Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5 Rem Mag-anyone running one

Hey gang, wondering if anyone here is running a 6.5 Rem mag.

Like a true gun looney I got to grope one of the rounds today and man that is a sexy lil round!

Dober

I have one of the old model 600's with the laminated stocks in 6.5Mag. I killed my first deer with it. It shoots really pretty well but is a hand full. Hard to find factory ammo for it these days - sure brings back some memories though.

Seems to me that the 6.5 Rem Mag is probably a great caliber not properly rolled out and marketed. Look at the 6.5-284 and where it's gone and is going. Remington brought out the 6.5 RM in a carbine. It seems to me that they should have gone after the full sized rifle and long range market. They just helped 6.5mm remain a U.S. stepchild bore size until many years later. Bad call, just like their .244 roll out vs. Winchester's very successful .243. They couldn't for some reason accurately access the market and they made a bad gamble. Even after they brought out the 6mm Rem, a .244 with 9 instead of 12 twist, they never reached the popularity of the .243. The window of opportunity for a lot of that market had passed. And the 6mm Rem/.244 is a better round than the .243, IMHO. No reason why the 6.5 Rem Mag couldn't have been a very popular and effective hunting round in the right format.

Oh well. Now the media is after Remington over the Walker trigger. I have always liked Mike Walker's guns and his trigger, but feel that situation as well as these other issues could have been better handled. But, they did a lot of things right oer the years.

DF

I agree Dober, I have a 673 NIB down in the safe. I've spent the last couple of winters wringing out it's big brother (.350). Maybe it's time it came out and played....hopefully you'll get some input!

The only person who I know of, personally, whose primary hunting rifle is chambered in 6.5 Rem Mag is NH bear researcher Ben Kilham. I've owned a couple Remingtons and Rugers, plus an awesome 1936 style Mexican Mauser in 6.5 Rem Mag, but there always seemed to be trouble finding brass and until Remington made the 673 in 6.5 Rem Mag, factory ammo was hard to find too.

JEff

Mark,
Some twenty years ago I ran onto a 700LH that someone converted from 7mag to 6.5mag. I rounded up all the factory ammo I could find in this part of the state and used it as an antelope rifle for a few years. I never did any load work or anything other than shoot the factory stuff so can't offer opinions there. In the end, It did fine but nothing that my 270 wouldn't do so sold her off to feed a savage 99 habit. Let me know if you pick one up, I might still have some of the old ammo left.

Dober,

I have two, an original M-700 circa 1969 w/24" bbl. and M-673. (Sans Rib)

I have been a fan of the little fireplug ever since I bought a M-660 in 1978. (I sold it to finance the M-700... ) Should have kept it...

Actually, I can't see that it does anything that the 6.5/06 doesn't do just as well... That said; I still like it. Perhaps next year, I'll dig one of them out and hunt with it...

GH

If I ever stumble across a SA Magnum SUCKS it will become a 6.5 RM.

I would be tempted if I saw a Ruger #1 with nice wood. I think there was a very short 6.5 RM run by Ruger. Short cartridges don't make much sense in a single shot but it would be unique.

I have used the 6,5 Rem Mag as my primary caribou rifle for 15 years or so. I have a 660 and a Ruger 77, both original. The 660 will put 120 grain Sierras or 129 Hornady's into 2inch groups at 300 yards with Max loads of RL19, The 77 will put 129 Hornady's into 3" groups at 300 yards with Max loads of RL19.

Both shoot the discontinued 160 Sierra Semi-Spitzers into ridiculously small groups. 125 Nosler Partitions open up to 1.25 MOA or so. 120 Rem CLocks shoot MOA...140 grain bullets of any make don't do as well.

This is a very good and balanced round. Excellent bullet action on caribou.

Jeff,

How easy (or hard) was it to get the Mexican Mauser to feed the 6.5 Rem Mag?...thanks...jim

(I have an intermediate length commercial Mauser )

The rifle that I had fed quite well, but I didn't realize what a gem it was and let it go too cheaply and too quickly.

JEff

Years ago I saw a SA Remington with mag bolt face that started as a 6.5mmRem Mag that someone had stamped the barrel IMP. Almost bought it for the action and the chance to fire a round and see just what had been done to the chamber. The time just wasn't right for a project (I was broke) but it still has me wondering what it might have been and I still want a SA with mag bolt face.

Mine will be ready in April,23" Shilen #2,Remington McMillan Hunter with Edge fill,on a 700ss SAUM action,with a Wyatt box. Monashee

I've killed a boat load of deer with the 6.5 Rem Mag.

I always wish I could have found the euro version 105 grain Nosler semi-point Partition in 6.5mm

Heres a Model 673, I was getting over 3,400 fps with 100 grain Nosler Partitions and thats with a 22" barrel.

Pickt up a Rem.700 like new in a gun trade back in 1979 used a 30/06 700 till then used it (6.5)almost exclusavly for 20+ years
for Cal.blak tails and yots and my only Nev. mule deer (always take the 06 for back up)now trade of between 260,6.5x55 and a
6.5/06 plus 30/06 ackly 338/06 a few 308 7/08 30/30 45/70,they all killed game dead with well placed shots the 6.5s kicked a lot less and shot a bit flatter than most. Tried lots of loads over the years but haven't found better than H4831sc and 129 gr Horn. fbsp 3100 vps 1" our less after 30+ yrs only hunt with it don't plink with to save barrel and brass (yea was hard to find at one point but I stocked up)but if I didn't hand load ,it would be a 270 or 30/06 all the way.

I've always had a soft spot for the 6.5 Rem Mag. If I were to build a lightweight rig like a Rem Model Seven with a 21" barrel I would go with the 6.5 Creedmoor.
The 673 is based off the Model Seven. Buy the time you add the extra weight of the laminated stock, heavier barrel and the vent/fins on the barrel it was far from light.

Please put up pics when you get this one done! Thinking it'll be awesome.

Dober

I have 1 in a Rem mod 660 Mag in 6.5 Rem mag, Killed a pile of deer with it, and a few Lopes as well. It loves the 140gr Nosler Partitions