Your choice for a CUSTOM caliber in the 6-7mm range... why?

It's from a ridiculous TV commercial on these days about Trojans latest ..... ummmm ..... personal massage item called the twister. If you haven't seen it, then the joke was pointless. My bad

Probably hysterical to someone who knew what the heck you were talking about... :)
 
Well, I certainly would take a hard look at the 6.5x55AI.
I have had one for several years now, and it is a dandy choice.

It is so close to the 6.5x284 that it is ridiculous.
Burns slightly less powder, and the cases last indefinitely due to very little body taper.

If you are bound to higher velocities, then the 264 Win Mag is a very fine performer.
Very flat, and arrives at 600 with a lot of ooomph left.

Regards, Eagleye.
 
I'm kinda back to .284 bullets... .280 AI and .284 Win primarily, they both slightly edge the .280 Rem... and all edge the 6.5 set (although velocity is not everything) the Ackley has a slight edge (per Hogdon website) with the lighter bullets (120-140) and the .284 Win has a "slight" edge with the heavier loads (150-168)... The problem is these hold only a slight edge over .308 Win which we already shoot... this is "analysis parralysis!" Bottom line, I want a new toy, it doesn't have to make perfect sense... I should almost just chamber the "coolest" round...

7mm wsm
 
For my money I would go to the 6.5 x 06 in standard or AI forms. Brass is easier to come buy and I'm not to sure if the rebated rim on the 6.5x284 will extract consistently.
For mor you could try 264 Win Mag or 6.5x68 or 6.5 X 300wby.
Neil
 
Just asked out of curiosity is all.....

Base gun is $300 + $110 for Boyd's Sterling stock set + $100 for brake and barrel work - $50 for resale of the OEM stock = $460...

DNZ mount @ $50 + Mueller APV @ $140 = $190 (but you have this cost no matter what gun you go with, and usually a whole lot more)...

Total as you see it in the pics $650.

That is for the base gun... the switch barrel is $150 with work + mount/scope = $340

Grand total for the two barrel switch set is $990...

The trigger work, bedding, QD knob etc... are DIY, so virtually no money, just my free time (yeah, time is money).

So.... Which "Model X?"
 
Then your doing it wrong...........

6.5-08..............then you can try to keep all your brass sorted............oh and while your at it get the 243 chamber recut to 6-08.......

When you burn the throats out in a couple years then AI the entire fleet..........

This is the most attractive advice yet... the symmetry of staying with the short action ".308 set" really appeals to my OCD... the .260 (perhaps in AI) plugs in way too nicely with my .223 Rem, .243 Win, (.260 Rem), 7mm-08 Rem and .308 Win... brass is easy to obtain, I have hundreds of pieces in the shop that I can convert....... and going AI on the set later is always gonna be an option... the plan is to shoot 60 grain in .223 (1:9), 90 grain in .243, (120 grain in .260), 140 grain in 7mm-08 and 165-168 grain in .308. I like it! (I have abandoned a purely performance based approach on this new project) Now for a chamber/throat???

Article on 6.5-08 (.260 AI);

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek046.html
 
I'd recommend a set up based on the 284 case, 6-284, 25-284, 6.5-284, 284, 338-284, 35-284...........etc. Great case and still short, every bit as strong as the WSM cases without the neck splitting problems. Even though this is a one caliber set up for now the expansion possibilities are numerous. Stay away from the 6.5X68 unless you have endless money the last cases I bought were nearly 3 bucks each and you are still better with a 264WM. I built a series of wildcats based on the 68mm case, virtually identical to the new Ruger 375 case. I'm a real fan of the 6.5-284 and have owned 3 which I built and have chambered 3 more for buddies. It has become so popular now that I won't build any more, it's just too common!!
Have you considered a 6.5 Rem Mag or 7mm-6.5 RM, or does the handi not lend itself to belted cartridges?
 
I'd recommend a set up based on the 284 case, 6-284, 25-284, 6.5-284, 284, 338-284, 35-284...........etc. Great case and still short, every bit as strong as the WSM cases without the neck splitting problems. Even though this is a one caliber set up for now the expansion possibilities are numerous. Stay away from the 6.5X68 unless you have endless money the last cases I bought were nearly 3 bucks each and you are still better with a 264WM. I built a series of wildcats based on the 68mm case, virtually identical to the new Ruger 375 case. I'm a real fan of the 6.5-284 and have owned 3 which I built and have chambered 3 more for buddies. It has become so popular now that I won't build any more, it's just too common!!
Have you considered a 6.5 Rem Mag or 7mm-6.5 RM, or does the handi not lend itself to belted cartridges?

