In the near future, 1-2 years, I plan on starting a 6.5mm project. Mostly hunting, deer, antelope to elk, with some long range gong ringing for fun and confidence. I'm thinking 260 AI, 6.5-284, 6.5 SAUM, 6.5 WSM. I don't think I could get a 6.5x55AI to work in the short action as a repeater. So, I should be able to use a Rem 700 short action with the 308 face for the first two and a mag bolt face for the 2nd two. What I'd like to know is whether you use a new action or obtain much cheaper used action where I can take the old barrel off and screw on a new 26" Lilja barrel.

Is their any decernable difference between the short Rem 700 action vs the Rem 7 aciton?

quote:

whether you use a new action or obtain much cheaper used action

Used for sure,.....just as good and fewer sheckels!

Vapodog's right (what? ), using two used rifles, that's what my buddy and I did to get our 6.5 WSMs. We also had an extra barrel made up for each rifle in .338 WSM. Great cartridges.

Either would work, depends on what you want at the time...

If you go with a short action especially, I would go with the 260AI first and the 6.5 x 284 second...

I have played around a lot with these 6.5 calibers... and even a plain old 260 in a short action will give you what most people get out of a 6.5 x 284... 6.5/06 etc...

The magnum bolt faces would be more expense without a lot of increase in velocity but an increase in powder consumption....

For feeding problems associated with a 6.5 x 284, unless it is being used as a single shot...
the most efficient equivalent with NO feeding problems would be the 260 AI....

A 6.5 x 55 in a short action, would benefit if you went the AI route.. but bullet weights should be limited to the 129 grainers from Hornady... 100 grain bullets and down for varminting would probably serve benefits of the extra powder for velocity...

The 06 case is over bore for the 6.5 bore...and the WSM would also be so...the 6.5 WSSM would look wicked... but If you are only using it as a single shot... in a repeater, It will give you feeding problems...

If you are going 700 we used to always by used. Now sometimes new "black/walmart" rifles are as cheap, if you don't need bottom metal. I'd use a M-7 cut the bolt stop back, build a magazine box from a 700 box and go 6.5x284. That's what I did for my 6/284. Of course I had the M-7 as a trade in rifle.

I think you'd be better off using the 700 action over the model 7. A custom gun builder told me there are some differences(I don't remember the details) that make the 700 much sturdier.

Go with a used rifle action in 700. I bought one that looks and works perfect and is a 1971 that I used for my project. After hunting season keep an eye out for bargains in the paper or you could go with the SPS which is on the cheap side and new.

There is absolutely nothing that makes a 700 "sturdier" than a M7. The M7 is shorter and therefore should be less prone to action flex. I seriously doubt if there is any real reason to choose a M7 over a M700 or vice versa.

Definitely go with the used M700 action. It'll be a lot cheaper, plus the older actions seem to be better made. The used short action model (308 case head) is a little harder to find than the long or magnum action models, at least around here.

The model 7 is @ 1/2" shorter than the M700 short action. Using a .243 as the starter rifle, the change out to a .260 is a simple re-barrel. Other than having something different, I doubt adding AI to the .260 is gonna do much for you.

The Mod 7 is just a mod 600 [660] dressed up. Bolts interchange. A 700 trigger has been added with a nifty bolt release to overcome the 600s little [reach in and push] release. Overall they are a few ozs less weight but the difference is slight. Great for building that light weight rifle though. I built my 6.5 SAUM on one and its light, accurate and a pleasure to carry and shoot. A friend of mine had me make him a 6.5 WSM on a shorty 70 action. [old push feed kind.]We cut the leade so the 140 Sierra Gameking is .018 off the lands [same as my SAUM] and the velocities of the two were within 50 fps of each other but the SAUM has a 2" shorter barrel. Basically a 264 Win Mag [imp] on a short barreled rifle. I really enjoy this rifle and haven`t finished trying powders yet but will post my results as soon as I can find a decent place to shoot. The Enviropukes have closed ALL the ranges here and I cannot see much sense in shooting off the hood of my truck!

Aloha, Mark

Of the cartridges you mentioned, I would go with 260 A.I. I have shot the throat out (F class competition) of the first barrel chambered for that cartridge and am on my second one. The first barrel had 2136 rounds on it when I pulled it off. Considering the abuse a barrel gets when used in competition, I thought that was darn good.

The 260 A.I. will feed through the magazine of a 700 with no issues. I have found a gain of 100 to 120 fps accurate velocity with the A.I. version over the standard 260 with all bullet weights.

Using H4831 SC and 140 gr bullets I get an accurate 2920 fps and no pressure issues from a 26" Krieger barrel. In the standard 260 H4831 SC gave me 2800 fps of accurate velocity.

Using H4350 and the same 140 gr. bullets I get an accurate 2860 fps, and again no pressure isses. In the standard 260 H4350 gave me 2750 fps of accurate velocity.

I found the same thing with the 120 gr. bullets. The standard 260 gives me 3021 fps of accuarte velocity. The 260 A.I. gives me 3129 fps of accurate velocity. Both loads are using H4350.

