I'm going to order a barrel for a savage action and am having a hard time picking a chambering. I would like a 6.5 caliber and plan to do a lot of target type shooting and some long range hunting with it on deer and predators. Anyways I'm leaning toward the 6.5x284 because of its popularity. Also thinking about a 6.5 swede, 260 remington, 6.5 credemor or a 6.5x47 bc of its accuracy. They all seem to be good or they wouldn't be so popular and have such a good following. Also, which is normally the least finicky and is easy to load for ? Accuracy is the most important but still need some down range power. Thanks for any input. I'm sure this has been asked several times .
help pick a 6.5
- Thread starter jdwelch10
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I've been looking and reading alot about a 6.5 build my self. I'm going with a 260 with a 26" tube. I'll be using it for everything you said. It will be my first build, and my training aid for long range shooting. I plain on using a markV action. From what I've read shooting 14Os there's 100-150 fps differance from 6.5x284 and 260
Willys46
Well-Known Member
My choice would be the 260. I have had a 6.5x284 and everything about it was impressive! Accuracy, the easy of loading, brass, and BARREL erosion! I loved it but barrel life was just to short.
The 260 only leaves a couple 100 ft/sec on the table. They flat shoot, nf the do have Lapua brass for it now.
The 260 only leaves a couple 100 ft/sec on the table. They flat shoot, nf the do have Lapua brass for it now.
The rifle is already built, the cost won't be horrible to replace the bbl. Just my opinion though.
barnesuser28
Well-Known Member
Lapua makes 260 Remington Brass and if you cant find any you could also neck down Lapua 308 Winchester Brass. My vote if for the 260 Remington.
C.O. Shooter
Well-Known Member
I could be wrong, but I dont believe Your Mark V action will work, unless it is the 240! The bolt face will be to big. You can have it filled in, but might get costly. I was going to go the same route, however, picked up a donor Remington for my build. I am going to save my Mark V for a total overhaul or a heavy magnum build.
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
Barrels are a consumable item, end of story. But a person also needs to remember; just because the throat is shot does not always mean you have to buy a new barrel. It is quite possible you can just set it back. Regardless of cartridge, EVENTUALLY you will be replacing the barrel. If you are on a tight budget, 6.5x 47L, hands down. If you can spare a new barrel, 6.5x284 hands down. Or... spend another $150 or whatever it is & have your 6.5x284 barrel nitrided which should put you in the 1500+ bbl life.
C.O. Shooter
Well-Known Member
Here is a good read on the 6.5x284.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/guns-of-week/gunweek044/
If you don't want to read the entire article, this question was related to barrel life.
Q: Barrel wear is an issue with the 6.5-284. What can be done to extend useful barrel life?
"If you slack off one place you're going to pay elsewhere. If you reduce your velocity you will suffer downrange. Most top competitors are willing to replace barrels after 800 rounds or so--that's just part of the game. I will say, however, that I've had good results with setting back barrels. We used to do that part-way through a season. Recently we've gone a full season before setting back the barrel about 1". I've seen no significant loss in velocity or accuracy from setting back the barrel from 30" to 29" or so. In fact, I'd say pretty much every time we've set back a barrel it shot as well or better than before. And it continues to shoot accurately for many hundreds of rounds. Depending on how much shooting you do between matches, you may be able to extend your barrel's life from one season to nearly two."
You have to remember they are probably firing way more rounds than the occasional shooter.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/guns-of-week/gunweek044/
If you don't want to read the entire article, this question was related to barrel life.
Q: Barrel wear is an issue with the 6.5-284. What can be done to extend useful barrel life?
"If you slack off one place you're going to pay elsewhere. If you reduce your velocity you will suffer downrange. Most top competitors are willing to replace barrels after 800 rounds or so--that's just part of the game. I will say, however, that I've had good results with setting back barrels. We used to do that part-way through a season. Recently we've gone a full season before setting back the barrel about 1". I've seen no significant loss in velocity or accuracy from setting back the barrel from 30" to 29" or so. In fact, I'd say pretty much every time we've set back a barrel it shot as well or better than before. And it continues to shoot accurately for many hundreds of rounds. Depending on how much shooting you do between matches, you may be able to extend your barrel's life from one season to nearly two."
