6.5 sherman shortmag field test

[elkaholic]

I haven't been able to shoot the 6.5 for TOOOOO long but got a minute today and wanted to see what the velocity potential was in the SS. I loaded up some 160 blems that I had left with Norma brass, BR2 primer, 60 and 61 grains of Retumbo. The 60 grain load clocked @ 3006' on the " SPEEDNEATO" and the 61 grain load at 3040'. The 61 grain load was showing some bolt stiffness but the primer pockets were still tight and this was the eighth firing with this brass. This is some serious pop with a bullet near .700 b.c. in a true short action rifle with a 26" barrel. As soon as I get some more 160's, I want to work up some good long range accuracy loads and see what it will do. I really want to pop an elk at 1000+ with this combo. I may have to pack two rifles to the blind and shoot the far ones with the 30/375 S.I........Rich

 

[elkaholic]

I did the math today on JBM and with the 60 grain load, I get 3206 ft/lbs. at the muzzle and still have 1267 lbs. at 1000 yards and need 21.9 moa where I hunt.......Rich

 

[barnesuser28]

Nice Rich! Thats only about 100 lbs behind our 30/375 S.I. At 1000 yards.

 

[elkaholic]

Nice Rich! Thats only about 100 lbs behind our 30/375 S.I. At 1000 yards.

ME thinks not A 215 Berger at 3000' muzzle is still packing 1780........Rich

 

[barnesuser28]

I guess i should have stated with the 210 alr.

 

[Scot E]

I sure hope someone is going to pop a critter with this bad boy this fall. I want to see pics and hear the stories!

Scot E.

 

[bigngreen]

I'm about ready for hunting season, got some annealed 140 Hybrids loaded and I'll be working up a load for some 140 CEB's in my 6.5 SS, it's all I have to hunt with this year now and I have a few wolf tags a couple elk and a hand full of deer to kill so it'll see some action gun)

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hey Rich, hit me up with some details.....parent cartridge? who makes dies? barrel twist for big heavies? Reamer?

Never owned a short before, other than a .223, .22-250, and a couple .308's.

 

[Scot E]

I'm about ready for hunting season, got some annealed 140 Hybrids loaded and I'll be working up a load for some 140 CEB's in my 6.5 SS, it's all I have to hunt with this year now and I have a few wolf tags a couple elk and a hand full of deer to kill so it'll see some action gun)

NICE! Anxiously awaiting!

Scot E.

 

[djm670]

MudRunner... I think this is what you are looking for:

After a couple of weeks of head scratching along with a few set backs, we have come up with a final design and have PTG working on a reamer. For those of you who didn't read the first thread, our intent was to build a TRUE short action 6.5 that would fit in ANY mag box with the 140 Bergers and would duplicate the velocity of the 6.5 Sherman. There has to be a lot more people out there than me that are tired of loading all of these so called Short action rounds as single shots! I think we have the cure that will cycle through a std. Rem 700 action and come close to 3200' with 140's in a 26" barrel. We chose the SAUM case as a parent because shortening the VERY THICK WSM brass turned out to be more than most people would care to do and the SAUM needs less shortening anyway. Norma brass is available for this build. The taper will be blown out considerably and the shoulder sharpened to 40 degrees as are all of the Sherman designs. With a LONG .320" neck, coupled with the sharp shoulder this cartridge should have great accuracy potential and be easier on barrels than anything comparable. It will hold approx. 64 grains of H1000 to the base of the neck. Whidden will be building my dies and will turn them around in 6 weeks. The reamer and Benchmark barrel should arrive around the same time, so with a little luck, I may have it together by May. Rhian (Bigngreen) and I are pretty excited about the potential for a long range carry rifle with low recoil and plenty of pop! I think it just might make a tremendous F class rifle as well. Thanks to Rhian for helping me brain storm this whole thing. Here is a pic of the 6.5 SS compared to a .270 WSM. It is not fully formed yet and is actually .270" in this pic but it will give a good approximation if you imagine less taper in the case, a 40 degree shoulder and .013" less diameter.......Rich

It was found in Rich's "6.5 Final Design" Thread.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/6-5-ss-final-design-109263/

 

[elkaholic]

Just got back home from a couple of days setting up elk camp. I plan on loading up some 160 matrix bullets at around 3ooo' and hopefully use on an elk or at least thin out the bears a little. I have been using 300 saum NORMA brass and really like it. It holds approx. 1 1/2 grs. more than the RP brass and still is much tougher and more consistent. I plan on shooting a little at long range in the next few days before we head for camp next Tue. I have been able to reach 3156' with the 160 Matrix and Retumbo (this in a 26" barrel". I will rent the reamer for $35 one way and I can get good custom dies from Whidden in two months. an 8 twist is the right twist for this cartridge.....rich

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just got back home from a couple of days setting up elk camp. I plan on loading up some 160 matrix bullets at around 3ooo' and hopefully use on an elk or at least thin out the bears a little. I have been using 300 saum NORMA brass and really like it. It holds approx. 1 1/2 grs. more than the RP brass and still is much tougher and more consistent. I plan on shooting a little at long range in the next few days before we head for camp next Tue. I have been able to reach 3156' with the 160 Matrix and Retumbo (this in a 26" barrel". I will rent the reamer for $35 one way and I can get good custom dies from Whidden in two months. an 8 twist is the right twist for this cartridge.....rich

Now all I need is a spare 700 SA......Might have to do a quick scout-search for a cheap used one in the local classifieds.

Never owned a short mag cartridge before, but this 6.5 SS really has me intrigued.

 

[bigngreen]

The 6.5 Sherman Short is a surprising little cartridge, extremely pleasant to shoot yet it brings top end 6.5 performance like the 6.5 Sherman and 264 Win in a length that has no compromises in a short action!!

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I'm about ready for hunting season, got some annealed 140 Hybrids loaded and I'll be working up a load for some 140 CEB's in my 6.5 SS, it's all I have to hunt with this year now and I have a few wolf tags a couple elk and a hand full of deer to kill so it'll see some action gun)

Glad to hear it, thanks for taking the time to fiddle with the CEB's I appreciate it. The annealed Hybrids also intrigue me, I hadn't thought about doing that until now.



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