My 6.5 WSM LRH Rifle Build

[GNERGY]

This is the first rifle that I did all the gunsmithing work myself. It started when a friend I shoot with had a 6.5x47 Lapua built using a Krieger barrel. He shot a lot of 5/8ths to 3/4 inch groups at 500 yards with 140gr Berger VLD's. I couldn't believe how accurate that barrel was. I was thinking of building one when I found a 270 WSM case laying on the ground at the range and thought that was a neat looking case. I found out that it could be necked down to create the 6.5 WSM and the story begins.
I bought a Krieger 6.5 with a 1 in 8 twist 31 inches long, heavy varmint contour from Brunos. Then a call to Dave Kiff at PTG and a reamer was on order. It had a .2955 neck and a .200 freebore for shooting 140 gr. bullets. I was just going to turn the necks to clean them up.
For the donor action, Sportsmans warehouse had some Remington 700's in 7-08 rem. on sale for $309. so I picked one up and sold the barrel and stock. I picked up a factory stainless bolt, magnum boltface off of Accurate Shooter.
During the six week wait for the reamer I made a barrel vice, an action wrench, a floating reamer holder and an action truing fixture that I would use to chamber the barrel without using a spider on the lathe. I also made a muzzle brake like the one on my 338 Ultra mag but to be turned down to barrel diameter.
Here is the barrel in the fixture to cut the threads and do the chambering. The fixture started out as the center of a drive clutch on a machine that went bad at work. It has a 2 inch ID and a 3 inch OD. I drilled it for the 8 set screws and made brass tips for them. It is hard chrome plated so hey, it won't rust.
I indicated the barrel in with the range rod to .0002 before threading and chambering, and did the same for the muzzle end to before installing the brake. I have a split collar with a flat on it at the same place as the bottom of the recoil lug to help me time the muzzle brake without taking the barrel out of the lathe.
Tarey

 

[GNERGY]

For the stock I purchased a Laminated Bobby Hart LRT from Stockys Stocks. I really like the way they fit and feel and for the money they can't be beat. Fit and finish is a 9.5 out of 10. This is the third one I own now. I had to open up the barrel channel and dig out the wood for the thicker recoil lug and to get a good hold for the devcon plastic steel putty. The red tape keeps the Devcon out of all the unwanted places on the action. The blue tape keeps the stock and barrel and action free of extra epoxy. The masking tape inside keeps the epoxy from flowing down where it doesn't belong and makes cleanup with a dremel tool a lot easier. I also bedded the first 3 1/2 inches of the barrel because it is straight 1.250 OD before it tapers to .900 at the muzzle. The hair dryer warms up the Devcon to make it flow better so you don't get any air bubbles. That is a tip I learned from Nesika Chad. The bedding job didn't come out perfect but the couple air bubbles won't affect the overall fit or accuracy of the rifle.
To be continued

 

[Bravo 4]

Sounds like a nice build, I think my next build will be a 6.5 and the WSM looks good. What dies will you be using?
Thanks for the tip with the hair dryer it will come in handy next time I bed a rifle.

 

[liltank]

Looks good buddy. Can't wait to see the results.

 

[GNERGY]

So I saved polishing of the barrel till I was finished with the bedding job. I used 320 grit and then some scotchbrite to make it look purdy. Not sure I am going to leave it that way or coat it one of these days.
So here are the rifle specs.

Rem. 700 squared and lugs lapped
Wolff speedlock spring, light wt firing pin.
Shilen Benchrest trigger
Krieger heavy varmint 31 in. 1in8 TW
Custom made muzzle brake
Tubbs stainless recoil lug
Bobby Hart LRT stock Granite color
EGW 20 MOA base
Millet LRS 6x-25x-56 Scope
Millet XTR Rings
I broke the barrel in with some Hornady 140gr. A MAX's with H-1000. I got to put 20 rounds thru it. Shoot and clean for each of the first 10 then after five twice. So far with 64grs. H-1000 I averaged 3140fps.
Going to go back to the range on friday.
Tarey
Thanks for looking, I know it was long.

 

[GNERGY]

For the dies, I was originally going to neck down 300WSM brass so I bought a set of Hornady 7mm WSM dies to neck to .284 first then to 6.5. Then I would make a sleeve for the inline seater die to fit the .264 bullet diameter.
But after doing some more research I bought 270WSM brass to start out with.
I also bought the Lee dies for the 6.5WSM for full lenght resizing. Then I bought a Hornady 260 rem neck sizer die and bored it out to fit the larger diameter WSM body to just neck size if I wanted. They don't sell a 6.5WSM neck sizer die.
I then honed the necks in both dies to give me .002 neck tension. I know a lot of people bought the Redding bushing dies, but they are expensive and my time is free, so I can customize my dies to work like bushing dies for the neck OD I wanted.
I do turn the necks just to clean them up and make them the same thickness all the way around.
Just that simple.
Tarey

 

[coues7]

Let's see some groups out of that bad boy!

 

[TannerGun]

Very cool cart! Interested to see what your barrel life looks like.

 

[GNERGY]

If I let the barrel cool between rounds I expect to get a 1000 rounds before I have to cut some off and rechamber.
I had a chance to get in some more range time. My best group was with 64.5 gr. H 1000 with the 140 gr. A max's with 3 going into .631 at 300 yds cruising at 3190 fps. My highest velocity so far was with 66 gr H 1000 pushing the 140 A Max's at just over 3300 fps but the group opened up to 1.625 at 300 yds.
I am going to try changing the seating depth and then try some Retumbo.
I also have some 140 gr VLD's to test yet.
Tarey

 

[TannerGun]

That is some major performance... may have to try H1k in my 270wsm.

 

[txsendero]

Tarey, let us all know how your testing goes with the 140 Berger VLD. Seems like a lot of the folks that have a 6.5WSM are shooting that bullet.