6.5 build for 140 Bergers at 2900-3000?

[.338 RCM]

+1 for the 6.5 PRC! Ruger has another winner on the .375 Ruger case!

The 6.5-06 is a great option for a long action, but if it were me and it's not I would go up to the 140 grain vital shok's at 2,950 fps on the same 06' case with the .280 remington, and the 7mm bullet!

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I shoot a 6.5SLR w. 28" barrel and my hunting loads are 43.0gr H4350 & 140 HVLD @ 2950fps.

The 6.5 SLR and .260 AI would be, your "Best Bets" as stated by MANY Members posting on this subject and I agree. And I'd be using, N-160 or N-165 Powder, depending on Bullet weight / Velocity desired. N165 has a very LOW, Burn rate index # and the sharp shoulders + LONG Necks, KEEP the Powder Gases "Turbulence Point", back "IN" the Case, to get better barrel "Life" ! H1000 & H4831 are also being used with success. The 6mm SLR is very popular, due to this "Feature" as it holds, lots of,.. the Slower, Colder, Burning Powders with a 30* shoulder and long Neck ( my next build).
There are, a lot of good articles on this subject, at accurateshooter.com
Good luck with,.. YOUR choice !

 

[Songdoger]

Never considered barrel wear when building new rifle. Barrels are like tires. Shoot it out rebarrel. If ya liked that chamber stick with it if not try another. I would personally go with 6.5 Saum. Just my $.02 opinion

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I shot 2 seasons of PRS running a 260AI. Ran 140 amax and then 140 ELD-M at 2960 for 4 barrels. Ran 49.x great of 4831sc for most of their lives. Never had a barrel last less than 2600 rounds and two went past 3000 without loosing speed. All shot better than 3/4" before I pulled them. All we're 26" barrels so not super long either. With RL26 you can easily get 3050 or more.

THIS ^^^ real Life,.. EXPERIENCE, here !

 

[Mike D Texas]

I would vote 260 AI.

I recently found some info on a 260 Terminator. Any experience with that round?

 

[Tidus56]

I would do a 6.5 sst or 6.5 Sherman short. Whichever fits you better.

 

[keithcandler]

6.5 SLR and a 260 AI on short actions

long actions, look hard at a 6.5/06, R#26, fed 215's and 140g berger hunting

Lapua '06 takes some serious pressure, neck turning required

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Im building new rifle and wanting to shoot 6.5 140 VLDs just under 3000fps. My question is, what will give me the most barrel life at 2900 to just under 3k. I have been looking into the SAUM, WSM, PRC. I am sure there are others out there, I am wanting to stay with a short action. I an no expert but I think the answer has to do with pressure differences.

Hey people,.. RE-read the OP's post, he wants, to STAY with, a "short" action and obtain "good", Barrel, "life" !

 

[TX Badger]

Hey people,.. RE-read the OP's post, he wants to STAY with a "short" action, HAVE "good", Barrel, "LIFE",.. OFF track posts,.. DON'T, "help" him!

oops missed that, point taken.

 

[cjl2010]

Hey people,.. RE-read the OP's post, he wants, to STAY with, a "short" action, obtain "good", Barrel, "life",.. OFF track posts,.. DON'T, "help" him!

Your punctuation doesn't help. Please type appropriately.

 

[merbeau]

Im building new rifle and wanting to shoot 6.5 140 VLDs just under 3000fps. My question is, what will give me the most barrel life at 2900 to just under 3k. I have been looking into the SAUM, WSM, PRC. I am sure there are others out there, I am wanting to stay with a short action. I an no expert but I think the answer has to do with pressure differences.

I was in the same situation. I am not a rich person who has his own shop for rebarreling nor can afford to pay a gunsmith several hundred dollars each time. I narrowed my search down to two 6.5 rounds. The 6.5 Brenneke and the 6.5x55 Swede. Both are accurate rounds.

Vihtavuori's web site provide data for the 6.5x55 SE which is for modern day firearms - most of the reloading data are published for this round assuming someone with an 1896 rifle possibly could shoot the recipe and those rifles will not take modern day pressures. I almost went for the Brenneke but the loading data are limited. I decided to go with the 6.5x55 SE as a starting point. There is an Excel program that estimates barrel life and for a powder with a high heat potential (e.g., 3900) about 2300 rounds for one with a low heat potential (e.g., 3700) nearly 3000 rounds. I shoot the Lapua 136 Scenar using Lapua brass, 46.5 grains of RL 22, CCI BR2 primers and 0.002 neck tension. Velocity out of a Douglas premium target barrel at 27.5 inches is 2850 fps. Work up your loads, this one works for me. Vihtavuori lists data for their 139 Scenar L at 27.5 and 29.0 barrel length and both are close to 3,000 fps for N540/560. I have found the Swede does not like brass near or at maximum length.

 

[jrock]

6.5 SAUM with light powder loads and shorter barrel will get you the numbers you want. Anything in the WSM, SAUM, SS, or PRC is splitting hairs. How much work do you want to do reloading if at all would be my thought.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Do you have to open the bolt face to run a 6.5x55?

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Only have experience with CRF actions, but no BF mod. was necessary. The .007 diff. didn't matter at all.