Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x06 & the 129gr Hornady bullet

I have a custom barreled 6.5x06, 24" Bbl, 1/8 twist. With 56grs of Rel 22 it chrono's 3116fps.. 57grs , right at 3200fps. Using the Hornady 129gr bonded with a BC of .488. Since the difference at 300yds is only 1" lower with the 3100fps load that is what I've decided to go with. Easier on brass. Sighted + 1.3" @100, 0.0 @ 200 & -7.1 @ 300yds. I believe this to be relatively flat.. Over the years the vast majority of my shots on Antelope,deer & elk have been under 200yds.
Starting with once fired 30-06 brass I can get 6 more shots & still have tight primer pocket's. .I have some Rel 26 I would like to try but it's been so cold out I haven't tried it yet. Have any of you out there tried Rel 26 with a 6.5x06 & the 129 to 130gr bullets?

No but H-1000 is a good one at least with 140s.

I’ve always wanted a 6.5-06. I have creeds, 264’s and a 26 Nosler. I’m surprised it’s never been made into a factory cartridge.

The 6.5x06 is a factory cartridge & factory ammo is available. Look up "6.5x06 A-Square". "A Square" is the company that factory produced's the round. Just know one like Savage, Ruger etc making one. Simple . Just get a 30-06, 270 etc length action. & rebarrel. Every barrel maker I'm aware of chambers for it. I use RCBS dies. Run a 25-06 , or 30-06 case thru a 6.5-06 FL sizer & load. No neck turning or trimming. Super easy to load for.. Ballisticly it is the same as the 6.5-284 & the 6.5PRC. Same case capacity, brass much more inexpensive. If you can find inexpensive once fired 06 brass that's it.

I haven’t played with 130 or 129 in my 6.5x06..but 143 ELD with 55 grs of RL26 is pretty amazing 3000 FPS out of a 25” shilen 1/8 twist and itty bitty groups

Where can you buy 6.5-06 ammo?



I think this is pretty much the definition of "wildcat."

After looking I regretfully see that A Square company has gone out of business. SO if you wanted loaded ammo you would have to go to a small custom reloading company which would be rather expensive. . Hand loading is the only way for the 6.5-06 at this point. Consider this . If you have an existing 25-06, 270 , 280, or 30-06 that has an issue with the barrel you might want to consider re barreling to the 6.5-06. It can easily drive a 100gr bullet to 3400fps, 120gr to 3250, 129/130 to 3200, & a 140 to 3000fps. If you compare like weight, BC & brand of bullets I think you will be surprised at how flat this round shoots. For instance a Hornady 6.5 129gr with a BC of .488 @ 3200 fps. Compare time of flight,, wind drift , trajectory & energy ft. lbs. to what ever range to the cartridge you shoot right now. . The 6.5 has been very much over looked in the past but is now being recognized as to its considerable ability .As long as there are 25-06, 270 , 280, or 30-06 brass available you will have brass. Run a 25-06 or 30-06 thru a 6.5-06 FL sizer & load. No trimming or neck turning required. If you use 270 or 280 there is some trimming to length required as they are a little bit longer than the 30-06 brass. .

Most of the guys I know with standard 6.5-06's top out at 2950 with 140s (24") barrel), which makes sense to me because I top out at 3050 with the AI version and 140s. I can load 'em faster but primer pockets get loose after a couple firings.

I like the 140 vld (BC .600) at 3050. The 147 ELD looks good too, .700 BC at 2950 in the AI.

The one I highlighted would be pretty stout in a 270 which has a larger bore diameter to utilize.

This 129 gr load is my everyday load. I have loaded once fired 30-06 brass sized to 6.5 six more times with out loose primer pockets I guess it depends on the rifle.

I figure that with a plain old 129 SP, would be a great load....

I don't care for Hornady's Plastic Tip bonded bullets, when the old soft point works and has worked for decades.

but then again, I miss their old 129 and 140 grain Round Noses, and the old 100 grain SP....

I probably have 1500 of the old Hornady 6.5 100gr. I agree with you a great bullet.

This has been my experience with velocity also. But I read on the internet all the time of guys shooting 140's at 264 WM speeds 😏

Hell, when I had a .264 WM I couldn't even shoot 140s at internet .264 WM speeds......

Hard to get the original factory specified velocity with sane loads in some rifles in .264.

The 129s worked great in my Swede and with R26 the little Scandinavian is getting closer to the 6.5x06. With either of these you will get as much and more at least in theory than the 130 .270 combo which has a stellar record.

Just a thought. I wounder how much elevation effects how powder burns, slower or faster? I do all my shooting & chronographing here on my place at an elevation of 7630' .Air is considerably thinner than at sea level.

Hesp,

The oxygen is contained in the powder. Elevation has nothing to do with it.

The A-Square company went out of business six years ago.

Is anybody shooting wildcats like the 6.5-'06 being discussed ever use ammo from Dallas Reloads? I know the owner Chad will either develop a load for you, or use the data from a load your rifle likes...His shop is in Lewisville, just north of Dallas and he's well known down here in the Long Range crowd as a shooter too.
Ron

I have 2. One is improved.
2950 on the regular is about right and there's a very nice node there also. Your number on the improved version of 3050 or so pretty much matches mine also.
FWIW, unless long range is the objective, the 130s run faster do just fine to 500-600 before the 140s and above catch them. Even then there isn't a heckuva difference to 800.
I do agree, it is a terrific cartridge although a 260 AI will pretty much run with it.(I run those also)Also as an aside, I'm pretty certain that a 6.5-06 with the same length barrel etc. is going to run a little below the PRC and a GAP. The numbers on those are usually running where brass and barrels don't wear out as quickly and usually are not run at their max levels.

The GAP will not only outrun the standard 6.5-06, but the AI too.