With a 30" tube, upper 130gr. to lower 140gr. high
B.C. bullets, single shot config. Rem. 700 action.
I am looking for flat shooting, knock em down 6.5
8 twist should get me there. Anybody have either
one of these so I can get some first hand knowledge. Thanks GEG

I don't care for the Weatherby radiused shoulder -- just my prejudice.

I don't have any experience with either (though I have decades of experience with the .264 Winchester), but I do have experience with a .340 Weatherby and a .338-8mm Magnum, which would be "identical in difference" to the 6.5's you propose. I found the .338-8mm, with it's standard 25 degree shoulder, easier to load for and it gave better accuracy (although this is only a comparison of two indidvidual rifles and doesn't necessarily have wider implications.)

Geg, the 6.5mm STW is big time overbore. Throat will most likely let go after 700 to 1000 rounds or maybe sooner. If that not a big concern, cause the gun should be used for hunting only, right? Well 6.5mm stw, with a 140 gr. ballistic tip can be something to see perform on a light wind day at 300 yards. Check out Layne Simpson, Sept 1999 Shooting Times article on the 6.5stw, he gives a some load data that is impressive I am told. The round is not for everybody, especially for those worried about short barrel life, but how many rounds you shoot at deer each year anyway. What I am saying is, this gun is not for target shooting, or varmints hunts. So for, it's worked for me. Less than 40 round down a 26" Shilen #5, with 3 shots at around 1" at 300 yards. I had 3lb of H-870 sock back, before they took it of the market. So I use it and a 140 gr. bt to get a bit less than 3600 fps. Works for me, but then I like 6.5s and 25s any way they are. jjdero

[ 01-25-2003, 22:46: Message edited by: jjdero ]

GEG,

We have built several 6.5 STW rifles, all with 26 inch barrels, except one which had a 29" barrel.

The details of this one are here 6.5 STW

I have not developed loads for the other rifles, but I understand their owners are extremely happy with them.

The data you see above was developed by myself.

6.5/300 WEA have better design with longer neck ( better for throat life)and case are better in quality ( Norma, PMC and the othet except Rem ) than the Remington 7 STW or 8 REM.

performance are close but dies are more commun in 6.5/300 WEA

in both calibe request a chamber with tight base and a 0.295 ( tight enought without too thin neck wall )

I use 30 inch barrel and set back at 1200 rounds to rechamber and get a 27.5 barrel to get 1000 other round of life .

velocity with 30 inch are impressive , forget 1 in 8 , 1 in 9 is good at hight velocity 1 in 8 you decrease accuracy and get some bullet burst by centrifugal force .

avoid tubaular powder ( as sand blst in th ethroat ) and shoot slow , fast shooting rate can destroy your barrel in on 500 rounds

God shooting and enjoy 6.5 cal long range

DAN TEC

There's an excellent article in the '97 or '98 version of Handloader Digest on the .264 Thor (7 STW necked to 6.5). You may want to give it a look. I ended-up doing one a couple of years ago and the performance is decent. 140 grain bullets are between 3,350 and 3,400 with a 27" tube.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com

Saeed, do you have any 6.5 STW ballistics with 140 gn bullets?
I am very interested in a long range, light recoiling rifle for culling purposes.
I am also interested in the 6.5/300 wby, for the same purposes.
Thanks John

Grady, I misstated the bullet weight when I said 140 gr., BT by Nosler, very sorry for the wrong information, and I apologize for steering you in the wrong direction. I meant to type 120 grain ballistic by Nosler, #26120, but I must have had my head up my butt. I see that I did type 140 gr.(man thats embarrasing). No, Nosler, to my knowledge, does not make a 140 gr. BT. Again sorry for my misinfo. I do electrical work a little bit better than I type, not much, but a little. Again sorry about the typo. I would agree that the 264 Win mag would be a more practical choice for a hunting rifle, just not as much fun. good luck. jjdero

I am now on my second 6.5 STW and have built three. This one has a 32" barrel 1 in 9" twist on a winchester action in a choate plaster stock. I have a strain gauge and use a chronograph for load developement. The 108gr. lapua Scenar bullet BC=.478 goes around 3970-4000fps at maximum pressure(defined as 65000psi). The most accurate load runs at 3920fps. I've not the desire to shoot heavy bullets slow but out of curiosity have tried a few 140gr hornady AMAX loads and these end up around 3450fps. However, these did not group well most likely do to poor stabilization.
In my experience, the problem with the heavier bullets is the limitation to primarily ball powders. These powders have given large velocity swings (not desirable for long range shooting). The production of Retumbo has helped with the lighter bullets up to 120 grains and this powder gives very consistent velocities.