SS,

Well, here is what I am going to be building for myself here pretty soon for a light weight long range handgun.

I will be using one of my XP-100 actions, fully blue-printed of course.

To that I will add a light weight Lilja Stainless 16", 3 groove 1-8" 6.5mm barrel. The muzzle diameter of this barrel will be .500", quite light weight but at only 16", should be plenty stiff for great accuracy.

The handgun will ride in a McMillan center grip stock which are also very lightweight, yet extremely strong once bedded in.

The round I am selecting is very similiar to your 6.5-284 round with just a little more sting, on both ends. I am going to use the 6.5 WSM to go along with my 338 WSM.

I am projecting that I can get at leat 3000 fps with the 140 class bullets and will use the 140 gr A-Max for deer.

As for optics, its hard to beat the compact size and low weight of the Leupold M-8 4x but I find them to be hard to use on the XP in field conditions, at least with a center grip stock.

For that reason, I will probably go with either a Burris 2-7 or 3-12. These are much heavier scopes but they are simply the best I have found for the center grip XP's eye relief length.

RIngs will be Burris Signature with a Burris base as well.

I really do not care to reduce weight in the optics set up at teh risk of loose strength and performance. I would rather trim weight in the barrel and stock.

Just my opinion.

Good Shooting!!!

50

50,
Do you think you will get that much more velocity out of the WSM in a 16 inch barrel over what you would get out of a 16 inch 6.5-284?
When do you intend to start this project?
I'm shooting for 2800 fps from my 17 inchers with 140 class bullets.
If you make it to 3,000 fps you will have one nice LR rig. Of course, even if you don't make it that fast it will be a nice LR rig.

50 described almost exactly what I was talking about on the SP forum when considering taking off my 284 Win. barrel. Except I would use my old center-grip H-S stock and it would be a Krieger barrel. Depending on my 17 inch 6.5-284 MOA barrel performance, you may just want to borrow it for the goat hunt. I just don't think I need three 6.5-284's (heavy barreled XP, MOA standard contour, and a potential 3rd lightweight XP-100)
I can't wait to see what MV's I get with both of my 6.5-284's once load development is done. Got the MOA back today from Rich.

XPhunter,

I apologize, I ment to list the barrel length at 17", professional typist I am not.

This is the velocity I am hoping for but if I only get 2900 fps I will be very happy.

From what I have seen with the Lilja 3 groove barrels I have and those I have fitted for my customers, they seem to give 50-75 fps more velocity with same similiar chamber pressures because of the lower bullet distortion from the rifling.

I built myself a 6.5-06 Ack Imp rifle with a 25" 3 groove on it and with 58.0 gr of Rl-22, it is giving 3170 fps with the 140 gr A-Max. THe WSM capacity is roughly 8 grains more then this so I am hoping the larger case capacity will cancel out the shorter barrel.

I know full well that in a round like this the more inches you loose in barrel, your velocity starts to drop by a higher rate per inch but we will see.

The main reason I am going with the 6.5 WSM is that I want this reamer for the shop an dI already have two rifle customers wanting 1000 yard bench rifles chambered in this round in fsat twist barrels to shoot the great 155 gr Sierra Mk.

I am not sure when I will start it. Perhaps in the next month or so. Right now I am building myself a 2000 yard rifle what should be finished here in 6 to 8 weeks once all the componants show up.

I am building it on a 34" stainless, fluted(.312" flute) .338", 1-10" twist Lilja.

I am using a McMillan Tooley MBR 1000 yard stock that I will fit with a 10" barrel block bedding system. The Rem 700 action will then be free floated along with the forward portion of barrel. I modified the 700 action to single shot only with a solid bottom adapter.

The round I am going to use if the 338 Kahn(338-378 Wby w/ 35 degree conventional shoulder). After discussing the rifle with Dan Lilja who shoots the standard 338-378 alot ou tof long barrels, we figure this rifle should drive the 300 gr Sierra Mk to a solid 3200 fps.

The optics will be a Nighforce 8-32 NXS in Badger Ordanance 6 screw rings and a 40 moa nightforce base.

I will be installing either a Jewel 2 oz trigger or I may try one of the new Rifle Basix 2 oz triggers jsut to see how it does.

Once I get that project nearly finished(paid for I mean!!!) I will get going on the 6.5 WSM XP-100. I will have it up and running by big game season.

Good Shooting!!!

50

I think from what you have described that you will make your goal or at least very close to it.
I'm really looking forward to see what a 6.5WSM will do in a specialty handgun!