I was looking through my Nosler Manual at this round. Looks like you can drive a 100gr bullet at 3350fps, or maybe a little better, while only using 50gr of powder, which would give you a point-blank range of 325yrs on a 6" target and in a 8 pound rifle this load would only produce 13 pounds of recoil. Sounds like a heck of an antelope, blacktail and coues deer rifle.

Yep! Looks as though Norma "tamed" a good cat!
It is doing quite well in the 1000 yard comps as well.
The bullets are deffinatly there for snuffing antelope.

Go look at your Nosler manual again. The 25-06 will give a 100gr bullet(better B.C. and S.D.) a claimed 3350fps. If you really want to have something with the 6.5, you have to step up. The 6.5x284 will give the 125gr bullet 3100+fps. Now you have something. Personally I like the 129gr Hornady and the 140gr Hornady in my 6.5's. My 6.5x06 gives a 129gr hornady 2929fps (under max), reaches zero on a 6" target at 272yds and has a max point blank range of 318yds. At 350yds, it has 1431lbs energy remaining. I was out shooting yesterday and at 300yds, I shot three group's, 1 3/4", 1 1/2" and three bullet's touching. The rifle usually runs right at 1 1/2" at 300 yds. Don't handicap a good cartridge with to light a bullet.

Who makes this caliberin a factory rife anyone ??

with a little careful handloading one can get something close to that with the 6.5 X 55

I'm currently pushing 120 grains in mine at 3045 and this is thru a 21" barrel but it's in a VZ-24.

I haven't tried the 100 grain bullets yet but suspect one can hit something in the 3,200 range.

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
Who makes this caliberin a factory rife anyone ??

Blaser

When looking to build a 6.5 x 284 ( and I even bought a die set from Redding)... I never built it...

Working with the 260, I get 3350 fps with a 100 grain bullet out of a 22 inch Ruger barrel.. with a load of 43.5 grains of IMR 4064...same load out of my Rem VLS in 260 goes 3450 fps...

For brass availability, I necked the 257 Roberts brass up to 6.5 for a 6.5 x 57... and it exceeds what is listed for factory 6.5 x 284 loads... with all bullet weights...

this is on a long action Model 70.. and the 257 case doesn't give me any feeding problems...

while it has good merits.. the same job can be done with a 308 case or a 57 mm Mauser case.. with less hassles....

a long throated 260 on a long action will match most of what a 6.5 x 284 case will do...

not knocking the case, there is just easier feeding alternatives, that will accomplish the same things the 284 version is famous for....

you won't be as trendy... but I was never that kinda guy anyway!

Granted my 6.5/284 has a 27" Hart barrel, but 140's @3030, 125's at 3285 is what my Oheler says.

My 6.5x284 has a 26" Krieger barrel and will make 3409 fps (10' in front of the muzzle) with the Nosler 100 grain Ballistic Tip and H4350 powder with no pressure signs.

EDIT to add: I'm confident enough in it such that I took an antelope buck this September with a neck shot at 286 yards. He was walking along the back side of a hill with only his head and neck visible. It was a chipshot for that gun.

It groups like this at 100 yards and will hold 2.5" at 400 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
It groups like this at 100 yards and will hold 2.5" at 400 yards.

Frank? why are you shooting between the targets? roger

Actually that is 3.5" above the target.

I was working up loads for an antelope hunt and that's where that group decided to land.

139gr Scenars and H4350 work together well in the fag-mag. Mike Bryant built mine with a Lilja 3-groove chambered with a .290 neck. It's a laser.

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
Who makes this caliberin a factory rife anyone ??

Cooper also chambers this round....