6.5 Caliber choice

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MartyK2500

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I am getting my parts lined up for a new build, either off Savage or Bighorn origin receiver but that's another subject!

In my powder cabinet, I only got 3 choices, and each of them are in reasonable quantity (+/- 20 lbs of each).
I would like to stay within these 3 choices, and not introduce yet another component to stock up on.

In my 3 powder choices I have TiteGroup, Varget, and IMR 8208 xbr.
Titegroup is definitely not a rifle powder so let's eliminate this one.

So rather than ask the classic question, which should I go with 6.5CM vs 260rem vs 6.5x47lap?
I will ask it this way, which of the 3 popular 6.5 calibers has the most accuracy/easy load dev potential with the powders I have at hand?
Being either Varget or IMR 8208xbr.
 
I just went through this and ended up on the 6.5x47L, waiting on the barrel now. I didn’t have the powder requisite you do but I intend to use H4350 or Varget with 130-140gr. From what I read, the hardest part of load dev is picking which one of several to use. Good luck, probably no wrong answer from the 3.
 
I have all 3. In my rifles, the x47 was easiest to load for, most accurate, and likes Varget. 260 likes Varget too, but less velocity than others when in accuracy node. Berger 130Hybrids is the one they ALL like. All are 8t.
 
x47 is the one i always wanted most out of the 3, lot’s of claims saying it’s the easiest to load dev for.
The fact that it likes Varget is now a huge plus, to keep powder inventory easier to handle.
Would of went Varget for my 223 AR also but it’s lacking velocity for my 77 TMK projectiles, hence the IMR 8208xbr.

You guys tried Varget + SMK in x47?
I know SMK ain’t bergers, but with Jerry’s bulk pricing on them they allow me to shoot 20-30% more for the same budget, which is important since money would be a limiting factor if I’d shoot bergers.
With SMK i can shoot as much as schedule allows within budget.
 
Have a look at the Lapua Scenars. About $17/100 cheaper than Bergers. I have a sample pack coming with the barrel of 130 And 140 Hybrids among with the 139 Scenar.
 
That's a tough one to decide on. I liked the 6.5X47, easy to reload and forgiving. The .260 is another good choice. I found reloading the .260 was just as easy as the 6.5X47. I used 130gr bergers in both, and found really good accuracy. Both of those calibers were used for hunting, and had good luck with both of them.

The .260 gave me a little bit more punch than the 6.5X47 at the longer distances. The only thing I found is the overall cartridge length for the .260, was the mag. It will fit, but if you start chasing your lands you might run out of mag space with the seating depth, but that's not a show stopper.

As for powder, I love using Vith. I had really good luck using it in the 6.5X47, .260, and my .223. but whatever works right. As one gentlemen mention earlier in another thread, the 6.5 PRC?. I'm looking into that cartridge now, not a lot of info on it up here, but south of the border, there is info on it. another rabbit hole to go down...lol. Good luck on your choice. Quick question, did you get your parts for your build yet?
 
Xtrema 2, thanks for the tip, will look into them.
See how they fare in price difference with the 175 SMK.
The 175 SMK come to about 60 cents a pill, my schedule only allows for 150-200 rounds of these per month as i also have IPSC and Service Rifle 556 going on, and even at 150 rounds if id go Berger I’d have to shoot less, which i am not interested in doing.
I did achieve sub 1/2 moa 10 shot groups with these at 300M, more than once.
Maybe the bergers would get me into 1/3 moa territory, but once again budget, i rather shoot more.

Shockwave, that is some good insight on x47 vs 260rem.
Longer ranges are not ideal here so packing more punch may not be necessary, as i already hit these distances with 308.
Got 900M at a local range 25 mins from home, and 950M on private land.

As for the build, i already have a Savage 10 receiver and a savage timney trigger around here.
I know people diss the platform, but in my 308 it is serving me very well.
Would still like a custom action and change from savage but am threading with caution, i already failed a custom build that i had to tear down for bad function.
Hard on the ego and nerves.

Since my current build i love it so much, i would pretty much replicate it in 6.5,
As in MDT ESS, razor gen 2 in spuhr that could hop from a rifle to another with noted zeros (i would do this right before a match mind you), IBI barrel...
 
Another vote for the 6.5X47. I have two of them. I run the 130 Berger and 130 Accubond. The gun that shoots the berger drives them at 2950 fps, but I use H4350. If you will be hunting with it at all, run some numbers with a 130 Berger at 2950 fps. Amazing how far out that will work on deer size game. My other gun is a light carry/tree stand gun. The accubond has also worked very good on deer.
 
As said many times above the 6.5x47 is awesome. I used to run H4350 but made the switch to Varget and its hard to go back. Only reason I would go 6.5CM is if you wanted factory ammo.
 
I did not have a 308 or 243 or 6.5, so I did the 6.5 Creed. Not as much velocity as some other 6.5's, but it was super easy to work up a load for, shoots fantastic. I originally thought I would end up switching it to 308 once I burned out the barrel. Keeping it a 6.5 Creed.
 
mikeelliot said:
As said many times above the 6.5x47 is awesome. I used to run H4350 but made the switch to Varget and its hard to go back. Only reason I would go 6.5CM is if you wanted factory ammo.
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6.5 Creedmoor has large primers, 6.5x47L has small primers.

