6.5 - 2900 ft/s most efficiently?

[wapitiaddict]

Thanks for everyone's input! So far some common themes are the 6.5-284, the 6.5 PRC, and the 6.5 SS.

I'm least familiar with the last one. Where do you get brass for it or what parent cartridge do you form it from?

Keep it coming, folks!

 

[ramrod79]

6.5 284 is a great round and good Lapland brass but hard on barrels the PRC I wouldn't touch brass being a big one. Sherman you can buy brass right from Sherman wildcat web page.

 

[Mikecr]

Least powder to meet your goal (and easiest): 260AI

 

[wapitiaddict]

I am running a 6.5-06 with the 140 hybrid. I am running just over 3000fps with re26.. 3015 to be exact

What length barrel do you have?

 

[codyadams]

Of those I would do .260 AI or 6.5x284. The 6.5x284 will get you in the 2900's easy with almost any suitable powder in a 24". In the .260 AI, you will be slightly more limited on powder selection, but I hit 3000 fps with h4831, however that is with a 29" barrel. With a couple powders you will likely get in the low 2900's.

The easiest by far....6.5x284. You said you don't care to go over 3000, in that case I would skip the sherman shortmag. You can buy brass, its expensive but you can, the dies are also expensive as well. With the 6.5x284, everything is easy.

If you want to send a 140 at 3300+ however, the sherman is a fantastic option.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

6.5 284 is a great round and good Lapland brass but hard on barrels the PRC I wouldn't touch brass being a big one. Sherman you can buy brass right from Sherman wildcat web page.

https://matchgrademachine.com/6-5mm-prc-velocity-data/
I would give the 6.5 PRC a serious look.
Check out this review on the Hornady PRC brass from MGM.
Seems like good stuff to me, 11 loadings!

 

[xsn10s]

I have a 25" Rock Creek barrel in 260 AI. I'm going to HBN treat my bullets to hopefully get to 3000 fps with RL26 What do you think codyadams?

 

[Edd]

For what you are wanting, this is as good as it gets.

 

[xsn10s]

What 6.5 cartridge will comfortabily shoot, with multiple powders (not just RL 26 because that is hard to find these days), a 140-143 gr bullet, from a 24 inch barrel, at 2900 to 3000 ft/sec the most efficiently...meaning the least amount of powder (least amount of recoil)? And preferrably without having to run super hot loads the whole time. Maybe a quickload question?

I'm going to build a 6.5 rifle and the 2900 ft/sec mark is what I want to achieve in a 24 inch barrel, and want to use the least amount of powder to get there.

Options I'm currently looking at are 6.5-284, 260ai (maybe stretching it with just a 24 inch barrel), 6.5-06, etc. I don't care to go over 3000ft/ sec so options like 264 win mag are probably out.

As far as I know the 6.5 GAP 4S is made to operate in the 3050 fps range at 58K PSI. I would think the 6.5 PRC is close to that. The reasoning is to gain some barrel life from operating at the lower PSI. So if you could get an accuracy node it the 2900 fps range you might gain even more barrel life.

 

[codyadams]

I have a 25" Rock Creek barrel in 260 AI. I'm going to HBN treat my bullets to hopefully get to 3000 fps with RL26 What do you think codyadams?

I am getting 3050 fps with HBN coated 147 eld-m's and reloder 26, from a 29" barrel. Depending on where your accuracy falls, you may be able to hit 3000 fps in your node. Mid 2900's anyway.

 

[26Reload]

You can have a 260, 260ai easily doing what you want....a 65284 can be downed loaded to what you are wanting.....
Don't know anything about the prc or ss...cant imagine there being any better choices........unless you want to step up the game and become a real heman.... 26 nosler....cost a lot because brass life is really short...and it burns lots of powder.....cost efficient......NOT...but it pushes a bullet pretty fast........

 

[Wachsmann]

From my experience with the 6.5X284 with the 24 inch barrel was always a little hard trying to dial it in at the 2950ish mark. It shot best at 2880. Maybe mine was slow but it also showed pressure earlier then normal as well. Barrel life was good up to about 4300 rounds. I can still give it a really hard cleaning and get 1/2 MOA but it opens up pretty fast now instead of what it uses to do. I could go 50 rounds or more before cleaning without accuracy suffering . Now I'm looking at the LA Sherman. I figure I could get over 3000 with it pretty easy and settle in with a good solid load either in the 140 Berger or the 143 ELDX. Also I was looking the new 150 from Sierra. Maybe even a 160. I do like the 6.5X284 a lot though. It was easy to load for and so easy to shoot.

 

[Farmerboy78]

What length barrel do you have?

25" and my 3015fps is with the most accuracy(<1/2moa). it went nearly 3100fps before I found pressure. I do recommend magnum primers with 56gr re26. I had 2 hangfires with br primers.

 

[shphtr]

Just reread your goal parameters - you are describing a 6.5 x 284.