The Good The Bad and The Ugly About Yor 6.5 Sherman Short

[H59]

Ca48 listed several powders& velocities for the 6.5ss I was wondering what were some of the charge weights to achieve those velocities?

 

[elkaholic]

You seem to have a pretty slow barrel. I get 3105' with 56.8 grs RL26 in a 26" barrel. Most guys can run 3150+ with 140's. There is about a 75' difference in most of the SS vs sst's because of the capacity and throating.
Whidden is very good about correcting die problems, so be sure to let them know if they occur.
My sst feeds perfectly out of a 308 Aics box box with the feeds lips spread .080" for the Saum case. I'm not sure why your accurate mag is problematic. None of the PRS guys have had issues, but I'm not sure they are running that mag?

 

[H59]

I'm already at too high pressure at 54.4 w/ that coal,should dial it back to 54.0 w/ re 26. I can't imagine a bartlien barrel being that slower than others. I understand you mean that individual bbl is a "slow" bbl...but +150fps slow just seems quite excessive. I did mill out the raceway on that action& mag lips have been opened,feed ramp opened and polished but still some feeding issues.

 

[H59]

I did take an old aids 308 10 end mag& added a 419 +4 bottom to it so I could actually fit 10rnds for matches,but I'm not satisfied with using it to compete just yet. I currently use a defiance deviant in 6CM w/ a1:7 twist Krieger 25"bbl and am extremely pleased with its performance and smooth feeding/ejection...just one less thing to worry about or deal with during a stage. I wanted to be able to get that kind of performance w/ the 6.5sst just not there yet

 

[jlvandersnick]

I've also been extremely disappointed with the whidden dies. I've heard others,including my gunsmith comment about the quality of whiddens dies have recently gone through a change for the worse. The seating stem actually snapped at the top junction where it slides up/down in the die. That happened after 100 rounds being seated with constant seating depth issues. The necks had been sized& trimmed to .015 so it wasn't like I was forcing bullets into an undersized thick necked brass case to cause the stem to snap.

I have a set from about two years ago that I am extremely disappointment with. The top of the seater (part that you turn) wiggles back and forth so much that seating depth changes considerably

 

[elkaholic]

I'm already at too high pressure at 54.4 w/ that coal,should dial it back to 54.0 w/ re 26. I can't imagine a bartlien barrel being that slower than others. I understand you mean that individual bbl is a "slow" bbl...but +150fps slow just seems quite excessive. I did mill out the raceway on that action& mag lips have been opened,feed ramp opened and polished but still some feeding issues.

150' is a lot for sure, but that is the exception, not the rule. I had another experienced prs shooter run the 140's upto 3180 before he pressured out.

 

[elkaholic]

I have a set from about two years ago that I am extremely disappointment with. The top of the seater (part that you turn) wiggles back and forth so much that seating depth changes considerably

I lot of folks really like the Whidden dies, and some don't! I am working on a deal with Forster to provide another option.
I think we are getting off topic from the O P's topic, but I would be happy to answer more questions on another thread......rich
P.s. Alpha type 4 mag seems to work very well.

 

[tim_w]

never mind want to keep this on track.

That 5 shot group at the end looks like a one shot group lol

 

[CA48]

H-1000
60.3grs
Fed 210
3170fps
140 Vld-H
.048" jump
.002" NT

H-1000
61.2grs
Fed 210
3250fps
140 Vld-H
.048" jump

Be warned, H-1000 varies lot to lot so work up at a reduced charge these loads are for my rifle only.

My whidden sizing die works just fine. The seating die is a different story. I'm going to get Redding or forstner to make me a new seating die.

I have the SS with the 40* shoulder and it feeds fine out of the accurate mag with the feed lips opened up .080" and my feed ramp modified on a Rem 700.

 

[CA48]

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I lot of folks really like the Whidden dies, and some don't! I am working on a deal with Forster to provide another option.
I think we are getting off topic from the O P's topic, but I would be happy to answer more questions on another thread......rich
P.s. Alpha type 4 mag seems to work very well.

Rich,
No worries.
H59 and JLVANDERSNICK have some valid concerns when it comes to the cartridge and the loading of it. This is the type of input I was hoping for along with the great reviews. I don't doubt the 6.5 SS is a great cartridge. I have seen all sorts of great posts and I am very interested in the cartridge. I also am old enough to know there is nothing in this world that is perfect. So, I need to know the drawbacks as well as the great performance. I need all the facts so I know what I am getting into and getting my buddie into so we don't make a decision based solely on only the good reports. Please by all means keep the information coming positive and negative. This should not be construed as an attack on the cartridge just good information for decision making.

PS: Rich, you have helped me with information on your cartridge in the past and will most likely be ask for more and I appreciate that immensely.

Dave

 

[Left Hand Dave]

Can all of you that have not already done so post the OAL of your loaded rounds along with the bullet used? This will help me determine if I will need to have an exterior bolt release installed on the XP-100 to remove a loaded round. I assume I will but it never hurts to have the numbers for the planning stage.

Dave

 

[elkaholic]

I don't look at any of the responses as attacks. I respect people's opinions and sometimes, just as with bullets, people's opinions vary. Its great that we have options,.....rich

 

[fisherman983]

not to hi-jack too far off topic, but if someone were to order enough brass for the life of a barrel, how many pieces would they need?