my next project, still a way down the road, will be to build a 6.5-06 on a vz24 action. looking around the internet i've seen cartridges called 6.5-06, 6.5-06 springfield, and 6.5-06 A- Square. are these all the same and if not what are the differences. the one i want is the plain jane 6.5-06. no improvements, blown outs, different shoulder angles, etc.

thanks for any help...bud

All the same

ketch...thanks. i suspected that but thanks for the conformation...bud

In 1966 I had a6.5 X284 made with a throat and twist that would adequately handle 160 gr. RNs and 156 gr psp. This rifle could nicely handle game to the size of elk.

The plane Jane 6.5-06, you propose, will duplicate this performance if you can seat the bullets out far enough. roger

For what it is worth, the 6.5/06 has been the most eager to please cartridge I have played with. It likes everything I feed it and has a habit of putting all bullet weights to about the same POI. Nice round.

bart and ketch...thanks for the encouraging words. i really like the .264 diameter. my father has a 6.5 grendle, i have a cz 6.5x55, a 6.5x57 on a vz24 action, and an old 6.5 rem mag(model 700, 24' barrel) i know the 6.5 mag will perform about the same as a 6.5-06 but i've grown partial to these vz24 actions and i just want something custom and different. when i get this project finished it will be my long range "beanfield" rifle. i'm planning on a 26 inch barrel to get the most out of 129-140 grn bullets. again...thanks for the input

go with the 1:8 twist also. My "improved" version LOVES the 140gr a-max to the tune of .6" at 200yds

justc..thanks for the info. the twist rate is something i've been thinking about asking about, so you answered my question before i asked it. bud

budiceale

The closest commercial caliber is 6,5X64 Brenneke, basicly a 270 win necked down to 6,5.

Cheers
/JOHAN

johan. the 6.5x64 brenneke is a good suggestion. i noticed on the lothar walther web site that they have their article 722 barrels(ready made to install on a 98 mauser action) available in something called..6.5x65/65R. i know this is probably the rimmed and rimless version of the same thing but what cartridge is it? if the case head is right for a mauser bolt and it will fit into a mauser action, i might go with it since i can get one of those prefab lothar walther barrels for about 2/3's of what a pacnor prefit will cost. again, any info is greatly appreciated...bud

ok...since my last post i've looked around on the net a little and now it seems that buying a more expensive barrel in standard 6.5-06 from pacnor is the better idea. the barrel from lothar walther is cheaper but the reloading dies alone are almost enough more expensive to wipe out any savings on the barrel. i'll pay the extra money and skip all the hassels of getting the right brass and dies for a 6.5x65.

by the way, i think the chambering in the lothar walther barrles are also called the 6.5x65 RWS and the 6.5x65 RWS rimmed.

any other ideas are welcome...bud

Budiceale:

You have made a couple nice choices. The 6.5-06, is a real fine cartridge, and the Pac-Nor barrel is also a winner. I have been shooting 120 grain Sierra Spitzers, with IMR4831, and getting close to 3200fps. Groups are running well under 1". Really wacks an antelope, or coyote. Just for fun I named my 6.5-06, 6.5-06FJC. In honor of Jim Carmichael and his 6.5-308, LOL. You can guess what the "F" stands for.

Since you are going to build on a Mauser action, I have a suggestion: When you get ready to send your action to Pac-Nor, make up a dummy round,and send it also. The dummy round should be one that fits the magazine easily. Ask Pac-Nor to cut the throat for that length, you can then seat .010 off the lands etc., if you choose.

Jerry

jerry...thanks for the good words and advice. this project is being done over a long period of time and on a budget(teenage kid with new drivers lic. , his car insurance, wife's job has disappeared, etc....life goes on and we make the best of it) so i haven't decided if i will let pacnor do the barrel installation or if i will just get one of their deep chambered barrels and continue to collect the pieces until i'm ready to have them all put together. the deal about sending them a dummy round is a good one. i did that(local gunsmith...not pacnor) with my 6.5x57 and have had great results with my handloads. so far i have the action and stock for the 6.5-06. the barrel is the most expensive of the remaining pieces until the labor cost kicks in. i'm going to take the time needed to do this one just like i want it. again..thanks for the help...bud

BTW...really like the FJC name for your rifle. a sense of humor has become very valable to me as i get older(as in "necessary for survival")

I'm sure some will scoff at this, but SINCE YOU"RE ON A TIGHT BUDGET, you may consider having Shaw supply the barrel and do the work. Pac-nor raised their prices a while back, so they are now perhaps $200 more than Shaw for a barrel job. Some people bitch about Shaw, but I've had them do quite a few barrel jobs for me in recent years and all have been good shooters, MOA or better. They don't foul any worse than my CM Douglas or Shilen barrels. I've had perhaps an equal number of pac-nor barrel jobs, and, while most all of them were really excellent shooters, I had a couple that I really struggled to get down to MOA.

Also, the smith at pac-nor tends to chamber things with minimum headspace dimensions, sometimes he even goes so tight that factory ammo chambers with some difficulty, so if you go with them, be thusly advised.

I've got an old 721 action laying around here somewhere that I think may get the 6.5-06 treatment (I'll probably go with Shaw), but so far my 6.5x57 has kept me happy...

Anyway, JMO...

i'm glad you have had good results with shaw barrels. my father has one on a 257AI that shoots ok but seems to collect copper pretty quickly. while it's true that i am on a tight budget, i do have a lot of time(the only thing i have a lot of ) so i've decided that the barrel and optics are the two things that i'm not going to cut any major corners on. also, thanks for the info about the minimum headspace thing going on at pacnor. i'll talk to them beforehand if i decide to have them install the barrel.

i like your caliber(cartridge) choices. i'm going to use my new 6.5x57 for the first time this coming deer season and i've been haveing fun with my cz 9.3x62 for a couple of years now.



thanks to all for the input...bud

BUDICEALE & 9.3x62:

I STRONGLY advise that you not use Shaw for your 6.5-06 projects. It has nothing to do with barrel quality, by the way. Shaw will cut your throat way to long. I had them do one, and I could not reach the lands with a 120 grain Sierra. I had to have the barrel removed and "set back" in order to use my magazine, and get close to the lands with my reloads. When I asked Shaw why they chambered my rifle that way, their response was, "we cut the chamber to SAMMI SPECS". There are or at the time were'nt a SAMMI Spec, when I asked them about it, they said return the rifle and they would chamber it for another caliber. Shaw has always been fair in dealing with me, and I have a 35 Whelen they did which shoots lights out. Groups less than an inch, and dosen't foul easily. The 6.5 by the way, does foul rather easily.


Good Luck

Jerry

I'd been planning a 280 Remington for almost a year now, but in the last month I think I've changed my mind to a 6.5-06. Probably be just a 26" rebarrel of an M70 '06. Excellent cartridge.
Actually has about the same expantion ratio as my 358-404 'cat. Would make a potent pair.