6.5 long action hunting rifle opinions

[lancetkenyon]

I thought the sherman was basically an 6.5-06AI?

On steroids...
Even less body taper
Shoulder to body pushed forward
40° shoulder

 

[Riflehunter1776]

I understand completely, it's hard to guess what's going on behind the scenes. (Like you already owning a 6.5 Swede.) In my opinion, there is always a good excuse to build another rifle in a good long range caliber!

yes, I have 2 6.5-06's; both are for various reasons not the exact configuration I'm looking for, for this purpose. Same with a heavy 6.5x55 I own, a lightweight x55, a 25-06 in a nice tiger maple stock, and any number of too-heavy target rifles and not-quite-accurate-enough-for-this-range medium weight hunting rifles etc.

I understand that you never know what you'll end up with until you start to shoot the finished product, but I was hoping for a very flat shooting 6.5, medium weight, built with very high quality components by a great smith, who can make a medium weight rifle that shoots almost as well as my heavy target rifles so I can take precise shots from my treestand.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I thought the sherman was basically an 6.5-06AI?

No, it's an even more improved version that holds more powder and maximizes the case's potential. It's a .473" bolt face cartridge based on the .270 Win/.280 Rem, but puts down performance like a .264 WinMag.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

On steroids...
Even less body taper
Shoulder to body pushed forward
40° shoulder

Do you have a link for specs? I'd like to look into it. Does it use a 280 case or something else? Typically I use a 270 for my 6.5-06's, and then trim them down and turn the necks.

 

[MudRunner2005]

https://shermanwildcatcartridges.com/6-5-sherman

 

[stwcattle]

For me 6.5x284 is as far as I would go with 6.5 bullets

After the 6.5x284, Id make the jump to probably a 28 Nosler

 

[Riflehunter1776]

https://shermanwildcatcartridges.com/6-5-sherman

I can't get much info off that site, just a basic overview.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I can't get much info off that site, just a basic overview.

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/6-5-sherman-q-a.125601/

 

[waspocrew]

I've been very happy with my 6.5 Sherman, I went that route because I wanted to tinker and it's a fairly straight forward wildcat. That being said, a 6.5-284 would be plenty good for your intended purposes as well. Just depends on what you want to do.

I'd take a good look at the link Mud posted or sent Rich (elkaholic) a PM. He's great to chat with!

 

[dok7mm]

For sure, 6.5 Sherman. Use 280 or 270 brass. I'm running 3150 fps with no pressure signs with Norma brass and Retumbo and 140 bergers. RL-26 is a bit faster.

It has become my favorite cartridge to shoot. Very easy to form brass to 40* shoulder. Matches 264wm with a lot less powder.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

as far as I can see the sherman is a slightly modified AI that moves about 100 fps faster.

so with 120's and 130's, the 6.5-06 is 100 fps faster than the 6.5-284 ........ the 6.5 -06 AI is 100 fps faster than the standard 06 ....... and (still without seeing any data, bit just reading people's comments) the sherman is 100 faster than the AI?

so if the sherman is about 300 fps faster than the 6.5-284, that is significant enough to look into.
And in addition to velocity, accuracy expectations are still very important to me, so going by the law of averages, is the 6.5-284 going to be intrinsically more accurate than the Sherman, or are people seeing comparable 3 shot group sizes out of similar rifles? My gunsmith was convinced the x284 was going to be the most accurate of all LA non-magnum 6.5's.

Out of curiosity, for those who shoot them, what kind of bullet drop are people seeing at 500 yards with a 130 gr at normal (???) Sherman velocities?

 

[dok7mm]

6.25 moa to 500 with 200 yd zero, if I remember correctly. 140 in 6.5 Sherman.

Edit: checked my book, 140 hvld is 5.75 moa @ 500 yds. 6.25 moa is 142 matrix.

My 6.5-284s are about 200 fps slower than Sherman. One shoots 3000 fps with Retumbo and 140 Berger.

My 6.5-284s are Lazers, but so is my Sherman. There is no accuracy difference except components and the quality of your smith.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

After my custom 280 AI build I really wanted a 6.5-06AI or A-square and after all was said and done the 6.5-284 was a more practical option for me and I couldn't be happier, off the shelf ammo, accurate and light recoil, built one on a Husqvarna HVA action with a Benchmark barrel.

 

[johnlittletree]

After my custom 280 AI build I really wanted a 6.5-06AI or A-square and after all was said and done the 6.5-284 was a more practical option for me and I couldn't be happier, off the shelf ammo, accurate and light recoil, built one on a Husqvarna HVA action with a Benchmark barrel.

How is 6.5-284 more practical than a 6.5-06? Not doubting you at all just do not understand how it could be "more practical"? Ballistic they might as well be twins with 30-06 brass being more widely available though.