I think you guys are right. You have all hit on the perfect 6.5 case! It is down to 284 or 06 case. I have too many 260s already although in my opinion it is the best, easiest, most cost effective solution. You really have to be shooting a loooong way to start noticing much diffrence in any of these cases. thanks for the input.

Base on the question, I'm surprise no one posted about the 6.5 Super LR. Has the benefits of a long neck for hand loading.

I don't think there is a bad 6.5.

quote:

Originally posted by Clem:
I don't think there is a bad 6.5.

Good answer.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:
.....

However, since you state "smaller than Elk" I see no need for anything other than a .260 or 6.5x55.

.....

Yep - Reading all this thread I came to exactly the same conclusion!

So...The 260 or 6.5x55? Flip a coin.
It's 6.0 of one or 0.5 dozen of the other

.256 Newton - Jamison has new brass or form from .25-06, you will be more than satisfied.

My choices are:

Long action:
1) 6.5x55
2) 6.5-06
3) 264 WM

Short action:

1) 260 Rem
2) 6.5-284

Dr. Lou, I have all of those...does that mean I win!!???? They are all fine cartridges. I would put the 6.5-284 on a long action if you were going to use the heavy or match bullets.

Larry, I fully agree. I usually only shoot 120 grainers in all my 6.5s, except the 264 WM, then I use 140s.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
Mine too Lee.
I didn't mention it because I was sure no one here had one or even knew what action was required for it.

That guess would be incorrect. I have two of them right now and have had at least 10 others. My current two are a '95 Hembrug carbine, and a custom Ruger No. 1 built by Paul Marquart using a 28" Hart light sporter barrel. (Paul didn't make barrels with bores smaller than .277" groove diameter during the last 15 years he lived.)

Most of my previous ones were various Brit "6.5 Mannlichers" by Gibbs, Hollands, and others.

Much as I love the 6.5x53R though, if I wanted an ideal 6.5, I'd still go with the old American .256 Newton which was a catalogued number for more than two decades with Western and (later) Winchester labels.

My second Centerefire rifle was a pre 64 Winchester Mod 70 Westerner in 264 Win Mag.

So baised on that I would pick one from these 3 choices;

For a short action rifle the 260 Remington.

The 6.5x55 is a hard choice to beat, everything considered.

If I wanted maximum velocity the 264 Win Mag.

All 3 of these choices feature cases that are easy to get...

quote:

Originally posted by Strawboss:
.256 Newton - Jamison has new brass or form from .25-06, you will be more than satisfied.

+ 1 for efficiency, followed by the 6.5-06 AI for near 264 Win Mag performance in an 06 sized case.

Barstooler

6.5X55
-has proper shape for feeding and extraction
-outpaces the 260 and Creedmore
-has killed everything since 1894
-Tikka makes rifles for it .... that's all you need to know

Someone in the 1930s thought enough of it to have R.F. Sedgley take a 1903 Springfield National Match action and build this rather nice 27" bbled. 6.5x55 (probably one of one). Since it has a 3.34" magazine and is throated for 160 gr RN bullets, it is amazing with Berger 140 gr Match Hybrid Target bullets. Lotsa room for powder.
(it's the top one, the lower is a 22-06, but that's another story.)

quote:

Originally posted by 45-70 shooter:
6.5X55
-has proper shape for feeding and extraction
-outpaces the 260 and Creedmore
-has killed everything since 1894
-Tikka makes rifles for it .... that's all you need to know

Someone in the 1930s thought enough of it to have R.F. Sedgley take a 1903 Springfield National Match action and build this rather nice 27" bbled. 6.5x55 (probably one of one). Since it has a 3.34" magazine and is throated for 160 gr RN bullets, it is amazing with Berger 140 gr Match Hybrid Target bullets. Lotsa room for powder.
(it's the top one, the lower is a 22-06, but that's another story.)

There should be laws against provoking envy like you've done.

Those are, frankly, beautiful and you may feel free to give them to me. I will try not to drool over them - beautiful (but I repeat myself).

I realize their are other, very good, 6.5 cases out their.

For me, for now, the 6.5x47 is my cup of tea. I can compete in Tactical/Sniper matches, hunt, and simply practice my LR shooting form.

I recently posted a response over on another site. Here is my answer.


I own two.

Pro

1. small primer pocket allows more brass around the primer and thus allows more pressure which means more velocity.

2. Case is short enough to fit short action.

3. Case is short enough to never worry about bullet intrusion into powder space. (I'm amending this. I'm currently working with the Barnes 127 gr LRX; a very long bullet. Getting the bullet the initial .030" to .050" off the lands, I'm compressing Varget a little bit with the upper charges. The accuracy, so far is sub 3/4 MOA running around 2800-2850 fps from a 24" Broughton. This with my lower charges of 36.2 to 37 gr. G2G for me!)

4. Good shoulder and body angle to greatly or totally reduce neck growth thus reducing or eliminating the necessity to trim necks. I finally trimmed a few necks after about 10 firings.

5. 6.5mm with numerous hunting and target grade bullets

6. 6.5mm with numerous bullets with high BC's.

7. Lapua brass

8. .308 case head so many many reloading items available for .308 case head dimensions.

9. .308 case head so many many short actions with .308" diameter bolt faces; great for custom builds.

10. Smallish case capacity means it's not a powder hog.

11. Many after market items available for .308 case. Example; Accuracy International mags in both 5 and 10 rd configurations.

