Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Best 6.5 build for hunting

I have several friends too that went out and got Tikkas after I got mine. Everyone is happy. Great guns. Side bolt release, adjustable trigger, sako extractor, changeable bolt handles...all action features you'd pay a smith $300 to do to a Remington. Its funny, I lost interest in this site, followed other forums and facebook. Come back here out of boredom and find people are still pissing on Tikkas, praising Remingtons, Kimbers and Leupolds.

Since the OP sounds sufficiently loony, he could also have a t3x in 6.5 C rechambered to 6.5 RPM and get his 140s up to the MV he desires. Poster elkivory (iirc) did this and seemed happy with the results.

It's mostly the same if you come back after 20 years ...

Sorry this turned into a [bleep]... we all want what we want. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else.


Unfortunately the 6.5 RPM is probably the best answer but also the least available. Probably a victim of the pandemic as it is a very compelling cartridge/idea.

If you believe the RPM will survive. It’s a great option. If you don’t believe in it. The 264 Win Mag is also great. I built one that shoots better than I do right before the 26 Nosler came out.
Have several hundred loaded rounds of 130gr accubonds that shoots .5MOA

If I were starting over again I’d probably go bigger/badder but with what I ended up with, I wish for nothing that any of these other cartridges can do.

I have a setup for a 264 WM down the road and tons of brass for it. What velocity is your 130gr round going at that accuracy? I appreciate you saw the way this post went and the value of everyone here wanting what they want, but are open to ideas and not to wonder off to things that aren't what the original post was even about. I read posts that interest me and by the end they are talking about everything but what the topic even originated from.

And what is the twist rate?

What about the 6.5 Weatherby RPM?

140gr MV allegedly from 2,975 fps to 3,075 fps: https://weatherby.com/store/65-wby-rpm/

And ammo is available: https://ammoseek.com/ammo/6.5-weatherby-rpm

24" MkV runs under $1,300 already built: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/883748993

That RPM comparison data is BS to make their cartridge look better. They claim a 6.5-284 is only doing 2750 with a 140 and that a 264 with a 140 is only doing 2929 fps. LOL

A 6.5-284 with 140's is a realistic 2900+, and I am at 3200 out of my 264 without redlining it.

My 26" Krieger 6.5-284 will push 140 VLD's at 3K with RL-17 and with very accurate groups. Good WT load.

DF

I used to shoot 2 different 6.5-284’s. One heavier type with 26” barrel and one sporter with 23” barrel. Both shot the same load of 53gr H4831sc under a 140 vld. The longer barrel shot 3,000fps while the 23” barrel was around 2,750. I never tried other powders or loads for the shorter barrel because it was so accurate and I sure couldn’t complain with the results.

Nice! I'm building a 6.5-284 with 7.5 twist 30" barrel... should hum along

I tried to like the 6.5 CM and just found it to be blah. Sent the creeds down the road and got a 6.5 PRC and am pretty happy with it. 140’s at 3060 is easy and accuracy is superb. IMO the 6.5 PRC is what the Creedmoor should have been.

What bbl length on the PRC?

The creed is fine if people would stop trying to push 140's. That cartridge shines with 120-130 class bullets. Its a dog with 140's.

Man, I get 2775 with 26 and 147’s then 2750’s with 17 and 139 Scenars in the AR...

It doesn’t shoot too awfully bad either.

My only 6.5MM is a 1903 Mannlicjher in 6.5X54.

But if I were to BUILD a 6.5CM for hunting I'd make an AR10 with a 22" barrel.

I sure don’t know what would make it a dog with 140’s? I’ve been shooting 147’s out of my 260 at around 2,600fps. No speed demon but I have a turret for longer range and most of our shots around here are 200 or less. Sure does a number on deer and coyotes. Then again I’m one of those who also like a 223 for deer so take that for what it’s worth.

Just for the ease of cases, the 6.5/06 is a mighty beast with the 140g Berger Hunting-147g ELD, R#17 and #26. I have a custom 26" 6.5x55 and shoot the 127-129g at 3150 with R#26, Lapua brass of course.

When you get real serious, do the numbers with a std. 280 with a 180 eld match at 2800...hope you are sitting down... Large Hogs flop at 400. We have also had great luck with 180g Berger vld hunting, 175g ELD-X, and 175g Nosler LRAB....killing. The big 7mm bullets stomp everything 6.5 coming and going, changing gears can be tough in hard times.

Use Lapua '06 brass for both cases, lots of BS goes down stream, even with a shorter neck on the 280..

The 280 is mighty good. Twisted right they’re animals. Even with the better 160+ bullets they aren’t chopped liver either. Plus, like you mentioned, good brass don’t hurt it.