I have an FN commercial 98 action that is presently chambered for 260 Remington. It replaced a 25-06AI as an experiment when the 260 was new. I'm not happy using a long action for a 260 when it could be used more profitably with another cartridge. I need some opinons about which 6.5 to rechamber this barrel to make most use of the potential. It is a Shilen 26" heavy barrel. 6.5x57, 6.5x62? Somebody give me some feedback please.

The 6.5 X 284 is the darling of long range shooters and it does well with a long action. In fact the COL is quite long. The current manuals have loads for it and Lapua makes brass.

That should clean up your chamber as well.

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/65mm284.php

I have a .260AI on a M700SA, but if I had a longer action I would go 6.5x.284 The 6.5x57 is interesting, but you'll get more bang for your action length w/ the 6.5x.284.

Why not just go for the 264 Win mag?

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Originally posted by Dr. Duc:
Why not just go for the 264 Win mag?

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FOr that matter, with a SA, how about the 6.5 WSM ?

It's an FN long action.

Dr. Duc

I would recommend 6,5X65 RWS or 6,5X63 Messner, both has plenty of performance

Messner is a 9,3X64 necked down and not belt.
http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/65x65RWS.html

http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/6,5mm_Patronen.htm
http://www.balistique-chasse.com/indexesmuni/indexmuni6,5x63mm.html

http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/6,5x63-Messner-Magnum.htm
Messner is a 9,3X64 necked down and no belt.

Cheers
JOHAN

6.5-06AI!!

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Originally posted by Dr. Duc:
Why not just go for the 264 Win mag?

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Well other than the fact it's badly overbore capacity, burns out barrels rather fast, hard to get the velos claimed, takes more powder to get the velocity the 6.5X284 gets with less powder. Nothing.

1. I would disagree that it burns out barrels badly unless one loads it irresponsibly. And unless it's shot as much as a true competitor shoots a target rifle, the rate of wear will not effect the hunting utility of the rifle.

2. If you care that much about overbore, shoot a 45-70. We're talking minor degrees here between the 264 WM and 6.5-284.

3. The velocities are hard to get in a Winchester factory throat because it forces deep-seating of the bullet. Throat it like a normal round and you bet back quite a bit of boiler room.

4. Do the above and use enough barrel to accomodate the bore size and the claimed velocities are not hard to meet or exceed with normal pressures.

JMNSHO

DUC:

6.5x.284 will work, but the rails will likely need modifying (making the action forever unsuited to any standard cartridge), and you will loose one round of magazine capacity (if that's important to you). I'm working with a friend's .25-284 right now. It's built on an FN Mauser, and feeds without a hitch, but I observed that the modifications to the rails would allow an '06-size body to pop out.

6.5-06 Improved would give you the most powder capacity available without modifying your action, and would require only a simple rechambering to convert.

I've shot a .264 Win for 39 years and think a lot of the cartridge, but the 6.5-06 IMP will get you within 50-75 fps of most anything the .264 will do, so it makes pretty good sense.

If you want a classic cartridge, the 6.5 x 57 is a nice one that you don't frequently come across. But I think it fits better in a lightweight sporter than in your heavier-barreled 26-incher.

Dr. Duc,

Do you know what cartridge your FN action was originally chambered for.

I have a 6.5-'06, and even the plain vanilla version is accurate and flat shooting.

John Barsness has a .264 WM article in the latest Handloader that reviews the cartridge with some current powders. Velocities were as claimed (26" barrels), the 140 grain loads have better downrange capabilities (we are only talking inches of difference here) are better than the competition. The interesting part of the article is some guys on 24Hour Campfire pestered John into doing it.

