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The Year of the 6.5mm

Keep at the lathe work! Being able to do your own barrel work is rewarding and saves money.

I have a grizzly gunsmithing lathe. I use it for other stuff all the time. Currently using it in back gear to neck turn cases. Using an old Lyman case trimmer's case holder in the chuck. As an old retired vocational teacher it is right up my alley. Took some time to perfect the process. I really enjoy having a lathe around.

I picked up a new tikka takeoff in 25-06 a while back for under $100. These SS hammer forged barrels are great. The threaded barrel shank size is the same as a Ruger M77 tang safety receiver, just longer. I shortened the shank then ran in a 257 Weatherby reamer I already owned. Made a flat shooting lightweight coyote wacker. 85 gr Nosler BT @ 3815. Have all the stuff as I have a full size 257 I use for coues wt.

I just cannot imagine how much time you put in to devote a year to the 7mms. Then another year for the 6.5s! Amazing.

I have found two things that make chambering easy. A floating reamer holder:
https://mansonreamers.com/product/floating-reamer-holder/


And the Lambeth-Kiff Micro Adjustable Reamer Stop Kit

Enjoy!
 
This is a few months late, but in 2024 I worked primarily on 6.5 mm cartridges. You may recall in 2023 I did the 7 mm.
This still has a mystery cartridge… first person to guess it is the lucky winner of???

2025 is going to be the year of the 25cal.

The zip file is the case capacities of the updated 7 mm list and 6.5 mm list.
My anti virus on my computer warned me not to open this file it was corrupted so I deleated it before opening it.
 
Keep at the lathe work! Being able to do your own barrel work is rewarding and saves money.

I have a grizzly gunsmithing lathe. I use it for other stuff all the time. Currently using it in back gear to neck turn cases. Using an old Lyman case trimmer's case holder in the chuck. As an old retired vocational teacher it is right up my alley. Took some time to perfect the process. I really enjoy having a lathe around.

I picked up a new tikka takeoff in 25-06 a while back for under $100. These SS hammer forged barrels are great. The threaded barrel shank size is the same as a Ruger M77 tang safety receiver, just longer. I shortened the shank then ran in a 257 Weatherby reamer I already owned. Made a flat shooting lightweight coyote wacker. 85 gr Nosler BT @ 3815. Have all the stuff as I have a full size 257 I use for coues wt.

I just cannot imagine how much time you put in to devote a year to the 7mms. Then another year for the 6.5s! Amazing.

I have found two things that make chambering easy. A floating reamer holder:
https://mansonreamers.com/product/floating-reamer-holder/


And the Lambeth-Kiff Micro Adjustable Reamer Stop Kit

Enjoy!
Yeah, I will look at those. Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I've already started on the 25 caliber for the 2025 reveal.
 
My anti virus on my computer warned me not to open this file it was corrupted so I deleated it before opening it.
It's just a zip file. It's the only way I can share an Excel spreadsheet. I think I can also upload it saved as a.JPG and then you would have to rename it to the XLS file extension to open it with Excel.
 
This is a few months late, but in 2024 I worked primarily on 6.5 mm cartridges. You may recall in 2023 I did the 7 mm.
This still has a mystery cartridge… first person to guess it is the lucky winner of???

2025 is going to be the year of the 25cal.

The zip file is the case capacities of the updated 7 mm list and 6.5 mm list.
Hey. I did not see a 6.5TCU, 6.5JDJ nor a 6.5x30-30AI. ;)
Don't leave us Contender shooters out. 😁

Actually, that is a very good lineup, and the 6.5x280AI has me rather intrigued. I use a 260 and 260AI, and did a 6.5-06 some time back, so I like the '06 heads.

Glad to hear 2025 is the year of the 25's, for I have been a quarter bore fan since the late 1960's. I can't wait to see what you put together.
 
Hey. I did not see a 6.5TCU, 6.5JDJ nor a 6.5x30-30AI. ;)
Don't leave us Contender shooters out. 😁

Actually, that is a very good lineup, and the 6.5x280AI has me rather intrigued. I use a 260 and 260AI, and did a 6.5-06 some time back, so I like the '06 heads.

Glad to hear 2025 is the year of the 25's, for I have been a quarter bore fan since the late 1960's. I can't wait to see what you put together.
Yeah, I decided to do a 6.5 x 280 AI since there's already a lot of the AI formed Brass out there. Darrel Cash gave me the permission to use his reamer print. Works great.
 
What do you think of the 25/6.5prc? How did the velocity turn out on this? This is what I would love to gets. Thanks
I like it. It's good because there's plenty of 6.5 PRC Brass choices. The velocity isn't as high as my 25SS,but it does well with the 133s. I used both H1000 & V565 with a berger 130s. Attached is my reamer print.
 

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  • 25-6.5 PRC M2 Std 2.pdf
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Brux supply just showed up. Got two 25 cal barrels amongst them.
 

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  • IMG_7013.png
    IMG_7013.png
    6.6 MB · Views: 11
This is a few months late, but in 2024 I worked primarily on 6.5 mm cartridges. You may recall in 2023 I did the 7 mm.
This still has a mystery cartridge… first person to guess it is the lucky winner of???

2025 is going to be the year of the 25cal.

The zip file is the case capacities of the updated 7 mm list and 6.5 mm list.
Thank you for all that you do!
 
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