Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6,5x55 build

Suppose a guy had found a nice New Haven Model 70 Classic in 270 and he wanted a 6.5x55...

1. Is the bolt face the same?

2. 22" barrel and would a Pacnor #1 contour be big enough?

3. Twist, 1 in 8" or 1 in 9"?

4. Macmillan Hunters Edge stock?

1. Yes
2. Yes, no more than a 1' shank
3. 1-8, have it throated properly.
4. Yes, get the Compact

Should be a pretty fine rifle!

Karnis,

Thanks for your response.

Not familiar with the compact?

1 in 8 throated properly, please explain further.

Thanks WC

I have a similar barrel on a RUGER #3. I chose the Pac Nor Polygonal bore. Love it!

The 6.5X55 rim is slightly larger than the .270 but opening the bolt face is usually not done when converted to 6.5X55.

Have fun with it.

Jim

Look on McMillan's website. The Winchester Compact Edge has a shorter forend and fits 22" barrels to a "T".

Far as the throat, you might look into a "non-standard" reamer, otherwise the throat is likely to be long as in for the 160gr. boolits. I ran into that problem the first time I had a 6.5x55 built (many moons ago). You do have a long action, but still would want a little shorter than "normal" throat. Seat a dummy round to about 3.100" and ask PacNor to throat it .030 or so from the ogive. Should come out smelling like a rose.

Try H4350 and RL19. Both great powders. Oh, and the 129 Hornady is never a bad thing in a 6.5x55.

The head diameter is technically not the same. The 6.5 has an oddball .479" head, and the .270 has a .473".

Correct, but it should be just fine with the CRF M70 or a M98 for that matter.

Oddly enough, Win brass usually doesn't even measure .473...

post pics

of what?

Gots lots of different brass, most of it is right around .475. Lapua, Winchester, Remington, yada, yada, yada. IIRC Hansen was the only one I ever measured that was close to .479.

Just measured a Lapua at .479". Just measured a winny 270 at .466"...I remember the winny 6.5 brass ran small too.

Karnis,

Thanks again. If this 270 doner goes through I'll prolly have more questions.

WC

I'm holding onto a FWT to do the same thing. Also in .270.

Got to ask, if you already have a long action, why not just go 6.5-284? (ps, I am a 6.5x55 fan too).

Hi Dogcatcher,

Had not thought that much about it. I was thinking of one awhile ago then I thought I would stay with the classic old Swede.

This is why this site is so evil. You know I used to only have a 3006 for umpteen years until contact with people like you!

I like my Swede, but it is pretty anemic compared to a 6.5-284. And the 6.5-284 is no longer a wildcat since commercial brass is available.

Should make a great rifle for you. I have a FTW CRF originally chambered in 6.5x55 from the old New Haven Win factory and it works just fine. If not the perfect WTD rifle, it's close enough for me.

Depending on the brass the bolt face might have to be opened slightly to ensure perfect feeding but it's an easy task, quickly done. The rest will be a snap. I wouldn't worry about the throat, frankly, since a good barrel will give you all the accuracy you'll ever need and more; unless the goal is to use a very specific bullet that may require non-SAAMI standard throat..

But then you may be limiting yourself a bit.. Just my .02..



Ooops, forgot the rest; 1-8 twist, #1-fine, Edge-ok, 22"-ok..