Very Impressive!!!!
trying to decide on which 6.5 for hunting
- Thread starter Aaron D.
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Very Impressive!!!!
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
I have long been a 6.5 fan in almost any design
I have killed so much game with a 6.5 that it isn't even funny, including 25+ bull elk. Having said that, a 6.5 is on the SMALLISH side when it comes to elk sized animals so having that extra oomph is important. This is why I designed the two current 6.5's in the first place. The original Sherman will outperform anything in an 'o6 sized case with good barrel life and the newer SS is so efficient that it will equal the Sherman with 4 grains less powder. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the fact that the SS is a TRUE short action that will cycle through a std. mag with the long bullets which none of the other short mags will do. I can run the 160 Matrix at over 3100' in a 26" barrel. The 6.5 SAUM is a great round for sure, but you have to single load with the heavy bullets or else take up a lot of case capacity and lose velocity, and/or accuracy. Also, you can load both Shermans down to idle speed and still outperform a 6.5/284 loaded to max and have better barrel life. There are loads for these two cartridges that require less than 19 moa at 1000 yards! Turn around on building one is as fast as your smith can put it together since the reamer and dies are available on demand.......cheers/Rich
I have killed so much game with a 6.5 that it isn't even funny, including 25+ bull elk. Having said that, a 6.5 is on the SMALLISH side when it comes to elk sized animals so having that extra oomph is important. This is why I designed the two current 6.5's in the first place. The original Sherman will outperform anything in an 'o6 sized case with good barrel life and the newer SS is so efficient that it will equal the Sherman with 4 grains less powder. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the fact that the SS is a TRUE short action that will cycle through a std. mag with the long bullets which none of the other short mags will do. I can run the 160 Matrix at over 3100' in a 26" barrel. The 6.5 SAUM is a great round for sure, but you have to single load with the heavy bullets or else take up a lot of case capacity and lose velocity, and/or accuracy. Also, you can load both Shermans down to idle speed and still outperform a 6.5/284 loaded to max and have better barrel life. There are loads for these two cartridges that require less than 19 moa at 1000 yards! Turn around on building one is as fast as your smith can put it together since the reamer and dies are available on demand.......cheers/RichI have long been a 6.5 fan in almost any design
it's cool that you responded. The other guys are saying I should message you. You just made my decision a whole lot harder! what's the recoil like when you run the short at high velocity? And hows the barrel life?
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Hi Aaron......The short has been noted by some of us to be more of a push than a jolt. I don't have an explanation for it, but that is what we have noticed. As far as barrel life goes, it hasn't been out there long enough to give actual data. What I can tell you is, my Sherman has over 1800 rounds through it and still shoots very well. The SS has the same shoulder angle, 4 grains less capacity, and a .020" longer neck, so it would make sense that the SS should be even better. I use the 40 degree shoulder and long neck to confine the flame point within the cartridge neck rather than directly into the throat where most barrel damage occurs. This could be explained like adjusting the tip on your cutting torch with the hottest point being right at the inner flame convergence (if that makes sense). Also, you don't have to load these cases to high pressure to reach very respectable velocities which further increases barrel life. Both the Sherman and the Sherman Short Mag have Norma brass available now which is a big plus over American options. We have found it to be far more consistent, stronger, and have a little more case capacity. Feel free to call me anytime if you have questions. You can PM me for my phone #, etc........Rich
BrentM
Well-Known Member
It depends. 7 and 300 Saum will both work. WSM is another option. 270 WSM 7WSM 300 WSM
Brass is a little bit of a problem - not huge though. George is working on it. Manufacturers are still playing catch up from the 2013 ammo craze. However, Copper Creek Cartridge and GAP both have brass and loaded ammo available. If you handload this cartridge is a beast.
JOHNNIE WALKER
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You can spend a lifetime studying the ballistics of different cartridges, and still not be able to pick one that is best for you. With so many different choices it really is hard to choose. But realistically, once you narrow it down to the general range of ballistics your looking for, your almost comparing apples to apples. One may have a slight edge over the other, but then there's one better than that one somewhere. Truth be known, the animal won't know the difference, complaining about an inch or two either way on a chart won't kill anymore game, and trigger time is the important thing. We've all put a lot of thought into what we shoot, but simply knowing that rifle is priceless, whatever it may be.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
That's why I have a bridge for every gap from .22LR up to .45-70 Gov't... I like to have EVERY possible base covered.
About the only 2 gaps I'm missing that I want are a .260 AI, and a .280 AI.
JOHNNIE WALKER
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Interesting response. But I like it. It's important to be prepared, and you really can't have to many guns.
KMG
Well-Known Member
"Beware of the man with one rifle, for he probably knows how to use it." Not that I think that one caliber or cartridge for that matter is suited for all hunting or shooting situations (except the 6.5, I'm a little partial. I own three 6.5x55, 260, & a 6.5SS on the way). Learn to use your rifle set up & know it well, almost intimately. Confidence behind the trigger comes from nothing less than trigger time & a commitment to that endeavor. Not too mention "It's just plain fun"
That's what I had in mind at the start of this caridge search, and that's why I came up with the 6.5s. I have plenty of other rifles but I want my "go to rifle" for all hunting applications or long range shooting. The only issue I have with any 6.5s is ammo availability. If it's my go to rifle I want more available ammo, but I guess you can't have everything haha. So I will just hand load for it.
