Hello,
I am finishing up a 6.5-06 built on a Remington LA receiver. I completely trued the bolt and the action, the Badger recoil lug has been surface ground, the barrel was carefully threaded and chambered. The barrel is a Douglas that is 1.250" at the breech end for 4" and then tapers down to 1.040" at the muzzle end. I have test fired it and the chamber shows .0005" runout. I hope and feel that it will be a shooter. The barrel is still at 29.5" inches and I am getting ready to cut and crown it. The bore "feels consistently tight" from 26" on down to the muzzle end. Should I cut it at 26" or 28"? I am going to put it in a McMillan A3 stock and use it for a long range play thing(out to 500-600 yards). The twist rate is 1-9". Can anyone suggest a good accuracy load? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Take care,
Len

29.5" isn't all bad. I used a 6.5 X .284 with a 29.5" barrel on mule deer for a couple of years and was well pleased. I didn't carry it in a saddle scabard or use it in in thickets. For walking around or field edge hunting in Colorado it was fine. If you later don't like it then cut it back. roger

Roger,
Thanks for the reply. I borescoped the muzzle and at least 1.000" will need to come off. I am leaning towards 28"-28.5" myself.
Take care,
Len

That's a long heavy barrel. How much bedding support ahead of the lug are you planning on? 28" should be good!

H4831 SC has been very good for me. I'm not sure if the 1:9 will stabilize the 142gr. Sierra MK's--I have a slightly faster twist 1:8.5--The 123gr Lapua Scenar's should be good too.

I have a 6.5 x 57, which I decided to go to instead of a 6.5 /06. Mine is on a Winchester Model 70 action with a Pac Nor heavy sporter barrel, with a 1 in 8 twist. I chose the length at 28 inches.

Because the 6.5 mm bullets are so aerodynamic, I have learned that they do not need to be launched at Warp 9 to have a long range flat trajectory. ( that is why I went with the 6.5 x 57 instead of a longer case. I wanted to seat the bullets out and still make use of the magazine length.

I have shot the 120 grain Match Kings, from Sierra out to 600 and 800 yrds with an MV of only 2800 fps and they were very flat shooting. I can pump this MV up to 3300 fps, but like the tech boys at Sierra Said, 2800 to 2900 will offer the greatest accuracy. Same with the 140s and 142s.
They were right!

good luck with the project
cheers and good shooting
seafire

Seafire,

I was thinking of also rebarreling a M70 to 6.5x57. Did you have any feeding problems? Can you seat the 160 grainers out and still feed in the magazine? Are you buying new brass or making up your own from 7x57?

I would leave it as long as possible. Then when the throat becomes worn you can set it back rechamber and extend your barrel life.

quote:

Originally posted by Old Elk Hunter:
Seafire,

I was thinking of also rebarreling a M70 to 6.5x57. Did you have any feeding problems? Can you seat the 160 grainers out and still feed in the magazine? Are you buying new brass or making up your own from 7x57?

Old Elk Hunter:

I have had no feeding problems at all. In fact when I took the barrel over to Kevin Wyatt in Medford to have it put together after getting the barrel for PacNor, I had already made some dummy rounds that were magazine length. That was the 140, 142 Match Sierras and the 140 grain Remington Corelokt seated to the lower cannelure, and then some 160 grain Round Nose to magazine length by Sierra and Hornady.

Then I gave them to the gunsmith and told him to throat the barrel to fit these!

As far as Brass, I do not own a 257 Roberts and prefer Winchester brass. So I am forming brass out of Winchester 257 Roberts cases. I have had some grief that I am really shooting a 6.5 x 257 instead. However I have 6.5 x 57 dies from RCBS and they did have to change them to fit my rifle.

Originally the 6.5 x 57 die set would not chamber in my rifle. So I had to resize the cases at first in a 257 Roberts die ( full length, Lee Die), then open the next to 6.5 mm when I deprimed the older case. A necksizing 6.5 mm Hornady die eventually shortened that chore.

However I sent the die finally back down the highway to RCBS with five cases shot in the rifle but not resized, per their tech dept's request.
I also asked them if I should have a 6.5 x 257 Roberts die instead. The returned the letter with a response of NO, and a couple of weeks later I got my die set back and it has been smooth sailing ever since.

I don't make brass from 7 x 57 brass as I shoot that cartridge in several other rifles.

I just carry the 6.5 x 57 because it is different and also I like that it is such an old cartridge, older than the 30/30, and it just does such a good job. Those long seated 140 grain Corelokts also look just plain capable of taking any big game with a well placed shot. It may not be a fight stopper for a charging Brown Bear, but I am not taking it to Alaska nor do I ever intend to see Africa at all.

With my heavy barrel on mine, recoil is like a 243 varmint rifle.

Let me know If I can be any more help. What part of Oregon are you based out of?

cheers
seafire

Thanks for the replies. I think I will go with the 28" length. How far forward of the recoil lug should I bed?
Take care,
Len

I wouldn't see the need for bedding ahead of the action as long as it is bedded well. My 30" PacNor 1.125-1.0" at the muzzle/break does not show any need of a bedding pad. I have run 216gr clinch rivers into a .185" at 3200fps, so I am thinking leave the bedding away from the tube until it shows a desire for some, if at all. YMMV

I'm toward the phase where I'm getting ready to shoot my 6.5x 06 too. It's VZ24 with a Oly Arms heavy barrel that's 28" with a 1x8 twist.

I put in a Kiplinger Match trigger a Chapman safety, and a Quiet brake. The wood work is a laminate thumbhole because I had one lying around. I bedded out 2" fron the receiver. If that doesn't work I can always try something different.

Using .270 brass I right now need to pop a round or two off to mic. to see how the chamber is doing. It's a little tighter than standard but not so that I should have to worry about neck turning I think. Not sure though as I'm a handgun guy and this is my first real rifle build up.

I put the components together to use the longer bullets. After seeing how the package works out then might try the shorter ones.

Wish me luck,

Don

That rig'll hit 500-600, and keep going. We just competed last yr. in the Inter. Tactical Rifleman's Competition Dave Lauck puts on at SATA in Gillette, WY with our 6.5-284 XP-100's, and the 140 A-Max @ around 2700 mv did just fine-- in fact my buddy ran 10 in a row on 8" steel discs between 585-685 from his handgun. He's actually shot at least 1 gp. i know of @ 600 yds. with his XP that went well under 3".

I just put the first rounds through my 6.5x06 tonight.
To recap it's a VZ24 with a Olyarms 28" heavy barrel and an 8 twist.

The loads with nothing better in mind were R/P .270 cases. Win primers and Sierra 140 M/K. I used IMR 4350. This was just to get an idea of what was going on. I made some up with 49,50 and 51grs.

49 = avg. 2923 MV
50 = 2971 MV
51 = 3009 MV

I wasn't able to shoot to shoot for group but it sure kills dirt well.

I'm hopeing to get to the range soon but that probably won't be for a couple of weeks.

Don

Guys:
I have a 24" barrel on my 1903 Remington, and I am getting 3200fps with 120 Grain bullets and IMR4831. Shoots real nice, you can always count on at least the first 2 shots going in the same hole.

Just some more infor for the discussion.

Jerry