trying to decide on which 6.5 for hunting

[Aaron D.]

Hey everyone I just joined the forum but have been reading on here for a long time!

So recently I have been looking into the 6.5s for a new medium/long range big game rifle (0-600 yds). I looked on the other threads and everything I find is about competition shooting. I can find very little on hunting application.

I want to be able to hunt up to elk sized game. Im looking at getting a factory savage rifle. I would be willing to build a custom if the price stayed reasonable, and availability of ammo isn't an issue because I handload. So far I have looked at the 6.5x284 norma which is what I'm leaning towards,6.5 creedmoor, 6.5x55 swede, 260.

Any info or advice is much appreciated!

 

[reeldawg]

Check out the 6.5 Sherman. It's a wildcat based on the 270 Win. case. Shoots 140 VLDs over 3100. It was my first wildcat and it's pretty simple forming brass.

Jay

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I shoot a Savage Model 10 Predator Hunter Max 1 in 260 rem that I really like. Very accurate with my hand loads. They make the same rifle in 6.5X284. For elk I would probably want a little more power than the 260.

 

[Greyfox]

I own a couple of 6,5-284's(Savage LRH, Cooper 520), and a 260 Rem (Savage LRP). For your range requirements and game I think the 6.5-284 in the Savage LRH would give you everything you are looking for in a cost effective package. It has the recoil when braked similar to a 22-250, good trigger, adjustable cheekpiece, and aluminum bedded stock. The only thing I did to it was sand down the pressure point at the end of the forearm to fully float the barrel. Load devopment was straight forward to get the 140 VLD Hunting Bergers shooting at 2975FPS shooting sub .5MOA at 500 yards. It's not as pretty as the Cooper, but the LRH gives up little, or nothing when it comes to getting the job done. IMO.

 

[RT2506]

From my experience shooting the 130 Nosler Accubond in my 264 Win mag on white tail deer I would choose the 6.5-284 with an 8 twist barrel and shoot the 140 gr Accubond for elk. The 130 gr Accubond is ONE GREAT BULLET. The reason I shoot the 130 is because I have a 9 twist barrel 27 3/4" long and I get 3350 fps. I bean field deer hunt and I am apt to get a shot anywhere from in my lap to hundreds of yards away. So far I have killed deer from 30 to a little over 400 yards with this bullet and it reacts the same. Through both shoulders it expands and exits holding together and does not fragment like a non bonded bullet does at close range going that fast. I have only recovered one bullet from a dozen plus, lost count, deer shot. All have exited except one shot into a big buck at 111 yards almost facing me. Bullet entered front edge of left shoulder and was found in the right ham after smashing the ball joint. Weight was 87 grs and was a text book mushroom. Bullet still had to be going at least 3100ish fps on impact. All deer shot have been DRT. The 140 gr Accubond would be more of a good thing for elk.

 

[Aaron D.]

Reeldawg

Where do you get dies for it? And does it eat the barrels like the 6.5x284?

Grey Fox how many rounds do you have down the pipe with the savage? Because concern is it will burn out the barrel fast because I like to shoot alot.
what's your load for the savage lrh?

 

[Aaron D.]

From my experience shooting the 130 Nosler Accubond in my 264 Win mag on white tail deer I would choose the 6.5-284 with an 8 twist barrel and shoot the 140 gr Accubond for elk. The 130 gr Accubond is ONE GREAT BULLET. The reason I shoot the 130 is because I have a 9 twist barrel 27 3/4" long and I get 3350 fps. I bean field deer hunt and I am apt to get a shot anywhere from in my lap to hundreds of yards away. So far I have killed deer from 30 to a little over 400 yards with this bullet and it reacts the same. Through both shoulders it expands and exits holding together and does not fragment like a non bonded bullet does at close range going that fast. I have only recovered one bullet from a dozen plus, lost count, deer shot. All have exited except one shot into a big buck at 111 yards almost facing me. Bullet entered front edge of left shoulder and was found in the right ham after smashing the ball joint. Weight was 87 grs and was a text book mushroom. Bullet still had to be going at least 3100ish fps on impact. All deer shot have been DRT. The 140 gr Accubond would be more of a good thing for elk.

