Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6.5-280 rcbs 30 deg.

anyone have any experience with it? I can't find much information on it. looking into building a 6.5 lightweight hunting rifle on a long action. was thinking 6.5-06 but wanted something with a little steeper shoulder but not as steep as the 40 degree 6.5x280ai. looking to shoot 140gr vld's or lrab's

anyone?

Whats wrong with the 40 degree shoulder?

Th 256 Newton has a 22.5 degree shoulder and a nice, long neck. Also enough body taper to feed and extract very nicely. GD

Why not just go with a 6.5-284?

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Well because they are barrel burners ! LAF..

Sarcasm right there of coarse...

nothing wrong with the 40 degree but already have a 280ai and looking for something different so not to mix up the brass. moreso the 6.5-280 rcbs has a long neck which I would presume help save on the throat and therefore give it better barrel life then both a 6.5x284 and 6.5-06. someone please correct me if I am wrong. looking for an education.

nothing wrong with the 40 degree but already have a 280ai and looking for something different so not to mix up the brass. moreso the 6.5-280 rcbs has a long neck which I would presume help save on the throat and therefore give it better barrel life then both a 6.5x284 and 6.5-06. someone please correct me if I am wrong. looking for an education.

Might feed a little smoother. The load data is almost (emphasis on almost)interchangeable between the 6.5/06AI the .280AI version and the RCBS 30 degree versions. All of them should equal or exceed the 6.5x.284 without straining anything, due to 1-3 grains more capacity.

I think the 6.5x.284 suffers from being loaded hot to get the 140 grain slugs up to the 2,900+ fps range. That and a target rifle may not be competitive after 8-900 rounds but a hunting rifle could easily double that.

Been lusting after one of these but can't justify the niche between a 25-06 and a .280AI. Now if I had started with the 6.5 I couldn't justify the other two as much.

That and a lapse in manliness when I shot .270s mostly.

there is always the 26 nosler if u wanna try something new...

This cartridge sounds like a winner to me. I think you should build it, test it, post pitchers, and go kill small helpless animals with it.

Try this out !

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/6-5-sherman-q-125601/

LRH where the really good stuff is !

wow looks like theres a few more options similar to the rcbs version

Hey, Not sure if you are still looking at it. I know it's been a while, but I built a 6.5-280 RCBS about 4 years ago. I did quite a bit of load research on it and I do really like it as a chambering, but have not shot it much since I did the initial data. Brass was fairly easy to make and I ended up using a .264 Win Mag die to form brass and a 6.5mm Vickerman die for seating. I then used the 264 WM die to form the necks and that was it.

I would have to look in my books, but I was running the 140's in that 2950-3050 fps range with decent accuracy. I built it on a half ass Shilen SS barrel so I never really expected much out of it, but I was getting 1/2" consistently out of it with a good bullet powder combo. It's still sitting waiting for me to pick it up again, but I have 2 years of Chiropractic school left before I have time again!

I've had 4 6.5-284's built(2 for me and 2 for others)and really like the round. I've done the load work up on them and it's been a piece of cake. Grab a box of lapua brass prime load between 51.5-53gr of 4831sc under a 140 bthp or vld

I think that you would accomplish the same velocity with a 6.5x55 improved using less powder...long action is best.

Im thinking its a solid idea.
Long as you can get reloading dies for it.
I put a 6.5x47 neck and shoulder on a 308 lapua palma case.
Its called the 6.5 SLR or super long range.Im usuing it for 1000 yard silloutes.Dies can be had for the 6.5 SLR at 6mmar.com.
30 degree shoulders and longish necks are your friend.

dave

Actually the sweed has a oddball case head diameter.
I like the case well enough but skip it.. because of the case head...

dave

The 6.5-284 is a fine case and lapua makes excellent brass.
Its a proven round for 1000 yard BR.
But the 6.5 SLR will equal it with the 140g bullets for velocity.... with 5 grains less powder.

dave

That sounds like a winner. Sooner than later I'm going to do something like that 260 6.5 creed x47 or something to compare to our shorter barreled 6.5-284's. My 24" one runs 2750 with 140's. Same load in the longer barrels is 3002. Seems maybe this particular chambering is effected more by barrel length or is it a coincidence?

IMHO, I wouldn't worry about barrel life unless this is intended for a varmint rifle.

Why a long action?

Why not?

I had 6.5-06, and wouldn't do it again. The 6.5-284 is proven, and has lapua brass ready to rock. Can't see dicking with the rcbs version, unless you want something unique.

I am building a 6.5-06 A-Square with 17.5 degree shoulder like an 06, 270, or 25-06.
I had enough trouble buying that reamer and dies.
I have all kinds of 06 and 270 brass that I can neck down. I can't get a 6.5-06 Lee collet neck die, but I can just use a 260 die with a home made spacer.
i have built a couple 260s in the past, but could not get the accuracy or power to keep up with my 7mmRemMags. I am hoping the 6.5-06 can find a niche in my act for at least one of my two tags I drew for 2015.
If not, I will be back with the 7mmRemMag....it is like shooting a deer with a cannon.

I had a Plain Jane 6.5-06 built. It is a long action with a 24" barrel. I cull 30% of the brass I get (R-P), but it still works better and cheaper than Lapua brass.
That reminds me, I need to bed it for this years antelope tag.

nice light one there, Bart

same here in mouser but 1# more...

That's too bad. Anything I point my 260 Encore at falls over dead. With cheap 139gr PMC bullets, cheap CCI military primers and cheap surplus IMR 7383 powder in Win 243 cases necked up - shoots 5 shots into .6". I do feel your pain though, as my DPMS 260 likes nothing I have fed it so far.


thanks for the kind words, tomk