Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Anyone with 6.5-06 experience.

Have a savage long action stock I came across, so I "have " to fill it. More than likely with a heavy barrel 25-06 I am acquiring. My thoughts are shoot it for a bit and if I feel the desire to use higher bc bullets use the action and bolt to make a 6.5-06. With the 6.5's becoming so popular I just wonder why this conversion isn't more common place. I also have a lead on a 6.5x284 but it's all setup and I like to tinker, so I'm kind of looking toward the 06. Anyone here have some insight based on experience?


Much appreciated

MM

I've had a 6.5-06 for 30 yrs, built on a 98 Mauser action with a 6.5 barrel made from a WWII surplus machinegun barrel. It's been a very accurate round that shoots just about any bullet wieght and powder combination accurately. About the only thing I don't like about it is the barrel is only 20.5" long after the new threads were cut, so the rifle looks kindof funny/out of balance, with the long length of pull of the custom made laminated maple/walnut stock thats on it. Killed several pronghorns, deer and assorted orher critters with it.

30 yrs ago it was fun to work up loads for it, because we didn't have internet and lots of load data for it. Had to figure it out the old fashion way. The old gunsmith that helped me put this rifle together was building himself a 6.5x284 at the same time, almost talked me into doing that too at the time. Sure wish I could have talked his family into selling his gun when he passed.

What ever you decide to do, make it fun and enjoy!

It's a great sound. With a 24" barrel you should get 2950 with 140s and 100 fps more with an AI.

Been shooting mine for less than 2 years but really like it. It's been very accurate and trouble free. I've been necking down .270 cases which I have a large supply of. It's killed a nice sized Coues deer and big bull elk so far with no disappointments.

As far as long range accuracy, do you feel like one has a lot more advantages over the other? I mean the Norma has a lot of competitive success, but do you think that is because it is simply more widely used at long range than the 6.5-06? I appreciate all the responses, already more popular than I thought.

MM

I gave serious thought to the 6.5-284 when my .270 barrel was shot out. Just went with the 06 based case because I was concerned about feeding in my pre64 action that was feeding the .270 cases perfectly. I think the longer case neck may help the throat last longer as well. Case capacities and load data are virtually identical for both.

I used a 6.5x06 a lot. It's a great round. Some say the 6.5x284 is inherently more accurate but I doubt it. I just haven't seen it. Actually, my rifle was a 6.5x270 so I could neck down .270W cases without trimming. I used on a ton of IMR7828 and R22. I could count on 2900fps with most 140gr bullets and 3050fps with 120-125gr. bullets. I used my rifle mostly for hunting and informal steel banging. It was on a M70 Winchester action with a 24"Douglas. It was way more accurate than it needed to be, 5 shot 1" groups at 100yds were the rule and I once shot a 10 shot 3.5" group at 300yrs with it. After more than 1200 rounds accuracy fell way off so I re-barreled it to a 280AI. So, I say go for it!

I have wanted one for a long time

On my third 6.5-06 barrel. Love the round. 140 Hybrids @3050 easily in 26" barrel.
I use 25-06 brass, just run thru die and ready yo go. H4831.

The first cat I did was a 6.5-06 and I loved it. M70 action, 26" Douglas spout and very easy to load for. At that time I was running mainly 120 grain BT and some Sierra bullets. Killed deer, hogs and plenty of crows and woodchucks with that rig. I no longer own that rifle for some stupid reason but I have an itch for another which I would set up to run the 130 grain AB or the 143 grain ELD-X

What brand of brass, and how many firings do you get before the primer pockets loosen up?

make sure you ask for a neck dimension that will fit a 25-06 necked up , my experience in just getting a 6.5-06 made was the neck was for a 30-06 necked down I did not know to ask for a tighter neck spent 1000.00 plus and it just sits here and haven't had the want to spend more on it to rechamber it, the neck tension on the thicker necks really made for a reloading session that P__ed me off that was 5 years ago,

Norma brass, gone 11 firings without having primer pocket issues.

Thanks.

A bunch of my shooting buddies are running 6.5-'06s for long range matches. They have to throttle them back to stay under the 3250fps speed limit with 140's

H-1000 and Lapua 30-06 brass

Wow, what length barrel?

My 6.5-06 AI load is 60 grains H-1000 and a Berger 140.

I get 3050 with a 24" barrel. Don't really want to push it too much more than that, the primer pockets get loose pretty quick.

This is what I got with H4831sc and 140s when I had a 6.5-06 though I probably could've gotten more velocity with slower powder. When I stepped up to the AI version and a 26" tube 3100 became slow. Nosler makes 280AI brass that, if I were to do it again, I would set my reamer up to use without trimming.

I built a 6.5-06 in Sept 2015.
Shilen Select match #3 taper Stainless barrel 6.5mm bore 26" long ratchet rifling
Cut inch off each end = 24", cut Mauser threads for Dumoulin receiver, cut 6.5-06 A square chamber with 0.005" headspace, cut crown at 11 degrees and chamfer ID and OD of muzzle.

I got Forster to hone out 25-06 FL die to 0.292" neck. For double the usual neck honing fee.

I got Lee to cut a 270 mandrel from a collet neck die down to 0.262", but leave the top 1/4" alone to fit a 270 collar. For triple the usual mandrel resize fee.

120 gr Nos Bal tip moly with 50.7 gr IMR-4166 powder 3.34" , Win 30-06 brass, that QL estimates at 3236 fps 65 kpsi using IMR-4895 in the QL library.
9-23-2015 range report:
Chronographs at 3197 fps
Averages 0.92" 5 shot groups at 100 yards.
I sighted it in to 600 yards.

I have built ~ 40 rifles for myself, and the 6.5-06 has been the best. I will use that reamer again.

Are your buddies using standard or Ackley Improved chambers? The 26 Nosler is bragging about numbers like those, and holds 31grs more water than the 6.5-06.

+1.
3250 for a 140 in the 6.5-06 sounds awful fast!