Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Popularity of the 26 Nosler and 6.5x300 WBY

I recently wrote Christiansen Arms to inquire if they ever plan on chambering a 26 Nosler or the 6.5x300 WBY in there Mesa Long Range rifle. They said those weren't popular enough to do that, although they do have the 26 Nosler it in their higher priced guns and the 28 Nolser in the Mesa Long Range. Are the two big 6.5s not that popular from what you have seen? I had hoped to get one or the other in the future.

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I may be wrong but the barrel life is going to limit the popularity of both. Both look like awesome long range hunting rounds, maybe the heavy A-tip bullets will help them.

Neither is very popular and neither is ever likely to be so. I looked at the 26 Nosler for a rebarrel I'm doing. While it will fit the (Savage) action, there are just too many negatives when using full-power loads - including short barrel life,

I expect the new 6.5 PRC will eclipse both the 26 Nosler and 6.5-300 Weatherby in sales, and by a wide margin. If I was going for an ultra-long range cartridge it would be the new .300PRC. In my case I'm more interested in hunting out to 600 and targets to about 1200 with a relatively light-weight, low recoil rifle. The 6.5PRC fits that very well (and will reach further). While both the 6.5PRC and .300PRC share the same negative of lack of new rifles, that will change quickly. Brass availability is also a problem for both but that will change as well. For what they do, both are conservative on powder consumption and both offer longer barrel life than cartridge like the 26/28/30 Nosler or Weatherby 6.5-300 or 30-378 cartridges.

Another concern of mine is building a rifle that will get used by other family members and will likely get passed down to one of them. The cost of brass and/or factory ammo is thus a concern. The PRC brass and ammo, while still in short supply, is priced competitively with standard offerings, about $1 each for brass, $40 per box of loaded ammo. The cost of Nosler and Weatherby brass and ammo is 2-3x that.

6.5 PRC may take market share from the two big boys, not sure. Time will tell.

The 6.5-300 Wby and the 26 Nosler are pretty close. I have the Nosler and estimate the barrel will be good for 1,000 to 1,200 rounds.

The PRC should go more, but time will tell on that one, too.

If you use Vulcan pull down powder, esp 872 instead of 869, you can get that powder for $55/5#'s from Jeff Bartlett, www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html.

IME, 869 and 872 perform exactly the same. I can't tell the difference. 869 has been the classic powder for the 26 Nosler, probably one of the best for the Wby, as well.

DF

Brother, the 6.5 PRC will NOT have long barrel life, Neither does the 6.5/284. Accuracy is a relative issue from shooter to shooter. 869 and 872 will give you longer barrel life in the 26 Nosler than conventional powders.

Expecting the same barrel life out of a 6.5/284 and the 26 Nosler is not sound thinking.

If you work up a load, then just verify zero from year to year, life will be good, but seldom does this happen.

It is not just the powder consumption, it is the Mag length vs Cartridge Over all Length that the barrel likes in the accuracy node.

I have been shooting the 7 STW's since 1989, latitude in OaL and mag constrictions are a deal killer.

Good luck!

Use is a key factor.

For the hunter who shoots a good bit working up loads, then uses the rifle mostly for hunting thereafter, barrel life isn't that critical. !,000 rounds is a life time of that kinda shooting.

For target shooters, or for more intensive use, that's different.

DF

I like my 6.5-300 wby, when if I shoot the barrel out, I’ll get another

Yep, my sentiments, too.

They make barrels every day...

DF

yep its hard to give up the speed and power in hunting rifle. my rifle may be a little less powerful but certainly is faster a 257 Weatherby Mag. .and i am with you guys when my barrel wears out i will still be shootin the same thing. i still might build a 26 Nosler ,for the last 30 years i wanted to build a 6.5 -300 Weatherby Mag. both are excellent cartridges.

26 Nolser and 6.5-300 Wby are pretty close.

To me, the choice would be brass, cost and quality, etc.

And, maybe the specific gun if I was buying rather than building. A deal is a deal...

DF

i have plenty 300 Weatherby brass but i kinda like the 26 Nosler because it does not have that mag rim on the case.

