Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What 6.5 caliber?

+1

Don't know why anyone would wanta a Mk V action w/ puny 06 case in it, but if I were trying to do what you're proposing that's how I'd tackle.

Seems like a massive waste of money to me. Find a factory take off & sell it that way, sell the blank here in classifieds.

Ringman is this an older Mk.5 with a .473 boltface or a six lug action?

If a 6 lug "small" action, then either 6.5-06 or 6.5x55.

If a 9 lug "big" action, then something like a 9.3x62 would be a better use.

The title of the OP's thread implies: "What (cartridge in a) 6.5 caliber?

Sell it as is, or without a barrel. The funds you will invest in a barrel and smith work? You will never recoup that. Let the next owner build what THEY want. They are happy, and you are ahead.

Since you have a .473" bolt face i would locate a buyer first.
Someone who wants a Wby action with a .264" barrel screwed on.
Let the buyer decide what case they want you to chamber.....give them the sense of "individualism"....."uniqueness".


Good luck.

It's hard to beat one that will do this consistently from 1000 yards:

6.51000 by Sharps45 2 7/8, on Flickr

This was 15 rounds. The next 10 rounds I fired the 1 3/4" through bolt holding the white plate on was shot up to the degree the plate fell off!

6.5x47 Lapua shooting 130 gr. Berger VLD with 38 gr. Varget.

RicksTacRifle by Sharps45 2 7/8, on Flickr

Yes, after he edited it.

Not sure why a 6.5 barrel would be picked for a Mark V action. You simply don't see the 2 together often at all. If it is indeed .473 and not .532 it would be even more odd, and limit it to ONE chambering IMO, that would be worth a $hit, the 6.5-06. Now you are looking for a handloader only, who................

ABORT MISSION

It would be cheaper to have the barrel set back and have it rechambered to 25-06 or 25-284. More money in your pocket and and easier sell IMHO.

Bob

I really like your idea. The problem is the barrel has been salt bath nitride treated so it can no longer be machined.

I purchased the 6.5mm Pac-Nor barrel because I was going to change the .257SLR to a 6.5SLR based on a .270 Winchester case. Then I discovered the 9.3X64 and ordered a reamer that sorta matches the .264 Win Mag without a belt with a longer neck. The 'smith thought there is not enough shank for the larger diameter so I decided to use the barrel in the manner in which this thread started.

Presently the rifle weighs 5lb 9oz including the Talleys but without the Swarovski z5 5-25X52BT (which is not for sale at this time). The action weighs twenty-six ounces. The 6.5mm 26" Pac-Nor barrel weighs forty-one ounces without cutting the chamber or threads or trimming to some desired length. The present stock weighs twenty-four ounces.

If someone wants to buy the rifle as is, and the 6.5 barrel, I will throw in the hydro-forming and reloading dies for the .257SLR. That way they could fire another thousand rounds and wear out the .257 barrel before they chamber the 6.5 barrel to whatever cartridge they want.

That's what I'm doing. That's why I have a Pierce titanium action and MPI stock on their way.

RM if the action will accommodate it, you might be able to capitalize on the 26 Nosler craze.

In general custom rifles are a very personal thing. If a person is going to pay the money to go custom, they might as well get EXACTLY what they want, and not buy what someone else made.

Last time I bought a custom rifle it was unfired and I paid about 1/3 what it would of cost to make.

26 Nosler is magnum size bolt face..........

You might want to check with a machinist on the machinability of the barrel. I'm betting with good carbide tools the barrel could be machined to a point it could be rethreaded and chambered. I would think it would only be surface hardened and once the first cut is made the material would be no different from any other barrel material in machining.
But I could be wrong.....

Screw the 6.5 bull and get a 7x57 barrel. Thank me later (plus I'm off for q week on a pheasant hunt and won't have to read th 6.5 flak). Lucl to whatever you decide.

antelope_sniper,

Thanks for that suggestion. The .26 Nosler is even larger than the 9.3X64 case. I measured several of the heads on the latter. They were only .495" and that was enough to scare my funsmith: Thus the whole new project.

Rich, why not just sell the action, or barreled action or complete rifle. Make package deals on the goods and i bet it will sell. People here love to build their own goodies.

Thanks, ironeagle_84, I will start there. Sometimes we overlook the simple.

I'll go with either the 6.5X55mm or 260 Remington.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a 6.5x284?