Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters An Intermediate 6.5mm Cartridge for Hunting

Yep, got a 6.5X55, 6.5X57. 6.5 CM think I have it covered. Would look at others however, Just don't think a semi-auto is my flavor.

Dan,

Thanks for the information.

Have always been a little baffled about how various states. provinces and countries around the world come up with such regulations. Have concluded they were arrived at by committees of opinionated geezers who are normally at least one generation behind in their opinions.

I bought an Interarms Mini Mauser in 223 back in 2004 as a donor for a 6.8 SPC build, but after kicking the build specs around for awhile I decided that it was a cartridge that didn't fill a hole or scratch an itch in my already crowded palette of cartridges.

Jeff,

In my experience a fast-twist .223 Remington or .22-250, a 6.8 SPC, .243 Winchester, or .250 Savage or whatever else falls within that ballistic range will do the job on "deer-sized:" game out to at least 300 yards if pointed correctly. In fact, have killed "deer-sized" game with the .22-250 out to 500 yards on cull hunts in Africa, and on the same trip my hunting partner killed a mature kudu bull with the same rifle and load (55-grain Winchester soft-point "varmint" ammo) at around 75-100 yards, with a running heart shot.

But hey, there the 6.5 Grendel is--which is why I own one!

I think you are right. AFAIK the Victorian .270"/130 gn thing has been around for a long time (decades).

There again, Sambar are pretty big as deer go (bigger than red deer), and pretty tough. They also tend to be in the thick stuff, and often shot on the run, especially when pushed along by hounds (which is popular in Victoria). Rifles a good deal bigger than .270 seem popular - .338s and even .458s for example, with the view to dropping them before they can disappear into lantana or blackberry thickets and be impossible to find. Personally I've found that .30/06 does the trick on these and Red stag, and I doubt a Sambar would go far with a good 6.5 bullet in the right place, but opinions vary.

Have heard sambar can be very tough, partly via a copy of SECTRETS OFTHE SAMBAR, by Errol Mason--who sent me a signed copy when it appeared in 2006. But have also encountered several supposedly super-tough big game animals in various places around the globe, and so far haven't found any that don't fall pretty quickly to a deep-penetrating bullet of in the right place--such as a 150-grain Nosler Partition from a .270 Winchester, which I have seen work very well on a wide variety of game larger than deer.

Re: 270/130 minimum......a 6.5 130 does just that, upon impact

Folks the only logical round that bridges the Grendel with the CM is the 6.5BR...........

One of these days........

As to improving that case.......well just go straight to the 47L or CM.

Now as to 100s......the TTSX would be nasty around 3k.

In a Varmint Hunting magazine, the author took a 25-06 barrel, set back to 25 BR and used 100 BTs at 3,000 in a 22" Ruger No. 1, did quite well. The Blue tips sure look more potent than the brown.......

Hard to beat a 6BR when running 100-108 class, if you want the extra short case/COL. The new 6CM should be a dandy in a SA.

As to 123 class running a bit slow in the Grendel, that's where the BR case comes into it's own. You can tap 2700-2800 vs 2550. Trajectory improves noticeably.

Or Neck the 7TCU or 7-30 Waters down to 6.5 /but I think Bobby had covered that already.I got what your parameters were Steve,just didn't care for them as that niche is way filled up already.

I have to tell everyone that this thread was a set up. I wanted to see if the forum would jump on it and attempt to take it in several directions at once or try to torpedo it.

I hoped the nay sayers, the anti 6.5CM groupies and the grumps would post their usual comments to most 6.5mm threads. Certainly, I expected it would melt down as many threads often do here. I wasn't disappointed. 😆

Thanks everyone. Please carry on discussing whatever it is that you are discussing.

All the best. 🙂

You call that a meltdown?

John,

I have no doubt that the 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel are both capable cartridges, but my decision was based on an analysis of how useful they would be for me. I thought about buying the 6.5 Grendel AR upper that was recently advertised in the free classified ads forum on this site, but I seldom shoot the ARs that I already have, so it would probably end up as another dust gatherer or in a box on a shelf. I like rifles and cartridges, so I have accumulated many of the former that are chambered for a variety of the latter, but there does come a time when enough is enough.

Another factor for me is that my kids aren't interested in shooting sports, so with that and my age to consider, my priority should be inventory subtraction. Just this week I fought the temptation to buy a mannlicher stocked 1640 series Husqvarna in 8x57. I'd really like to own that rifle, but I already have 5 8x57s that I don't shoot, so I put my phone away and didn't make the call.

I"m disappointed that it didn't morph into intelligent conversation about how to change film with a kid on your back.

😄 it can always shift in that direction. Give it time!

You exhibit higher than normal self-control, Sir. You may have to turn in your rifle looney badge.

I don't know Steve...I see many threads that really derail here. Often enuff and in mean-spirited enuff ways that I lurk more than participate...seems like a few people suggested expanding beyond your parameters, wrt brainstorming, (which seemed reasonable to me, and I get paid to brainstorm) but overall it stayed pretty much on track...

Hope you are well and happy holidays...

John;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope that you and Eileen are well and as ready for Christmas as you feel you need to be.

In the dim past I believe we've discussed how here in BC we can legally hunt bull elk or moose where you were up north with a .17 Remington but, if we should be drawn for bison, then according to the regs it's -"ammunition to hunt bison must be constructed with a 175 grain or larger bullet, which retains 2,712 joules (2,000 ft lbs) or more energy at 100 m."

For years there was some discussion as to the logic or lack thereof in this particular ruling, but recently a secret phone video of the meeting in which the decision was made has been released on social media. Someone, so it would seem, had shot a bison poorly, it hadn't acted according to the script as written and this all got back to the ministry.

The video is fairly self explanatory, with apologies and a language warning - but they are provincial politicians so I suppose we shouldn't be shocked, you know?



Anyways sir, mostly I wanted to say Merry Christmas to you both - there's my attempt at both irony and humor this morning before I head out to plow out the neighborhood.

All the best to you folks in 2021 as well John.

Dwayne

Thanks for the VERY revealing video, Dwayne! And a Merry Christmas to you too!

That is just so awesome, congratulations.

I say down with the 6.5 and up with the .257 in any case length. How about a Here ! Here !









Oooppsss.

kwg

Steve, sorry in my attempt with the suggestion
of a 250 case AI'd and necked to 6.5.

I really can't believe that didn't light a "fire" on the 'fire.

I guess it was too obvious.