jim

Say folks I don't give a rats ass what you guy shoot! I've only had two rifles in .264 Win. Both in pre-64's so I don't claim to be an expert with this Ctg. I do know that both these rifles lost throats in about the same amount of time at about 600rds once that happened the rest followed rather quickly. I shot these back in my hotrod days when 5010 and H870 was cheap and I did not care how fast I burned up a barrel. Used them to shoot coye pups a couple of muleies, one nice elk bull and a lot of paper,rock and anything else that crossed my path. Next 6.5 was a 6.5-06 neat ctg. barrel life was a heck of a lot better, but I was still in I my hotrod faise and when that tube was gone in about 1500 rds I rebarreled to the 6.5-06 Ackley. I like this ctg. even better cause brass life lasted a whole lot better(didn't split out near as fast as std brass did) Barrel life lasted about the same maybe a little better. About that time I found I had a shit load of Lake City NM brass So I had the reamers made for the 6.5-08 this worked just fine still have a couple of the first barrels around I chambered these in. I checked my notes and one of them has well over 6000 rds, with the notes I've kept on it. Shove the Hawkeye down her and she still looks fine. Retired her from active service cause she got to the point it took to long to get her clean after a day across the course. I have found the 6.5X55 to be great and fully understand why europeans find it such a fine ctg. But for me I like the 6.5-.284 cause the only ctg. I've found that shoots with it for long range 600 yds to 1000 is the 6.5X55 I don't know about the fad part cause it been more than 10 years, but I guess Its a fad if you want it to be! But that what folks called the .264 Win when I got my first back in 1961. We were all bent on the belted Mag case. Funny the only belted cases I use today are the .375HH and the .300Win mag. So only know a little about the .264 haven't had the good experiences you guys have had with the belted case. But I sure as hell like the .264 bore and have had alot of fun with it. Hey whatever works for you, right?

why not a 6.5x55AI?

Be basic, make your rifle a 6.5-06, it Works!!!!

JustC and sierra2 You guys are right, they work just fine. But a trip through any sporting goods store and a glance at the shelves will prove that not everyone likes the samethings. I'am a fan of "some" of P.O. ACKLEY improved ctgs. And even a fan of "some" of the improved on the improved ACKLEY designs. But to say these are all popular would be a lie if I said it. This holds true throughout the range of calibers and ctgs. In my Grandfathers day few if any reloaded there own ammo. The reasons becomes quite clear when you look at the ads for ammo. It was hard to think up a load, the companys did'nt load. No one bothered. But look at all the choises they had. People don't seem to change much. "At one time, ever shooter in the world reloaded "Remember the Muzzle loader" The whole point is to enjoy what you've got now and get ready to try somthing new when your ready. So get ready to have fun with somthing different. And have fun learning about it. Hey thats why they call us GUN NUTS!

Shoot it as is until the throat goes and rechamber to 6.5-06. Go AI iffen you don't wanna set the barrel back.

You could gain a fair amount with the heavier bullets just by rethroating to take 140 grain bullets seated out so the base was flush with the bottom of the neck. That works for the 3" .257 Roberts and it'll work for you.

BFD: Burning barrels is a hoot; I still do it today in some calibers. I just wanted to clarify for the newbies here that might want a 264 Winchester that it wasn't intrinsic to the cartridge.

I like my stuff to be different And,..after paying Norma or lapua for brass,..the AI helps me recoup some of the cost with longer brass life. Plus they are just plain kewl.

I was considering the 6.5-06 all along. It was originally chambered for the 25-06 so the action is no problem and I wound hate to open the rails just yet. /After all the opinions here and the Handloader article , I think I'll go with that option.
Thanks a heap for the input.

JustC

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6.5-06AI!!

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Excellent thought....it'll clean up the .260 chamber and not require feed rail work or bolt face work.

When I seriously looked at this same thing a few years ago, I had the availability of a 6.5/06 AI, a 264 Win Mag, a 6.5 x 284. After chronographing them all with handloads, my long action model 70 became a 6.5 x 57, or a 257 Roberts necked up to 6.5 if you want to look at it that way.

Based on the ballistic/aerodynamics of the 6.5 bullets, I saw that the extra velocity did not give me a lot flatter trajectory in real world useage. The extra velocity was not that much more, but the powder to get that little extra was substantially MORE.