Unfortunately belted magnums are a no go... but the 6.5-08 and 6.5-284 are pretty much the only calibers left on the table at this point, I will be going with one or the other... I have to have a conversation with my smith... I have the Krieger 1:8.5" / 6.5mm barrel locked down... just have to figure out the chamber/throat dimensions... The stub is already bored and ready to go.
 
This is the most attractive advice yet... the symmetry of staying with the short action ".308 set" really appeals to my OCD... the .260 (perhaps in AI) plugs in way too nicely with my .223 Rem, .243 Win, (.260 Rem), 7mm-08 Rem and .308 Win... brass is easy to obtain, I have hundreds of pieces in the shop that I can convert....... and going AI on the set later is always gonna be an option... the plan is to shoot 60 grain in .223 (1:9), 90 grain in .243, (120 grain in .260), 140 grain in 7mm-08 and 165-168 grain in .308. I like it! (I have abandoned a purely performance based approach on this new project) Now for a chamber/throat???

Article on 6.5-08 (.260 AI);

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek046.html

If you keep everything based on a 08 parent case you can use 1 shoulder bump neck bushing die for the works. You can go up or down 1 caliber from the die size with no issues, so pick the one in the middle and then just order your required bushings for the others.....
 
There is a strong case to be made for either one of your choices and it is going to come down to you at this point. The 6.5-284 is a far superior loooong range choice, but 308 brass is everywhere and virtually free. Your 1-8.5 twist will stabalize most bullets out there, in either case. If you plan on using VLD and heavy match bullets the 284 is a better case for this as your velocities will be up to 300 fps faster depending on bullet and powder. The 6.5-308 will shoot them fine but with a significantly greater time of flight.
Terrible dilemma you have, I solved mine by having both!!....and a 6.5X55 and a 264WM.
Do you just do a heat shrink fit in the stub or is it soldered as well or silver soldered?
 
I built a 6.5x55AI and love it. Getting 3175 FPS with 130 grain Accubonds and half inch groups at 100m. Took a nice black bear with it this past fall as well. Low recoil and more accurate that I can hold I'm sure. Expensive dies, but its something that you don't see at the range every day. The 6.5 bullets have great BC and I wouldn't hesitate to take a moose or elk with this cartridge.
 
There is a strong case to be made for either one of your choices and it is going to come down to you at this point. The 6.5-284 is a far superior loooong range choice, but 308 brass is everywhere and virtually free. Your 1-8.5 twist will stabalize most bullets out there, in either case. If you plan on using VLD and heavy match bullets the 284 is a better case for this as your velocities will be up to 300 fps faster depending on bullet and powder. The 6.5-308 will shoot them fine but with a significantly greater time of flight.
Terrible dilemma you have, I solved mine by having both!!....and a 6.5X55 and a 264WM.
Do you just do a heat shrink fit in the stub or is it soldered as well or silver soldered?

I abandoned the purely ballistic approach for my selection... I believe that 6.5-284 is a better way to go (ballistically speaking) but as I said the symmetry of the -08 appeals to me, given the rest of my .308 based arsenal... how do you like your 264WM... it is a great cartridge... AS far as the stub goes... the stub is threaded and the barrel is turned in, then the ejector slot is cut and viola! I have been saving a particular SB2 frame for this build... it was the best DIY trigger job that I have done (just got lucky)... no point in doing the rest of the work and have a crappy trigger.
 
I'd go 6.5-284 as well. Fits in a short action, on par with the 6.5-06, proven to be very accurate, good brass and bullets available and plenty of load data. Otherwise I think the .260 Rem fits on the small end and the .264 Win Mag on the big end, and the Swede for traditionalists and people who like guns that "just work".
 
I abandoned the purely ballistic approach for my selection... I believe that 6.5-284 is a better way to go (ballistically speaking) but as I said the symmetry of the -08 appeals to me, given the rest of my .308 based arsenal... how do you like your 264WM... it is a great cartridge... AS far as the stub goes... the stub is threaded and the barrel is turned in, then the ejector slot is cut and viola! I have been saving a particular SB2 frame for this build... it was the best DIY trigger job that I have done (just got lucky)... no point in doing the rest of the work and have a crappy trigger.

I haven't shot my 264WM in years, but I did use it a lot for whitetail and took it to Texas years ago and it was a long range killing machine. Nowadays I use my 257Wby a lot more. Truth be told though, I could finish out my hunting life with my 243,,,,,,,,,300 Wby........375 H&H without the need for the rest of the room full of rifles.
 
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