Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 6.5 Rem Magnum---old cartridge new powders

Here's a new build that I'm just getting it on paper and testing some loads out with it.

6.5 Rem Mag, I had this rifle built around the Berger 140 VLD.

I wanted a rifle with a 24" that would push 140 VLD's at lower pressures than the 6.5x284 at the same speeds and even higher speeds if I wanted. Something with enough speed that would open up the Bergers with enough impact velocity to work on game to a 1000. Not that I plan on shooting them that far, that was just my benchmark.

I could have gone 264 Win Mag but after owning 3 of them. I know I just don't need that much speed to make it happen at long distance unless I planned on shooting past 1000.

I also thought hard on the 6.5 SAUM but didn't want all the sizing hassle.

So, 6.5 Rem Mag was it. Brass is very difficult to find though and you have to pay a premium for it.

Rem 700 LA action, Coal is 3.160
Bartlien #3 8 twist 24" flutted (thanks to Grizzly) (I sent it to Bartlien for them to flute.)
Mcmillan Game Scout EDGE tech.
Stock painted Olive (LOVE the stock! fits great!)
Metal is Cerekote "Sniper Grey"
Leupold VX3 4.5x14x40 LR w/ M1

weighs 8lbs 8oz




Coal 3.160

Nice my friend -

That should work nicely -

Ditto, very nice. Interesting to see a Game Scout!

Bob

There is not much load data for the 6.5 Rem Mag with newer powders so I had to start lower and work up.

The 6.5 RM holds 5 more grains of powder than my 6.5x284 and 4 more than the 6.5-06.

Here are some loads with newer powders.

140 Berger VLD

7828sc 57.0 3,150
Retumbo 62.0 3,019
RL 17 54.5 2,900 I really like this load easy on recoil and accurate.
Superformance 54.0 3,010
W780 55.0 2,622 very accurate but disappointed with the speed.

This is the powder so far for best accuracy. Shot a one hole group with this one.
N560 54.0 3,050

Nice! I'm liking the looks of the Game scout. Must have a short forend? Or it's the picture angle?

Nice build.

N560, 3.160, Berger 140 VLD #26505, 24" barrel

QL prediction @ 70 degrees:

58.4 Max
63080 psi
3072 fps

Looks like you are pretty close.

Nice Looking Rig.

My original Remington barrel 660 preferred RL19 and 120 Sierra's. Re-barreled with a 23" Pac-Nor I needed to switch to RL22 and 130 Accu-bonds 59.0 Grains gets me around 3100fps and 0.6" groups. 140 Sierras shoot about as good but the powder isn't too new. H4831 was the best choice with 140's for me.

My original Remington barrel 660 preferred RL19 and 120 Sierra's. Re-barreled with a 23" Pac-Nor I needed to switch to RL22 and 130 Accu-bonds 59.0 Grains gets me around 3100fps and 0.6" groups. 140 Sierras shoot about as good but the powder isn't too new. H4831 was the best choice with 140's for me.

Here is the 140 on a caribou last year. The Sierra pro-hunter expands pretty well and often core separates but not until near the end of travel. If you take neck shots it doesn't matter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHIp3M8j68U

That turned out to be Beautiful! nice but subtle...
nothing fancy, but very practical... I like your style...

with brass availability being a small but inconvenient obstacle, how hard is it to make brass out of other cartridges? seems like it would just take spare time and patience...

when I was looking at that route, I went with a lowly 6.5 x 57 on a long action, for a batch of reasons...

brass was cheap and available.. gave up nothing much on the 6.5 x 284, 6.5/06 and 6.5/06AI I got to test that friends owned...sure they could run a little faster MV, but that got compensated by another couple of clicks on the scope adjustment and I found the best accuracy with the Sierra Match bullets I was running at the time, was in the 2800 to 2900 fps range, regardless of their weight...

if she shoots half as good as she looks, ya got yourself a real winner there!

My rifle is too short actioned for the Berger VLD. It works ok with accu-bonds though. They shoot flat enough for 500 yard shooting and the 130 version is matched perfectly to the A turret on the old Redfield accu-track system. RL. 22 works like a charm. RL. 17 and 19 were not as good. I'll try some N560 next time it comes available. I began using CCI 250 magnum primers over standard primers and they seem to help especially in cold weather. If you want to stretch the 6.5 to bigger game the 130 TSX penetrates very well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJOT1c9u_yo

Tagging this thread as my next build is going to be a 6.5RM with a 23" LVSF contour on a model seven action. I'll probably be relegated to the 130AB and 120 BT given COAL constraints but that'll do real well for my uses

great video there '61!

good on you taking out the young man....

hope he gets a nice caribou...

PS - any idea on the weight of that stock? 8.5lbs strikes me as a little heavier than I would have guessed

Well...we will give it a go. He is turning into a good shot and the Rossi Ranch-hand converted to a carbine (legal in Canada) is a great, accurate little shooter. Not a long range gun but pretty good to 125 yards or so. We will keep James to 50 yds and if the caribou cooperate this might be the year.

With all the talk about the 6.5 SAUM, it might be worth a shot to try H-1000 is this one also...

It's picture angle.




If I remember correctly, the stock weight was 26-27 oz. I'm sure it would have gone over 2lbs if it was not an Edge.

The rifle does balance nicely though for even off hand shooting.

I don't like or see the need for heavy long range rifles.

Sounds good, Correct me, but I think the 6.5 Rem Mag is thee original short mag?


Also, I think Buffalo Arms? sells brass. 350 RM necked down to 6.5 RM.

Ya may want to try some RL-17. A friend gets 3175 with the 130's

Thanks, I did try some with the 140.
I came up with this....


I'll try some 130 VLDs out too. I have seen some guys into that 3,200 range with them burning RL17. RL17 may be a better powder for the lighter bullet.

That would be a flat shooter.