You have to remember they are probably firing way more rounds than the occasional shooter.
Willys46
Well-Known Member
So just because most of us believe a barrel is a consumable we should automatically throw that concern out of the way? We have no idea how this will be shot and how often, what the financial situation is of the OP, and we say go straight to one of the most nutritious barrel burner out there? Interesting.
Most people shoot the 140 VLD at roughly 2950 out of a 6.5-284. Sure you can run them over 3100fps, but most of the time the accuracy node is 2950-+. The 260 runs 150 slower and has 2 to 3 times the barrel life. Having owned a 6.5-284..that's a no brainer.
We can have a discussion about the 6.5-47, 260, 6.5creedmore, I just happen to think the 260 is a better choice than the other two. The people I shoot with that have 6.5-47 run the 123-130 class bullet. I personally think the 6.5-47 dose ot have enough powder capacity to run the 140 class bullet fast enough to take advantage of the 140 BC.
If the OP has unlimited funds and wants the baddest 6.5 then go 6.5-284, you will not be disappointed with preformance. Like I said, impressive! My option would be 260 and have a blast shooting it and worry about roasting a barrel in two months of shooting!
Most people shoot the 140 VLD at roughly 2950 out of a 6.5-284. Sure you can run them over 3100fps, but most of the time the accuracy node is 2950-+. The 260 runs 150 slower and has 2 to 3 times the barrel life. Having owned a 6.5-284..that's a no brainer.
We can have a discussion about the 6.5-47, 260, 6.5creedmore, I just happen to think the 260 is a better choice than the other two. The people I shoot with that have 6.5-47 run the 123-130 class bullet. I personally think the 6.5-47 dose ot have enough powder capacity to run the 140 class bullet fast enough to take advantage of the 140 BC.
If the OP has unlimited funds and wants the baddest 6.5 then go 6.5-284, you will not be disappointed with preformance. Like I said, impressive! My option would be 260 and have a blast shooting it and worry about roasting a barrel in two months of shooting!
Curious, are you saying the 6.5x284 is harder on bbls than the 6.5STW, WSM, and 6.5 Weatherby?? I would assume the 6x284 is even worse.
I think the 260 is a great choice. I just recommended that caliber to a buddy in Illinois for his girls who he'd like to take hunting in MO.
But we also do not know if the OP is the guy who shoots 20 rounds/year through a rifle either. If that's the case, the 6.5x284 may outlast him.
I usually don't pay much attention to bbl burners because you can get em a bit long to begin with, like start with a 28" tube or 27". You can set em back and you get a new throat all over. And I personally do not mind spending the $ for a new tube or setting the existing bbl back if that choice is an option.
My markV is a 6lug chambered .308 righ now. I'm going to remove the block in the mag and lanthen the bolt stop. This will turn it into along action so I can get all I can get with the 140s
Willys46
Well-Known Member
Of course these are worse, let's see how much over bore we can make something! We can list the 7RUM, 264win, 6mm rem.....and so on.
I look at it this way... If we are talking longrange hunting, you better be shooting alot to be 100% confident in hitting what you are aiming at. This means practicing in all condition wich equals lots of rounds down range. If you shoot your long range rig all the time to get good, and it happens to toast barrels. Your replace or setting back before hunting season.
I say get something that is a happy medium. LOng enough barrel life to get good with it. Heck it may take you 100 rounds to get a load down.
I run something that shoots reasonably close blasticaly to my LRH so I can practice without wear and tear. Before hunting season take it out and get it dialed in..it will last years.
My last thought..sorry, I think that if someone dose not know which will fit his needs best, then maybe they are over there head starting with a hot rod. When you setup to these types of rigs, you should already know the plus and minus of each, the cost, and be comfortable in the setting back barrels or buying them in pairs.
Just my .02. Just seen to many people burn something up not really k owing what they got into.
Thanks for all the replies. I'm most towards a 260 or 284. Barrel life to me isn't a big deal as long as it isn't rediculous like a 6.5 stw. 800 rounds is fine. I would also like to use quality brass so the either of the previous two would work fine. My biggest issue is is there any noticible difference in accuracy between the two ? or is it just threoretical and hard to tell in the real shooting world ?
