Now looking into and WTB 26 Nosler verses 6.5x300 Wby Mag - rifle/ammo availability?

[SRHeer]

After looking at Weatherby's 6.5x300 Mag and Browning's 26 Nosler - I like the 26 Nosler round and from experience I can say Browning's X bolt rifles are good.

Are there any other 6.5 heavys being made out there or in production that have a 1/8 inch barrel twist? I will be wanting to try the 140 - 160 grn bullets for elk hunting.

I will want to be able to buy over counter ammo but also now have some reloading equipment.

Several reasons why I like the 26 Nosler verses the 6.5 Wby - as per some it should not be quite the barrel burner - both rifle and ammo are less expensive at Browning and the 26 Nosler looks to be a bit more efficient

Does anyone have field reports of how these calibers have performed on Elk?
And how do these calibers handle the heavier 6.5 grn bullets (150-160) with any field or range reports?

 

[257Tony]

They are very close to each other in terms of ballistics, I think you're on the right track with 26 being available in more rifles, and with better ammo availability. 26 possibly have a bit longer barrel life also.

 

[WildRose]

I had some friends in Graham fooling around with the 6.5x300wby back in the late eighties/nineties as a wildcat. It's a good thing they ran a gunshop and owned their own gunsmithing operation (brothers) because they were burning up barrels in 400 rounds.

Powders have come along ways since then and no doubt the Weatherby factory round is probably a bit better but if I were going to choose between the two I'd probably go with the Nosler.

Personally I think I get as much velocity as I need out of my .264wm but for a year or so I was sorely tempted to try the 26N. I finally just decided I really couldn't justify the expense but it was a really hard call.

 

[cacsrx1]

I picked up a 6.5 x 300 last summer. So far it's been fantastic. Sub 1/2 moa with 143g eld-x's. I know the barrel won't last long, but for me it's a hunting rifle.

 

[WildRose]

I picked up a 6.5 x 300 last summer. So far it's been fantastic. Sub 1/2 moa with 143g eld-x's. I know the barrel won't last long, but for me it's a hunting rifle.

It's like a dragster, you know the motor won't last but it's one heck of a ride while it does.

 

[Huntfly]

I picked up a 6.5 x 300 last summer. So far it's been fantastic. Sub 1/2 moa with 143g eld-x's. I know the barrel won't last long, but for me it's a hunting rifle.

Smart man here. He nailed it, it's a hunting rifle.

 

[nealm66]

I recently did load work up with my 6.5-300 with the 156 Berger's and stopped at Berger's recommended max charge of 77.5gr of n570 and I think it was 3140fps? Can't remember . It shoots inside an " at 200 yards. This is the cheaper vanguard and used a harmonic dampener to tighten groups. If this weather ever turns I'll get it out to distance. I'm sure the 26 nosler is a dandy cartridge but weatherby premium ammo makes the 6.5-300 plug and play for hunting in my opinion

 

[Huntfly]

I recently did load work up with my 6.5-300 with the 156 Berger's and stopped at Berger's recommended max charge of 77.5gr of n570 and I think it was 3140fps? Can't remember . It shoots inside an " at 200 yards. This is the cheaper vanguard and used a harmonic dampener to tighten groups. If this weather ever turns I'll get it out to distance. I'm sure the 26 nosler is a dandy cartridge but weatherby premium ammo makes the 6.5-300 plug and play for hunting in my opinion

As I said earlier mine has not arrived yet. It is the later grade of vanguard First Light.. All I got are dies brass and bullets. Us 869 powder, some130 and140 hornady eldm. Components hard to find ammo is impossible here in ga. Hendershots custom is the best bet and better than Weatherby. They are 5 weeks out. Say what they want to about barrel burners it is a Lazer on steroids. I bet with the 156's it is almost like a 300 Bee.

 

[nealm66]

It will be fun to get it dialed in at distance.

 

[Huntfly]

It will be fun to get it dialed in at distance.

Stay in touch, I may need your help once I get mine. The one coming is a First Light Vanguard, made for BHA members. If I don't get it soon I am going to buy an off the shelf Mark 5.

 

[nealm66]

I wish there was a simple prefit for the mark v's.

 

[Andrew Massi]

I wish there was a simple prefit for the mark v's.

Pac Nor makes shouldered prefits for mark vs

 

[nealm66]

Wow! Had no idea. So the mark v actions must be pretty tight tolerance.

 

[Huntfly]

Smart man here. He nailed it, it's a hunting rifle.

Kind of like buying a Cadillac and the asking about the gas mileage. Who cares! It's a Lazer beam on steroids, you pay for that.