That's my feeling as well, is why my choice for a build was the Nosler.

But, if I had come up on a great deal for the Wby, don't think I'd have blinked.

DF

if i built a 6.5 mag. i would wanna use a Ruger #1 again its a great strong action. did you know Federal Cartridge uses Ruger #1 actions to test many cartridges ?

This is an interesting conversation on another site.

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/new-build-for-1500-1760-yards-what-cartridge.3980810/

pete, Remington Bolt heads will stand 150,000 PSI, something that a lot of custom actions will not come close to.

Mines a rem 700, rem sporter contour 26” broughton 8”.

Judman, when you find a cartridge that does it all for you, get a reamer of your design, buy up a flock of brass, then call i "set for life". I did this on the 7 STW which duplicates the 28 Nosler ballistics, but I have great Winchester brass.

As I get older, I hate the recoil. 6.5x47 Lapua is a magnificant case in accuracy and OaL for magazines, not to mention barrel life.

These big magnums leade you down the path of becoming an expert in getting carbon out of a barrel, the copper is easy. You have no clue if you don't own a bore scope, Lyman's are $200ish...best money you can spend. Fire cracking at 400 rounds make you start planning on buying a couple of barrel blanks as funds allow.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/13344324/1

I avoid the weatherby free bore like the plague.No matter the caliber...
When the rifling starts a half a inch down the barrel .. Its like buying a pre-shot out rifle..

Short throat a weatherby reamer and hand load for it.
Thats fine.
Shoot factory ammo in a Short throated weatherby rifle.
And you have the very definition of a bomb.
I pass.
dave

There are others with shorter freebore, i.e. .240 and 416.

With a long free bore round, chambering it non SAAMI with shorter free bore, a future owner, not knowing what he has, could get into some pressure issues with factory ammo. Wby factory ammo is loaded pretty hot for SAAMI free bore chambers.

If I was going to do that, I'd have the smith stamp custom (non SAAMI) specs. on the barrel.

A simple CYA precaution for you and future owners..

DF

[quote=keith
pete, Remington Bolt heads will stand 150,000 PSI, something that a lot of custom actions will not come close to.

yes Remington makes nice rifles, i just like Ruger # 1`s better for deer hunting > in my book the Ruger #1`s are in a class all by themselves and you only get or need 1 shot !

My neighbor has a 30/40 Kraig in a Ruger #1 if you are interested, very nice condition, shot little.

Dirtfarmer, I had my weatherby reamers with shorter freebore chambered with a .030 shorter neck, that way, no factory ammo could ever be shot in the rifle.

Only factory ammo I have ever shot in a rifle ince '68 was someone else's rifle and ammo.

I love hotrods, but few can handle the high maintenance, carbon fouling, leade growth, etc.

barrel blanks waiting in the shop, I just love looking at them...warm fuzzy feeling!

Barrel set backs with .100 leade growth if you have the right gunsmith that is willing to measure throat dia growth and get it back to within .0002 of muzzle dia. will pay big dividends. You have to plan ahead with enough shank to work with.

Barrels are consumables, don't sweat the small stuff!

Hawken .54 Rocklock by .com/photos/61286670N08/]Sharps Man, on [bleep]

Nice hawken.
Did you build it?

As a aside, my #1 hammer is a 6AI, popularity be damned.... 😂😂

Judman, I had four 6mm Rem, 220 Swift, 243, 25/06, and a #3 in 22 Hornet. New barrels, three point bedding system on forearm, great trigger, fixed all problems. Till I did the upgrades, it was a love/hate affair.

I can not remember the last time I use more than one shot on a deer.

I have the 26 Nosler, I have a number of rifles so I don’t shoot mine much. It doesn’t have any more recoil than a 7 mag to me. I use 869 and 140 Ballistic tips.

Agree on all points, except prefer 120 gr TTSX or 120 gr E-Tip.

DF

I use the 120 TTSX in my 6.5-06, I bet it really flys out of a 26!

3,450 fps, Could go 3,500, but better accuracy at 3,450.

