Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Help with 6.5 decision

I decided to post my question here in the hope that more folks would give input. I have decided to have a custom rifle built. This will be a general purpose rifle, for fun shooting and deer hunting. I have decided that it will be a 6.5 of some sort, but can't decide which one. My options are to rebarrel the Left-hand Browning A-Bolt in 30-06(long action), rebarrel the Left-hand Tikka 595 in 7-08(short action but will take a cartridge up to 3.00") or to buy a left-hand rifle to rebarrel. I would like to get the Tikka Left-hand in 6.5x55, but Beretta doesn't import them to the US(only to Canada). The rifle would only be used with 125 gr Nosler Partition, 129 gr Hornady, 140 gr Ballistic Tip, and maybe 140 gr Partition if I ever decided to go after something bigger than deer - not likely at age 62 and retired living in Missouri! Below are the calibers I am thinking of, with pros and cons for each, as I see them. I would really like to hear from those who have used/had built a rifle in any of these calibers.
1. 6.5x55 - A classic caliber that is never wrong. I have the dies for this one(RCBS 2-die set) but would probably get a Redding Deluxe 3-die set. Brass is readily available and not too expensive, except for the Lapua, which I would probably use in the hopes of getting the best accuracy.
2. 260 Remington - fits best on a short action, and not sure if the 140 gr bullets can be seated to the base of the neck and still maintain a 2.800 -2.900" overall length. Do not have dies for this one. Not sure about brass - have read negative posta about this brass, but can easily be made from 7-08 or even Lapua 308.
3. 6.5 Creedmore - should be fairly accurate. Need brass(expensive) and dies(expensive). Also could use reloading data.
4. 6.5x284 - Need dies and brass, also expensive. Can use a short action for the Winchester version, and need a long action for the Norma version.
5. 6.5-06 - needs a long action obviously. Brass not a problem- can be formed from 25-06, etc. Would need dies.
6. 6.5x57 - not sure if it needs a long or short action. Brass and dies a problem.

I am hoping to have a finished rifle of just under 7# without scope. Recoil is a problem for me, but I like my 257 Roberts, and the 270/30-06 is more than I want to work with. Being left-handed limits the choice of action, and it would be nice if it was weather resistant(read stainless or something like it).
OK, those are the parameters. I would like to hear from anyone who has used these cartidges, and what you think of any/all of the choices.

I owned two different 260's and the 125 gr partition is a great bullet for it. Today I own a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 and shoot the 129 gr spirepoint.

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks if it will kill a deer...lol

I had great results with RP brass for both 260's FWIW.

you can find a T3 in 6.5... thats where i would start....

woofer

I have and really like the 6.5x55 Swede. Obviously would be OK in the Browning. My rifle is a long action Ruger. The other three are Winchester, and the OAL that is best for all three is around 3.1" as the throats are pretty long in all four.

Now @3.0" OAL with the Tika, the Swede should still work, just be sure to have the throat cut for that length (pretty obvious I guess :)).

Recoil with 120-130 grs is not a lot different from the 257 with 115+ bullets. The 140's go up a tad, but still softer than the 270. All in all an easy to shoot light recoil rifle.

I doubt there is much practical difference in this and the 260. Never have shot a 260 however. I think the 6.5x55 is close enough to the 6.5-06 as to not make much difference in the field. Kind of a guess there as I have never had experience with a 6.5-06.

Not a bad choice in the bunch and arguments can be made for all. Since I have the Swede, I've never felt the need for another 6.5 of less power than a 264 Winchester. The Swede will put two holes in just about any deer at just about any sane range. I have packed it for Elk, but have not shot one with the Swede.

Re: brass for 260. My latest custom, shot NEW out the box factory Rem brass, into .5-.6" at 100. Nosler 260 was under .5, last 4 shots I have in that brass shot .2" so there are choices if Rem is not satisfactory. MANY forego reforming Lapua 243/308 brass, and use Winchester 7/08, run thru a sizer to go down .5 mm.

The difference ballistically may only be 50 fps between the 6.5x55 and 260.

Any thoughts on a TC Encore or Ruger #1 in 6.5x55?

I had a pre-64 Mod. 70 Featherweight re-barreled to 6.5x55 last year. I went with a 8" twist barrel.

Since I had a long action to work with, I had it throated long for 140 & 155/160 grainers. It shoots exceptionally well with those weight bullets.

The lightest bullet I've tried is the 123gr Sierra Matchking, and it shot those very well, too.

I flirted with the idea of a 6.5x57 and a .256 Newton as well. I never considered the .260 Rem. because I didn't need to fit a short action, and I've just never been infatuated much with anything based on the 51mm NATO case.