I haven't tried the 90 gr. TNT in the 260 A.I. but I would bet on about the same results.

All in all, it is a pretty impressive performer in a small package. No bolt face modifications, good barrel life, easy to load for runs through the magazine with no problems. Does the extra velocity make any difference on game, I am sure it doesn't to any noticable degree. If I lived out west it would be my go caliber for open country deer, antelope, and coyotes for the simple reason, it shoots just a little flatter, drifts a little less in the wind, and hits just a little harder.

If you go the SAMU or WSM, I would look for a used rifle already chambered for one of them so you don't have to pay to have bolt face opened upn and no feed rail modifications would have to be done to get it feed. I would have it chambered in 6.5 SAUM over the 6.5 WSM for the simple reason, I like the longer neck of the 300 SAUM. It would be an impressive performer but hard on barrels, and the little 260 A.I. wouldn't be very far behind in performance with a lot less powder.

Hope this helps some.

PaPa 260

Papa 260 and Bohica,

Perfect informaiton I'm looking for. I haven't made up my mind yet, but the information you two gave me is just what I was looking for.

Thankyou!!!

Here's a question.

What velocities would I get with a 6.5x55AI/140 gr and would it work, as a repeater, in the short 700 action?

I'm trying to compare apples to apples.

If I had to guess, and that is what it is an educated guess, I would say slightly less due to seating the bullet so deep. A 6.5 X 55 A.I. will do everything a 6.5 X 284 will do IF it is chambered in a long action. Like wise with the 6.5 X 284 to achieve it's maximum potential it has to be chambered on a long action to achieve it's potential. Since you are going to use a short action, it is my opinion the 260 A.I. or a 6.5 SAUM is the best options. Again, I would go with the 260 A.I. of all the cartridges you mentioned.

There is on doubt in my mind a 130 gr. Accubond at 3000 fps or a 140 gr. Partition would hit an elk pretty darn hard, along with penetrate deep. I have seen the penetration of a 140 gr. bullet @ 2750 fps out of a standard 260 on feral hogs. I broke both shoulders and the bullet exited on a hog that had a dressed weight of 271 lbs. He was dead right there.

Good luck with the project!

PaPa 260

All the mentioned rounds are great, but if I needed a 26" to 'get r done' I were looking at a wildcat I would very seriously look at a 6.5x55 AI and use Lapua brass, yes a long action, but a half inch there is not much when you are using a long barrel anyway.

I just think it is a simple way to use good brass and get the same performance, or performance close enough.

If I were building a single shot, there is no reason I would go with a short round myself, as I would use the 6.5x55/AI, or possibly a 6.5/284

If building a hunting rifle with 23" or less, I would go short action and do a 260/ai, or a 6.5x47 Lapua.

Any of the rounds would give ample velocity for deer to 400 or so, if not more with shot placement, and a good 300 yds with say a 130 accubond or 129gr. 140's would also work but waste some powder capacity limited in short actions.

I just cannot see myself using a WSM.....a gunsmith who is building them rode on the plane with me to the SHOT show, asked about barrel life-he said 500 rounds........about a dollar a shot! I guess a second barrel would bring it down to .50 a shot.....that is just barrel wear costs.....

Cheaper to buy a factory 264 win mag.......if you can live with the blast/recoil.

Sorry, I meant to add.....300 yds for ELK.

6.5x55AI on my win70 action, with 26" 4 groove PacNor 1:8 twist.

MV 2950 accuracy load w/rl22
140gr A-max
lapua brass

have done 3000fps with no loss of case life,..but accuracy with the 140gr class of 6.5's usually hits at around 2925fps-2950fps,..and my tube was no exception.

HOWEVER,..anyone who said that even a short action will eject a loaded round with a 140gr pill seated near the lands,..is wrong. I have to take my bolt out and drop the round that way. FWIW I don't mind though,..it's set up as a single shot anyway. Try for a rem LA, but don't pass a deal on a SA for cheap either.

wicked accurate round BTW, these are cold bore shots checking the balistics table.........

quote:

Originally posted by GSSP:
Here's a question.

What velocities would I get with a 6.5x55AI/140 gr and would it work, as a repeater, in the short 700 action?

I'm trying to compare apples to apples.

Not answering the question directly, as I have not tried that combo..

however, I can tell you that I had the chance one time with a 260AI case and a 6.5 x 55 brass ( Winchester manufacture) to compare capacity...

I used H 380 powder and both of them held exactly the same charge of powder before overflowing...

JustC those 2 shots at 408 yards are awesome. nice to see your using a decent scope! do you use it for benchrest maybe some F class or just LR hunting?

Paul,..it is sitting in an HS Precision LR stock,..and as funny as it may sound, I am almost afraid to set it in a BR stock so I can use it for 600-1000yds in IBS Light Gun. I will bite the bullet soon and place it in a BR stock. I have just been afraid it wouldn't shoot as well in the new stock.

It has taken some LR game quite effectively though