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Building first custom rifle

The 6.5x55 improved (pretty much any variant) is an awesome cartridge. I have a standard 6.5x55 and my best load is a 135 Berger Classic hunter at a comfortable 2870 with RL 23 in a 24" barrel. I built my first improved with a reamer I designed with a 35* shoulder and a .200 freebore on a shilen dgr long action with a 25" 7.5 twist barrel. It runs 156 Bergers at 2980 with RL 26. I recently decided the medium length cartridge wasn't fully utilizing the long action and put a 280 AI barrel on that gun. I then built a new 6.5x55 improved (264 MHC) on a tikka action with a 21" 7.5 twist barrel to be a light, handy deer gun. Haven't shot it yet, just waiting on a scope, but I'm hoping for around 2850 with the 156 out of that short barrel. I use a 6.5x55 Lee Collet neck die, a Hornady seater, and a custom Whidden body die ($100). It took 4 firings including fire forming before I even needed the whidden to bump the shoulder. The time it took to receive the custom die was less than it took to get to the 4th firing. You should definitely consider it, just don't put it on a short action. Let me know if you have any questions about the cartridge.
 
Gabulldog91 said:
Looking at building my first custom gun, rifle will be used for primarily deer here in the south but I will take it out west for antelope/mule deer.

I really love the 260 rem cartridge so I'd like to stay in the 6.5 family but having a difficult time decideding which one.

My current list:
1. 260 terminator
2. 6.5 PRC
3. .260 REM
4. 6.5X284
5. 6.5X55 SWEEDE

Hit me with any and all suggestions yall might have. Doesn't have to stay 6.5 either thats just a happy home for me
Click to expand...
I have the 6.5 X 284 and 264 Mag. both work well for hunting both pronghorn, deer and elk. I have just completed my 6.5 X 55 Swede A.I. as a lite backpacking mountain carry rifle both of the others are heavy and will wear your shoulder out carry them all day. With a 22" tube and a pencil profile with scope, I am at just a little over 8 LBS. throwing 140 partitions at 2650 f.p.s. is showing great promise with just under 1 MOA at 100 yards. This should improve some as I get a few more loads worked up. While I have built others, this is my favorite so far and I want to add a 260 Remington to the stable and may pickup a factory rifle as they are not hard to find.
I think any of the one's you have listed will serve you well, but 260 Remington maybe the best to find loaded ammo or components for.
 
Gabulldog91 said:
All these options are great, I forgot to list the 260 AI. I already have a 338 for anything larger like elk or moose so im more so focusing on deer sized game. Really considering a 6.5x55 qnd the 260 AI. I already have stuff to load 6.5x55 so components wouldnt be an issue.
Click to expand...
Yep, and when you go for a barrel, get the appropriate twist for the largest b.c. bullet, make a dummy round/your bullet that fits your mag box, hand it to your Smith to spec out the reamer.
On my first custom, I just asked for a SAAMI spec chamber. Regretted that decision as seating longer bullets are way down in the brass....
 
Gabulldog91 said:
Looking at building my first custom gun, rifle will be used for primarily deer here in the south but I will take it out west for antelope/mule deer.

I really love the 260 rem cartridge so I'd like to stay in the 6.5 family but having a difficult time decideding which one.

My current list:
1. 260 terminator
2. 6.5 PRC
3. .260 REM
4. 6.5X284
5. 6.5X55 SWEEDE

Hit me with any and all suggestions yall might have. Doesn't have to stay 6.5 either thats just a happy home for me
Click to expand...
Do you even need a long range rifle to hunt deer in the south? I can understand the if you are planning a trip west though. Photo is my son, a few weeks ago, Savage factory rifle, 6.5x284, 350 yards, one shot.
H-14586.jpeg
 
Lots of choices, and I'm sure many very good ones. Given your choices, I may stick with the 6.5x55 Swede. You have lots of components already, and as others have said, in these times of shortages, it would suck to have a rifle you couldn't shoot. You want to be a little different? AI it. Since you have a 338 for elk/moose, the Swede would pretty much be a very versatile selection.

