6.5mm Wildcat options??

05 April 2003, 03:32

HunterJim

Englander,

I shoot a 6.5-'06, and I am happy with it. You could call it my deer stalking rifle.

The barrel twist is 9", so it won't shoot the heaviest 6.5 mm bullets accurately. I have used it with 160 grain round nose bullets with good accuracy, but it was not happy with 165 grain semi-spitzers. I usually shoot bullets in the 120 grain to 140 grain range.

The barrel is a Shilen, and select loads will shoot quarter minute for three shots.

jim dodd

05 April 2003, 03:43

JustC

I have a 6.506AI that is a shooter.

05 April 2003, 04:49

Canuck

I love my 6.5 Gibbs. I am not sure that the extra effort for case forming is worth the extra 50 fps over the 6.5/06AI for most people, but I like it.

Cheers,
Canuck

05 April 2003, 05:54

dan belisle

Another vote for the 6.5-06. - Dan

05 April 2003, 06:10

Paul H

What is the criteria for the rifle? If you're looking for a fetherweight stalking rifle, a mini-mauser in 6.5 PPC or 6.5 BR will push a 120 gr @ 2700 fps, in a rifle that could be reasonable assembled to a finished weight of ~2.5 kilos.

05 April 2003, 06:27

HondoJohn6508

Englander,
I currently have the following in 6.5 caliber--
6.5/06,260 Rem,6.5/08 Ackley,6.5x55 Swede,and in the process of building a 6.5x55 BJ Ackley.

To my way of thinking the 6.5x55 BJ Ackley is going to be the best of the bunch. Accuracy and an efficient cartridge is what I am looking for. I believe the Swede meets my goals..

Ol' John

05 April 2003, 06:34

carcano91

quote:
Originally posted by Englander:
What are your thoughts ??

Too many factory cartridges of every persuasion, size, length, power. I suggest wildcatting something else.

Carcano (6,5x52)

05 April 2003, 11:05

larrys

I have a 6.5-06AI and a 6.5-284 which I still consider a wildcat since there is no real factory loaded ammo for it and I love them both. They are incredibly accurate. The 6.5-284 is a light rifle with a 20" #1 contour barrel and has no recoil to speak of, much less than my 308.

05 April 2003, 11:37

Nitroman

6.5x300 Win Mag

05 April 2003, 11:50

<JOHAN>

hmm

Norma loads factory ammo for the 6,5-284. NORMA,LAPUA and Hornady makes brass. There is also a 6,5X65 from RWS.

I think its very little need for a wildcat in 6,5 since there are such an variation already.

I would choose a 24 inch long barrel for my rifle if it was a 6,5.

/ JOHAN

05 April 2003, 13:23

Blaine E

6.5 WSM

05 April 2003, 14:54

HockeyPuck

If you're looking for a 6.5 boomer, try the .264 Thor. There's an article on www.kailuacustom.com.
Regards,
HockeyPuck

06 April 2003, 01:09

Englander

Gentleman.......

Thank you for your replies, I was some what brief to start with as not to gain your opinions.

My own train of thought is that such a rifle would be purly a Stalking Deer rifle, accuracy is all important, mild recoil is sort and due to the extremely high B.C of 6.5mm bullets and the legendry penatration i see no need for exceeding 2500 f.p.s be it 120 gn or 140 gn. I require "MAX" effective range of 250 yards.

Im looking at .260 AI although 6.5 PPC and 6.5 benchrest i will have to look into.......I would prefer a short action.

Views........??

Englander

06 April 2003, 05:48

<eldeguello>

I have a 6mm/.284, and would build mine as a 6.5/.284. All wildcats on the .284 Win. case seem to be extremely accurate!! If I wanted higher velocity, I'd build a 6.5 Gibbs - in a 26" tube, it will come close to equalling the .264 Winchester. 3120 FPS with a 140 grain bullet.

[ 04-05-2003, 19:50: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

06 April 2003, 08:56

InfoSponge

quote:
Originally posted by Englander:
i see no need for exceeding 2500 f.p.s be it 120 gn or 140 gn. I require "MAX" effective range of 250 yards.

If that's all you want, then a 6.5 TCU in a 24" barrel should do.

06 April 2003, 09:45

Heritage Arms

We have experimented with a 6,5 x 39mm in an encore with good results. We shelved the project until we could get a good supply of .220 Russian cases. In reality it is a 6,5 PPC. I have a 6,5 06 in production along with a 6,5 x 65 R D99 arriving soon. The 6,5 TCU may be the best way to go, or the 6X47mm that I have used it a bit in Africa for culling rooibok.

