Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5 Remington mag

I posted in the hunting rifle section too, and have had no response as yet. I know that it is nearly an obscure cartridge, but since I have a penchant for off the wall cartridges, and I am developing an urge for a 6.5, I am thinking very much about ordering one.

I have read all my loading manuals in reference to the cartridge, and with the exception of the number 14 speer, I am encouraged by the possibility to run a 125 grain partition or 129 grain interlock in the neighborhood of 3000 fps.

I realize that this will do nothing that a .270 WCF won't do, but that isn't my point.

I am looking at one of the recent Remington model 673 "guide rifles" with a 22" tube. I don't mind the laminated stock, but the rib and shark fin are uglier than a night in jail. They are easily removeable though.

Would really like to hear from anyone who has experience with this cartridge.

Thanks ahead of time,
CT

CT

I have a 673 in 6.5 Rem Mag that I purchased several years ago. I took the fin and rib off right away and I could then live with it. The rifle is a bit heavy but shoots very well with either 100 or 125 partitions. I have been able to get sub-moa groups with both bullets using H-4350. I have several other 6.5's in various calibers and I have thought about putting a longer barrel on another magnum action to see what this cartridge would do. I just have not got it done yet. With the 125's in the 673 I am getting about the same velocities as I get in several 6.5-06's. The same holds true with 120 grain BT's shot in the guide rifle with the same powder. Gravy

Reasonable, since the case capacity is about the same. And, why not a rifle that has a different stamp on it? Do it and enjoy. A 129 Hornady is a thing of beauty, although the deer don't appreciate it much.

CT,

The 6.5 RM will do a couple of things the .270 won't do: fit in a short action; and shoot 6.5 bullets.

I like 6.5 cartridges, but I never got around to buying a rifle in 6.5 RM. The one I like best in yesteryear was the Ruger M77 tang safety. I think my 6.5-'06 kept me from actually getting the RM.

Good luck with it...jim

If a body actually already had a 6.5-06, I imagine he would have little use for the Rem Mag, but I do like the short action gig, although I am just barely stout enought to run a long action if I want to....

To me, the 6.5's scream for bullets from 120 to 130 grains in weight, although I know that the higher BC bullets weigh more, I am fully sure that the deer would never know the difference between them.

This will be a tough one to talk myself out of.

The 6.5 Rem Mag and 6.5-284 have about the same case capacity and I'm a fan of the 6.5-284. I am not a fan of the Remington 673, because I don't like the barrel style and the stock has the open/shallow curve pistol grip style that I don't like. If Remington had inletted the 700 LSS MR stock for the 7/673 action, I would have liked it better, but the rib would have still been a turn-off.

CDNN had Remington 673 for $500 awhile back and I don't think that they were flying off the shelves, so you might look there.

Think 95 grain VMax for coyotes and small deer, 129 grain Hornady SpirePoints for deer/antelope, and 140 grain Partitions for anything bigger/tougher. Also, since only a couple of manufacturers ever chambered the 6.5 Rem Mag and only Remington/Peters ever offered factory loaded ammo, you might want to buy 500+/- pieces of brass to secure your shooting future.

If you're looking for the maximum potential from a short action 6.5mm bore cartridge, the 6.5 WSM or 6.5 SAUM might fit your needs better. I was within a RCH from building a 6.5 WSM, but got a good deal on a 270 WSM and have been happy with it.

Jeff

CT

I love the 6.5's and you cannot have enough of them! No doubt the 6.5 Rem mag is among the performers in the available short action market calibers and really is a good one. I agree with you on the bullet weights and have shot both deer and antelope with them and see little need to go heavier. They buck the wind quite well from what I have seen over the years while hunting on the prairie. I know I don't need to go heavier for the critters I hunt. And above all don't talk yourself out of purchasing another rifle, especially one with a 6.5 headstamp.

I always get squirrelly a few months before deer season to try something new. I guess this year the thing bothering me most is a choice between the .358 winchester and a 6.5 rem mag. Two very different cartridges. truth told I think the 6.5 fits my needs / wants better than the .358, but I have a terrible pile of .308 brass laying around, and no .308 to shoot it out of. (I am not a .30 caliber fan)

Anyway, the seems exotic, to say the least. If a man had a 6.5 RSAUM built, I don't forsee the brass situation being much better than the standard rem mag case.

Why not a 6.5STW,I'm building 1 as we speak.

I have a m#673 and the data on the Nosler reloading site corresponds with what I am finding in mine. It is shooting TSX,
partition, ballistic tip and all others very accurately in the factory configuration w/o the vent rib and shark fin. I really like mine. I have the Swede, .260AAR(6.5x257AI)and 6.5-284. The latter is my least favorite.

More of a good thing than I can handle.

jim

I am with you on the stw series. If I was truly in the land of biting bears, I might be tempted to own a 358 stw, but then again, it would probably be more like a 375 H&H.

I have been shooting a Rem700BDl in 6.5RM for over 25 years now,
tried many combs over the years but keep comming back to the Horn.129gr sp. and 58gr H4831sc sparked by WWLR primmers .
At about 3100 fps have killed many a Califoria Black tail and a few mulies and a buch of vermine. Have many others deer rifles
and had many others but the 6.5 is one of my favoriets.

OK. I have two 6.5 Rem Mags a 20" 660 and a 22" flatbolt Ruger. I have used them for 10 years or so now. The best bullet has been the 125 Nosler Partition with RL 19 or H4831. Lot's of baloney about the deep seating robbing case capacity but the littled 6.5"s don't take up much space and I have loaded 140 grain bullets with great success as well. This little cartridge will do anything a 270 will do which is saying a lot!

With my 660 I was on 11 caribou with 11 shots before I got bored and started hunting other calibers too. 120 Sierra Spitzers have given the quickest kills on broadside shots but a bit short on penetration for quartering game. The 129 Hornady has been a favourite in the Ruger but the 125 Nosler is even better. For bigger stuff the 140 Nosler Partition is great. 160 grain bullets have been disappointing from a penetration standpoint. The 160 Hornady won't work unless loaded out to 2.90 which is ok in the Ruger but not the Remington. 160 Sierras lose their cores.

The original 120 Corelockt is a good deer bullet, but I have had such good luck with 125 Noslers that I don't do much testing anymore.

HEY, I'll bet Jimmy Cahtah wished he had a .358 STA when he was attacked by the 'killer rabbit'...

Did the 6.5 come from a necked down .350 mag? Does anyone know the years of introduction for both? Thanks

1966 for the 6.5RM and the .350RM in 1965. And yes the 6.5 was a necked down .350.

I'm very happy with my Ruger Flatbolt 6.5RemMag.

Good. That's what I thought. So the .350 Rem Mag IS the original short mag. Someone mentioned to me that the 6.5 came first.

Actually the .458 Winchester Magnum was touted as the first short magnum in 1956.
Short in this case however was in relation to the parent .375H&H case and not to the ability to be housed in a short action.
The .350RM WAS the first cartridge with a "magnum" moniker to be housed in a true short action.