Don't have a 6.5 Rem Mag but was perusing the 2008 Hodgdon reloading magazine and shazam H4831 just jumps right out as a powder that generates about 150fps more velocity for any bullet weight for the same pressure. I have often read the old saw that the 260 Rem will do anything the 6.5 Rem will do and with less powder and less noise, but if those H4831 numbers are true I believe a 6.5 Rem would be a true joy to have in a 7lb sporter if I could get those velocities with accuracy to boot.

I am going to find out soon. I have a model 673 in 6.5 headed my way.

Yeah the 6.5 rem mag case seems to be made for the intermediate slow burning powders like H4831, RL22, RL25, IMR7828 etc. Not as slow a powder as the 264 win mag. Also the pressures listed are lower than possible so that factory ammo would not be overpowered in some of the guns that caliber was manufactured in.

The problem is that with the short action case the bigger bullets start to take up the very powder space you need for all that slow burning powder.

I have a 6.5 rem mag but had a 300 win mag rebarrelled to one. The 300 win mag had a detachable magazine and could not be loaded out to the lands. But with the 6.5 rem mag you can seat those long 6.5 bullets way out there and have plenty of room for powder




So far I have pushed the 130 gr Accubond at over 3100 fps and the 140 gr Hornady Interlock at 3000 fps without breaking a sweat using RL22 with the 130 gr and RL25 with the 140 gr.

IMO, that's the best way to get a 6.5 rem mag, take an old 300 win mag and rebarrel. No bolt work and plenty of mag room.

Dear Dogger:

I am not building a 6.5 Rem. Mag., but a 350 Rem. Mag. on a 1924 Yugoslav (Brno manufacture I think) intermediate length Mauser action. Obviously, the same case, and lots of room in the magazine to seat long bullets out. There are lots of 48 Yugos out there for your perusal. My 1924 is better machined though than the 48's, if you can find one.

I had a 6.5-06 with approximately the same case capacity as your 6.5 Rem. Mag. project. You will be happy with it. Actually, I am building a 6.5x57 on a 1909 Argentine, since I missed my 6.5-06.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

The Montana Rifleman 1999 short action is also another goodie for a 6.5 or .350 Remington Magnum. I have a 300wsm built on one and the magazine box has 3.1 inches of useable length.

As you all probably already know--I love the 6.5s and have for over 35 years. i loved them even when noone else did. I feel there is NO bad 6.5----just some are a bit better than others. This being said, the 6.5 RM had a few drawbacks. Notably being in a short mag rifle and then the cost of the brass. I used to make the cases in Hawaii when they were obsolete or nearly so. What a job even with good HDS form dies and the mortality rate was horrible. I never really got what I expected from this case. I got as good or better from my 6.5/06. But! With the newer powders perhaps that will turn the 6.5 RM into a Phoenix! I hope so. Brass seems to be available now so that is a big help. Unfortunately my love affair with the 6.5 RM paled before the new products. Accuracy was always good though but the velocity left a bit to be desired. I put one together with a Douglas 1-10 barrel on a 700 but, even with a 26" tube it wouldn`t do 3000 with the 140s. Good luck with the 6.5 RM! I`ll be looking for the results and have a nice little Mex Mauser that might just end up being a 6.5 RM
Aloha, Mark

I have built a 350 Rem and a 6.5 Rem on full length VZ24 mauser actions with full length magazines and 24 in barrels. The velocities attainable when you seat those bullets out are quite impressive. Nothing wrong with using an intermediate action either.

quote:

Originally posted by Dogger:
Don't have a 6.5 Rem Mag but was perusing the 2008 Hodgdon reloading magazine and shazam H4831 just jumps right out as a powder that generates about 150fps more velocity for any bullet weight for the same pressure. I have often read the old saw that the 260 Rem will do anything the 6.5 Rem will do and with less powder and less noise, but if those H4831 numbers are true I believe a 6.5 Rem would be a true joy to have in a 7lb sporter if I could get those velocities with accuracy to boot.

I would venture to claim that the 6.5/284 is identical to the 6.5 Rem. Mag., but without the belt. Both hold almost the same amount of powder as the .30/'06. So both are essentially 6.5/'06's with shorter, fatter powder columns. So it should be easier to find a good load quick with one of these two....

quote:

Originally posted by woods:

The problem is that with the short action case the bigger bullets start to take up the very powder space you need for all that slow burning powder.

I have a 6.5 rem mag but had a 300 win mag rebarrelled to one. The 300 win mag had a detachable magazine and could not be loaded out to the lands. But with the 6.5 rem mag you can seat those long 6.5 bullets way out there and have plenty of room for powder[

You got it just perfect. The short necked, short magazine ,short actioned,shallow throat cartridges are a design shame. JMHO!!! roger

What about a 6.5 Rem mag improved. Has anybody here have any experience with that round?

Hmmmm, I wonder how well a Model 70 Classic WSM action would work out for a 6.5RM. The short action Classic has a longer magazine than most short actions. I just measured my 7mmWSM magazine box, and it looks to be about 3.05" long, near as I can tell, what with the trigger guard and follower in the way! I suppose there would be issues with the follower and feed rails.

quote:

Originally posted by mudstud:
Hmmmm, I wonder how well a Model 70 Classic WSM action would work out for a 6.5RM. The short action Classic has a longer magazine than most short actions. I just measured my 7mmWSM magazine box, and it looks to be about 3.05" long, near as I can tell, what with the trigger guard and follower in the way! I suppose there would be issues with the follower and feed rails.

The 7 WSM



the 6.5 rem mag



My guess would be you might have some feeding problems that could be fixed and minor bolt face work.

Question, the 7 WSM is an excellent caliber on it's own, why not rebarrel to the same caliber?

This particular 7mmWSM isn't going to be rebarreled to anything anytime soon! I just used it to determine the length of the magazine box. In reality, the stainless Classic synthetic Model 70's in WSM's are still relatively easy to come by in my area. Looked at a very nice 300WSM this afternoon. So a donor action wouldn't be hard to come by.

wonder what it would be like on the new ruger case. 6.5 super mag maybe still just a bbl change on a 300 wm