Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6.5-06 or 6.5-06AI

the 6.5 and 6.5 improved are both good cartridges, but i am considering 256 Newton ,its really almost a 6.5-06 has the same ballistics,case is almost the same and is a 6.5 bullet too . Charles Newton designed the 256 Newton before 1920 so its a old cartridge designed off a 30-06, the 256 Newton is not a 25 caliber its a 6.5 caliber as i learn from John / Mule Deer. sure would be kinda fun at deer camp to have an odd old cartridge that most people never heard of ? if i did build a 256 Newton i would use a Ruger #1 too.

If wildcats are supposed to be a big effort, then 6.5-06 is not. The dies are cheap and plentiful, and 30-06 brass is cheap and plentiful.

My notes from July 31, 2015:
So at the end of 3 days of struggling trying to make concentric dummy rounds, the process I settled on is:
Use once fired pressure tested FC 30-06 brass from St Marks [crod1972 on 24hcf].
Lube with imperial wax.
Size with RCBS 6.5-06 die
Sizer with RCBS 270 small base with shortened bottom
Size again with RCBS 6.5-06
Chamfer inside the mouth

And I never use expander balls, so my notes would not bother to mention that.

A die made of steel can be shortened by grinding with an ordinary grinder. Shortening a tapered Carbide ring in Lee pistol die, I do with a diamond wheel.

I have a 6.5-06 that I made the mistake of using a barrel I bought as a “good deal” on GB and it’s twisted way too slow. When I rebarrel it’ll be to an 8” twist 6.5-280AI. I’ll be able to use 06, 280, or 280 AI cases and thinking I’ll gain a couple FPS and even more case life, the latter being of greater concern to me than the former.

Good luck!

I have so many case options. I have a ton of 25-06, at least 200 30-06 cases, about a hundred 270 cases, I also have all my fireformed 280AI cases from years ago all cleaned up. I'd say about 90 of the 280 AI in all. I just have to find the right action now.

You can't use 06 brass for a 280AI its .130 to short probably even shorter after you fire formed it

I used .30-06 in my .280 AI with no problem. Mighta been a tiny bit short but never had an issue.

Ran em through a sizing die backed out a tiny hair to leave a false shoulder, fire formed, and VIOLA!

.270 would work well in 6.5-280AI it’s a little longer.

What will happen?

You'll put your eye out.

Oh I should have said you can, just wait till you get that massive carbon ring.