I've shot nothing but 140gr. Sierra's in my 6.5-06, but I just picked up some 95gr. V-MAX for varmints. Anyone have a good load they would recommend? Will a 8" twist stablize that light a bullet?
Posts: 88 | Location: Winchester Ky. USA | Registered: 04 January 2002
CS, out of curiosity, what's your pet load for the 6.5x06? Also, what brass are you starting with? I am waiting on a 6.5x06 bbl. from Krieger that will go on a Sako LA and McMillan stock.
R
Posts: 648 | Location: Huskerville | Registered: 22 December 2001
I don't have a 6.5-06 but I developed some 95grn V-MAX load for my 6.5X55 M96, which is 7.9"-in-1. The good load will shoot 10 shot under 2/3" at 100 meters. Consider I have never had good luck with any 6.5mm Hornady flatbase bullets, I am very pleased to give V-MAX a nod.
Posts: 638 | Location: O Canada! | Registered: 21 December 2001
rogerinneb, I start off with Winchester 25-06 brass and get my best groups with 53 gr. H4831, which is .1gr. under max according to Sierra. Groups in the 3's and 4's if I do my part.
Posts: 88 | Location: Winchester Ky. USA | Registered: 04 January 2002
BTW, faster twist is needed for heavier bullets. Your 1:8 twist is "fast" so it stabilizes the heavy bullets. going the other way, you should be fine. I've asked about the downside to faster twists, and the best I could get was potentially more copper fouling and/or higher pressures, but no one seemed to have a clear answer.
Roger
Posts: 648 | Location: Huskerville | Registered: 22 December 2001
quote:Originally posted by C.S. Justice: Will a 8" twist stablize that light a bullet?
Sure, it will OVERstabilize it. This leads to lowered B.C. and accuracy at loooong ranges since the bullet - courtesy of gyroscopic stability - does not turn into the arc as it should and thus presents more and more side, instead of point, to the wind.
But that's probably way, way farther away than most people shoot. A bigger problem, especially with varmint pills, might be the bullet disintegrating from the combined effect of jacket wear in the barrel and centrifugal forces imparted by the high RPM.
The other problem is that you are careful to allow proper cooling time for the barrel. The velocities reached with a 95grn bullet in a 6.5-06 could burn a barrel out quite fast if care is not taken.
Posts: 593 | Location: My computer. | Registered: 28 November 2001
I've used the 95 Vmax's in the 6.5-06 and 6.5 Gibbs without any trouble. In the 1-9 barrel twist 6.5-06 I used RL19 at a velocity avg of 3100+ (I don't have my notes with me for exact amounts)for groups in the .6's. The Gibbs' 1-8 barrel grouped in the high .4's with RL22 pushing them over 3300 fps. (all 5 shot 100 yd groups). I was really quite suprised by their accuracy. Try them out and see what they will do. Good Luck John
quote:Originally posted by JP Terp: I've used the 95 Vmax's in the 6.5-06 and 6.5 Gibbs without any trouble. In the 1-9 barrel twist 6.5-06 I used RL19 at a velocity avg of 3100+...
That's 6.5x55 velocities, and not very high then either... The 3300 mentioned for the Gibbs is more what I'd expect from the "normal" 6.5-06. Seems that you have a sound idea about how hot to load - that's a good thing.
Damn, I need a faster 6.5! Is that Gibbs any good (stupid Q, I know), or should I get a .260 Howell? Or maybe one of those Coke-can-size-case-makes-Shilen-happy magnum mothers..?
I don't have a chronograph, but I will have one before spring. I'm very careful about not getting the barrel hot with any load, I usally wait three minutes between shots at the range. I'll load up some this weekend and see how they do, I only have a Sierra Manual so I'll try 100gr. data to start. Thanks to all, CSJ
Posts: 88 | Location: Winchester Ky. USA | Registered: 04 January 2002
Pecos, Coyotes are the reason I wanted to try this bullet, they are getting really bad here. I have a deer feeder about a 150yds from the house and they've started hanging around it....don,t care about the hides, just want them dead. Thanks CSJ
Posts: 88 | Location: Winchester Ky. USA | Registered: 04 January 2002
rogerinneb Copper fouling isn't a problem at all with the 8" twist, I usally can get it all out with Butch's with out a lot of work. It took about 200 rounds and a lot of Sweet's and JB's before it settled down, but I think that had more to do with the Douglas barrel than the twist.
Posts: 88 | Location: Winchester Ky. USA | Registered: 04 January 2002
