Best 6.5 caliber for hunting and a short barrel....

[Creedmoor shooter]

Am I missing something on these claims of 260s and 6.5 creed's pushing 28-2900 in an 16-18" barrel with 140s. I loved my rem 700 in 260 with an 18". It was great even with the can on but 2600fps was about too much pressure judging by bolt lift and primer condition. I used 4831sc with nosler custom competition bullet. Is there some magical powder/bullet combo I've never heard of to get those velocities?

There is no way in heck a 6.5 cm or a 260 will push 140s to that kind of velocity in that short of a barrel. Not safely. 24-26in absolutely but not a 16-18in. I have experience with 22, 24, and 26in creeds and the 22in struggles for 2850 unless its rl-26 then it's right at 2900 or a smidge under I dont remember anymore.

 

[John Klingenberg]

Thanks all. That's what I thought. I tried a lot of loads but stopped at 2565 in my 18" .260. I was feeling like a dunce for a minute that I had missed some data and under loading my rifle!

 

[highdrum]

If you want the most performance from a short barreled rifle, you'll want the largest case capacity and medium fast powders. I would go with a 6.5 saum, run an accurized rem 700 action mod to accept the bainey 3b box that allows you to load to 3.11" coal, have the freebore set to 150-160, so you maximize powder space. I bet you'll still push 140gr bullets to 3k fps. The PRC has 3gr less capacity so it will NOT out perform a saum. It does have factory ammo, that's the only advantage. The freebore on a saami prc is 188, very long and needs the same mods as above to run properly with bullets that like to live at the lands. I have two 6.5 saums and soon to be a 257 saum, it's a great case design, much more efficient than the wsm cases. A 270 wsm would run well too in a short barrel, just lacks high BC bullets.

 

[John Klingenberg]

How big is the fireball from that? I bet it's significant. At least it would make the critter easier to skin with the hair all burnt off . Smell might be hard to take though.

 

[elkaholic]

The 6.5 ss will beat a saum easily if you're building it on a short action.
i would say the saum is second and everything else is distant.

 

[John Klingenberg]

I'm not recommend a cartridge. I love my 6.5 mag, but it's pretty much obsolete. But I would install a Wyatt box. You would gain about 1/10th of an inch and I talked to him about two months ago and he told me that he is developing an even longer box. In that case, I would go with a 6.5X284 or a .260AI. I also have a 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 CM, and a 26 Nosler. If I could find a SAUM or short Magnum action, I would do a 6.5 SAUM. Also, since I have plenty of 6.5 Mag and SAUM brass. What ever I built, I do a fast twist barrel to shoot the heavier bullets. If I built a rifle on a Mauser action, it would be a 6.5x.284 nosler or 6.5PRC. Now you know why I haven't built mine yet. I CAN'T MAKE UP MY FLIPPING MIND!!!!

I just happen to have a Winchester 7wsm with a heavy barrel. Barely used.

 

[hawk45]

The best 6.5 for your desires is a 308 Winchester. If you are stuck on a 6.5, I'd just go with a Creedmoor.

+1

 

[bruceleroy]

The Creedmoor and the PRC perform very well all the way down to about 18" in the PRC and 16" in the Creedmoor. To maintain velocity just drop the bullet weight a bit and go slay some beasts!

 

[KurtB]

I get 2600 FPS from 18 and 19" barreled 6.5x47 with 147 eld and h4350. Very accurate and the Creedmoor might give 25-50 FPS more with RL26.

 

[Dirt_Nap]

I've decided to go 6.5prc in a 20" barrel. Sending everything off to DMR in Vegas! Excited to get it back

 

[elkaholic]

6.5 sst sill get 3050 with a 140 at 20" and the ss more than that if you decide you want another one

 

[yorke-1]

Thanks all. That's what I thought. I tried a lot of loads but stopped at 2565 in my 18" .260. I was feeling like a dunce for a minute that I had missed some data and under loading my rifle!

What load were you shooting? I was getting 2670 fps from a 19" barreled 260 Rem specialty pistol using 43.1gr H100v and a 140gr VLD at 2.850". That's not a light charge but it's certainly not blowing primers.

Just look at the velocities for chamberings out of longer barrels and then knock off 30 fps for every inch of barrel shorter than the tested velocities. If the velocity given is from a 30" barrel and you're running a 20" just knock 300 fps off. It won't be 100% accurate but it will get you pretty close. I've found that I typically only loose around 20 fps per inch in 308 sized cases.