Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats New hunting rig...6.5x55 vs. 6.5-284

I would likely roll with the '06 case in a LA700. The feeding would be slick.

+1

I have both on long actions and would go with the 6.5-06 rather than the 6.5-284. I also have a 6.5x55 and like it a lot, but for a little more horsepower, listen to JPro.

I prefer having properly headstamped brass is the main reason. [/quote]

hummmmmmm..........

Que?

My choice would be 6.5x06 Ackley or 6.5x280AI whichever dies and reamer were available for a step up from 260AI. Would shoot about like the 6.5x284 with a 28-30" barrel with out stomping on it.

In a light rifle the Swede is about perfect.

Clark of the two you mentioned I'd go Swede. If given a choice slamo dunk I'd go 6.5/06 or .270...

Dober

I split the difference...going 6.5x55AI thanks to Paul hooking me up with a set of dies.

So what do you expect or hope to gain by going 6.5x55 imp over the 6.5-284?

Your smith doesn't have a clue.

Nothing really. Maybe an extra round in the belly...

Yet this same 'smith had no problem with the 6.5-06!

It, the x55 imp, is a great choice.




That's what I was thinking!

I have 6.5x55 (not the improved version), and like it...The AI comes in with a bit of "cool factor" as well. Given your starting materials, I might have put a 280 on my cosideration list as well. Plenty of speed, and a good choice of bullet types and weights as well... and really, your only adding .5 mm to the width of the bullet.

This will be lil' sister to my 280AI, so already got that base covered.

What is the water grain capacity of the 260, 260AI, 6.5x55, 6.5x55AI, 6.5x284, and 6.5-06 cartridges? Just wondering...not planning on reloading with water...lol.

Guess I'm a heretic on all counts. Both of my 2 6.5-284s - lightweight rifles for the mountains -wear 23" barrels, and I havent shot either past 427 yards. They aren't target rifles but consistently shoot hunting bullets at or under 0.75MOA. A joy to carry, in the field indistinguishable effects from one of my 264WMs, and as accurate as I am when shooting at animals.

I confess that the ballistic forces that make a 6.5-284 wear out barrels faster than a 6.5-06 - they hold equal case volumes of powder - at equal working pressures and under the same conditions of use, completely escape me - but who knows maybe playful goblins live in those barrels?

Mo,

I suspect the wear is more a manifestation of how the powder burns into the barrel than the fact that the powder capacities are near the same.

I suspect the pressure curves at the throat are different, higher with the 6.5X284. I also suspect that more of the powder in the 6.5X284 is burned in the case due to the shape than the 6.5-06, which elects more burning powder into the barrel.

Higher pressure hotter gasses with the 6.5X284 might be behind the difference in throat wear.

In "F" class rifles, I didn't see any difference in barrel life between the 6.5/06 and the 6.5/284. Both seemed to burn out significantly faster than a 6.5x55.
As far as performance is concerned, a 6.5x55 will manage just shy of 2800 fps with 140's. The 6.5/06 and the 6.5/284 will both just beat 2900. This assuming 24 inch barrels and equal pressures.
When guys are hitting 3000 fps with 140's in an 06 sized case, decapping becomes unnecessary as the primer comes out all by it's self.
I'm not a big fan of the 284 case but that's just my opinion. My choice would be the 6.5x55. GD

I HAVE A 6.5/284 ON TC/ENCORE 26IN BBL. 47,5GR. 4831SC POWDER, 129GR.HORNADAY SST. NO KICK, UNDER 1/2IN AT 100YD. GREAT SET UP WOULD BUILD ANOTHER TOMORROW. SHOT SLOW AN BBL. WILL LAST. HUFFMANWG

David, an interesting hypothesis. I haven't found evidence that case configuration (e.g., shoulder angle, body taper, etc.) affects pressures. I suspect that the ratio of the body of the case to the neck (and chamber throat) probably do make a difference, as do the types of powders used. I think most of the useful powders in one case (slow) are those also useful in the other. So though there might be a difference in real-world barrel wear, IMO it's probably due to hotter loads in the 6.5-284s used for long range competition vs. lower pressure loads in the 6.5-06s mostly used for hunting.