Favorite 6.5 Cartridge

[CRaTxn]

Well compared to the vastness of Alaska or Texas it isn't as large but compared to most other EU countries it can hold its own and then some. If you consider all the innovations and medical breakthroughs AND MAUSERS TO BLASERS they are perhaps the most innovative culture yet and that with trying to kill off some of their most brilliant minds.

Have you seen the new Merkel rifle? Whose optics do we measure against and where did this 6.5mm balance of SD & BC & KO & low carry weight & low recoil spring from. When you look at a LRH weapon that you really want to carry into the mts...a twelve pound plus .338 just doesn't turn me on. Hell I'm a **** good 66YO but I'm a smart enough bull now to save some energy for when we get up the hill to where those cows are!

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

. Ya and Stihl is German. When they started taking the market from the US and Canadian saw manufacturing they were called Hitler's revenge. By the timber Fallers of the PNW . . Pretty sharp bunch. . And Wilhelm Brenneke was German I think. He invented the single best big game cartridge to date. The 9.3x64 Brenneke.

 

[benchracer]

The 6.5 was a Swedish and Norwegian development. The Germans had nothing to do with it.

The German developments were the 8mm and 7mm mauser cartridges. There is no question that both mauser cartridges, and the rifles they were chambered for, were innovative.

However, the virtues of the 6.5 that you mentioned were not a German discovery.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Yes, very true. The Italians and Japanese did the 6.5 also. But the Sweede is the one with the longevity. If I come upon a standard length stainless Ruger action I may have one built.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Why a Ruger? Not my favorite action for a build.

 

[elkaholic]

Why a Ruger? Not my favorite action for a build.

Second that!

 

[bigngreen]

You know I'm more of a BC and mild velocity guy but I've been thinking about trying to get a 130 into the velocity range your looking. I've loaded very few 130 gr bullets in my 270 WSM but my buddy got me some 130 BT's so I though I would try them to see if it would be worth trying some of the 130 CE's in the 270WSM. I was able to hit 3470fps with Superformance powder and the 130BT, the 130 CE's would yield a bit higher velocity with less bearing surface and with a BC close to the 130 6.5 CE I think I can hit the velocity your looking for without pushing overly hard and with a standard twist rate.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

You know I'm more of a BC and mild velocity guy but I've been thinking about trying to get a 130 into the velocity range your looking. I've loaded very few 130 gr bullets in my 270 WSM but my buddy got me some 130 BT's so I though I would try them to see if it would be worth trying some of the 130 CE's in the 270WSM. I was able to hit 3470fps with Superformance powder and the 130BT, the 130 CE's would yield a bit higher velocity with less bearing surface and with a BC close to the 130 6.5 CE I think I can hit the velocity your looking for without pushing overly hard and with a standard twist rate.

My "strategy" for achieving the 3500-3600 fps includes using a 5C barrel, Bore rider CE Bullets, nitriding the bore and high velocity powder. My primary development powders will be RL17 and Superperformance. In a standard barrel, I think RL17 would be a bit fast for the 6.5 WSM. But with a nitrided 5C barrel and bore rider bullet, it might not be. And anytime I have had success with RL17, it has always given me 200 fps more velocoity than the next fastest powder. I.e. 3400 fps pushing 115 gr bullets out of a 25-06 vs 3200 fps using Retumbo, which is still very high velocoity for a 25-06. If it is still too fast, then Superperformance will likely work well, being a little slower. It's all theory at this point. Time will tell.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Why a Ruger? Not my favorite action for a build.

Several reasons. #1 is absolute reliability in extreme weather and long term rough use. . . If a rifle isn't as tough as a professional grade Stihl or Husqvarna power saw. Then it isn't tough enough to be my companion.

