If my barrel is sour on my 6mm Remington I will probably rebarrel it. I was thinking that the easiest rebarrel would be another cartridge based on the x57 mauser case. Does anyone shoot the 6.5 Roberts with a 40 degree shoulder? I figured I could neck up and fire form my existing 6mm cases, would that work? Would I be losing any advantage by moving up to 6.5?

The 260 Remington is essentially on the X57 case, just a tad shorter. Considering what custom reamers and dies run, I'd take the slightly smaller case capacity of the .260 rem.

I don't think you'll loose anything going to the 6.5mm, but you should be gaining quite a bit. With 85 gr bullets they are potent flat shooting varmint rounds, and with 120's and 140's, solid performing big game rounds.

Use an established factory cartridge like the 6,5 x 57 (much better than its reputation, actually).

Carcano (himself in favour of 6,5x52 )

Carcano,

Is that a cryptic referance to the 260 - in which case (ha ha) shouldn't it be 6.5x51? I can't believe you're advocating the 6.5x52R (ie 25-35WCF)

Most "improved" cartridges don't offer much real velocity advantage over the parent, but the Improved .257 Roberts, because of the significant taper of the parent case, has always been appreciably faster than the standard configuration. I would think that the same would be true of an improved 6.5x57. Velocities would very closely approach the 6.5-'06.

Caveat: If your rifle is built on a short action, then bullets heavier than 120 grains would require seating deeply enough to negate much of the case capacity advantage.

6,5 carcano is a old Italian military cartridge, not 260rem or 6,5*52r=25-35w

Kimmo

260 REM is just a 308 WIN neck down to 6.5 that a good caartridge water capcity is in the same range as the 6.5x55 but work at highter pressure

6.5/57 is another good one BUT the CIP chambering have a bery deep throat not good for accuracy and component are more costly 6.5/57 is make only by german case maker ( except the poor S&B ).

6.5x55 with a tight throat chamber can do a great chambering in 6.5

good shooting

DAN TEC

You have a prime candidate there for a 6.5-284 - won't cost you any more than any other short action standard rimmed round.

6,5*57 was used with 160gr bullets before but is now only loaded with 123gr or les so you can go for a shorter throat. I cant se any disadvantage with a long throat unless you are only using it for varmint.

We all need to get P.O. Ackley's Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders.
In it is described the .260 AAR (All Around Rifle) which was made 50 years ago. This is the 6.5/257 Roberts Improved.
Also described is the .263 Express which is the .308 Winchester necked to 6.5. This was done in the 1950's This is Identical to the current .260 Rem.

So folks, there is very little new under the sun. Both calibers are excellent choices with balanced ballistics and good killing power. Both have moderate recoil and get adequate ballistics from barrels as short as 22".

Hope this helps...
Great Shooting,
The Bearman out in Montana Territory...

I've had a 6.5 Roberts around for 20 years or more. Like it fine or it would not have stayed around. To be fair, it just splits the difference between the .257 Roberts and the 7x57. I like them fine, too. I am told that it is so close to the 6.5x57 that the cartridges will interchange in many rifles. Never checked mine to see since I am too cheap to buy overpriced European ammo even if it will work.

I got to mine by an odd route. Picked up a rechambered Arisaka for $35 with the dies thrown in. When it became apparent that the original barrel was not worth a damn, I decided to have it rebarreled for a deer rifle for my wife. Had the dies and needed a low recoil deer killer cartridge. This was back before the .260 and the 7-08 so I just had a decent barrel put on in 6.5 Roberts and restocked it.

Worked out so well that when I got rid of the wife I kept the rifle. Never regretted either.

[ 02-12-2003, 10:15: Message edited by: Leftoverdj ]

6.5x57 would be very easy to feed, just use 7x57 or .257 Roberts brass. If you want a varmit to medium game round, get a .257 Roberts, they shoot really well with the varmit weight bullets.