Personally, I own a 6.5 'man bun' in Model 70, and bought a Tikka lite weight for my nephew for antelope this year. The Creedmore is fun to shoot, light recoil, but my favorite 6.5 is the 264 Win Mag! It's a factory Extreme Weather 70, and the only thing done to it was a re-bed of the action. Shoots bug holes with factory 130gr Nosler Accubonds. Ammo is very difficult to find right now, but some places still have new cases. I bought some "just in case", but as long as I can get the Nosler ammo, no reason to reload. It will be going for the antelope trip this year. If I'm going hunting, the Creedmore stays in the safe. Unfortunately you'll need to alter the bolt face on your rifle (another expense) if you use this caliber. I also have a 338 from the Winchester Custom Shop about 20-some years ago as my elk rifle, but it's hard on my shoulder after two surgeries. I've been using a .280 Featherwieght for most of my hunting for years, and am currently having a Model 70 in 280 Ackley built, for my 'one and done" rifle. And it will work for any game, with the exception of big bears. Ballistics are impressive. I chose this because of the recoil in the 338. If you are looking for one rifle for your
"do all" hunting, it would be hard not to consider this caliber. And it will work in the action you have.

Bottom line...build what you want. If it's a hunting rifle, no need to worry about barrel burnout. ( my opinion only, and it's worth what you paid for it!) It's not a competition gun, don't overheat the barrel by continually firing hot loads in it at the range, as ANY of those fast or magnum cartridges would under the same conditions, and it will last you many years.

And remember - rifles are like women's shoes...can you do fine with just one pair? The answer is yes, but it's more fun to accessorize! You can always use another! Good luck and enjoy your new project!
 
264MHC said:
The 6.5x55 improved (pretty much any variant) is an awesome cartridge. I have a standard 6.5x55 and my best load is a 135 Berger Classic hunter at a comfortable 2870 with RL 23 in a 24" barrel. I built my first improved with a reamer I designed with a 35* shoulder and a .200 freebore on a shilen dgr long action with a 25" 7.5 twist barrel. It runs 156 Bergers at 2980 with RL 26. I recently decided the medium length cartridge wasn't fully utilizing the long action and put a 280 AI barrel on that gun. I then built a new 6.5x55 improved (264 MHC) on a tikka action with a 21" 7.5 twist barrel to be a light, handy deer gun. Haven't shot it yet, just waiting on a scope, but I'm hoping for around 2850 with the 156 out of that short barrel. I use a 6.5x55 Lee Collet neck die, a Hornady seater, and a custom Whidden body die ($100). It took 4 firings including fire forming before I even needed the whidden to bump the shoulder. The time it took to receive the custom die was less than it took to get to the 4th firing. You should definitely consider it, just don't put it on a short action. Let me know if you have any questions about the cartridge.
Click to expand...
I was considering going long action just for that reason, do you see much of a down range performance change between the standard and improved? I've decided im going to go 6.5x55 the question is now do I go standard or improved
 
IMHO; if you are going to hunt in more than one state, go for the old standbys; 30-06, or 25-06. They can be loaded up or down, and should not be a problem finding ammo, if necessary. Also, for those states that require it, a 444 Marlin would be a good backup.
 
Gabulldog91 said:
I was considering going long action just for that reason, do you see much of a down range performance change between the standard and improved? I've decided im going to go 6.5x55 the question is now do I go standard or improved
Click to expand...
that is what I built for my self a long action bighorn with the 6.5 PRC proof barrel and then added a 375 16 inch S.S. barrel for costa fishing to set up my switch barrel set up can change barrels in under 20 mins
 
With Lapua brass on the horizon along with all the others I would go with the 6.5PRC. Still very fun to shoot with no brake and still easy spots with a brake. Do a short action and save the weight and the length and still chuck 140 grain Accubonds at 3100FPS from a 24" barrel! All my kids started with a .260 and I love it, I for years thought the 6.5x284 Norma was the perfect case for the 6.5, but now it has gotten difficult to pry the PRC out of my hands. The only thing I like better is the .257 Wby. Low BC be d@nmed a 110 accubond at 3500FPS beats the wind and ups PBR with pure speed and all the snot knockin power you need out 600 yards. And recoil is still very manageable. What was the question again?
 
Gabulldog91 said:
I dont know very much about the bighorn actions, any advantages over the grb frowith the big horn
Click to expand...

Gabulldog91 said:
I dont know very much about the bighorn actions, any advantages over the grb from gunwerks?
Click to expand...
with the bighorn you can do barrel switch quick and easy also with there bolt head it can be changed from say a mag bolt head to one for the 223 cal also. one day you can be shooting your 6.5PRC and the next do a bolt head change and barrel change and be shooting a 223 rifle all is a SA or build on there long action and stay to the longer Cals 30/60 ect to change to Actions - BigHorn ArmsBigHorn Arms
 
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