After more than a two month wait, I received 50 6.5 110gr Gs Custom Hv Bullets one week before I was to lesve on a deer hunt. These were to go into a 6.5 MiniDreadnaught, which is a necked up, 60 degree shoulder minimum body taper 220 Swift case for an encore handgun.

There isn't much load data avaiable on this wildcat, so I started with max loads for a 260 Rem, and went up from there with Varget, Reloader 15, and H414. The literature that came with the bullets sait that a twist rate of 1 in 10 (or faster) and a velocity of 2800 fps was required to stabilize these long .540 Bc bullets. My barrel was shortened to 13 inches when a brake was installed, so I was concerned about meeting the target velocity, which turned out not to be a problem.

What turned out to be a problem was that the bullets didn't group well, and I don't think the poor accuracy is the fault of the bullets or their maker. This barrel is throated so that the 140 gr bullets can be seated to the base of the neck for maximum velocity and case capacity. With two drive bands on the bullet seated into the case, it leaft about a half an inch of free bore before the first of the six drive bands would contact the lands in the barrel - the drive bands are the only bearing surface on these bullets, the rest of the bullet is sub bore caliber - which did nothing to help accuracy.

Also, the bullet holes in the targets were not concentric. If I had shot them at longer range, the Hvs might have settled down and stabalized. But they didn't group well enough to make doing that worthwile. About the only way I think I can get this barrel to shoot these bullets is to have it rechambered and throated to a 6.5x06 to remove the freebore and be able to seat these bullets into the lands as recomended. A standard 260 Rem will probably work just fine with them.

If any of you have any suggestions or solutions for my problem, your responce would be greatly appreciated. Needless to say, the bullets I loaded for the hunting trip were Nosler ballistic tips. The 140 gr Harnadays and Nosler partitions shoot just fine in this barrel, with no stabilization problems, and they are nearly as long as the Gs 110 gr Hvs are. Thanks in advance, Rusty.

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What is the rate of twist in your Encore?

RH,
With that amount of freebore it is a problem. What is probably happening is that the last driving band is clear of the case before the first driving band engages the rifling and this will allow the bullet to enter the bore at a slight angle. You can confirm this by loading one round right down to a quarter powder charge and some dacron filler and shooting it into swimming pool or any water container that will give you three or four feet of depth to stop the bullet. Examine the bullet and you will see that the lines engraved down the body of the bullet are not concentric. If the engraving is concentric, the twist of your barrel may be too slow. Rechambering to the 06 case, and keeping the freebore short wont hurt anything and will make the gun much more versatile. If I can assist, just let me know.

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Gerard Schultz
GS Custom Bullets

The barrel in question is an SSK Industries barrel. Jd Jones uses Shelin barrels. In 6.5, Shelin recomends a twist rate of 1 in 9 for bullets of less than 130 grs, and for bullets of 130 grs and up a twist rate of 1 in 8, so I don't think the twist rate is the problem.

I believe that Gerard's appraisal of the situation is probably the correct one. The trouble is, I think an '06 case in a 13" barrel is over doing it a bit and I hate to loose the user friendly options of a rimmed case in a break action firearm. Decissions, Decissions. Rusty.

This is an SSK Industries barrel. JD Jones uses Shilen Barrel blanks to make his SSK barrels and he says he uses the optimum twist for the caliber you order. Shilin recomends a twist of 1 in 9 for bullets weighing up to 130 grs, and a 1 in 8 twist for bullets of 130 grs and heavier in 6.5 caliber, so I do not think the twist is the problem.

I think that Gerard's appraisal of the situation is the right one. The trouble is, I think chambering the '06 case in a 13 inch barrel would be over doing it a bit, and I don't to loose the user friendly options a rimmed case presents for a break action firearm.

Thanks for the imput and speedy replies; it is much appreciated. Rusty.

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Rusty, I owned a 6.5 mini D and worked with it for 2 years before I finally sold it. JDJ and I went several rounds during the time that I owned it, and exchanged some fairly heated emails afterwards. JD told me the rate of twist is 1:8 to stabilize up to 160 grain bullets. Best I could do with 120 Nosler bt was 1.25" at 2700 fps. 140 Hornady's at 2625 would group about the same. Never did get his velocity claims. I could get the 140's to touch the lands when seated half way up the neck. Not possible with the 120's which was the bullet I wanted to use. Since this episode I have decided that a 260 AI would have produced the same velocities I was getting. I have also talked with some people on other forums who achieved good velocity with 6.5/257 Roberts, and 6.5/284 Winchester. I really want a 6.5, so my next project will be a bolt action handgun in either 260 AI or 6.5/284. Probably will be a 260AI with 1:8" twist, and a 15" barrel. Good luck with your 6.5 mini D I hope it works out better for you than it did for me. By the way don't expect much from JD if you need help. Personnaly I think he rushed this one to cash in on the Encore. Just my opinion.