Short action, 6.5mm blank, what chamber?

08 September 2009, 10:17

If you had a really good short action, .473 bolt face, and a high quality, new 6.5mm barrel in medium sporter contour, 9" twist rate, what would you chamber it in. A couple of choices are the 260, and 6.5 Lapua, but I want to know what you think. The 6.5x55 is not an option since the action is too short. The primary purpose of the finished rifle is deer and hog hunting, load development, and just shooting at the range and otherwise for fun, with a light recoil and highly accurate rifle, sporter not benchrest.

The bullet weight would be whatever is best in the 9" twist, which I predict to be 120 to 130 gr. The bullets of choice will be hunting bullets.

KB

08 September 2009, 10:41

Alberta Canuck

I'm in nearly the same quandry, except my action will hold the 6.5x57 with no problems. So, that is what I am going with.

But if I couldn't fit in a cartridge of that 57 m/m length, my choice would be the .260 Remington for uses like yours. I would do that for two reasons:

1. The .260 is quite adequate, and

2. These days one never knows what the component situation will turn into. As you're well aware, it is bone simple to make .260 brass from .308 cases, and there's zillions of THEM around.

And, oh yeh, dies for the .260 are cheap too.

08 September 2009, 10:54

seafire2

Well as the owner of a couple of 260s, with two more barrels chambered in that round, that need to be fitted to the actions....

and as an owner of a 6.5 x 57, which is my personal favorite cartridge....

I have to concur with fellow forum member from Roseburg here....

Alberta Canuck just evidently knows exactly what he is talking about...

08 September 2009, 15:49

RaySendero

A 6.5/284 would also fit.

08 September 2009, 16:04

505ED

quote:
Originally posted by RaySendero:
A 6.5/284 would also fit.

08 September 2009, 16:07

Claret_Dabbler

Went this route myself recently. Rifle is due from the smith late next week.

Lothar Walther barrel, Sako size III action, Mcmillan stock. Chambered 260rem what else?

The barrel has a euro twist which is roughly 1/8.5. I plan to use 120-130gr bullets. The 1/9 twist should stablise up to 140gr with no difficulty.

A 6.5/284 will certainly work in a short action, but it might not work in the magazine that goes with a short action, or at least you will have to seat the bullets very deeply.

I see no need for heavier than 130gr for deer or deer sized stuff.

08 September 2009, 17:30

El Deguello

quote:
Originally posted by RaySendero:
A 6.5/284 would also fit.

And would be the perfect choice.....

08 September 2009, 18:00

Ketchikan

I'd run 1-8 with the 260, a little extra twist is much better then not enough.

08 September 2009, 20:20

Kabluewy

In a way I'm glad I don't have to make a choice about twist rate. I'm sort of committed to the barrel I have and it is 9" twist.
One less thing to worry about.
KB

08 September 2009, 21:06

vines

.260 rem.

08 September 2009, 21:17

Ketchikan

quote:
Originally posted by Kabluewy:
In a way I'm glad I don't have to make a choice about twist rate. I'm sort of committed to the barrel I have and it is 9" twist.
One less thing to worry about.
KB

Paper or plastic must give you fits at the checkout counter.

08 September 2009, 21:39

Kabluewy

quote:
Originally posted by Ketchikan:
Paper or plastic must give you fits at the checkout counter.

Naw, small things don't worry me anymore.

And I think mental gymnastics over gun stuff is fun and amusing. So many choices.

I used to get bent up over idiots and other annoying people, but I got over it. Now I just find them either pathetic or amusing or perhaps challanging. Depending on their degree of affliction with assholeitus or selfitus, I may even identify something in common with some and find them challanging.

08 September 2009, 21:43

larrys

With all of the "could have to's" surrounding the 6.5-284, I would go with the 260, and I have both. With the 6.5-284, you "could have to" modify the feed rails, modify the feed ramp, not use heavier bullets that will not fit the mag box and maintain space in the cartridge. It all depends on the action used.

Like I said, I have both and would do the 260.

08 September 2009, 23:58

Juggernaut76

quote:
Originally posted by vines:
.260 rem.

...Bigtime!

09 September 2009, 07:32

Kabluewy

I think the 6.5x284 is a pretty neat cartridge. I like it mostly because of the good brass available, and it's noted for accuracy and speed - plenty of speed. I would put it on a standard length action, so as to not have to worry about crowding the bullet seating depth. I suspect the feeding issues, if any, would be much easier to deal with in a more forgiving action like a standard commercial Mauser, or Ruger 77.

So, since this is a short action that I want to barrel, the 260 will require no modification to the action at all. It's already slick with that cartridge. I haven't tried any 6.5 Lapua in there but I'm sure there is no problem. The action would work equally well with a 308, 300 Savage, 250 Savage, 22-250, 243, 7/08, or 358.

Thanks for the feedback.

KB

09 September 2009, 17:34

Ketchikan

quote:
Originally posted by Kabluewy:
I think the 6.5x284 is a pretty neat cartridge. I like it mostly because of the good brass available, and it's noted for accuracy and speed - plenty of speed. I would put it on a standard length action, so as to not have to worry about crowding the bullet seating depth. I suspect the feeding issues, if any, would be much easier to deal with in a more forgiving action like a standard commercial Mauser, or Ruger 77.

So, since this is a short action that I want to barrel, the 260 will require no modification to the action at all. It's already slick with that cartridge. I haven't tried any 6.5 Lapua in there but I'm sure there is no problem. The action would work equally well with a 308, 300 Savage, 250 Savage, 22-250, 243, 7/08, or 358.

Thanks for the feedback.

KB

I think 6.5mm's should be illegal for hunting anything bigger than gophers. You are an idiot +P, heard to believe you are living in Alaska.

09 September 2009, 22:29

rolltop

quote:
Originally posted by vines:
.260 rem.

12 September 2009, 08:40

Allan DeGroot

260 Rem.

6mm/284 just locks you into oddball brass and oddball dies.

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12 September 2009, 09:04

Kabluewy

I like unusual cartridges, and at the same time I like practical. It's a tug of choices. The 6.5x284 is not on the table for me, but the 6.5 Lapua is interesting. And the 260 is practical.

KB

14 September 2009, 13:19

Dr. Lou

IMO, the 260 Rem is your best bet. The 6.5-284 is a great cartridge but depending on which short action you have, you will probably have to seat bullets of 140 grains and heavier too deep to fit the magazine, and you'll probably have to open the rails and possible change the follower to get it to feed. For practical purposes the 260 will duplicate 260 ballistics.

Lou