12. Numerous bottom metals built around the AI mag.

13. Mild recoil, even with heavy for caliber bullets.

14. Mild recoil means you can sometimes see hit/misses if far enough out from muzzle.

15. Numerous proven bullets that greatly succeed in both the hunting and target arenas.

Cons

1. Smallish case capacity means it won't stand shoulder to shoulder with the big cases but IMHO will do so with the 6.5CM and 260 Rem. My 24.5" Pierce/Broughton can push 140's up over 2900 fps with ease.

2. Some say the small primer will not fully ignite the powder is super cold temps; say 0 deg and below. I've only tested mine to about 10 deg with zero ill effects.

3. It's not a 30+ cal.

4. Some actions need the firing pin hole bushed otherwise primer cratering extrusion can be excessive. My Surgeon action is nearly so. My Pierce action does not suffer that problem.

5. Expensive brass

6. Only source of brass is Lapua which can mean occasional shortages.

7. Occasional shortages of popular bullets such as the 140 Berger VLD.

I hope I've given a fair representation.

Alan

Gee, no mention of the 6.5 Grendel. I feel the sleeper in the lot is the 6.5 Arisaka. Loaded modern it will kick on the heels of the 6.5 Swede. If you build the 260 Rem on a long action you can load the heavier bullet out of the powder area and it becomes a much better performer.

6.5 x 65RWS

I'm fond of the 6.5x55.

I have a build in progress for a self designed 6.5 GM (for GrendelMax) It is simply the 6.5 Grendel with the shoulder moved forward by .05 and with the 123gn A Max seated to an OAL of 2.4
I have a Mini Mauser with a lengthened magazine and am awaiting the barrel. The Manson reamer is held up with thier backlog but should be here in 6-8 weeks. Using CFE223 expect to get a reasonable increase on the AR Grendel performance and can still use the standard Grendel dies. I hydroformed my sample case and will do my sizing with a .05 spacer fixed onto the top of my shell holder so I still have cam over on the ram. Will seat with theWilson seater that also has a .05 spacer under the die. Not the biggest baddest 6.5 but one that will be just the ticket in a light hill rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Von Gruff:
I have a build in progress for a self designed 6.5 GM (for GrendelMax) It is simply the 6.5 Grendel with the shoulder moved forward by .05 and with the 123gn A Max seated to an OAL of 2.4
I have a Mini Mauser with a lengthened magazine and am awaiting the barrel. The Manson reamer is held up with thier backlog but should be here in 6-8 weeks. Using CFE223 expect to get a reasonable increase on the AR Grendel performance and can still use the standard Grendel dies. I hydroformed my sample case and will do my sizing with a .05 spacer fixed onto the top of my shell holder so I still have cam over on the ram. Will seat with theWilson seater that also has a .05 spacer under the die. Not the biggest baddest 6.5 but one that will be just the ticket in a light hill rifle.

Von Gruff...that is an interesting concept. Funny, when the 6.5 Grendel blueprint was submitted to Lapua the engineer there pushed the case shoulder further forward then what was on that print. Now you have pushed it even further forward.

If your cartridge has more steam then the original Grendel, which I'm sure it does, it would be unsafe to chamber in an AR 15. That's by no means an insult on your cartridge. I hope you really enjoy it.

My 6.5 are 264WM My personal choice, 260 rem great for a pistol, or young shooter and what I have felt to be the best for a young shooter starting out on deer; 6.5 grendel, and my personal plinker favorite 6.5 TCU which by the way is very good at bringing down deer. The 6.5-06 is a near ballistic match to the 264wm. I have not been privy to the euro 6.5s but understand they are great. The 264 has now been "stolen" from me by my son who sets beside me on the deer stand as it has become his favorite and i have been moved down the line

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinJ:


Von Gruff...that is an interesting concept. Funny, when the 6.5 Grendel blueprint was submitted to Lapua the engineer there pushed the case shoulder further forward then what was on that print. Now you have pushed it even further forward.

If your cartridge has more steam then the original Grendel, which I'm sure it does, it would be unsafe to chamber in an AR 15. That's by no means an insult on your cartridge. I hope you really enjoy it.

Bolt rifle cartridge and a handloaders prospect only.

My 6.5 GM on the left, 6.5 Grendel centre and a 6.5x39 on the right. A friend has the x39 variety as the Grendel reamers wern't available when he built his rifle many years ago and It was what made me start thinking. He is going to rechamber to the 6.5 GM. Both the 6.5 GM and the Grendel have 123gn A Max loaded but the GM has the bullet loaded so the boattail - shank junction is at the shoulder - neck junction for the most case capacity with suficient neck length for bullet allignment integrity.

Von Gruff...I wanted to make a 8mm Kurtz for the AR 15 but the rim is too large for the bolt. So I'm working on a 8mm Grendel. I have a gun writer that is a friend of mine that said he would wring it out and write an article about it. He's very interested in it.

quote:

Originally posted by Quintus:
What is, or would be the ideal case for a 6.5mm hunting round? The WSM case or the 06, maybe the 260 Rem? I am trying to decide on a case to make the ultimate - smaller than elk, mountain rifle. I am thinking the 6.5-06 might be as good as it gets, maybe improved. Thoughts?

In a short action, my vote would be the 6.5 Creedmore, in a long action, the 6.5-06.

John