6.5-06 Ackley

[Sendero_Man]

My coyote hunting partner is looking at building a 6.5-06 AI. Shoot the 139 Scenars outta it.

thinking 8.5 twist, Manners GAT stock

Any recommendations for twist on the barrel ? or any other tips for building one....

thanks

 

[Unknown]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

Buy good components the first time and only cry once.

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

yup... have top shelf rifles, just wondering what works good for 6.5-06AI, not to familiar with it and wanted to steer him right.

thanks

 

[xNF_9]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

I'd say the same as a 260 twist for 139's

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

I've been making the switch to 1-8.5 twist barrels for the 6.5's. Look at the 6.5x284 as well, fire foriming is a waste of barrel life IMHO.

 

[xNF_9]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

I agree with ^^^ on fireforming.

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

barrel life similar ?

he has a SS 25-06 Sendero original model he was thinking of using as a donor rifle... that is why 6.5-06 came to mind.

 

[Unknown]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

One of the old timers at my gun club has a 6.5-06AI and claims he still has great accuracy at 2700 rounds. That would be nice, but I sort of think it is a fluke, and that he is either really lucky, or off on the estimate of how many rounds he actually has through his tube. I would be really happy if I got 1700 rounds of great accuracy out of any barrel with that cartridge.

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sendero_man</div><div class="ubbcode-body">barrel life similar ?

he has a SS 25-06 Sendero original model he was thinking of using as a donor rifle... that is why 6.5-06 came to mind. </div></div>

Not sure as to a direct barrel life comparison but, usable barrel life would be greater with the 6.5x284 because he's not fire forming the brass in the same barrel.

I've had wildcats that had to be FF'd and I hated it everytime I squeezed the trigger doing so. The last one I built was a 6 Dasher and I built a FF barrel for that one. Thats the only way to go with wildcats.

Now, he could work up a load to shoot while fire forming to hunt with and make brass at the same time, that wouldnt be too bad and it wouldnt be a waste of barrel life either. Close dogs dont require extreme accuracy and the round count would increase in the right AO

My 300 Jarrett was toast after 1,100 rounds and I fire formed approx 100 cases out of it. I purchased all others from JD at S&S back in the day.

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

sounds like straight 6.5-06 would be better then....

so how about 6.5-284 on the Long action ??

would there be any feeding issues running the 6.5-284 on a long action to seat the 139's out far ?

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sendero_man</div><div class="ubbcode-body">sounds like straight 6.5-06 would be better then....

so how about 6.5-284 on the Long action ??

would there be any feeding issues running the 6.5-284 on a long action to seat the 139's out far ? </div></div>

If I built a 6.5x284 for myself, it'd be on a LA with the 139/140's seated out where they should be. The 6.5-06 or AI version would be the same way. Both should feed fine.

 

[RobertB]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

.260, 6.5x284, 6.5x47L, in that order would be more of my choices for that purpose. IMHO

 

[Ouch!!]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

Do you just use 284 brass for the 6.5?

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ouch!!</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you just use 284 brass for the 6.5?
</div></div>

I heard that Lapua is making 6.5x284 brass

Since I've heard good things about Lapua, might be worth a try

 

[Ouch!!]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ouch!!</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you just use 284 brass for the 6.5?
</div></div>

I heard that Lapua is making 6.5x284 brass

Since I've heard good things about Lapua, might be worth a try

</div></div>

lol sorry i didnt read first...

 

[Boogyman]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

If this helps any, I'm running a .260AI. I'm getting 2935fps with 140 grners and its a mild load. It shouldn't be too far off the 6.5-06AI. The 6.5-06 would be a lot easier on a throat also.

 

[beretta989]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

I fire formed my 6 dasher brass with 5gr red dot and the rest corn meal with a cotton ball used to pack the load. It worked very good other than it made the barrel super dirty. It cleans up very easy and makes nice brass. First loads after that was light and I jammed all the bullets. After that I shot the brass with my regular dasher load. A good friend of mine told me that is the only way to form new brass.

 

[Jerry m]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

Look at 6.5-06. Run a virgin .25-06 case through a 6.5-06 case and load. Feeding is slick in a long action. Only disadvantage is that you have to order a new barrel every other year..lol But you'll have to do that with any hotrod 6.5 chamber.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[bohem]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

The 6.5-284 runs about 2.25x's the freebore with a shorter neck than the -06 case does. My straight 6.5-06 reamer has 0.080 or 0.088" of freebore as opposed to the common 0.180 or 0.188" of freebore in the 284 based round. (I know one is 0.x88 and the other 0.x80 but I can't remember from the top of my head).

The longer neck in the 6.5-06 seems to be helping with the throat life in the 6.5-06's that I've put together. They're certainly not easy on the barrel life, though after 900 rounds one is showing 0.047" of lands erosion and the other is appx. 750 rounds in and showing 0.044". The one rifle has been pounded a lot harder with hot loads, that's my suspicion as to why the lands have moved a lot more.

I wouldn't bother with an AI version unless your buddy is truly a speed demon chaser, with 28" tubes both of these rifles are running the 140 Berger at 3150-3175fps. The loads are HOT but brass life is still around 5 cycles before the pockets are too loose to use. Both rifles are being fed Winchester 270 brass that's trimmed to length and sized. No FF'ing or other fussing is needed.

They're match rifles and strings are normally in the 8-12 rounds/8 minutes range. Sometimes less, depends on the stage, but they definitely get hot quickly.

 

[vprtoad]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

I would go
6.5x284 ...Lapua brass... none better
It will feed fine from a long action, been there done that
No need to fire form and or neck down and clean up the necks later
About the same H2O capacity as the 6.5-06
You will be able to seat the bullet out far for your best powder capacity

Good luck

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

thanks guys !

 

[BERTMAN77MK2]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

Hey Sendero man--what are your favorite calibers/rifles for
coyotes---I'm sure u have many but the top 2??????

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

right now...

my 6x47 Lapua and my GAP 6mm Crusader

both tack drivers ! shoot the 105 amax outta them.

use 22 cal for bobcat work

 

[Cinch]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

Only because you don't have a 22-243... Yet.

 

[Ark. Trapper]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sendero_man</div><div class="ubbcode-body">right now...

my 6x47 Lapua and my GAP 6mm Crusader

both tack drivers ! shoot the 105 amax outta them.

use 22 cal for bobcat work</div></div>
SM, My gunsmith buddy has built 3 or 4 6.5x284's and all but one have been on long actions and they worked fine and shot great. The only short action he's done one on is the Savage 10 single shot he has now. Would you mind telling me what twist your 6mm barrels have? I'm thinking about building a 6mm of some sort and am planning on using the 105 Amax.

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

6x47 is a 7.5 twist

6mm Crusader is a gain twist 9 to 8

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

sounds like 6.5-284 on the long action would be the ticket....

 

[Ark. Trapper]

Re: 6.5-06 Ackley

Thanks SM. I know the all the 6.5-284's my buddy has built have been real tack drivers with 120gr Nos. BT's and 129gr Hor. SST's. Either bullet oughta be hell on those big fuzzy coyotes you boys have up there. Man I love that country around your area.