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What do ya'll think about a 6.5-375 Ruger?

Discussion in 'Rifles, Bullets, Barrels & Ballistics' started by MontanaRifleman, Feb 19, 2011.

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  1. Feb 19, 2011 #1
    MontanaRifleman

    MontanaRifleman Well-Known Member

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    I'm stoked about the idea :D gun)
     
  2. Feb 19, 2011 #2
    eddybo

    eddybo Well-Known Member

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    Go for it. I doubt anyone needs 10 grains of capacity than a 6.5WSM but hey this aint about need. What bullet you planning on running and what velocity do you estimate?
     
  3. Feb 19, 2011 #3
    MontanaRifleman

    MontanaRifleman Well-Known Member

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    Well Eddy, here's what I'm scheming :rolleyes:.... I had a chat with my gunsmith yesterday about a 300 WSM build I've contracted him to do and I asked him about nitride treating the barrel for better velocity and extended barrel life and he told me that it would greatly extend the barrel life, about 2-4 times.

    Well this morning I had an epiphany about going with a 300-375 Ruger instead of a WSMlightbulb. I have also been wanting a 6.5-something and figure with a nitride treatment, I might get 2000 rounds or more from a 6.5-375 Ruger.

    What velocity? I have had great results with RL17 and my 300 WSM and 25-06... 200 fps increases in velocity over other loads. And I think the 375 case is a good candidate for RL17. I plan to develop two loads for it, one with GS bullets (which are very spendy) and another plinking/fun load with maybe E-Tips or something. GS will develop a custom bullet to my specs, so I'm guessing about a 120 gr, high BC (.55-.6 ish) monometal pill. And GS bullets get about 100 fps (give or take) better velocity than other bullets because of driving bands and molly coating.

    Sooo... If we look at Hodgdon's data for a 120 gr bullet in a 264 mag, they show 3300 with Retumbo. Conservatively add...

    100 fps, RL17
    50 fps, GS bullet
    100 fps, increase powder capacity
    50 fps, 5C rifling and nitride treatment

    ... which gets us to 3600 fps... and just maybe 3700-3800 fps.

    All speculation of course, but I have little doubt that this will be a sizzzzling combo :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2011
  4. Feb 19, 2011 #4
    eddybo

    eddybo Well-Known Member

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    Sounds good to me. I have never played with the barrel treatments but have considered them and will probably give it a try. I have never played with that hull, going from 375 to 264 would be a pain, maybe. The possibility of turning necks steers my choices mote than some. Let us know how it works.
     
  5. Feb 19, 2011 #5
    3006savage

    3006savage Well-Known Member

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    I always thought a 7mm-375 with an improved shoulder to help lengthen the neck would be a great round. I would put it just ahead of a STW.

    The 168 and 180 Grain Bergers would be tough to beat at with a 100 grain powder case behind it.

    That would be my wildcat.
     
  6. Feb 19, 2011 #6
    MontanaRifleman

    MontanaRifleman Well-Known Member

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    My smith thinks the nitride treatment is a great thing and he is going to get one of his rifles (I believe a 30-378) treated soon, including the action. He says the action feeels like it's on ball bearnings when treated.. It's a heat process that takes the steel to about 1100* which helps to relieve barrel stress. It cures at about a rockwell 65 and is a great protective finish as well. Everyone he knows that has tried it has had good experiences with it.

    Yeah... necking down from a .375 to a .264 should be interesting, but I'm going to have the 300-375 R done first and see how that goes. I'm a bushing die kinda guy so I turn all my necks anyway. Will keep everyone posted if I go ahead with it.

    Now I need to find some bushing dies for it :cool:

    I have actually given thought to the 7-375 for sometime now. It would be a great round! Maybe I'll do one of those as well, but right now the 6.5 gets the priority after the 300 version. Heck, I might do .25 and .277 versions as well :D I think the 375 case is a great design and one that would do real well with RL17. In fact I know of a couple of guys who have had good results with RL17 in the straight 375 Ruger.
     
  7. Feb 19, 2011 #7
    Varminator 911

    Varminator 911 Well-Known Member

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    I'd think you'd need a slower powder than R17 for the 6.5 Ruger. That's a lot of case capacity for that small hole. Using R17 in the 375 Ruger is a lot different than using it in the 6.5 Ruger.
     
  8. Feb 19, 2011 #8
    MontanaRifleman

    MontanaRifleman Well-Known Member

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    You might very well be right... time will tell :)
     
  9. Feb 19, 2011 #9
    jlamb

    jlamb Well-Known Member

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    The 6.5-.375 sounds like a screamer. I'm looking into a 6.5-06 M40. I was speaking to my gunsmith who works pretty close with Sierra and he was saying that the 140grn 6.5 SMK has a "sweet spot" for accuracy at 3000 fps so the 6.5-06 gives just enough powder to hit that velocity and is ~90% packed.

    The gunsmith also has a 6.5WSM that he did years ago before he verifed the stability issue with Sierra - it's accurate as all getout but he has to keep the velocities at 3000 fps so it's overkill.

    Post pics when it's done!!
     
  10. Feb 19, 2011 #10
    eddybo

    eddybo Well-Known Member

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    I would consider another bullet, and just throw in in a RUM or 338LM case. I am having 180 bergers shedding jackets on my last couple of trips out.
     
  11. Feb 19, 2011 #11
    eddybo

    eddybo Well-Known Member

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    I am thinking your be in the WC870 or VV570 range of powders, but suspect that the large kernal size of the 570 is not going to be good for that case.


    What barrel length you thinking about using? Another thought, just because of the necking down issue, why not just a 6.5RUM, other than cool factor?
     
  12. Feb 19, 2011 #12
    Oliveralan

    Oliveralan Well-Known Member

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    RL17 in a 6.5 Ruger isn't happening. I have been extensively testing my 6.5-300 win mag and H-US869 is slightly fast with a 140 VLD. 2000 rounds is also a very optimistic estimate. What makes you think almost doubling powder charge over a 6.5-284 will add 800+ rounds to life? I'll believe nitrating when BR matches start being won with 6BRs with round counts over 3000 through a nitrated barrel.
    I mean it sounds cool, but I'm a lil hesitant that it is increasing barrel life 2-4 times and you don't have the whole shooting world flipping out to buy nitrated barrels.
     
  13. Feb 19, 2011 #13
    eddybo

    eddybo Well-Known Member

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    I would try the coating on a barrel, but I am not letting them cook any of my actions. The manufacturer heat treated them where they need to be. Until someone can prove to me that hardening an action is not bad, I will let others guinea pig it.
     
  14. Feb 19, 2011 #14
    MontanaRifleman

    MontanaRifleman Well-Known Member

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    I have been considering the -06, 284 Norma and WSM versions and was shying away from the WSM because it might cook the barrel to quick. The 284 Norma is about a 1000 rounder for good accuracy and I really don't want to get anything that will cook a barrel in less than 1000 rounds.

    The 140 Sierra, Berger and other offerings might be my secondary plinking load, but my primary business bullet will be a 110 - 120 custom designed GS bullet. It will probably be the same length or longer than the 140 Sierra.

    I've got this thing about 3400 fps plus because I like to zero at 300 yds :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2011
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