I am considering participating in the OTT group barrel purchase and the cartridges I am presently looking at are the .257x50R Bellm, the 6.5x50R Bellm, or the 6.5x225 Win (6.5 JDJ). The barrel would be 14 or 15 inches in length. It's primary purpose would be for deer hunting, but would also be used for paper and varmints, at ranges potentially out to 300 yards. Which of the three cartridges would you recommend and why? < !--color-->



Also, If anyone as a couple sample casings of each they would be willing to part with, I would be apprectiative. Please email me. I could spot you a couple of $$ for your troubles and postage. The casings would be used for comparison purposes and potentially to serve as a model for chambering.



Thanks & Happy Holidays!!



Dave

Davit-I'd be glad to send you a 6.5x50R Bellm case and a 6.5mm JDJ (6.5 x .225 Win IMP, not the 6.5 x .225). E-mail your address, and I'll get them on the way.

Of the 3 cartridges listed, I'd go with the 6.5mm JDJ. First, brass is not a problem. Secondly, the extremely short neck on the Bellm case is a hindrance, especially when you run into a lot of brass with thinner than normal necks. A number of us have already run into this situation.

The Bellm beats the JDJ by 75 to perhaps 100 fps, but that is negligible in the field. And, after all, 2400 fps with a 120 grain, 6.5mm BT is all one ever needs to harvest any medium game inside of 250 yards. After having both the Bellm and JDJ along with a host of other specialty cartridges, I recommend the 6.5x225 IMP (6.5mm JDJ) as the do-it-all medium game pistol round.

Bobby,
Excellent answer. I really like it when someone can share both the strengths and the weaknesses of two different cartridges without it becoming personal. Now, let me ask this question, as you know I have considered the 6.5x50R Bellm myself. What brass (more than one?) have you used?
I have heard that one of them (I don't remember which brand) is hands down better, doesn't have a thin neck like the other brands, but is expensive. Do you know off-hand?
I know I have read it probably a number of places but haven't locked into my brain. Thanks!
Ernie

xphunter:
The Brass that is considered better is RWS. Then there is Hirtenberger which has thin necks. The 6mm TCU sizing die doesn't size the neck enough to give good neck tension on the bullet. There is also Sellier & Bellot Brass if you can get ahold of some. I have all three brands and use all three. The way I overcame the thin necks of the Hirtenberger Brass was to have my sizing die converted to a bushing die. Then by just changing the size of the bushing I can use the thinner neck brass without any problem.

Outback

Ernie - Another option is to have Schroeder custom make the 5.6x50R brass. I don't know what parent case that he uses but with as much custom work that he does, I'm sure that brass thickness is something that he could take into consideration as well. Check with MSSMagnum for Shroeder's number...or I can get you that information as well when I'm at my computer at home. I'm sure that it is available somewhere on the specialtypistols website, but I don't remember that offhand either. The great thing about computers, however, is that it makes searching easy when one is motivated to do so.