120 gr. TTSX at that speed messes up stuff.

Hog heart.

DF

I prefer gun shops that give me what I want. I aint interested in what's popular.

So you only shop where every gun interests you? How do you find them? :-)

Any gun shop that only offered what I'm interested in would soon be a former gun shop.

I think I learned what I wanted by going into shops that had things I wasn't familiar with- and then I got familiar with them....

I meant custom builds.
If you want something bad enough, there are places to go to get it.

I built a 26 Nosler on the cheap. I bought a fire damaged 7RM M-700 BDL from my gunsmith for $400. It suffered more steam than direct fire damage. The wood was intact and when the wood is not charred, the metal didn't get hot enough to hurt. The barrel was toast, the trigger was unusable. I had a 26" SS Shilen fitted, glassed and free floated the barrel, replaced trigger with a Timney 501, bought pretty cheap on Ebay. The factory pad was sticky, Remington replaced it, no cost.

It's not that pretty, but is a half MOA shooter with selected loads So, it can be done..

DF

..............................As I recall, the 6.5/300 Bee came out after both Noslers did. Christensen may be simply waiting the market out to see what happens. Manufacturers imo tend to wait for a period of time before they offer new cartridge chamberings..........

I also believe that the 26 Nosler and 6.5/300 will have the usual short barrel life detractors. To them I would say, Well if you shoot them like varmint rifles, firing dozens of rounds per day or session, then a barrel will have shortened life. 100 rounds or so per year is a different story. Since most own multiple rifles, then that yearly average might very well be less than a 100 rounds....

Out of all the other 6.5s, these two 6.5 ers will give you bragging rights in owning either #1 or #2..........

Imo, both will be around for quite a long time. I do not believe that either Nosler or Weatherby would market new rounds if they felt that their lives would be short lived.

With care, not letting barrels get too hot, I think they’ll be good for around 1,200 rounds.

I built my 26 Nosler before the Wby round was introduced. I still think I’d go with the Nosler. I like the beltless case and performance is pretty close.

There is a market, maybe not that large, but a sustainable market IMO.

A certain gun writer who will remain unnamed, reportedly sold his .264 Win Mag and bought the 26 Nosler he was testing. So, we know there is at least a market of one.

With 869 powder, those rounds are definite performers.

DF

It's a big difference between competition & hunting.

Actually the 6.5x300 Weatherby came to life in about 1954/55, after Norma introduced the 139 gr match bullet at Camp Perry.
The creator of the cartridge was a 1000 yd target shooter by name of Wright from NM.
A PA gunsmith by name of Alex Hoyer got wind of the cartridge and contacted Wright about using his reamer.
A deal was consummated and the cartridge was dubbed 6.5x300 WWH, for Weatherby Wright Hoyer.
Hoyer popularized the cartridge among a growing number of long range hunters in PA and elsewhere.
One of them was Frank Weber an early Williamsport shooter, who used his Hoyer built gun to set an early 1000 record at that range.
At 83 Frank still competes there today, as the results of the recent World Open match shown on their website will show.
For a time the 6.5x300 WBY was the most popular long range hunting gun probably on the planet, but for sure it was in PA.
Around 1970 Hornady introduced the 162 gr match BTHP bullet, and that spelled death for the 6.5x300 Wby cartridge in PA.
Almost overnight the 7x 300 weatherby cartridge took center stage as the top choice cartridge, and along with the 7STW it is still a popular cartridge there whereas you will be hard pressed to find a 6.5 of really any description used for serious long range there.
I personally started L/R hunting at the time the change over was taking place, so i started with a 7x300 built by the late Howard Wolfe.
I always had a lingering feeling however that i had missed something by not having a hot 6.5.
So about 10 years back i had a 6.5x300 WSM built on a Savage action. The thing shot very well with 140s with velocity pushing 3400.
One day shooting at rocks on the hillside opposite our camp , i decided to compare the results with my 7x300.
Right there it became evident that I hadn’t missed anything by not owning a hot 6.5 for long range hunting.
In fact if i had my now long life to live over, I wouldn’t be owning a 7mm either for that purpose.
If 3400 is good with 140 grns, how good is it with 200s? And how good is 3200 with 300s?

