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What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Q

quantum105

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Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 1, 2010
25
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Olympia, Wa.
#1
I have been doing some research and comptomplating going with a 6.5mm. It seems like the 6.5 Rem Mag is ballistically similar to others and the .284 remington. I assume with lower powder requirements and cup pressures it would have a longer barrel life than the .284. Can anyone enlighten me on why it is not more popular?

Ed
 
#2
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

It uses a belted case.
In the original factory loadings the long 6.5 bullet was stuck so far back in the case that it negated any performance advantage it may have had.
When originally marketed there were few if any really good bullets commonly available.
 
#3
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

What is wrong with a belted case? I am just getting into long range shooting and reloading. I have a win 70 in a magnum LA and want to rebarrel it into something a little more forgiving and fun to shoot. I want something with a good barrel life and less recoil that will work in my existing long action. Any suggestions?
 
#4
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Any of the SAUM and WSM cases will work in that action. The 7 SAUM is probably the best balanced 7mm short action mag of the 7 WSM, 7/300 WSM, 7 SAUM series but brass is getting scarce. Norma makes 300 SAUM brass you can neck down and massage.

I'm building a 7/300 WSM on a long action Rem 700 shortly.

Recoil will be about the same as a 30-06 with equivalent weight bullets, IE, not bad.

You could use a 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, etc. in the rifle but if you want something that's easier on recoil you probably don't want either of those. The long range capabilities of a 7mm are excellent and barrel life is still reasonable.

A smokin' fast 6.5mm could be built on the SAUM or WSM cases but you're down to 1000 rounds or less of good barrel life...
 
#5
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Belted case head spaces off belt rather than shoulder. Brass life sucks. Many reloaders set dies to neck size only and not bump shoulders back which effectively head spaces off the shoulder. Only fly in the ointment, the first firing stretches hell out of the case.
This can be worked around by fire forming new brass as if you were FF a wildcat as in an Ackley Improved. This maybe accomplished by forming a false shoulder and FF using the cream o wheat method. Very few people are willing to take the time to do this though. So short case life.
 
#7
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks. I am having my 40X rebarreled in that caliber. People been shooting belted magnums for decades. Brass is consumable.

Good luck

Jerry
 
#8
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Please do, I am really interested in this cartridge, lower powder charge and low cup pressures should mean longer barrel life. I also found a website that has a universal magnum case die that resizes the belted area and claim that cases will last up to 20x vs 3-4 with standard dies. Go to larrywillis.com and check it out for yourself. It seems if that is the only Con to the 6.5 RM then problem solved.

Ed
 
#9
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

The 6.5 RM is a great little round. Since you have a long action you can seat the bullets out far, which is a great thing. I would get a set of neck dies once you have fire-formed cases to your chamber. Neck sizing will increase case life.
 
#11
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

My top pick is Redding. A set of Redding Type S neck bushing dies (comes with neck die, standard seating die or comp seater, and body die) would be great. Bushing size should be around .289 (+/-), depending on the thickness of the case necks.
 
#14
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

do you know what kind of barrel life i should expect from the 6.5 RM? From what I have read it is better than the some others because if the lower powder charges, and 25 degree head angle. From my rudimentary knowledge it shouldn't be a barrel burner? Am I wrong?

Ed
 
#15
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Remy,
I'm not sure, I would say as long as you don't run it hot with 20 and 30 rounds a clip down the barrel it should last for a while. Just let it cool between firings if you can. I expect 1000 rounds out of my .264WM - that said my .260 should go to 2500 to 3000.

If you are already set up to shoot the 6.5 with dies and experience with the caliber go for it. It's what you like that counts.

Good Luck,
JamieD

______________________________
Jamie Dodson
Wolf Precision
814-262-7994
 
#17
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Remy There is nothing wrong with the 6.5 Rem Mag. Originally it was introduced in the Model 600 carbine with a short action 18.5" barrel. Between the short barrel and the need to seat the bullets deeply in the case it could not reach its full potential and went away for a while like the 350 Rem Mag. It was ahead of its time as short fat magnums are the rage now. When it was reintroduced in the model 673 Guide gun it had a 22" barrel. I was building a custom 6.5 rifle and thought about the cartridge for a while but settled for 6.5x55 Ackley Improved mostly because there were better brass choices(Lapua) than just Remmington. But I don't think you will be dissapointed with it I believe it has tremendous potential in the right firearm.
 
#18
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

Greetings...just joined up as I too have been looking at the 6.5mm Rem Mag and the 350 Rem Mag...yep, I am a recoil woos too, so I am not interested in any magnum case that measure 2.5"!!!

There is a company that claims they have solved belted magnum case life issues by using their specialized universal die. It is called "Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die", and they claim it will extend case life from 2-3 firings to 20! They are Innovative Technology...http://www.larrywillis.com/. I have no connection with these folks, just found them in my research and thought it is a great add to this topic/thread.
 
#19
Re: What is wrong with the 6.5mm Rem Mag?

What is wrong with the 6.5 mag? The same thing that is wrong with the 350 rem Mag. They were bothe developed in the 60s. Don't you know that if it isn't the newest, latest designed cartidge, that they all of a sudden stop working properly?

Other than that, very little, with the exceptions of belted brass life as mentioned above. I have the 350 Rem mag now and it pack quite the whallop. I would love to get a 6.5 someday as well. However, before I lay out the cash for one of these, I plan on playing with a Creedmore only because the components are more redily available. If it doesn't have the performance I want, the 6.5 Rem is my next likely candidate.
 
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