Picking out a 6.5 cartridge

[brush_buster]

Take a look at the 6.5x55 in a Tikka.

Love mine and it has been deadly on everything I've shot with it. Very accurate and easy on the shoulder for women and kids alike.

 

[OldElkHunter1961]

Here's another vote for the Weatherby 6.5 RPM. A fabulous cartridge all around.

 

[oregonbowguy]

I bought a Savage Long Range Hunter 110 in 6.5 x 284. I loaded up 140gr Accubonds. 8 years ago the guys at the range told me my bullets weren't seated properly. After dialing in the scope, the 5 shot string was a tattered hold my dime covered walking out to the 100 yard target.

One year later, I bought 2 more of the identical rifles, one for each son. My loads from my gun performed identically. (I shot all 3 rifles to remove some factor of variability. )

I will add, the stocks on all 3, the finish failed miserably. They've become tacky to the touch. But, they are still accurate as heck!

 

[Truc]

My rather different 6.5 was chosen for hunting purposes. A 6.5 Rem mag def works well for this, in a Tikka Set up for a 300 Win mag type case magazine With an oal of 3.1" +- And getting 3125 with a 129 Nosler LRAB with a 26" barrel. Mild load.
In a model 7 it works very well with a 23" barrel shooting 125 partitions at 2.8" most all WT DRT.

saying that I want to try the 6.5 SAUM. Doubt I'll pick up anything on velocity but sizing cases will be easie.

 

[30 Hammer]

My Daughter shot this bull yesterday at 409 yards with a 20" barrel Gunwerks Magnus in 6.5 Creedmoor 140 ELD-M at 409 yards. He never took a step. This is her second bull with a 6.5 Creedmoor. She does shoot very well and takes her time for so shot placement

 

[Hugnot]

In 2022 I'd start with ammo or reload components availability. Nothing like having an awesome new rifle collecting dust. Things are starting to come back but some cases are still difficult to locate.

I like the 6.5-06. Having a slightly longer action is no big deal. Horrible component shortages have given rise to 120 - 123's loads with RamShot Hunter. 140's go out fast with other powders. I buy real cheap .30-06 1X fired brass & turn necks to .288.

^^^
I also have a 6.5 Creedmoor that fits real good in actions that are 1/2 inch shorter & works good with available Staball6.5 & R-S Hunter powders. The 6.5CM gets lots of use using my moderate stash of Remington 7 1/2 small rifle primers.

 

[cardon1122]

I've had a few 6.5's. One of my favorites is the 6.5x284, w/ Lapua brass. I'd go with that or the
6.5 SAUM. Either one in a Med. action.
Run 140 Berger's rather than the 156. (Run the numbers). For a mono I'd try the 124 HH.
If running suppressed, I'd go 22"to 24"
Plenty of velocity. I've not been satisfied with velocities when I've opted for 20" bbl.
Track down components for whichever cartridge you choose first tho.

I like my 6.5-284 as well but don't have experience with the others. I also recommend the Lapua brass.

 

[swabby56]

I'm looking at jumping into a different cartridge. I'm looking at a 6.5mm something or another, this will be built on a medium length action with the ability to change bolt faces. The ones I have been bouncing between is: 260 rem AI, 6.5-284, 6.5 prc, 6.5 saum, 6.5 Sherman max. I'm wanting something I can shoot the 140-156 out of for fun to distance and also put some heavier copper bullets in it to hunt with. Wanting to have a 20-22" barrel to run suppressed but not give up to much velocity. The 260 rem AI is the most intriguing to me, I'm mainly concerned I'll be giving up too much velocity in a 20-22" tube. Any thoughts or experiences with any of these cartridges are greatly appreciated.

