New 6.5 Idea

[north of 53]

I was looking at your case and the velocities you are getting with the powder you are using. I have to say your case would seem to be very similar to a 6.5x55 improved just a little shorter and your results are also very similar to the performance of the 6.5x 55 improved. So can ask , did you look at the 6.5x 55 case before you started with the 6.5 BPX. I know the bolt face is a little different and that could hold back its acceptance but the 6.5x55 has shown itself to be a very accurate case.

 

[elkaholic]

Roland and Steve.......VERY impressive guys! Congratualations/Rich

 

[sj-pratt]

Thanks Rich hope your as happy with your project as I am with the way 6.5 BPX is turning out.
I have most of the parts to build 2 more rifles, they will be more or less clones to Roland's and we will see if the accuracy traits of this little fella follow suit.

Thanks for following along I'm sure there will be more information to follow.

 

[Daveinjax]

I was looking at your case and the velocities you are getting with the powder you are using. I have to say your case would seem to be very similar to a 6.5x55 improved just a little shorter and your results are also very similar to the performance of the 6.5x 55 improved. So can ask , did you look at the 6.5x 55 case before you started with the 6.5 BPX. I know the bolt face is a little different and that could hold back its acceptance but the 6.5x55 has shown itself to be a very accurate case.

If you read the second sentence of the original post you will know why. This is shaping up to be the ideal short action 6.5 round. Yes , the case preparation is a little elaborate but thats part of the fun to me . I have a short action 700 that is going to need a new barrel soon so.....

 

[north of 53]

If you read the second sentence of the original post you will know why. This is shaping up to be the ideal short action 6.5 round. Yes , the case preparation is a little elaborate but thats part of the fun to me . I have a short action 700 that is going to need a new barrel soon so.....

Actually my point was if you are going to play with a case and make it shorter so it would fit a 700 short action the 6.5x 55 should be an good candidate. As I said it has a 100 year history of being a very accurate case.
I guess maybe that could a project for someone else to try.

 

[elkaholic]

Thanks Rich hope your as happy with your project as I am with the way 6.5 BPX is turning out.
I have most of the parts to build 2 more rifles, they will be more or less clones to Roland's and we will see if the accuracy traits of this little fella follow suit.

Thanks for following along I'm sure there will be more information to follow.

Steve.....You have definitely reached your goal it appears! I already told Roland this, but for your benefit and the benefit of other forum members, It was strictly a coincidence, and not a copy cat idea, that we came up with the 6.5 SS shortly after your BPX round. Actually, we had been talking about it for some time after I developed the original 6.5 Sherman. As it turns out, they each have a little different role anyway other than we both wanted something that would be a TRUE short action round. We were looking for a short action round that would duplicate the 6.5 Sherman velocity, and I think we may have it......Rich

 

[7mmRHB]

North of 53, If I used the 6.5x55 to shorten, it would then become similar to a 6.5 Creedmore which has readily available brass. 6.5- 284 brass is a fair amount larger in diameter .500 compared to the 55 which is .480 at the web, and the creedmore at .473. Not enough difference to be worth all the work!! The 6.5 BPX holds 7 or 8 grains more powder than the Creedmore. --- RHB

 

[7mmRHB]

Thanks Rich, I'm sure your cartridge will be a good one also. We feel like the 6.5 BPX has performed as we hoped to this point. We maybe even surprised a few guys out there that were sure the case couldn't perform as Steve had stated!! I'm happy with the results since I was shooting for 3000 fps when I designed the case. Quickload had Steve convinced that it could do more and it turns out he was right!!!

We appreciate all of you that have followed this thread!!! ------ RHB

 

[north of 53]

North of 53, If I used the 6.5x55 to shorten, it would then become similar to a 6.5 Creedmore which has readily available brass. 6.5- 284 brass is a fair amount larger in diameter .500 compared to the 55 which is .480 at the web, and the creedmore at .473. Not enough difference to be worth all the work!! The 6.5 BPX holds 7 or 8 grains more powder than the Creedmore. --- RHB

Thank you, that makes sense to me. I look forward to 6.5 BPX making its way out to the shooting world so we can give it a try.

 

[elkaholic]

Thanks Rich, I'm sure your cartridge will be a good one also. We feel like the 6.5 BPX has performed as we hoped to this point. We maybe even surprised a few guys out there that were sure the case couldn't perform as Steve had stated!! I'm happy with the results since I was shooting for 3000 fps when I designed the case. Quickload had Steve convinced that it could do more and it turns out he was right!!!

We appreciate all of you that have followed this thread!!! ------ RHB

Actually, I was one of the guys that had serious doubts as to whether you would achieve that kind of velocity.......Rich

 

[65WSM]

I like to hear everything I am reading but I have questions.

Are you going to make your reamer and gauges available?

What are you doing for a size die? I would like to have a busing die. What would happen if you took a 6.5 - 284 size die and turned the bottom off of it with a carbide blade? Would a shortened 6.5 - 284 Redding bushing die size your cases?

 

[sj-pratt]

65 WSM

I don't remember how many sizing dies I made Roland but I believe it was done in four steps.
The problem is not how to push the shoulder back it is what to do with all the brass in the neck and keep it uniform and straight.
We will keep trying to come up with a way to make the brass but we would also like to maybe offer a top of the line, light weight rifle with the brass and loaded rounds included in the custom build package.
It looks like it fills a void pushing 140 just over 3000 and we feel maybe there is a need for such a rifle.

 

[7mmRHB]

65WSM, Steve made the finish sizing die with a resize reamer and a Newlon die blank. It is a bushing die.The seating die is a Forster Ultra seater reamed with the finish reamer.

The brass is hard, and slow to make as Steve said. There is about 33 hrs work per 100 pcs to get them to the fire form stage. I don't think there's anyone that would be willing to pay $135 for new6.5x284 Lapua brass plus 33 hrs of labor costs for enough brass to do a build !! I also can't afford to spend that many hrs on brass when there is a ton of work to be done in the shop!! We're in the process of figuring out a way to speed up the production of brass to the point that we can offer it to the public in the form of us doing the complete build.

I doubt we will be renting out the reamers and just selling brass.----- RHB

 

[Sully2]

Just thought I would post a preview of a round I and 7mmRHB have been working on. We were looking for a true short action round that would fit standard magazine boxes but get 140 Bergers up and running and still have mild recoil without jumping to the extreme of a 6.5 WSM.
We started with Lapua 6.5-284 brass and went from there, we ended up with a perfect powder charge easily pushing 140 Bergers 3000-3100 with low pressures. The bearing surface of the bullets stays above the neck and shoulder junction, and with a nice long neck you could push the bullets out futher say a Wyatts Extended Box but we think its not necessary. We have just started testng so I'm jumping the gun a little bit, but I had a little time to kill so heres a preview.
More pictures and information to follow.
Left to Right 6.5-284, our Wildcat, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore, 260 Remington.

I like it...I like it! I was thinking of reworking my HB .260 after I get my 25-06AI nailed down and load(s) for it.

Taking the basic .260 and lengthening the neck just a tad...blowing the shoulder out to approx the angle you have in yours. In other words the same design you have but without the "fat body" of the .284. I'll be watching your postings!