What is your favorite 6.5mm round?

[MontanaRifleman]

This is a great thread and I would go with the 6.5-7WSM to squeeze out a little more from the WSM. It would be a great short action build. I'm thinking with RL17 and a 26" barrel, I could get the 130 Scirrocos up to 3400 fps, That would make it an 1100-1300 yd deer killer in Montana depending on altitude.

 

[popejoe69]

actually had a friend that did very well with a 6.5/7mmSaum. Smaller case and longer neck worked out better in the Remmy short action without as much case intrusion. If memory serves me correctly.

 

[Wookie316]

I like the 6.5-300 Win Mag i just had built.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/who-has-6-5mm-300-win-mag-need-pet-load-data-49531/

 

[SpencerSS]

6.5WSM, 260AI, 6.5X284. In that order. 140Berger VLD in all. Scenars second.

 

[SpencerSS]

This is a great thread and I would go with the 6.5-7WSM to squeeze out a little more from the WSM. It would be a great short action build. I'm thinking with RL17 and a 26" barrel, I could get the 130 Scirrocos up to 3400 fps, That would make it an 1100-1300 yd deer killer in Montana depending on altitude.

It should do that, or at least close. I don't think R17 is the first choice of most guys shooting this number though.

Retumbo, H1000, and R19 and 25 seem to be the talk. If you try some 17 let us know how it does, could be the right stuff.

 

[jhibbard24]

6.5-284 is awesome and i've shot that round a lot. i've killed a deer at 1007 yd with 140 bergers and put it right down... i would have to say that i consider it to be a barrel burner though. now if you happened to have a barrel salt bath nitrided i bet that barrel would last 5000 + rnds. great for all around everything

6.5 wsm would be sweet. what sort of velocities with the 140's out of a 6.5wsm? maybe a little more recoil than i would like for that type of gun. recoil is always expected when you are talking a big caliber elk gun or something.

the 6.5 dakota would be a bad mother and kick some ***.

 

[lboom]

I have 2 6.5 dakotas and I love them. They are so much more than my old 264. Alot of guns are barrel burners if you heat the barrel up. I have over 1000 rounds threw mine and it still shoots good. 140 grain at 3400 to 3450. 75 grains of retumbo. 3363 at 74.5 of retumbo.My 140 grain have just a bit more energy at 1000 yards than a 7mm 168 grain and shoot a lot flatter. My case life is unbelievabe,at least 20 reloads per case and have never had a case failure except when I was developing loads and got too hot and swelled the case. Dont want it that hot,turn it down,still shoots great and more accurate than the belted cases.

 

[SpencerSS]

I have 2 6.5 dakotas and I love them. They are so much more than my old 264. Alot of guns are barrel burners if you heat the barrel up. I have over 1000 rounds threw mine and it still shoots good. 140 grain at 3400 to 3450. 75 grains of retumbo. 3363 at 74.5 of retumbo.My 140 grain have just a bit more energy at 1000 yards than a 7mm 168 grain and shoot a lot flatter. My case life is unbelievabe,at least 20 reloads per case and have never had a case failure except when I was developing loads and got too hot and swelled the case. Dont want it that hot,turn it down,still shoots great and more accurate than the belted cases.

Case failure is a headspace/over-working of brass issue, not a pressure issue. Extreme presure will swell cases and open up primer pockets, but head separations are headspace related, and neck splits are too much sizing related. If you have a tight chamber and don't size your brass too much, then even hot loads won't crack your brass. (Just FYI)

 

[RT2506]

I have not met a 6.5 caliber that I don't like. I have a number of 6.5X55 Swede rifles and a 264 Win mag and have found that the longer the barrel the better with them all. That 29" barrel on the 6.5X55 M-96 Mauser can get you some serious velocity without a lot of pressure. 120's at 3000 fps and 140's at 2850 fps is nothing to sneeze at. The deer sure don't like them because they just fall dead at the shot and it does not seem to matter how far away they are if you can adjust your scope.

 

[jlamb]

Now that looks like a fun round!

6.5 WSSM

 

[jlamb]

My favorite is the 6.5-06. Using a 142SMK I'm getting 3100 fps out of it with good accuracy:

 

[OKIE2]

My favorite is the 6.5 Sherman. That could be because I designed it though
Actually, it does perform very well. It's a redesigned .270 case that holds exactly the same amount of powder as the WSM. Case life is excellent as well as accuracy. I can push a 140 grainer at 3200 with a 26" barrel but case life is short at that pressure. At 3100-3150 my cases last 15 firings on one trimming....Rich
P.S. I'd consider loaning my reamer if you were interested......

Is your case made from a 270 win or a wsm case?
you can not make a 270 win hold 9 more grains than an ackley improved 270 case
capatcity of cases
6.5-06 AI -- 68.9
6.5 wsm --78.1
264 mag --80.7
6.5 rem mag --69.3

 

[elkaholic]

Is your case made from a 270 win or a wsm case?
you can not make a 270 win hold 9 more grains than an ackley improved 270 case
capatcity of cases
6.5-06 AI -- 68.9
6.5 wsm --78.1
264 mag --80.7
6.5 rem mag --69.3

6.5 Sherman.........76+ with WW or eqivalent volume......Rich