6.5 Long Action options?

[Anchor Zero Six]

What are the available options for standard bolt face long action 6.5? All I really found was 6.5-06 which seems simple to form from 30-06.

Wondering if there are others preferably with factory brass available.

Have an old model 70 I was considering building into something.

 

[yej0001]

6.5x55; lapua brass is cheaper in this caliber than other 6.5 options. Case volume is higher too

 

[Anchor Zero Six]

Help me out here is there just one case referred to as 6.5x55? I googled it and found 6.5x55 SE, Swed, Mauser and Swed Mauser. Is this all the same thing? If so the brass and ammo options are plentiful so yes that would be viable for the project.

 

[Just Macca]

6.5-284 Norma!! Should feed well from magnum aics style mags to boot.

 

[Sig Marine]

If I were doing a long action 6.5mm round, I'd give a look at Robert Whitley's verstion of the .260. He calls it the .260 Improved and has two versions. One is throated for a short action, the other takes advantage of the .260's case capacity and let's you run the longer bullets with the bearing surface above the neck/shoulder junction in a long action. He also uses a 30 degree shoulder. The round uses standard .260 brass that is fire-formed with the first firing. The cartridge is very similar to an Ackley but with a better should angle in my opinion. His web site is 6mmAR.

 

[Edds]

Easy would be a 6.5-06 using 25-06 brass. Different would be a 6.5-280AI using Nosler 280 AI brass.

 

[fdkay]

Help me out here is there just one case referred to as 6.5x55? I googled it and found 6.5x55 SE, Swed, Mauser and Swed Mauser. Is this all the same thing? If so the brass and ammo options are plentiful so yes that would be viable for the project.

Yes, they are the same.
The 6.5x55 is a fine round.
The 6.5x57 is another fine round, based on the 7x57. There is brass available, though not like the old swede, same with the 6.5-06 A Square.
It depends on your application.
You will be able to slightly better the .260 Rem performance with the old swede, loaded like the Europeans load it, and it is a VERY good performer.
If you were to build an ackley improved version, you would be stepping on the heels of the 6.5-284. Of course, you'll need to fireform.

 

[yej0001]

@AnchorZeroSix: 6.5x55 is an ancient cartridge design that is still the most popular round used in Europe, especially in Scandinavian countries, for competition. 6.5x55 Mauser refers to the low pressure spec designed for 1893 Mauser action used in Swedish mauser rifles 120 years ago. The action was not as strong as the subsequent Mauser 98 action adapted by most other countries later. 98 Mauser can take any modern high pressure rounds. 6.5x55 SE (or 6.5x55 SKAN) is the modern European spec that's loaded to higher pressure for modern actions. I believe the freebore in 6.5x55 SE/SKAN is also longer to achieve higher velocity at lower pressure There was a thread on old hider where this topic was extensively discussed. Some were using Ackley version and RL26 powder to push 140 hybrid to over 3000 fps! The loading recipe is under the 6.5x55 section in the reloading depot section of the current hider site. That's quite extreme loads and primer pocket in lapua cases will give out after 5-6 loads.

One caveat is that in the US most commercial 6.5x55 are loaded to old Mauser spec because of safety/legal concerns; most 6.5x55 rounds in the US are shot through Swedish surplus rifles. This caliber is for reloaders to play with. If you buy ammo then a modern version like 260 and 6.5 breedmoor would give you more ammo options.

 

[stwcattle]

Im going with a 6.5x284 Norma on a new hunting rifle.

 

[demolitionman]

There are alot of 65x284 shooting on the local scene here.

 

[Dirty D]

6.5-284 Norma!! Should feed well from magnum aics style mags to boot.

I had a .284 Win that fed like butter from my AICS magazine.

 

[Anchor Zero Six]

AICS Mags not a concern this will be a Pre 64 Model 70 feeding from factory bottom metal, I almost called it BDL but thats a Remington thing.

 

[BurnOut]

Easy would be a 6.5-06 using 25-06 brass. Different would be a 6.5-280AI using Nosler 280 AI brass.

Like so? https://westtexordnance.com/6-5x280ai/

 

[Anchor Zero Six]

Like so? https://westtexordnance.com/6-5x280ai/

HMMM that looks promising.

 

[FatBoy]

I was going +whatever on the 6.5x284 but if your using a pre-64 you may not want to message the feed lips under the bolt. It may work as is, but it also may have to be opened up a little to clear the fat case as it's a rebate rim. If you don't want to risk it, I'd go 6.5 Swede. Cheap Lapua brass and you can get probably 2900 fps out of it with a 26+" barrel. You really want to run 'em hard 6.5-06.

 

[Anchor Zero Six]

So I assume the barrel life is going to be rather short like the 6.5cm?

 

[Edds]

Like so? https://westtexordnance.com/6-5x280ai/

Yes and with a 7" twist barrel.

 

[Edds]

AICS Mags not a concern this will be a Pre 64 Model 70 feeding from factory bottom metal, I almost called it BDL but thats a Remington thing.

What is the original cartridge for your Model 70?

 

[Anchor Zero Six]

30-06 so long action standard bolt face.

 

[Edds]

30-06 so long action standard bolt face.

With that action, I think it would be something less than intelligent to go with anything other than an 06 based case. I probably wouldn't even AI it. But I might use a 270 or 280 length case just to be different.

 

[T J]

I'd have to vote 6.5-06 or even the AI version. The last AI I had built feeds just fine from a STD internal mag.


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