Weatherby's New 6.5 RPM

[bigngreen]

Weatherby makes a Magnum 9 lug MarkV and a Standard 6 lug they do not designate long or short action.
They did make a short action MKV for a couple years if I remember right called a Varmint master but now they only do Magnum and Standard. If they used the same terms as Remington they would only have long actions in the MKV but they don't designate that way, so we use magnum and standard with the MKV.

 

[Milepost]

Jud is correct.
Goggle it:
The main difference between a short action and long action firearm is the length of the receiver. A short action firearm will be offered in calibers with shorter cartridges (i.e. 223 REM, 243 WIN, 308 WIN, etc.). A long action firearm will be offered in "longer" calibers (i.e. 25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD, etc.).

The .30-06 has always been a long action. I can't believe we are having this discussion.

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Have to admit that Rich is right....

It's kind of an apples and oranges comparison when you compare Weatherby's Mark V to other American actions, such as the Remington and Winchester.
Weatherby roots started with european actions. In Europe they have always had real medium actions. Remember that Roy was never into the short cartridge thing. The 6 lug was born out of the necessity to have a smaller, lighter rifle platform that could shoot 30-06 size cartridges and such will never be able to handle the standard 2.85" HH cartridges like the long magnum versions of a Winchester and Remington can. Roy designed the famous overbuilt Mark V 9 lug to handle the Big boys.

Decades ago, I remember most hunters talked of short, medium and long action rifles and cartridges. This was probably because of the large influx of cheap war surplus firearms and ammunition that flooded the US market and these rifles were "sporterized" by local gunsmiths. Many of these old rifles fell into the true medium action category.

So, in reality, a Weatherby Mark V 6 lug is a true medium action. Definitely not a short action but it can't handle the big magnum calibers either. I believe a Tikka is very much like this too...

 

[Warbird2006]

Yes, it's a long action. Just like a .30-06

Who cares. It will be a 5lb rifle

 

[bigngreen]

Different concept from a Tikka which is the same action for everything, the 6 lug is slightly scaled down to run what is needed for the bolt thrust of a 06 case head, they do run different length bolt stop slots and spacers in all MK V to run different length chamberings through the same action.

 

[Blaketh]

I dont see it taking off very well. Ballistically the 6.5 prc is the same maybe a little faster. I think weatherby dropped the bomb. The 6.5-300 is the 6.5 of choice then load it how you desire. Heavier bullet no problem, too much rexoil? Lighten the load no problem. My next purchase will be a 6.5-300, i didnt notice the round until i ordered my .257 Bee. I will enjoy both!

 

[betolatinlu]

It's tough to say a 300 H&H is 2.850" long, the same as a 300 Weatherby, 7mm STW, and 300 RUM, all of which were chambered from the factory in Remington 700 LONG ACTIONS and fed from the magazine. How about you go stick a 300 H&H in a modern long action and get back to us.

I agree .

 

[Milepost]

I dont see it taking off very well. Ballistically the 6.5 prc is the same maybe a little faster. I think weatherby dropped the bomb. The 6.5-300 is the 6.5 of choice then load it how you desire. Heavier bullet no problem, too much rexoil? Lighten the load no problem. My next purchase will be a 6.5-300, i didnt notice the round until i ordered my .257 Bee. I will enjoy both!

A lot depends on if you load your own cartridges. Store bought ammo? The 6.5-300 is the speed king.... Handloads are a different story.
What you have here is a ballistic twin of a 264WM. The 264WM can be loaded over 3250fps with 140's. The 6.5 PRC can push 140's at 3150fps. The 6.5-300 pushes 140's to 3400fps...That's equates to a extra 100 yards of range when compared to a 264WM.

IMO- The 6.5-300 is way too overbore. It requires the use of slow BMG class powders to get good case fill and those slow burning powders also require a longer barrel. Barrel life is pretty miserable too.
The 6.5 RPM seems to be a nice ballistic compromise. The fact that a scoped 6.5 RPM rifle weighs in at 7-8lbs can't be discounted either.

Not trying to put down how awesome the 6.5-300 Wby is. It's just a little too hard to live with for my taste.

Remember: Speed sells... but it's accuracy that kills

 

[Rich Coyle]

I remember some of the old boys, who are probably all gone now, used to take the medium action and cut them in two off center. They were welded back together to form two "new" actions: A short one and a long one. The medium action was gone.

 

[CMP70306]

So basically it is a standardized 6.5-06 AI

 

[Milepost]

So basically it is a standardized 6.5-06 AI

NOPE!
This has about 12% more case capacity over the 6.5-06 AI. The RPM has about 81-82gr case capacity which is the same as a 264WM

 

[Wachsmann]

So basally its a redesigned 264 Win mag. Probably a little better design, hopefully better twist rate, but with a Weaterby price tag an a very light carry rifle. Which sounds great but with a price. Not bad but I still would prefer one of the long or shot actions Sherman's since they can do the same or more with less powder. Hopefully the RPM will have a longer neck an keep some the heat in the case and not erode the throat like some the other, like the 26 Nos, or 6.5x300Wby. I asked one of the reps at the Weatherby booth and he told me about 800 to 1000 shots before your seeing accuracy loss. But if you kelp the barrel really cool and very low string of shot like 2 back to back you might make 1200, an I followed up with if you buying something that breaths a lot of fire then you should know what your getting into and we both laughed a little.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Wachsmann,

One of my six lugs uses 7 Remember brass with the belt turned off and necked to 6.5. But it is too heavy.

 

[Edd]

I have no doubt the Weatherby name has some clout with consumers. But, I will be surprised if this project is a profitable one for the company.

I think a 6.5 Weatherby Magnum based on the belted 257/270/7mm case would have been a better project.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I will get one of the six lug Ti, but would not buy one of the 6.5 based on the 7 case.