Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Remington 6 1/2’s in .223, What’s the Truth?

I’ve done some searching, and am hearing mixed things on Remington 6 1/2’s.
I’ve got 1100 6 1/2’s, 100 purchased in approx 2002 and a 1000 brick purchased in 2014. I have recently decided to load for my new-ish Axis in 223 and in researching decent hunting loads (50-55 gr sp’s) have run across a lot of info discouraged these primers for the 223. None of my manuals spec out 6 1/2’s for the 223 but I don’t recall a manual ever specing out Remington primers anyway.
None of my boxes have the “warning” on them about staying away from high pressure loads. Should I shy away from them?

Side note- in some recent experiments with substituting small rifle primers for small pistol magnum’s in my 77-357, the 6 1/2’s were approx 200 fps slower than CCI SPM and CCI SR’s (16 grains H110, Speer 158 sp). Coincidence?

Any thoughts on this?

don't use in an AR... they will pierce the primer...

the 6 1/2s were made for cases like the hornet and 218 Bee

light loads maybe in a bolt action 223, where the pressure might be around the 40K pressure level...

Gained this experience during Obama era, on what was available...

6 1/2s are NOT equal to Rem 7 1/2s...

Agree with Seafire. You can load them in .223 for bolt guns. Safely. What Ken Waters did decades ago you can do today. Just load to approximate .222 Rem pressure levels.

The floating pin makes use in ARs unwise. So don't. Full disclosure: this is one of those "do as I say - not as I do" things.

Happens I had some brass prepped and primed with 6.5s. So loaded them (3-400) up to oughta-be .222-ish pressures and have been running them through M16 uppers. About one of every ten shows very slight perforation. Using a high-mileage FN bolt, if it pooches not going to cry. Can watch the pin for cratering, but so far neither bolt nor pin are evidencing an issue. Maybe b/c the pressures are mild.

So they might work for your blue dot loads?

Ended up with some 6 1/2 primers when my wife thought she would be awesome and stop on her way back in town and buy primers if they had any The guy at the shop suggested those for 223( he is a idiot)

I researched this. The answer is exactly what Seafire just said.

I might use them for 300blk subsonic if I can’t trade them for something else small rifle I guess

Seafire is 100% correct !

I also agree with Seafire for the most part on the 61/2 primers are not for an AR but neither are Fed205's or WinSRP's.
They actually work pretty well with most 223 loads in the 50-55gr range you are looking for, do a little load development and they will work fine

not in an AR... Blue Dot loads won't cycle the bolt on an AR....

but Lawrence, I've used them in bolt actions with Blue Dot loads... and in mid range Blue Dot loads, I've even used Small Pistol primers
say with 10 grain charge, but that was back under Obama's watch, when you used what you could get...

I'm not in that position with this looney toon administration....

but hell, in 6 months from now, most of us will be in democRAT Re Education Camps,
and anything we had to do with a firearm will be long gone from our possessions...

I envision in 6 months, the democRATS will love to see our yards hosting Transient Camps, providing the squatters free services and demanding locks on our doors are illegal.... so that the Transients assigned to our yard, can come in and use the bathroom or watch TV any time they please....

A little late on the question - I used the Remington 6 1/2 on some moderate .223 loads with 40-50 grain bullets in my Cooper M21 single shot. Had more than one instance of pierced primers which led me to doing the research I didn't do at first. Fortunately no damage to the rifle, but lesson learned.

I have used 6.5's in middle loads with my 222 without issue. Seafire's advice is on target IME. I have also used small pistol primers with my 22 hornet without issue. I use 7.5's or CCI 450's with full power loads

Godd luck and shoot straight y'all

How come?

Thin cups. These weren't made for high pressure loads.

Thanks for all the replies. I have a few hundred CCI SRP’s I will use, which will last a very long time for as little as I’ll be loading the 223. I’ll just relegate my 6 1/2’s for 357’s.

I use the 6 1/2 Remington's in my 22 Hornet. Rifle is a pre 64 model 70 pre war carbine so the firing pin and striker are the same as any pre 64 model 70 and it hasn't punctured a primer yet. Cartridge pressure is what make the primer puncture.