need your thoughts on a 6.5 Gibbs

[Ridge Runner]

Just got it up and shooting, accuracy is incredible for whats going on, here's the facts
loading 61 gr RE22 in a rem fireformed case .050 off the lands, mv= 3270 fps with a 140 a-max, pockets are looser than I like after the second firing, but with a 29.5" barrel shouldn't I be getting faster velocity? is re22 too fast for this length barrel?
All I've read says 3300 should be easy with this long of barrel, don't need 3300 but would like to see 3200 with a lil better case life.
would I be better off with say re25, H1000 or simular?
thanx
JS

 

[Dan B]

James...I'm shooting 65gr RL-22 in the .30 Gibbs and getting 168gr SMK's to over 3000fps from a 25.5" barrel. Does not really help...but just a note.

But for the smaller bore your using...I'd certainly think that something slower would help. From looking over a few load manuals and comparing like bore sizes to your case capacity, it looks like RL-22 is middle of the pack for burn rate. H1000 is listed toward the slow end of the scale...but I'd try it. Slower powders seem to be more forgiving at top end than faster powders.

Another thought...many of the Gibbs cartridges were developed before good chronographs were available. Also most of the superb performance of these rounds was drummed up by guesses and ego than actual numbers. You may be chasing an unattainable goal if your "All I've read says 3300 should be easy with this long of barrel" information came from old magazines or cartridge history from the internet. Been there, done that with the .30 Gibbs...best story...one fella told me that his .30 Gibbs was shooting 168gr SMK's at 3700fps. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[MachV]

A different powder would sure be worth a try,might want to add Rutumbo to the list?Lose primers are not a good thing with a round that you have to form?You didnt mention the brass mfg but that could be a factor.Also its ben my experience that 3300 is max with the 140Amax,I got more out of the 6.5WSM but accuracy was better @ 3150fps.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I called sierra and talked to a tech, he said the gibbs manual listed 54 gr or re22 for a max @ 3050 fps, he also said they listed the best mv with IMR 4831 55 gr at 3120 fps. now I'm confused, I'll try some H1000 and IMR 7828, and the IMR 4831 see which it runs the best on.
How can everyone else get higher MV than me? just my luck I guess. should I run the amax's out closer to the lands?
JS

 

[goodgrouper]

That's enough of an overbore cartridge that it actually might be impeding itself from going faster, similar to a 30-378.

My 6.5-.284 has a 30" barrel and pushes 140 grain berger bullets at 3100 fps with 53.5 grains of RL22 with my current lot of powder.

 

[Ridge Runner]

talked to a guy last night with a gibbs, 30" barrel, his runs 3150-3200 with 53 gr of re22.
JS

 

[Dave in Idaho]

James,
Three of my best:
Sierra 140gr BTHP Match 62.0gr RE22 Vel 3250fps
Sierra 140gr BTHP Match 61.0gr. of H1000 Vel 3160fps
Horn 140gr AMAX 68.0gr of H870(no longer produced) 3085fps

28" Douglas barrel, formed from .270 Win brass
I have reloaded some brass as many as 6-8 times before they were no longer useable. The RE 22 generally will shorten brass life by about 4 firings (about 4 reloads). H870 loads were good for 9 or 10 before primer pockets were too loose or neck would no longer keep tension.
Dave

 

[eshell]

[ QUOTE ]
A different powder would sure be worth a try,might want to add Rutumbo to the list?

[/ QUOTE ]
I went to Retumbo for my daughter's .243 match rifle, and we get great accuracy and 2,975 from a 105 at a grain below max. Same combo, but with H4831SC, gave us pressure before good velocities.

I also had decent results with Retumbo in a 6.5-300Wby, using 123 Scenars.

 

[Ridge Runner]

ok, here is whats happened today, loaded up five with 61 gr of H1000, 140 gr sierra's, and ran them through the chrony, 3160. no pressure signs, the primers are still round on the edges.
would shooting the moly A-max's raise the pressure and lower velocity that much, this was my first efforts with moly and from what I've saw my last. the rest of the a-max's are in the tumbler and I'll see if the moly is what effected the pressures like that? I'll post results from further experiments
JS

 

[Ridge Runner]

ok, 63 gr H1000 gives me 3210 fps with a nekkid 140 A-max, no pressure signs whatsoever, primer pockets still nice and tight, gonna give my moly bullets a walnut hull/rouge bath and get this thing straightened out.
JS

 

[elkaholic]

Been shooting a 6.5 ackley '06 for years. Mine has a 26' barrel with a 10 twist which isn't sufficient for anything over 120 gr. I was getting 3130' with 140's using 63 gr. or 7828 or rl-22. That was absolute max! This was using ww brass which I prefer. They hold a little more than 2 grs better than Rem. (load 1 gr. more than rem) I had another rifle with a 9 twist that reached the same velocity with 59 grs. of the same powders mentioned above. Mine needs a new barrel and I'm considering a gibbs with an 8 twist to shoot the 140 bergers. Does anyone know how much more capacity the gibbs case has over the 40 degree ackley?

 

[elkaholic]

Concerning the post I made earlier today, I just realized that I said 63 grs. of RL-22 and I should have said RL-25. BIG DIFFERENCE! So sorry........That would be a good way to cause some seriuos problems.........Rich