Thoughts on a 6.5 build

[hawkhunts]

I have a couple of prospects for a 6.5 build. One is my old faithful 257 weatherby that may be getting a little loose in the accuracy department ( on a mark v action) and the other is a winchester model 70 featherweight 22-250 that was never super accurate to start with.
I am thinking of possibly rebarreling the weatherby to a 6.5-300 weatherby if i can't get it tuned up and shooting well again. The 2nd option could be a 6.5 saum on the winchester short action. The builds would be on opposite ends of the spectrum- the weatherby will stay on the medium to heavy side, the other would be a lighter trimmer package.
I've never done anything custom, so I may be missing some of the fine points if i convert the winchester. I assume that i would need either a new bolt, or can it be modified since the case diameter is larger than the original 22-250? Any thing else that can be an issue? Magazine length?
Am i thinking rationally in regards to a 6.5 saum? Or should i just tone it down and build a creedmore? I handload, so brass is the only issue with the 6.5 saum.

 

[climb-101]

i just went through this with a build i have going. i was trying to decide between the 6.5x47, 260 r.e.m., 6.5 creedmore, and the 6.5-284. i finally settled on 260 since it's almost the same as the creedmore but i have died and brass already for the 260. I decided against the 6.5x47 since velocity is less than the others and the 6.5-284 is kind of hard on barrels. that left the the creedmore and the 260. The gun smith said if you want to reload and have the stuff do the 260, if you want to shoot factory rounds do the creedmore since it's cheaper to buy. hopefully here in about 6months my gun will be done.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I agree , the 260 isn't the fastest 6.5 out there , but that may be a good thing . 260 is very accurate, easy on barrels and Lapua brass is available.

I would do a 260 on the model 70 , it's a little longer in the magazine box than other short actions and already has the correct bolt face.

If you want a race car , do the 6.5-300 on the Mark V .

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

Thanks to GA Precision Horaday came out with 6.5 SAUM Brass. From what I've read the 6.5 SAUM is as easy or hard on the barrels as the shooter is. Some last 900 in competition style shooting others last 2500+ in hunting.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Thoughts on a 6.5 build... don't

just kidding...

I'm loath to get into another caliber... I'm already in ten between rifles and pistols, but I just got into my 11th (6.5mm-- specifically a 6.5 creed) as my brother handed my son one to shoot... I'm not even sure I'm reloading for this rifle yet as I'm not really feeling it... Trouble is, I have no reason to wash my hands of it as the little ruger shoots 1/2 moa with factories...

 

[WeiserBucks]

All good opinions so far ! Can't go wrong with a nice 6.5 in my opinion. You just need to decide how much speed you want .

6.5 Grendel at the bottom, 26 Nosler or 6.5 WBY at the top . I think Kirby does some even faster if you want more speed

 

[SouthTXBowhunter]

All good opinions so far ! Can't go wrong with a nice 6.5 in my opinion. You just need to decide how much speed you want .

6.5 Grendel at the bottom, 26 Nosler or 6.5 WBY at the top . I think Kirby does some even faster if you want more speed

I'm not a weatherby fan so that probably taints my reply. I'd sell the weatherby to fund building the Model 70 into a 6.5SAUM (if you want speed) or a .260 or 6.5Cm if you want a mild but accurate load. I have both a .260 and a Creedmoor but chose to build a custom Creedmoor because of the new Lapua brass. I think the barrel life on all these will be better than a Weatherby and all of them have headstamped brass available. I think the 26 Nosler will have less barrel life and isn't enough improvement for me to want it over the 6.5saum. Another option may be the Hornady PRC that will have headstamped brass, factory ammo with some availability if Hornady's marketing machine does its job. I just can't see any advantage to the weatherby route or the expense of the brass. But I told you I wasn't a Weatherby fan. Lol!

 

[lancetkenyon]

I have two 6.5s, and almost built a third. I have two very similar cartridges too. A 10.2# .260 Rem and a 15# 6.5 SLR. Both are tack drivers that serve different purposes.