I did see the bigger cartridges giving me extra recoil, a bigger boom, shorter life on the pound of powder. I also saw it all contributing to decreased barrel life.

I also saw, just like the customer service guys at Sierra told me, that most 6.5 bullets bigger than 120 grains seem to give their best accuracy at 2800 to 2900 fps.

My 6.5 x 57 has competed at 600 yds, and required less up elevation than the boys that were shooting the 300 Mags with 180 grain bullets. They also were noticing that my 6.5 x 57 was recoiling a whole lot less than their 300 Mags.

The other person with the 6.5 x 284 at one meet wanted to shoot my 6.5 x 57. We both were shooting 142 grain Sierras. He felt that mine kicked less than his rifle did. He also was using more powder and complained that he had to use his as a single shot, or else fiddle with the rails to get his to feed as a multi shot rifle.

The only reason I did not go with a 6.5 x 55, which would have been second choice is that I own 3 of those already, And just had to have something different.

Cheers
thunderbolt

I don't think the 6.5-06 will clean up in a 260 chamber. The 260 has less taper and would leave a ring at the 260 shoulder. One would need to go to the AI chamber.
Lyle

I am a "died-in-the-wool" 6.5 nut. I have got [or had] just about everything that`ll shoot a 6.5 bullet from a 6.5/223 to the 264 Thor! Love `em all! The 6.5/06 is a favorite of mine and has since the early 70s. Ditto the 264 Mag. My 264 has gone places and shot things it probably shouldn`t but the 264 has NEVER let me down. I made up my Rem 700Lh in 1973 and have used it for herd reduction of goats and such and love it. The original barrel was a McGowan XX 22 1/2" barrel and I got a documented 4100 plus shots before it took all night to clean for a two shot group. I loaded 75.3/H-870 and the 140 Sierra Gameking for just about everything. I always kept 5 of the same load but with the 160 Hornady close for wild cattle or nasty things. I just rebarreled it just last year with the exact same barre/maker and it shoots just like it never left!!I do not push it to the last straw for velocity but settle for the 3150 +- I get with the H-870. This powder, being a ball type, I feel is more "barrel friendly" than the coarser grained types. Accuracy has always been good with this load and pressures are safe. Recoil is not too bad and and the rifle being a mere 6.3 lbs is a pleasure to carry and shoot. As to the other cases? Sure you can get more velocity but is it really needed? I love to take my 260 AAR or 6.5/284 out hunting but only if I know I will not need to hit a store for ammo if mine becomes lost. Last year I took my latest "toy" elk hunting. A 25 Souper. Guess what the back up gun was? DUH!! A certain 264 Win mag.[Didn`t need it but it was there if had] That old 700 LH is like an extension of my arm. Very hard to screw with success! The 264 , if treated properly and not machine-gunned will give years of service and ammo is "usually" there to buy if your handloads fail to show. I love my wildcats but still like the security of having a factory calibre as backup. This being said? If you have the action you describe? Build a great 6.5/06. You`ll never be sorry.

Aloha, Mark

Aloha, Mark

A 6.5X06 will not clean up a 260 chamber. So you need an improved case or the 284 or magnum case.

Could a 6.5x55 cz be rechambered to 6.5x284 ??

What are the velocity gains for the 6.5x284 over the 6.5x55 ??

i'd stick a new 6.5-06 barrel on it. i have a vz-24 that will get a 6.5-06 barrel in the future. cheers...

sorry....i reread the original post, paying attention this time, and picked up on the rechamber of the original barrel part. in that case...6.5-06AI!!

It sounds like you have your eye set on a hotrod, and, if that's what you want, you certainly have some excellent choices.

The basic 6.5x55 is a very underrated cartridge. If you load it to its full potential, it's not at all far behind the 6.5-06. I'm getting just shy of 3100 fps out of 120 grain bullets, at 58 KPSI.

6.5-06 AI would be a very sound choice, and nice with that 26" bbl.
If you don't mind being different, the 6.5x280 AI would give you just a bit more capacity, though that might be splitting hairs.