I appreciate the bullet recommendation because that probably would be my next thread once I got the rifle haha

 

[Greyfox]

Reeldawg

Where do you get dies for it? And does it eat the barrels like the 6.5x284?

Grey Fox how many rounds do you have down the pipe with the savage? Because concern is it will burn out the barrel fast because I like to shoot alot.
what's your load for the savage lrh?

I have had magnums like the 270WSM and 7mmRem that eat barrels as fast or faster then the 6.5x284. I have about 500 rounds through the Savage and would expect between 1100 and 1500 before I cook it...depends on usage dynamics. You pay a price for superior ballistics/accuracy. I use 140 Berger Hunting VLDs driven by 57.5gr of Retumbo to get velocities approaching 3000FPS.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Reeldawg

Where do you get dies for it? And does it eat the barrels like the 6.5x284?

Grey Fox how many rounds do you have down the pipe with the savage? Because concern is it will burn out the barrel fast because I like to shoot alot.
what's your load for the savage lrh?

Contact this guy...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/members/elkaholic-13833/

His name is Rich Sherman, and he's the one who designed and developed all the Sherman calibers. He can tell you all you need to know, and he should have dies readily available for purchase.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

..... You pay a price for superior ballistics/accuracy....

Absolute truth right here. I can't recommend the short action 6.5's for elk; will they do the job? If care is taken, you bet your *** they can, but they do lack the snot of the larger 6.5's.

The OP likes to shoot a lot (good!), truth is, you're going to wear out the x284 faster than a Creed' or 260; that's life. But you also get higher velocity which brings more down range energy, less drop & less drift.

I also have to agree with Grey, the Savage LRH would be a dandy fit which will also free up a little cash for optics. You need to seriously weigh the pro's & con's here, how often do you really hunt elk? Is it a serious need or a pipe dream?

I say that based on my experience. I'd much rather hunt elk with a competent, experienced shooter who has hundreds of rounds thru his 6.5 Creed than a weekend wonder who is scared of shooting the barrel out of his 6.5x284.


t

 

[reeldawg]

Contact elkoholic. He has the reamer and the dies from. He designed the round and can answer any questions. You can do the search option for 6.5 Sherman. I think it would get a little better barrel life. Rich has over 1700 rounds thru his. I think a Savage in any of the 6.5s would do everything you wanted. You could put a new barrel on it without a lot of headache.

Jay

 

[ZSteinle]

I shoot a Savage Model 10 Predator Hunter Max 1 in 260 rem that I really like. Very accurate with my hand loads. They make the same rifle in 6.5X284. For elk I would probably want a little more power than the 260.

i have the 6.5x284 and i love it

 

[Mateo]

I second contacting Elkoholic and talking to him about 6.5mm's
If you want a short action I can't recommmend the 6.5 SS. (Sherman shortmag) enough. It's the 6.5 SAUM with a bit of a twist to make it easier to run in a short action without losing any performance really. . I'm in the process of building one. Got the dies from Elkoholic and he was a super guy to deal with. Will be renting the reamer too. Definitely enough gun for an Elk. And of course, the 6.5 Sherman is a brilliant piece of work too in long action form.

 

[Crashman1]

I have the 6.5mm bug too, I have a 6.5X55 swede in a Tikka T3 that will likely get re-barrelled to the 6.5 Sherman next year. I also have a Rem700 short action en route that will likely become a 6.5 Sherman Short Mag. I have talked to Rich on the phone a couple of times and he seems like a real stand up guy and knows his stuff, I think his designs are all that AND a bag of chips!

Thinking this is going to get REALLY expensive REALLY fast!