What do you think of the 6.5 WBY RPM ?

[highdrum]

I always like to neck down when possible so you get a thicker neck. Sometimes it's just right on thickness and sometimes you just need a cleanup pass. So to answer your question 270wby necked down. Just get 270wby bushing dies. The regular 270 seater seats 6.5s very straight believe it or not.
Shep

Don you have a reamer?

 

[25WSM]

Yes I have my own reamer and throater.
Shep

 

[Husky user]

The Weatherby 6.5 RPM is a BIG cartridge pushing a very aerodynamic bullet.
SHOOTING TIMES published these case capacity comparisons:
6.5 Creedmoor-> 54.0 gr.
6.5 284 -> 67
6.5 PRC-> 68.8
6.5 Wby. RPM-> 82.5
.264 Win. Mag.-> 87.8
26 Nosler-> 100.8
6.5/300 Wby.-> 101.1

So think of a 6.5 Wby. RPM as a "magnum 6.5 PRC" (which is often called a "magnum 6.5 Creedmoor")
The 6.5 RPM is not as ridiculously big as the .26 Nosler or the 6.5/300 Wby. Weatherby developed it to utilize thier
Mark V action/bolt face. That's why the 6.5 RPM has a rebated cartridge base to fit that "non-magnum bolt face. And with their titanium action they have a light (and expensive) mountain rifle called the Mark V Backcountry Rifle. But you can get it in a steel action as well without the 2nd mortgage a Ti action would necessitate.

Personally for western big game including bull elk (to 300 yards) I'm fine with my 6.5 PRC in 143 gr. Hornady ELD-X
from my Browning X-Bolt Pro mountain rifle. For brown bear and polar bear I would want something in 35 to 38 caliber INCLUDING .338 Norma or Lapua magnum.

Eric B.

I bought the steel action 6.5 RPM Mountain Rifle,was not willing to spend $1000 for 5ozs.So far its been great ,real accurate,but can't find any RL25 to buy, been using IMR 4350 for light bullets 7828 & believe it or not H870 for 140s(bought 2&1/2 lbs from an old guy that was selling his components.

 

[fta0303]

Like the 26 Nosler it's likely unnecessary for 80% of hunting situations where a 6.5 /284 or 6.5 PRC could be used with MUCH less recoil and much longer barrel life.

OK, some will say, "But ya don't shoot a hunting rifle enough to wear out the throat." Well you do if you practice enough.

Eric B.

This thread is about 6.5 Wby RPM, not 6.5/300 Wby. The RPM is an '06 length case, longer than the otherwise identical 6.5/284, and about 0.3" shorter than 6.5/300 Wby. It's capacity is about 81 gr of water, compared to ~ 100+ for 6.5/300 Wby and 26 Nosler. It's ballistics are almost identical to .264 WinMag and 6.5 PRC. So it's an intermediate 6.5mm. It's purpose, to reduce weight of rifle, is to fit in an '06 sized action with an '06 sized bolt face, where the 264 WM and 6.5 PRC require larger bolt faces and larger actions. It's likely good on all NA game. Comparing it to 26 Nosler is inapt, and it is about the same ballistically as the 6.5 PRC. I bought one, I like it, and I'm not fond of stubby cartridges, which limit mag capacity and often give feed issues. With Barnes or Hammer bullets, it's a great round about as effective as 180 gr (non-monolithic bullet) 300 WinMag. In a world where people have killed grizzly with a .22 rimfire, the low end of "unnecessary" is not well defined, but the RPM is a proper load for deer. It's big brother .338 RPM is maybe a little overkill for deer, but then people have used anything from 22 rimfire to 375 H&H on deer with good success. The only thing that keeps me from calling this 6.5 RPM a perfect all-round NA cartridge is the big brown bear, bison, and AK moose where its penetration is adequate but its frontal area maybe isn't ideal. On the recoil side, a 127 gr LRT or a 125 gr HHT in the 6.5 RPM are quite mild; less is not needed.

 

[Husky user]

As I said before I bought a steel one(5.4oz) put a 4.5X14X40 Leupold on it with Tally lite one piece ring/base 1lb3oz
That brings it to less than 6.5lbs empty! Nice and light!
Getting 3100 FPS with 64.7 gr RL25 142 gr AB
Not sure why Wolf Pub. got more powder at that FPS,but I quit there.
I use it for antelope and have shot a cow elk with it.
The only reason I don't use it for all hunting is I have a custom Husqvarna 7mm shooting 155gr Federal Terminal Ascent at 3100.
The Husky is about 1lb heavier and packs a bigger punch out to 400-500yds.
And BTW the workmanship in the Husky is way better!

 

[tribb]

As I said before I bought a steel one(5.4oz) put a 4.5X14X40 Leupold on it with Tally lite one piece ring/base 1lb3oz
That brings it to less than 6.5lbs empty! Nice and light!
Getting 3100 FPS with 64.7 gr RL25 142 gr AB
Not sure why Wolf Pub. got more powder at that FPS,but I quit there.
I use it for antelope and have shot a cow elk with it.
The only reason I don't use it for all hunting is I have a custom Husqvarna 7mm shooting 155gr Federal Terminal Ascent at 3100.
The Husky is about 1lb heavier and packs a bigger punch out to 400-500yds.
And BTW the workmanship in the Husky is way better!

Found some Re 25 did you?

 

[Husky user]

yes I did ,some rl 26 also,even a blind pig finds an acorn once in awhile.

 

[338weatherby]

Try some 7828 and 99 gr hammer hunters. I'm not done working on a load but I've hit 3800+ comfortably. I'm working with the 124 hammer hunters as well. So far, 7828 seems to be golden. H1000 was pressuring faster and less speed. Mark V backcountry 2.0 steel. Great combo