Yep, different worlds...

DF

About 12 or so years ago Rem made a few 700 cdl sf rifles in 264 win. I bought one and it shot incredibly well the first few years with most 140s over 65g of 7828. It clocked 3220 fps and shot several sub 1/2 moa groups.

I don't think I shot it enough to shoot it out I probably just don't shoot as well but the last few times I had it out it was more of a 1 moa gun.

I did load some 120 nbts one year and shot some rock chucks with it. It sent them into orbit at 3450 mv.

I eyeballed the 26 nosler when it first came out but thought that case made a better 28 so I've had a few 28 noslers but still no 26. I love 6.5s but my favorites are the mid sized ones. 260, creedmoor, Swede, lapua, and 6.5-06. I need another 6.5 lapua and 6.5-06.

Bb

I have a 6.5 wildcat that I built to achieve similar performance and it’s flat out sick on mule deer with Berger VLD’s. I’ve had it up to 3300 over a Chrony with 140’s, but got ejector marks and backed down. I thought I was shooting 3315fps with 140’s on the first muley I killed, but got home and figured out I had put 130gr billets in my 140gr box after coating them. The hottest load it will shoot good groups with using 140’s is running 3175fps. That’s .26 Nosler territory if you look at load data, but it’s not meeting the loaded ammo numbers. The two mule deer I killed with it were hit with VLD’s leaving the barrel around 3300fps, and they were most likely 130gr VLDs. The first was at about 120yds, and the second at about 380yds. Both were pretty much instant kills. I just got back from my first elk hunt and used 140gr Elite Hunters at 3175fps. The first shot was a gut shot due to wind at 670yds. It exited. The second shot was at about 30yds and hit the shoulder joint. It slipped in before blowing up, completely eliminated the entire joint area leaving a half a numerous and a scapula with no socket, and destroyed the lungs, but did not exit. The elk stood up, walked 40yds on three legs and laid down and it was over. I’d have shot him again, but I didn’t have any more ammo on me. I would prefer a larger caliber bullet for elk. I think a 7mm or .30 cal would be better. I also recommend getting closer. It was a now or never moment, and I thought I was a lot closer than 670yds. For mule deer the gun has been amazing.

Upon further reflection I don’t think I would have hit the elk without it. I had taken a 30-06 in a wood stock and the 6.5 was a backup. The weather turned so I was carrying the 6.5. It turns out that at 670yds the 30-06 would have dropped 31” more than the 6.5 and drifted 6” more in a 10mph crosswind. So the ‘06 might have been better on a hit, but I would most likely be eating tag soup instead of my first elk hunt being a wonderful success.

Mine loafs along at 3300, 140 Hornady interloks, factory fodder, shoots good..

A lot of guys have good things to say about Christensen lately. I bought a ridgeline in 300 PRC 1-8” a few weeks ago ..kind of regretting it.

Factory started holding the MOA guarantee after about 40 rounds, until then it was a solid 3” gun.. did some stock work and bedding, voiding the warranty of course..

Loaded some 250 Atips, just under moa.

Now Have some 220 scenars and 230 hybrids loaded. Hopefully this pig will show some improvement with those two bullets.. I’ve yet to see a rifle that doesn’t love the hybrids, even factory weatherbys . We’ll see.

As for the 6.5,s I’d just get on the 6.5 PRC train and enjoy the ride.

I bought the Bee. Actually I forgot about the 26.

at my age of 66 i don`t think i would burn a barrel out of a 26 Nosler or a 6.5 -300 Weatherby ,both of my 264 Win. Mags and all my 257 Weatherby`s still have plenty life left in the barrels . once i have the hand loads developed and the rifles sighted in ,i only use them for hunting ,maybe a couple of shots before the season to make sure the rifles are still sighted in.besides wiping a rifle down a little i may clean the bore of the rifle every 4 or 5 years , cleaning rifle barrels is way over rated for a hunting rifle.