Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Help with 6.5 decision

Some folks worship the Gods of Muzzle Velocity. If that is one's major criteria, then bigger is always better.

One of the gunwriters (John Barsness???) did an article a few years ago on the effects of downrange velocity. He found that if you look at it in terms of down range performance, one doesn't get as much as one thinks...

For MY purposes, a 6.5x55 will reach out as far and as flat as I need to use a rifle for. I would speculate that a lot more folks use a 6.5x55 than a 6.5/06 or .264 Win Mag in the real world.

But in the final analysis, one only has to please oneself...

GH

Brass and dies for the 6.5X55mm and the 260 Remington are easy to get; the others are more problematic. All will do the job (with proper bullets) on all North American game, but I'd be leery on using them on big bears.

Ed, good seeing you on - pm me or email sometime.

No doubt, out to 400 yds, if you can place your shot into vitals w/a decent bullet, anything from 6mmBR and 6.5 Grendel, 250 Savage, 308, 30/06, 284 based rounds ALL have proven effective on deer.

For fun, I like 260/6.5x55 better than a '06 any day of the week, and the 6BR class and similar has to be shot/seen to believe and appreciate what they can and will do day in and out, w/o beating up your shoulder and ears.

If one is going for LONG range as in much further out, than the speed is welcome for trajectory, and though the residual speeds on impact may be less than the mv difference, it will be more, a the expense of I think JB said it, a 1 to 4 ratio, if I understand correctly, 1% gained mv for 4% increase in capacity? That right?

Anyway, if one is merely wanting stretch string trajectory in a hunting rifle and bore life not an issue, sure the 284, '06, 6.5 RM, WSM'd, and Win Mag cased 6.5s are king, and some have even gone larger. I like performance, but the less powder I burn, the happier my ears, shoulder, and wallet are, and I can ENJOY longer shooting sessions learning my gun and load - and that's an ingredient for field success, as is flinch-free shooting. Not that even the largest 6.5s kick like larger bores using heavier slugs at similar speeds.

It's what the user 'needs' to hunt with in their type of hunting, and how much recoil, blast, and shooting expense (powder, brass, and bore life) fits you.

Lots of good ways to launch 6.5 bullets. The 260 and Swede have always satisfied my needs. YMMV.

Looks like you need to just settle on what action, leftie bolt, long or short and custom build, or pick a good single shot. Let us know how it works out, they all will work well if accurate, and if it's 'shootable' for you.

Baloney,




Would you say that about the 270 win? Because that's pretty much the same speed the 6.5-284 is at.




That's a real turd.

The 260 will do the same thing in a short action with a .473 bolt face.

Please tell us why it's so much more logical?

The 6.5X57 is extremely flexible and can handle heavy/long bullets.

Brass is never a problem, as you can use 257 Roberts or 7X57 brass if needed. It is a 257 Bob with shoulders.

The true 6.5x57 European cartridge has a longer body than the 7x57 or 257 Roberts.

In the US, the 6.5x257 Roberts is often marked 6.5x57.

Bruce

It does!

I have been using a 260 Rem ever since it came out for mule Deer and Whitetails, used 308 gold medal and WW 7-08 necked down at first as no 260 brass was to be had, it never was really good for some reason, ended up less than straight. Rem 260 brass has been very good, my main load is 47 grains of RL 19 with the 125 grain partition and also 46 grains of VV N560 with the 140 partition( this load is a little harder on the brass) I have to say I see very little difference between the 260 with these loads and the 7MM Rem mag that I used for 30 years. So far all one shot kills and the deer reacted about the same. 260 or 6.5 x55? i think you would be happy with either. Never had any problem with 140 partition in the 260 case although there is a marked increase in recoil from the 125, at least in my Rem 260 LSS mountain rifle with the rock hard factory pad. These loads were fine in my rifle using a federal 210m primer, but start lower and work up as always.

Have a 260 myself and it works great with 129gr. Hornadys, but for a custom build I think I would go with the Swede.

I think this is a great idea. Less expensive than a custom build and suitable for lefties. The Pro Hunter with it's 28 " barrel will get you all the velocity you could wish for.
Personally, I went with the Ruger #1A. They are currently avaiable from Lipsey's. It may be a fluke, but my 6.5x55 #1 shoots as well as my 6.5x55 Tikka T3.
I used the Swede with 120gr Nosler BT handloads recently to take a red stag and it performed well.
That said, I love 6.5s of all kinds. I also have two 260s and a couple of 264WMs laying around here. I've never met a 6.5 I didn't like.

Here is the Ruger 6.5x55 K1A Stainless/Walnut

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=197865247

Another vote for the 6.5x47 Lapua. I put this one together last month. Had my dentist chamber the Rem mag contour Lilja 8 twist 3 groove barrel,and I screwed the thing together. carved up a no name righty laminet stock for my LH 700 Sa and went mule deer hunting.
got the pictured deer with a perfect first round shot at 553 yards, throught and through with a Hornady 129 SST. Very accurate with the 100 grain Nosler 2nds with the 3 shots going 1.5" at 300 yards shot this evening working up a load. ( started and stopped right there!

Suggestion: Take a good, long, look at that Ruger #1A in 6.5X55.
Opinion: That is one beautiful rifle.
USAFA71

Observation: 6.5X55 - Accurate, fun to shoot.
Revelation: It's one deadly deer dumper. Any hunting bullet.
Preference: 120 TTSX or 125 Nos Part
Recommendation: Buy one, you can begin shooting now rather than waiting months for a build.
Confession: I built one. 6.5X55 on a Ruger #3 action, 22"Pac Nor Polygonal, Love it.

Jim

Good advice from Rug3.

I have one 1A 6.5x55 and it shoots great. It is the blue/walnut model Ruger put out recently.

Mine likes the 130NAB.

6.5/284.

If you do decide to build a Ruger #1 and choose the Swede, you have lots of leeway in choosing throat dimensions and still staying within SAAM1 dimensions. The Usual SAAMI choice accomodates the long RN 160 gr bullets which IIRC are no lonfger even made. Pick dimensions that most clsoely works for the bullet(s) you want to reload.

I did with my custom #3 and it shoots great.

1B

264 win mag

1B,
It probably has been posted but tell us about your #3.
Jim

I've been debating a simlar question... I have a commercial '98 action and a Stevens 200 action to choose from... I thought I'd decided upon a 6.5x55 on the '98, it had come down to that or an '06 on the Stevens.

I'm finally purchasing 6.5-284 Norma components for the Stevens after finding a deal, and plan to have it up and shooting by early-February.

Of those that you have to work from I'd do the A-bolt in 6.5-06 or -284. The Tikka 7-08 seems to me like it'd be a real keeper...

Yes, the -284 has more expensive components, but Lapua brass lasts FOREVER.