6.5 WSSM

[Steve Porter]

I've used 8.7, 8.5 and 8.0 on several barrels with great success. 1:8.5" will give you a little buffer room just in case your velocities fall slightly.

Thank you for in site into this "new to me" cartridge. For New Mexico where we can see a hundred miles most days. I like the added reach and flat trajectory for medium game. I don't shoot super long, 400 yards at animals under good conditions. Do you have experience with the Hornady brass in 6.5 GAP 4S?

Just go with a 1-8" twist and never worry about bullet stability. I think you finally grasp what we both were saying about the SAUM. Don't complicate things make it simple and it will be simple.

So true. From further review and comparison with the 270 WSM it seems that the 6.5 Gap 4s will burn about 10% less powder and give 10% better performance out to 500 yards and better as distance increases and I imagine 10% less recoil. Thank you Calihunter for introducing me to this. Do you know how the Hornady brass life is at 3100 fps?

 

[Danny1788]

Thank you for in site into this "new to me" cartridge. For New Mexico where we can see a hundred miles most days. I like the added reach and flat trajectory for medium game. I don't shoot super long, 400 yards at animals under good conditions. Do you have experience with the Hornady brass in 6.5 GAP 4S?

So true. From further review and comparison with the 270 WSM it seems that the 6.5 Gap 4s will burn about 10% less powder and give 10% better performance out to 500 yards and better as distance increases and I imagine 10% less recoil. Thank you Calihunter for introducing me to this. Do you know how the Hornady brass life is at 3100 fps?

I am running the first batch of the Hornady brass its not as good as the new stuff that Gap is selling now. I got 6 firings out of the brass without annealing and running it hard. I have over that now and I anneal every other firing.

If you start with 7mm SAUM REM brass and neck down to 6.5, I know of people getting more than 20 firings on one piece of brass.

I'm running the longer freebore reamer .120" with 140gr hybrids, cci250, 61.5gr H1000 at 3080fps out of a 25" barrel. my brothers running 3030fps in his 24" barrel same load. both have shot out to 1000yards.

I had a 270wsm before this and I shot the 165gr matrix vlds. I love the 6.5saum its zero recoil and a very fun round you will not be let down with it.

 

[Steve Porter]

I am running the first batch of the Hornady brass its not as good as the new stuff that Gap is selling now. I got 6 firings out of the brass without annealing and running it hard. I have over that now and I anneal every other firing.

If you start with 7mm SAUM REM brass and neck down to 6.5, I know of people getting more than 20 firings on one piece of brass.

I'm running the longer freebore reamer .120" with 140gr hybrids, cci250, 61.5gr H1000 at 3080fps out of a 25" barrel. my brothers running 3030fps in his 24" barrel same load. both have shot out to 1000yards.

I had a 270wsm before this and I shot the 165gr matrix vlds. I love the 6.5saum its zero recoil and a very fun round you will not be let down with it.

That is awesome, Thank you Calihunter. the 6.5 GAP sounds ideal.

 

[sable tireur]

Do you have experience with the Hornady brass in 6.5 GAP 4S?

I was in on the development of this cartridge from the beginning when we necked down 7mm RSAUM brass for the first cases. While not directly involved with cases, I cut many of the first chambers for all five variations. So I guess you can say I've had some experience with this cartridge.

Regards.

 

[Steve Porter]

I was in on the development of this cartridge from the beginning when we necked down 7mm RSAUM brass for the first cases. While not directly involved with cases, I cut many of the first chambers for all five variations. So I guess you can say I've had some experience with this cartridge.

Regards.[/Q
Yes Sir, I have learned that this is the kind of 6.5 performance that I'm seeking. I appreciate your wisdom and help. Calihunter says the Hornady brass is pretty good but the Norma is better. I am searching for a barrel maker that chambers 6.5 GAP 4S in a 5R stainless 24 inch contoured to the Browning A-Bolt.

 

[Steve Porter]

That is awesome, Thank you Calihunter. the 6.5 GAP sounds ideal.

I also like freebore in my high performance rifles. I am looking for a barrel maker that chambers 6.5 GAP 4S in a 24 inch, Stainless 5R barrel.

 

[sable tireur]

I am looking for a barrel maker that chambers 6.5 GAP 4S in a 24 inch, Stainless 5R barrel.

If I were you, I would find a gunsmith to make this rifle and skip the barrel makers. A gunsmith will handle the entire problem to your satisfaction which a barrel maker will not. Pick a barrel maker for the best barrel.

Regards.

 

[Steve Porter]

If I were you, I would find a gunsmith to make this rifle and skip the barrel makers. A gunsmith will handle the entire problem to your satisfaction which a barrel maker will not. Pick a barrel maker for the best barrel.

Regards.

Luckily, I have a very good gunsmith, who isn't overly busy. He recommends 5R Krieger barrels. I haven't talked to him about this project yet and I was still deciding what to do to improve the performance and shooting enjoyment this 270 WSM platform. For a hunting rifle would you choose 24 or 25 inch length? This is going on a Browning A-Bolt SS Stalker. Sounds like you have a lot of years of experience with this cartridge. What is the correct amount of freebore for the 6.5 GAP 4S?

 

[sable tireur]

In reality, a 1-inch difference in length isn't going to make a significant difference. The environment in which you hunt can make a difference. High desert or open fields, power line right-of-way, you can use any length you're comfortable with carrying. If you're not keen on carrying some additional weight or you hunt in deep woods, then a shorter barrel can be the right solution.

I think the easiest method of arriving at freebore is to make a dummy round based on the available length of your magazine. Pick your bullet or bullets and seat them to magazine length minus 0.025" for clearance then measure the amount of bullet shank sticking out of the case but stopping at the base of the ogive. this will tell you the approximate length of the freebore. You can order a custom length or use one of the two most common ones.

Regards.

 

[WildRose]

Don't build a 6.5WSSM unless you have a ton of brass already. Even then your stuck with Winchester brass only.

Personally I would build a 6.5 Gap 4s (6.5SAUM) or the 6.5 SS(Sherman shortmag) on that action.

Exactly. WSSM brass is hard to come by.