pros? cons?

right now, i am leaning toward the AI, just because......

I have a 6.5-06 not the AI. Both are good rounds. What ever turns you on.

I am working with a 6.5-06AI right now. I have worked a ladder with 4831sc and gotten .550" at 200yds for 4 shots with a 140gr a-max and an 8 twist pacnor. As far as velocity increases, if you don't wish to use heavy bullets you'll not see much benefit. If you use slower powders than parent data, and heavy pills, you'll pick up a bit of benefit. I have 3 AI's and like them all, but the 6.5x55AI needs to be considered as it is shorter and will give pert near the same case cap. I just finished one of those as well and will be working it up.

JustC -

i am not too concerned about getting a hot, fast load; what i am more concerned with is the best balance of accuracy and velocity. in my experience, a hit is a hit and a miss is a miss, even if it got there sooner. i do intend to use 140 grain and, on occasion, 160 grain bullets in this rifle for hunting whieitail and mule deer, antelope and maybe an occasional elk. varminting, plinking and target shooting are also concerns, but not nearly as much as hunting.

from what little i have read, it seems that a 7, 8 and 9 twists are most recommended. considering my bullet weights that i want to use, am i to assume that you would suggest an 8 twist? (24-inch barrel)

If you are even thinking of shooting the 160gr, get the 1-8. I have one on my .260ai & it shoots well w/ bullets from 85gr to the long 142grSMK. COncider a 6.5x.284 in a std. action. You can seat the bullets out where they belong & get sim. perf. to the 6.5-06ai.

I don't like the fireforming operation. One pass through the dies with 25/06 brass and off I go. Little gain for more work, powder, bullets and barrel wear.

Nope the standard works fine for me, of course your mileage may vary.

Good luck.

quote:

i am not too concerned about getting a hot, fast load; what i am more concerned with is the best balance of accuracy and velocity. in my experience,

If you don't have the need for speed than just go with the simple 6.5/06. Its still fast and the 6.5mm bullets have proven to be a work horses for penetration.

If you enjoy time on the bench working on your loads than there is rewards with the AI. I'm just working on the 6.5/06 AI now and I'm finding it an enjoyable learning expierence.

I don't know if you really need to go with the 160gr for bush hunting. I'm getting good accuracy with 140 Hornady sp moving at 2650fps just firforming and its still punching through steel. The problem with going from heavy to light bullets in this calibre is they perform best with different barrel twists (8, 8 1/2, 9). You lose that balance you seek.

You will love this calibre in any choice.

Both my 6.5 bores are 8 twist cause that allows me to stabilize anything I want to.

You can get a very accurate harmonic usually at around 2900-2950fps and another one higher, but everyone seems to like the 2900-2950 load for even target work the best.

Gentlemen,

I'm glad I found this post. I am working on a new Bullberry 6.5-06Imp on an Encore frame. I'm just fireforming cases at the moment and seem to be getting 3" groups with a 120 gr. I'm going to try 140 gr Rem Coreloct with 55gr of H4831 in the fireformed cases and seat them out some more for starters. Seating out as far as possible seems to work well on my 6.5x55.

Any hints are appreciated.

lowrider, what is your twist rate? I got 1/2"roups fireforming my brass in a 26" 1:8 tuve with 140gr sst's and a-max pills. Mine is a PacNor select tube #5.

Try the 140gr a-max or the 142gr SNK with 4831sc or RL25 or even a full case of H1000 even slightly compressed. My accuracy has been in the past with 4831sc and 140gr a-max, sub .5" AT 200yds.

I like the range time and field position practice, so mine is the AI version. It shoots a little less than MOA with fireform loads and less than half that regularly with fully frormed brass.

lowrider, with the 120s, try any of the 4350 powders. Mine liked the faster powder with the 120s and the 4831 with the 140s. Just a suggestion.

I have built several of the "imp" versions and many of the standard. The only thing I have found was lack of flexibility of loading in some of the improved ones that shot many loads good before the conversion. This seemed to be an individual barrel/owner thing and might have just been the shooter too. Another thing was I noticed that in several of the improved got higher pressures than I would like and slightly lower velocities. To me my old 6.5/06 standard is just fine. This is just my .02 worth.

Aloha, Mark

Justc,

Twist is 1:10, 24" Shilen.

I tried the CoreLoct 140s in fireformed hulls and it came down to about an 1" at 100 yds or a little over. I'll try your A-Max and some short cut next and see how that works. It may just neeed a little tweekin!

Hey Thanks for the info!!!!

Guys:

My standard 6.5-06 likes IMR4831 and a 120 grain Sierra soft point. Vels are 3175-3200, and really put the hurt on antelope, very nice .6 to .7 groups also.

Jerry

Lowrider,..I just notied we are in the same spot. I'm near Salisbury, where you at?

Jerry, that's got to be a whack-em load at that speed with that pill. I bet that is like lightning strikes.

Just C:

That load real "smoked" the antelope I shot with it. Whacked a couple of coyotes with it as well.

I think the Sierra 120 would stay together better at a little longer range than I shot my antelope, 125 yards, but it still worker perfectly.

Jerry

sweet!! I have though of slinging some of them on crop damage permits. So far all I have loaded were the 140gr SST and A-max.

JustC,
20 miles East of the Bay Bridge near Centreville. I hunt a friends farm in Dorchester once in awhile...some nice deer there!!