I dispise plunger ejectors. And I don't like rotating extractors.
I like the 3 position saftey.
I prefer the Ruger ring system to any other.
I like the triggers. The parts of the trigger are big and robust. . They are not ruined by repeated dunkings in salt water. Alaska being THE Salt water place, Ruger's are right at home here.
They are as or more accurate as any factory rifle I've owned with the exception of my Savage Edge. Which is a 1/4" rifle. But my 6.5 Cm Ruger Hawkeye is a 3/8" rifle. And I trust it to not break down and leave me with an ill designed club.
Most of my favorite rifles have been M77mkII s

 

[elkaholic]

Several reasons. #1 is absolute reliability in extreme weather and long term rough use. . . If a rifle isn't as tough as a professional grade Stihl or Husqvarna power saw. Then it isn't tough enough to be my companion.

I dispise plunger ejectors. And I don't like rotating extractors.
I like the 3 position saftey.
I prefer the Ruger ring system to any other.
I like the triggers. The parts of the trigger are big and robust. . They are not ruined by repeated dunkings in salt water. Alaska being THE Salt water place, Ruger's are right at home here.
They are as or more accurate as any factory rifle I've owned with the exception of my Savage Edge. Which is a 1/4" rifle. But my 6.5 Cm Ruger Hawkeye is a 3/8" rifle. And I trust it to not break down and leave me with an ill designed club.
Most of my favorite rifles have been M77mkII s

There are some things to like about Ruger but what do you do about the magazine?.......Rich

 

[CRaTxn]

A TOOL. Cold Finger's Ruger sounds like the Leatherman Tool of rifles for his harsh environs . I too sometime have to mistreat a weapon, having on occasion used them for; paddles when the airboat broke down, ice breakers to cross a thin ice frozen pond , a walking staff in crossing a coldass swift stream or snow covered rock scree...ROBUST RUGER..wish I was a good enough rifle man to make mine shoot such tiny holes with COLD FINGERS !

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

There are some things to like about Ruger but what do you do about the magazine?.......Rich

I use a product called. ( Corrosion Block) . It's great stuff . . It even dries to a non tacky film that adheres.

Now I'm smart enough to know that there may be potentially greater inherent accuracy in other actions. But if a rifle doesn't go Bang when you pull the trigger. It isn't very accurate. And I've had some great results with off the shelf Ruger's.

 

[benchracer]

It's really not that hard to make a Ruger shoot. The techniques are just a bit different from most other rifles because of the angled front action screw.

My #1 needed work on the forearm. Once that was taken care of, it has shot very accurately.

I bought my 77 MkII as the base rifle for a build. It has a Krieger barrel and I bedded it into a Ruger factory laminated stock. It was originally one of the last of the pre-Hawkeye rifles in 30-06. I don't know how it shot from the factory because I never fired it before starting my project. It is shooting consistent .5" groups even with its dreadful factory trigger. My next move will be to put in a Rifle Basix trigger. I am betting the groups will tighten considerably after that.

From comparing notes with others, it seems to me that most Rugers will require simple tweaks to get them to shoot to their potential. However, the basic platform seems pretty solid from the factory.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

A TOOL. Cold Finger's Ruger sounds like the Leatherman Tool of rifles for his harsh environs . I too sometime have to mistreat a weapon, having on occasion used them for; paddles when the airboat broke down, ice breakers to cross a thin ice frozen pond , a walking staff in crossing a coldass swift stream or snow covered rock scree...ROBUST RUGER..wish I was a good enough rifle man to make mine shoot such tiny holes with COLD FINGERS !

I know some people who have had not great accuracy from their Ruger's. . There are a couple things I would try if one of mine wouldn't shoot well.
Have you tried a barrel deresonator. Those high teck rubber dog knots.
I would buck a half inch off the muzzle and recrown it. If worse came to worse I would rebarrel it.


One thing I do is old fashion neck size my brass. But I've had Ruger's that shot great with factory ammo. Tho not all. But I mostly reload so I can shoot the bullet I want. .and because I really enjoy reloading.