I have a friend that has a 6.5 PRC. It is a fantastic shooting rifle. Recoil not to bad. My friend shoot a 300 yard group at just under 1 inch. Pretty darn good. I have a 6.5x284 that shoots a 130 nosler accubond at 1/4 inch all day long . Good luck. Just my opinion

 

[lancetkenyon]

Lance,what powder are you using in your 260AI

H4350. Mainly because it works so well in my 6.5SLR. 6CM, 25CM, 6.5CM, and I have about 24# of it. I could probably get a bit better speeds with some other powders, butI like the consistency, clean burning, and stability of it.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I couldn't make up my mind which 6.5 to build either. So I'm building two, a 260 AI on a Defiance anti SA, Brux #3 26" 1:7.5 twist, in a MCS-EH2. And a 6.5SS on a Kelbly Nanook SA Mag BF with a 24" Proof CF Sendero 1:8 twist, in a MCS-LRH, both will be threaded to use a TB7.
Will be dropping off parts at AxisWorks in a couple weeks. Should be a fun winter working on load development.

If you need a reamer for the .260AI....I "know a guy" with one with .140"FB instead if the standard .050" FB.....

 

[Alberta Boy]

As HuntnPack mentioned the 6.5x284 is a pretty incredible package. 140gr VLD Hunters over Retumbo with Lapua Brass has been an excellent choice in Alberta for me. I've killed multiple moose, big Alberta Whitetail bucks and a bunch of bears all with one shot success. The one draw back is perhaps the barrel life of the 6.5x284, I only have 750 rounds through mine and it still shoots incredibly well but I've heard that they don't go much past 1200 rounds before being shot out.
I would consider component availability first and foremost right now, in Canada we had primers and powder available until late spring but we are now suffering the same issues that you are south of the border. Can't shoot what you can't find components for…

 

[lancetkenyon]

6.5 sst. Looks just like a 270 wsm. Guy had one next to me at the range. Would get good speed with RL16 I would guess. Thats what I use in my 270 wsm with 130's, 58.2 grs at ~ 3042 fps and thats a low node. Factory Federal vital shock is 3300 fps in the 270 wsm, chrono'd. You could easily get 2900+ fps with a 22" barrel and a 150ish gr from the 6.5sst.

The 6.5SST is not the same as a WSM case. It is actually a .100" shortened SAUM case.
But, your projected velocity numbers are very doable.
The SST is about 50fps slower than an SS, all else being equal. I get 2916fps w.156 Berger in my 20" 6.5SS with a moderate load of H1000. With N565, I can get 3001fps at the top end leaning hard on it. So adding the 2" of barrel length to an SST should be comparable. But my main load is a 130 OTM at 3075fps. Lighter recoiling, still decent BC and wicked accurate. Plenty for deer out to reasonable hunting distances (800-950) depending on conditions. The 156 @ 2916 actually extends that range to 1k+.

 

[Greyfox]

Given you will be hand-loading and planning a medium action, the 6.5x284 Norma, while not the only choice, is an easy choice. No messing around with case prep, readily available/superb Lapua brass, easy to develop very accurate reloads, and velocities in the 2950-3025FPS, the sweet spot with the 156's and 140's(respectively). Barrel life with most all the 6.5's at these velocities is probably a push between most of the candidates that deliver this performance, and more dependent on individual shooting practices. IMO.

 

[tooth doc]

I'm looking at jumping into a different cartridge. I'm looking at a 6.5mm something or another, this will be built on a medium length action with the ability to change bolt faces. The ones I have been bouncing between is: 260 rem AI, 6.5-284, 6.5 prc, 6.5 saum, 6.5 Sherman max. I'm wanting something I can shoot the 140-156 out of for fun to distance and also put some heavier copper bullets in it to hunt with. Wanting to have a 20-22" barrel to run suppressed but not give up to much velocity. The 260 rem AI is the most intriguing to me, I'm mainly concerned I'll be giving up too much velocity in a 20-22" tube. Any thoughts or experiences with any of these cartridges are greatly appreciated.

260 as the 7mm 08, run very well in a short tube, 16 to 20 inches. in a 22 you amy also consider 6.5 wsm, i personally like it better than the saum. i love my 6.5 / 280 ackley improved.