Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Which 6.5 for primarily deer hunting???

I hunt with several 260s, a couple of 6.5 x 55s, and a 6.5 x 57 ( my favorite cartridge! )

with the 260 I use primarily 100 grain bullets at 3300 fps plus..

the other two, see primarily 120 and 140 grain bullets...
all of which have done very well... right along with taking deer from the 260 in 100 grain weights... from the Hornady 100 SP, the 100 Sierra HP, the 100 grain Ballistic Tip and the 100 & 105 grain Partitions...

I'd pick the 6.5x284 on the long action for distance.

Sounds very interesting. More details would be appreciated, thanks (action, barrel length/weight, trigger, etc.) I'm always planning one more rifle, and a lighter recoiling deer rifle in 25 or 26 caliber that finishes about 7 to 7.5lbs is where it is going to be. Right now a Roberts or 260/6.5x55 are the frontrunners with the Roberts probably recoiling somewhat less, I think!

Naw man....this one gets the blue tape. They're color coded.
It's getting 6x45 Faux Ti'ed right now as to please the bean counters who think a .224 bullet won't kill deer. Funny how every bordering state believes otherwise. I figure the blue tape will add insult to injury...

You do Handload.

Hands down 6.5x284 long action for 4(400)-600 yrds.

Still kicks a$$ at 600 yrds.

If this is a hunting gun, you will not shoot the barrel out. Now, the 6x284 is a different story on barrels.

But all of the cartridges listed here are pretty good.

hell, the lowly 260 will drop them right in there to 600 yds all day long...just the number of guys that can hit something that distance are few and far between...

not every one is ScenarShooter...

Any of the 6.5 here will do 600yds. Not dogging any listed here.

But if your going to build one. 6.5x284 why not go all the way.

Just one vote!

Id go 6.5 creed cheap good brass and light recoil why not

Leaning 6.5/284 or 6.5 creedmore. How difficult is it to get 6.5/284 brass??

6.5x284 brass

It's out there. It's like any other component. It is getting more popular for good reasons.

I have seen Lapua brass around. It might be because of the price. Well worth it. Accurate and holds up well.

Rule #1--- ammunition, components, you find it, buy it.

My outlook on this is more of practicality. Out of all the above cartridges the 260 or the 6.5-06 would be the easiest to work with. Brass is more widely available as compared to the others and from multiple manufacturers. The 6.5 CM hornady is your only supplier here. I am not one of those guys that like to make things more involved than they need to be . I'd rather spend more time hunting. You will not notice any difference on whitetail with any of these cartridges at your prescribed distances. If you are one of the guys that likes to have something different I would probably pick Creedmore over the .284

OP, there is a ton of good information in this thread. I guess the #1 big thing I take from this, so far, is that you really can't go wrong in your decision. ALL of these calibers will do with ease what you ask of them. Mr Whitetail won't know the difference in the 6.5-06 or the Svede or the 260 or the Lapua. All he'll know is his lights are going out.
Good luck in your decision and new rifle. Keep us posted on your progress.

Pick a bullet you want to hunt with, then run the numbers with each chambering. Basically it'll boil down to how far out you push the energy "curve". Speed will obviously affect drift/drop, but what are you really seeing for your hard earned dough? Take the 308vs3006 with the same bullet topped out. What you get at say 200 yards with the 308, you'll get at 300 yards (or there about) with the 3006. Stick said it best, bullets mean everything, headstamps not so much. Plenty of overlap and its a matter of what hairs you wanna split.......

That's the way I see it.......

I'd go with a 260 Rem. Mine's in a Savage 10 action, and though it may be due to how the after market barrel is throated, but I'm not having problem seating 139gr Scenars to mag length at the distance from the lands that I want.

6.5-06

Man, what's the 'fire coming to? Nobody has said this yet, but you need one of each!

Not trying to be a smart Alec, but how much extra work is involved forming 6.5-06 cases from .25-06 or .270? Seems like to me (having never done it) the steps would be exactly the same as loading something factory, or am I missing something? No intermediate forming steps, right, just size with a tapered expander (for .25-06) and trim?

I have a 6.5 creedmoor so thats the one id pick.. I cant say that its any better or worse than any other choices but mine on an encore frame shoots both 120 and 140 amaxes into less than an inch with boring regularily if i do my part.. Very low recoil and it just flat out shoots.. Ymmv but mine is a mgm 26" varmint contour barrel and it shoots and points like a dream.. Ive only shot hornady factory match ammo and at 25$ a box its a damn good option if you dont plan to reload for a bit, and the data is on the box when you do

IMO. you are NOT missing anything ..

It's NOT difficult esp. If you use 06 cases.

Some people PREFER short actions to the exclusion of greater performance.

SPEED does make more diff. than one (speed itself).
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