Aleko

06 April 2003, 10:02

InfoSponge

quote:
Originally posted by Heritage Arms:
The 6,5 TCU may be the best way to go

Kinda depends on whether you want c. 2500fps with a 120gr or with a 140gr. The TCU should come close with a 120 out of a 24" barrel, but the PPC would be better for the 140.

06 April 2003, 22:10

Heritage Arms

For a single shot a 6.5x51R ( 6,5 x 30 30) wouls be good or a 6,5 JDJ. Ireally doubt you can find .225 Win in Europe.

Aleko

07 April 2003, 02:16

dantec

6.5/06 is vey easy and efficient wilcat , performance for long range shooting are impressive just keep tight base chamber original 06 chambes are very broad

another nice wilcat is the 6.5/257 that a mild recoil cartridge able to use very good 6.5 mm bullet with better BC asfound in 257 cal .

in smal water capacity
6.5 BR is impressive in accuracy/performance
and 6.5/30.30 can give very good accuracy in short barrel or single shot ( equl the old 6.5 jap )

good shooting

DAN TEC

07 April 2003, 04:45

<eldeguello>

The 6.5X.257 (Roberts) is not really a wildcat at all. It is essentially the 6.5X57mm Mauser cartridge, although some of the reamers used to convert the 6.5mm Arisaka to the 6.5 X .257 might have had somewhat different shoulder angles, or differ slightly in other dimensions as well. As with almost all German 57mm case length cartridges, all based on the 8X57mm Mauser case, there is also a rimmed version, the 6.5X57R, for combination/double or single-shot rifles. [Big Grin]

08 April 2003, 09:08

dantec

6.5/257 have perhaps a case shape close to the 6.5x57 but
cost of case in 6.5x57 is very very costly even if RWS quality is good ( S&B is poor ) , REm or Win caseare farcheaper in 6.5/257 .
CIP chambering use in 6.5x57 have a verydeep throat , far deper than a weatherby throat and accuracy is generaly just fair.6.5/257 have aUS design throat far betee for accuracy ( I dont speak about military rechambering )

design a wilcat or use a wilcat is not just a case shape problem , that too :
Real chamber dims ( base , neck throat dims )
case availbility some good wilcat are worth because case are far too costly as the good 6x50 ( made on 5.6x50 RWS )...
even under the same name as for example the 6.5/06 you can find
two base dimeter chamber ( the regular 06 military ) and the tight base use on match or imp from Mashburn and other wilcat .
several neck from the vry thick 0.300 ( 30.06 case without neck turning )to the 0.296 ( 270 WIN or 25.06 case ) and up to the 0.290 ( neck turning chamber )
and several throat dependwhat bullet you plan to shoot from the small falt base in 85 gr or 100 gr up to the long round nose bullet as the 155 gr

I use for long range a 6.5/06 tight base , neck 0.292 throat 0.125 1ï¿½5 that works for me but perhaps no for another shooter / hunter

good shooting

DAN TEC

08 April 2003, 01:10

Bakes

Englander
Unless you have your heart set on a wildcat, why go to the trouble of forming brass and special dies, if you want a rifle that shoots a 140gr pill at 2500fps? Go with the 6.5x55 and be done with it. I've used this calibre on foxes,pigs,donkeys and a waterbuff cow to good effect. Just my thoughts.

Bakes

08 April 2003, 02:06

Deerdogs

Englander

I am sure you have thought of this but a 120 grain bullet at 2500 fps produces less than 1700 foot lbs of ME with obvious implications under UK law.

I am sure it would be a sweet load to shoot though.

Regards

08 April 2003, 04:25

30 Caliber Mag Fan

I'll second Blaine's motion for the 6.5 WSM.

Best regards,

19 April 2003, 02:07

Biathlonman

I'm in the process right now of assembling pieces to get a new contender barrel in 6.5 JDJ made. I consider it my poor mans Stalking rifle, and it should easily hit 2600 fps with 120s.

But like they said .225 Winchester brass might be hard to get ahold of.

I spent a couple of great days in Scotland last year and met some of the nicest folks on Earth. If you need help from over here, just give me a shout.

[ 04-18-2003, 17:11: Message edited by: Biathlonman ]

19 April 2003, 05:32

Art S.

I had one 6.5 wildcat, and now it's a factory round (the 6.5x284). In my mind, it's the best 5.5 in the world.

All joking aside, the advise to go factory should be strongly considered. You now have 6.5x54, 6.5x55, 6.5x284,.260, and .264 WM, along with a bunch of proprietary cartridges. I know the same thing is true of other calibers, but in the 6.5 instance, many of the factory rounds also produce a lot of the secondary benefits (short fat, sharp shoulder, short action etc. There is absolutely no need to build a 6.5 wildcat. If you want a wildcat, go to a more esoteric caliber.

This is from a guy who has a safe half full of wildcat rifles.