage of the cheep ammo. but when Lapua put their 260 brass on sale, the decision was made. $70.00 a 100 was to good to pass up so I bought 300 cases.

I wanted a short action rifle and also considered the 6.5 Rem Mag. It is a powerhouse in a short action and is very close to the 264 Win Mag in performance, but brass is becoming hard but not impossible to get.

Just some other choices

J E CUSTOM

I had not considered a AI. I will give this a little research. Thanks

 

[Rprecision]

From someone that has a few 6.5 Creed's in the safe and a 6.5-300.....I would go with the 6.5 PRC as the "one". I have some great loads worked up for the Creedmoor with 142 ABLR and 143 ELDX just under 2900fps shooting bugholes. However, it's rough on brass and on the ragged edge.
If I was in your shoes, hands down I'd go for the 6.5 PRC and not look back. Seems to really strike a balance of the best of all worlds the 6.5 has to offer.

I think your advice and experience really tells the tale I'm concerned with. Pushing a cartridge too far, chasing it.

 

[Rprecision]

I really appreciate all the advice everyone has given me here! The 6.5 PRC I think may be the ticket.

I have a goliath of a .300wm that is too much to carry in the field. Probably tips the scale around 15lbs. I just know if I get something capable and light i will never carry it.

Having the forgiveness of extra velocity may be what I need, light and capable is what i want.

 

[ddossett1976]

Guess I will be the odd guy of the group. I love the 6.5 SAUM, one reason it has a cool *** factor about it and it would let you do everything the other caliber will do and IMO it does it better plus I think my pecker has grown since having bought one at least I tell myself he has. Lol

Pick the 6.5 saum and you can thank me later !!

Danny D.

 

[Mike AVM]

The 6.5 CM is everywhere and components are cheap. It will do what you wish.