Someone talk me out of a 6.5mm STW

sniperjwt

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Ok i want someone to talk me out of a 6.5mm STW. I have two 7mm STWs and am looking to do something with one of them. I already know that the barrel life will be short (600-800 rounds). Other than that talk me out of it.gun)
 
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Ok i want someone to talke me out of a 6.5mm STW. I have two 7mm STWs and am looking to do something with one of them. I already know that the barrel life will be short (600-800 rounds). Other than that talk me out of it.gun)

Why? Build it, shoot it, and have a ball with it. Do load development, and then hunt with it. 100 shots the first year, and then 25 per year after that, should last you at least 20yrs.

Steve
 
Don't do it !
Does that help. Seriously, thou, the 6.5 STw is a screamer, but you might get better barrel life out of a 264 WM and not give up much in the process.
I think the 7 STW is great, and would stick with what you got.
 
Trueblue: i love my 7STW but the newest one i got was a steal and i will probably not use it over my Weatherby 7mm stw. The other one is a Rem 700 and i was just looking for something a little better ballistlcly than the 7mmstw.
 
Hello,

Why should anybody try to talk you out of a rifle you want? If you already know how bad the 7mm STW is, in terms of barrel life, by the fact that you are planning to rebarrel it, you absolutely know that a 6.5 STW Barrels' throat will NOT last to 600-800 rounds.

So, assuming the barrel is a good one, and 'smithed properly you may have 500 rounds of ballistics that seem to violate known laws of physics. On a much much smaller scale I have owned 4 6mm-284's. One stood out with its Krieger 30 inch barrel and gave me 3,560 fps with the Sierra 105 grain bullet. I shot Rock chucks in Idaho with Rich Kayser and even he was surprised at how flat it shot and how little the wind affected it------for 460 rounds. Then a test over a chonograph showed it had dropped over 240 fps. In other words it was a loud 6mm Remington!

If you want it, get it made, and treasure each and every shot till 500!

Good Shooting to you,

Gene S.
 
6.5mm-300 Win Mag

How about a 6.5mm-300 Win Mag. 3300 FPS with a 140gr. Would that be enough for you? I am at 3274 FPS with 79gr H870 & a 140gr Accubond out of a 24.5" 1-8 barrel.

Here is a 264 Win Mag & a 6.5mm-300 Win Mag side by side.

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Here are some updated photos of my 6.5mm-300 Win Mag. It now sports a 4.5x14x40mm 1" DPLX with CDS. The stock will be painted in a spiderweb paint finish in the new year. I may have the barreled action powder coated also.

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_JAY6153.jpg


I like the fact that you can still seat the bullet out decent in a 3.600 mag well. I am at a COL of 3.550 right now. that leave enough room for seating a HPBT or A-Max if I so choose.
 
smaller the bullet lesser the damage biger the bullet bigger the damage
get ya self a 50 BMGgun)screw the 6.5mm STW
 
Wookie, nice rifle. Do you like your scope that high? I guess I'm old school and like my scope as low as possible so I can actually have my cheek resting on the comb of the stock. My 264 shoots 140 gr Bergers at 3166 fps with 68 gr of Retumbo out of a 26 inch barrel and I might be able to squeeze a little more out of it if I try, since the primer pockets are still nice and tight after reloading them. I'm not sure you actually gain much by building a 6.5x300 WM over the standard 264 Win Mag, but to each his own I guess. The 6.5 STW seems way overbore to me and would be very hard on barrels, but if you just have to have one, go for it.
 
Wookie, nice rifle. Do you like your scope that high? I guess I'm old school and like my scope as low as possible so I can actually have my cheek resting on the comb of the stock. My 264 shoots 140 gr Bergers at 3166 fps with 68 gr of Retumbo out of a 26 inch barrel and I might be able to squeeze a little more out of it if I try, since the primer pockets are still nice and tight after reloading them. I'm not sure you actually gain much by building a 6.5x300 WM over the standard 264 Win Mag, but to each his own I guess. The 6.5 STW seems way overbore to me and would be very hard on barrels, but if you just have to have one, go for it.

Many ask me about the scope height issue. If you met me in person you would understand. The stock is a 14 1/2" LOP & for the scope to give me instant visual when I shoulder it needs to be high. I had low mounts, but they were too unnatural for me. You have to use what works, & this works for me. Oh my cheek does touch the comb too!

This rifle started life as a 26" 264 Win Mag. For some reason I was getting hard extractions on once fired brass whether it was neck sized or F/L sized? I dropped my load way down. I started at 74gr H870 which was @ 3220 FPS, right where I wanted to be. But with tight extractions, that wasn't going to work. I dropped back all the way to 70gr H870 which put me in the 3000 FPS range & was still having problems? Didn't build a 264 WM to shoot 3000 FPS with a 140gr. My as well be shooting a 30/06 at that point. :rolleyes:
Took it back to the gunsmith, he figured it was brass, but I tried 3 different kinds of brass. Rem, Win & Nosler, results all very similar. He pulled the barrel & found a very tiny little burr on the belt but figured that shouldn't cause the problem.
Not wanting to waste any more time with it & chance thet burr as the problem, I explored my options. He had a 6.5mm STW reamer & this 6.5mm - 300 Win Mag reamer. Wanting to seat my bullet out decent & with a goal of 3250 FPS with a 140gr, I figured a 6.5mm - 300 Win Mag would do the trick.
Just guessing at where to start, I tried 79gr H870. This gave me 3274 FPS. The 1 trip I have made it to the range since completion I shot this group. Keep in mind it was -31 that day, so I am super pumped about what it should do when I can get to the range & concentrate. This group was hurried for obvious reasons :D The last 3 shots were the lower left ones.

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From the short time I have had this rifle it looks to me you can edge the 26" 264 Win Mags performance by around 50-60 FPS in a barrel that is 2" shorter.

It does have a wicked muzzle flash though :D
 
I can tell you that nobody could talk me out of my 264 STW. It is awesome on long range antelope and deer. I am shooting a .571 BC bullet 3550 fps. There are few rifles out there that can do that. Life is good.
 
I love mine, 142 Sierra at 3350 and probably could go faster but it shoots very well.

LTLR would you give more data on what you are using to get 3550.
 
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