The .260 Rem: 10.5#
R700 SA BDL trued w. PTG bolt, mini M16 extractor & stubby tactical knob
26" Bartlein #3b 1:8"
McMillan Game Scout
Badger Ordinance 20 MOA alloy Picatinny rail
Seekins 4 screw alloy "low" 34mm rings
Scopes depend on usage and change often. It used to wear a S&B PMII 3-20x50 for hunting season, but currently wears a S&B PMII 5-25x56 for now.

This is a deer/antelope/target rifle. Pushes a 140 HVLD @ 2850fps or a Barnes LRX @ 3020fps depending on hunting areas and game pursued. Shoots in the .3-.4s routinely.

The 6.5 SLR: 15#
R700 SA BDL trued w. PTG bolt, mini M16 extractor & tactical knob
27.5" Bartlein "Sendero" 1:8" w. Badger Thruster brake
Manners T2A
Seekins 20MOA alloy Picatinny rail
Seekins 6/4 screw alloy "low" 34mm rings
Kahles K624i 6-24x56 w. SKMR reticle

This is mostly a long range target/steel rifle, but goes on hunting trips for deer/antelope for the longer shots that are from a glassing spot. Not real fun to carry for miles on end. Pushes a 140 HVLD @ 2860fps (target loads) or 2950fps (hunting loads) or Barnes 127 LRX @ 3050fps for certain deer areas. I have 1500ish rounds out of this rifle, and it still shoots amazing. In the .2-.3s routinely, the .1s if we have a good day. My 14 year old daughter shoots this rifle as much as I do, and used it to take a nice muley last year at 637 yards.

I almost built a 6.5-06 AI this winter, but I think I am going with a .280 AI instead.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I'm really considering a 6.5 SAUM. I currently have a 6.5 creedmoor in a GAP-10 does 2680 with honady loaded 143's sub 1/3 moa. An extra 300fps and 4lbs lighter would be nice. I'd use it for bigger animals or animals at long distances.

 

[Rich Coyle]

hawkhunts,

Since I love high velocity and Weatherbys I would go with the 6.5/300. I have a third option though. A couple years ago I rented a couple reamers. One was a 6.5/.338 RUM and the other was a 6.5 neck reamer. The 'smith ran the chamber reamer in then finished with the neck reamer so I could use either .300 RUM or 7RUM brass. It makes a long neck more like the Weatherby case. I do believe if the 6.5/300 was out at that time I would not have made my 6.5RUMLN. It runs Nosler Accubonds 140s at 3,419 feet per second average.

 

[hawkhunts]

I am in a pretty good position- i have a couple of possibilties for donor actions that serve two different needs- a mid weight 8-9 lb rifle that is reasonable to pack back and forth on truck hunts (antelope/mulies/prairie whitetails) or something that could be a really kick *** lightweight mountain rifle.
When it is all said and done- barrel life doesn't really come in to play. I don't have access to any place that i can shoot truly long ranges, so punching paper would bore me to death long before i'd hurt a barrel.
A 6.5 SAUM just sounds sexy because no one knows what the hell it is. I have grown so accustomed to my weatherby spitting them out at 3300 feet per second and it's laser like trajectory i guess i just want sonething quicker than a creedmore for a go to hunting rifle. I guess ihave seen to many ******* hunting shows with guys constantly ranging animals at 200 yards. I'd rather know that out to 350 i can just center them up and punch holes without thinking to hard.
I can't even fathom how much i would like 6.5-300. My 257 as it currently sits is just plain deadly. Fold out the bipod and stuff just dies. Either rifle could easily be retired and put in the safe never to see the light of day just based on nostalgia, but they are like a good dog, they need to hunt. Hopefully neither is too far gone the tweaking some loads won't bring em around. But it's nice to know either is just a new barrel away from having a job again.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I agree , the 260 isn't the fastest 6.5 out there , but that may be a good thing . 260 is very accurate, easy on barrels and Lapua brass is available.

I would do a 260 on the model 70 , it's a little longer in the magazine box than other short actions and already has the correct bolt face.

If you want a race car , do the 6.5-300 on the Mark V .

A 26" barreled .260 AI can push a Berger 140 Hybrid over 3,000 FPS MV. I wouldn't consider that a slouch.

 

[fllefty]

I don't think you can use the model 70 for saum build.

 

[hawkhunts]

I don't think you can use the model 70 for saum build.

Why couldn't you use a 70 short action?