6.5-06 build but to AI it or Gibbs it or leave it like it is?

[dougrosa]

Wanting to build a 6.5-06 but the question is to A.I. it or Gibbs it or leave it like it is? I would like to get 2900 to 3000 fps with a 140 grain bullet. I am not sure I can get this with a regular 6.5-06. The barrel is a Hart 27 inch SS, sendero contour, fluted and threaded for a brake or ? I do not want to go with a build on a short mag case, cause I am using a std. long action Rem. 700. I am 75 yrs young and have been reloading since I was in my late teens. I need something a little more than the 6.5 creedmoore. I have a .264 win mag just want something in between. Thanks in advance for your time.

I have a 6.5 280 AI I get 3100 f/s with 26 " bbl. 143 Gn ELDX.

 

[TAWS]

Ron I believe you know who I am as I dabble in the shotgun sports "Just a Little". I don't know how to contact you directly with email and not sure if it is OK to list mine in this post. I know there is a way to do this but not sure what or how.

 

[Titan2]

Wanting to build a 6.5-06 but the question is to A.I. it or Gibbs it or leave it like it is? I would like to get 2900 to 3000 fps with a 140 grain bullet. I am not sure I can get this with a regular 6.5-06. The barrel is a Hart 27 inch SS, sendero contour, fluted and threaded for a brake or ? I do not want to go with a build on a short mag case, cause I am using a std. long action Rem. 700. I am 75 yrs young and have been reloading since I was in my late teens. I need something a little more than the 6.5 creedmoore. I have a .264 win mag just want something in between. Thanks in advance for your time.

I had this same idea a few years back and while I was researching I decided to do a 6.5x280 A.I. It is super simple to form the brass, just get a 280 A.I bushing die and the correct size bushing you want for neck tension, and buy some 280 A.I brass. No fire forming, and you get the some preformance as the 6.5-06 A.I. Just seemed simpler to me. Anyways, just my two cents. Good luck and have fun!

 

[oneeyejohn]

Wanting to build a 6.5-06 but the question is to A.I. it or Gibbs it or leave it like it is? I would like to get 2900 to 3000 fps with a 140 grain bullet. I am not sure I can get this with a regular 6.5-06. The barrel is a Hart 27 inch SS, sendero contour, fluted and threaded for a brake or ? I do not want to go with a build on a short mag case, cause I am using a std. long action Rem. 700. I am 75 yrs young and have been reloading since I was in my late teens. I need something a little more than the 6.5 creedmoore. I have a .264 win mag just want something in between. Thanks in advance for your time.

I had a 6.5-06 builf from a rem 700LH long action about 2 months ago. It has a Bartlein barell with muzzle brakeand detailed action. I have found that the most critical issue with this set-up so far has been bullet jump. I can easily get 3100MV out of any bullet weight 140 gr. Have not tried anything heaver. I plan to use this rifle for varmints so it has a short throat. I am 79 and don't climb the mountains any more after 6 heart procedures.

 

[TAWS]

Ron this is Vance Barnes. And I could have the wrong Ron S.

 

[yobuck]

Back in the day, the 06 was far more popular than it is today, couple that with lots of military brass available as well. Lots of people had buckets full of the stuff laying around, so finding another use for it was a pretty good idea. 25x06 and 6.5x06 were of coarse popular choices, and both were good ones.
But im personally not so sure its quite as good an idea today what with all the good factory choices out there.

As for the hot rod versions, i always felt that i had maybe missed out on something years back when the 6.5x 300 Wby Wildcat bit the dust in favor of the 7mm version in the early 70s.
So about 10 years ago i built one on the short mag case, using the 270 wsm brass.
No trouble getting over 3300 with 140s, and i did hammer a couple of Antelope with it that i could have probably hammered with my 25/06 with about the same amount of complaint from the Antelope.
As for a long range cartridge, i soon found out why the old wildcat lost out to the 7mms.
Im sorry i didnt build a 6.5x06 instead of the short mag back then because id no doubt still own the gun.
But today might be a different story.

 

[montana west]

the regular 6.5/06 is known in Europe as a 6.5x65 and they are quite expensive.. the good thing about the regular is youo can use many different cal brass to go to 6.5/06. now the Gibbs would = the 264 win and be bad on barrels- hard to form brass, a bit dangerous in the making process. I have a 35 gibbs and it is a shooter, but a problem in making brass.. I owned the AI in the 6.5 and sold it went back to the regular and I am happy. and it will hum a 140 with IMr 7828 H 1000 and reloader 25.

 

[TAWS]

I just ordered my 6.5-06 dies. Which cal. brass will give me the least trouble and headaches when resizing and shooting it, ----- 25-06---270---280 ??? I am leaning toward the 270 brass.

 

[BEEMAN]

I went with the 6.5 Sherman. Max load with a 140 Berger and N570 gets me 3339 FPS out of a 28" Hart.

 

[Huntz]

I think the 6.5-06 is a great choice.AI does not give you much more velocity if you load it sane.If aimed correctly it will kill just about anything you snap a cap on.Anything larger then a 6.5-06 and you are playing the game of diminishing returns.You will be equalling the 6.5PRC and slightly bettering it without hassle of trying to find brass.JMHO,Huntz

 

[rugers]

I built one two years ago, 3rd one i have built, if you go with a 26" barrel with a 1 in 8 twist you can get close to 264 win mag velocity with the strait 6.5/06 every one ive owned shot sub moa and they all liked Imr 4350. I would strongly suggest you go with 25/06 brass and size it up. I like the 140 gr bullets for deer but use 120 grn for coyotes and prairie dogs, of all the wild cat rounds the 6.5/06 is the one that should have been turned into a factory round. There deadly accurate and dont burn barrels like the 264 win mag. Hope you have fun with it.

 

[dougduey]

I had this same idea a few years back and while I was researching I decided to do a 6.5x280 A.I. It is super simple to form the brass, just get a 280 A.I bushing die and the correct size bushing you want for neck tension, and buy some 280 A.I brass. No fire forming, and you get the some preformance as the 6.5-06 A.I. Just seemed simpler to me. Anyways, just my two cents. Good luck and have fun!

What size bushing do you use?? 0.292"??
I'm thinking of going this route when I need to rebarrel one of my 6.5's and I already own a 280 AI, so this would be real easy to do.

 

[fmuguira]

+1 to Stel67 and Titan2. Buy 280 AI brass, run through your Die, put H1000 or R26 in it and Rock N Roll. You will easily meet your velocity requirements with that 27" tube.

 

[fmuguira]

BTW, gunsmith friend of mine has built 20-30 for guys; his reamer is setup to turn the brass as he likes concentric necks but that's just his theory/preference. Shoots 3050 fps or so in 26" tube without hurting brass.