I went with the Swede because of better availability of brass & dies. I went with a Redding 2 die set, and am using Winchester brass.

So far I am happy with the Winchester brass and don't see the need to pony up the extra $ for the Lapua brass.

As far as the difference between the .260 Rem. & the 6.5x55, as long as your using the same twist rate, I doubt that you would see any difference in the two. Since you want to shoot 140's, I would recommend an 8" twist.

Your desire of an OAL of 2.8-2.9" with 140 gr. Partitions does NOT work for the .260 if you only want to seat to the base of the neck. BUT - don't worry about it, that's no big deal. I'd rebarrel the Tikka and be done with it. Recoil is not a big factor with the .260.

I have owned a 6.5 since 19(mumble), starting with a M94 Swede in 6.5X55. Now I have a 6.5-'06 and a .260 Rem. If recoil is an issue, I would go with the .260 Rem, and find or build a rifle around that cartridge. I have a good friend in my SCI Chapter who uses a .260, and she just collects whatever she is hunting without any drama. She uses one of the factory youth models.

jim

6.5-06 and 6.5-284 have more case capacity than the 6.5mm bore can effectively use. At modern pressures, the 6.5x55 will be only an half step slower than either of these and a very little bit ahead of the 260.

Domestic brass is just fine for the 6.5x55. The dimensions are very slightly different from European, but within SAAMI dimension specs. I've never had any problem with domestic brass.

i live close to you and you are welcome to shoot my custom rem 700 6.5x55 to help you decide.

i love the 6.5x55. it's a do all cartridge. it shoots great pm me and i'll meet you before deer season.

Not really, this round does better with a long action and Lapua brass and would be my choice.
B

That is your opinion but certainly not the case, if we were talking about a 6.5-378WBY then you might have a point

I'd wager that you don't think much of the 264 Win, right?

I have owned somewhere in the neighborhood of two dozen or more rifles in various 6.5 chamberings. Most factory chamberings and 2 or 3 wildcats. In considering all of them (excluding the magnums...), far and away the best of them is the 6.5x55. It is accurate, mild recoiling, and amply powered for most N.A. game.

For a handloader, it is fully equal to the 6.5x57 and the .260 Rem. The only downside, is that it generally requires a long action. if that's not an issue, I see it as a no-brainer...

There is a reason that the venerable Swede has gone from relative obscurity to fairly popular in a few years. It's that good! That said, sometimes folks just harbour a desire for something different... (I admit to that... )

But for all practical purposes; the 6.5x55 is the most logical choice. Now, and if you just WANT something different, then emotion is involved and thus; all bets are off!

GH

I will throw another another cartridge in for consideration:
6.5x47 Lapua.
Great brass, works great in a short action.
Will perform great in a short action, and in a short barrel, you will have no problem seating your bullets out.
Recoil will be among the least of those you mentioned, with it being very similar to the Creedmore.
More importantly, get what you want, the big game you shoot with it is not going to know the difference

I have a 6.5x55 Featherweight PF that is a sub-moa shooter and I won't ever sell it. Shoots 139gr mighty fine. Ken

I am a big 6.5X55 fan. I don't see what you'd have to gain with anything else. I don't know if going to one of the cartridges that was developed with competition in mind would be worthwhile if you're putting it in a rifle configured primarily as a hunting rifle. If recoil is an issue, why put one of the overbore superblasters in a <7 pound hunting rifle? My own experience, and that of a number of other members here, is that the Swede is capable of bughole accuracy anyway, out of hunting rifles. It's a very agreeable cartridge. It will shoot accurately with very mild loads and if you want to crank it up to modern pressures it will still shoot accurately and will fly right on the heels of the high intensity stuff. Yeah, if you're going custom, I'd go with an 8 or 9 twist Swede.

6.5-06 all day long any day of the week.

Take a perusal through some loading data and you'll see that the 6.5-06 is just barely behind the .264 win mag.

Sell the A-Bolt, buy a donor and make a 22" 6.5-06. Get the dies and load 130 AB's, 125gr NPT's, or some Hornady bullets and go kill deer....

You will really like this CAT.

I have a 6.5x55 Featherweight PF that is a sub-moa shooter and I won't ever sell it. Shoots 139gr mighty fine. Ken

Not expensive, you can also add a Wyatts box to a short action and get all the length you need.

Same brass length as a 6.5x55 but will get you another 200 fps mv in the 284 case.

Same speeds as a 6.5-06 without having to form brass up or down.

Just as accurate as a 260 or 6.5x55.

The Creed and x47 in a bolt action are nothing but gimmick.
You need longer barrels and higher pressures to do the same thing a 260 will do with much less fuss.

If I owned a 6.5x55 in a factory bolt rifle I would punch to a 6.5-284 in a ny minute.