I have no direct experience with the 6.5x47L but I do have considerable experience with the 6X47L and it sucked with small primers in cold weather. I eventually gave up on the Lapua cases and started forming cases from 22-250 brass and 243 brass to run large primers and that worked out way better... in the winter anyway.

Large primers would often get ES of 1 FPS, (Or the spread was too small for the chronograph to detect) but small primers would never be better than 30 FPS ES.

I know guys have a host of reasons to prefer small primers... mostly so they can run higher pressures, but I do not see that as viable justification in the case of the cartridges in question here.

If you want more speed, then why increase pressures instead of just selecting a larger parent case? That way you can get the speed without beating you brass to death.

In the case of small primer bass for 308, I can see why a guy might like the small primers (in the summer time) but that's because they are probably shooting in a class that is restricted to 308 cases, but that isn't what we're talking about here.

I'd like to see some "objective" and "un-biased" chronograph results from guys shooting these small primer cases in cold weather compared to warm summer temps.

I'd bet the SD's get stupid below freezing and the day to day speeds will vary wildly... that was the results I found with the 6x47L brass anyway.

Granted the 6.5x47L is a larger bore diameter, so that allows for faster powder which would mitigate the issue to a degree, but just the same, I don't believe it's enough to dismiss this point.

Guys will probably chime in saying you need to run small rifle magnum primers, and I tried them as well in the 6X47L, but in my testing they never outperformed Federal Match large rifle primers and cases formed from 22-250.
 
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I went with 6.5x47. Very easy to load for. I haven't had any issues with small primers in the winter months but I also didn't shoot in anything below -15C. My powders have been Varget, H4350 and N550.
 
Markus said:
I went with 6.5x47. Very easy to load for. I haven't had any issues with small primers in the winter months but I also didn't shoot in anything below -15C. My powders have been Varget, H4350 and N550.
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When you say you didn't have problems in the cold... Did you by any chance chronograph the loads at different temperatures, or did you just not notice if there was a variance based upon group sizes? Which you probably wouldn't if shooting only at 100 yards... even under 300 for that matter.

I was developing my load for 1000 yards in an effort to hold the 1/2 MOA V Bull, but early load development was being done in January.
 
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I have tried load development in the winter (Ontario) with a couple of calibers, with the idea of getting a jump on long range competitions in the summer. With temperatures at -10 to +3 Celsius it was a waste of time, bullets and barrel life. For serious competitive load development I wait until the temperature hits double digits.
 
Maple57 said:
6.5 Creedmoor has large primers, 6.5x47L has small primers.

I have no direct experience with the 6.5x47L but I do have considerable experience with the 6X47L and it sucked with small primers in cold weather. I eventually gave up on the Lapua cases and started forming cases from 22-250 brass and 243 brass to run large primers and that worked out way better... in the winter anyway.

Large primers would often get ES of 1 FPS, (Or the spread was too small for the chronograph to detect) but small primers would never be better than 30 FPS ES.

I know guys have a host of reasons to prefer small primers... mostly so they can run higher pressures, but I do not see that as viable justification in the case of the cartridges in question here.

If you want more speed, then why increase pressures instead of just selecting a larger parent case? That way you can get the speed without beating you brass to death.

In the case of small primer bass for 308, I can see why a guy might like the small primers (in the summer time) but that's because they are probably shooting in a class that is restricted to 308 cases, but that isn't what we're talking about here.

I'd like to see some "objective" and "un-biased" chronograph results from guys shooting these small primer cases in cold weather compared to warm summer temps.

I'd bet the SD's get stupid below freezing and the day to day speeds will vary wildly... that was the results I found with the 6x47L brass anyway.

Granted the 6.5x47L is a larger bore diameter, so that allows for faster powder which would mitigate the issue to a degree, but just the same, I don't believe it's enough to dismiss this point.

Guys will probably chime in saying you need to run small rifle magnum primers, and I tried them as well in the 6X47L, but in my testing they never outperformed Federal Match large rifle primers and cases formed from 22-250.
Click to expand...

That is something I will have to research small primers vs large primers, may affect my decision as I shoot all year round.
Shot a few times with my 308 at -30C, it usually shoots at 2700fps at 70F, and was impressed to see it wouldn't lose more than 10FPS and wouldn't lose ignition in extreme cold.
When I got my 308 Lots of folks we're steering me towards small primers, I went with large primed lapua brass as was in stock and cheaper at the time.

That lot of brass is now 8x fired, lauching 175 SMKs 2700fps with 42.7gn of Varget, and primer pockets are still tight and brass has no pressure signs.

I know the answers are in this forum when i'll search,
I am curious about the benefit vs problems of LP vs SP.
Far from being against using small primers, I know little about it that's all.
But cold weather capabilities are important to me, as I do not consider myself to be a warm weather/sunny weather shooter.
I actually like to see how conditions can kick my ass, see my 1/2 moa rig go 1+moa cause I can't feel my fingers, you see the human factor kick in.
 
Terry Perkins said:
I have tried load development in the winter (Ontario) with a couple of calibers, with the idea of getting a jump on long range competitions in the summer. With temperatures at -10 to +3 Celsius it was a waste of time, bullets and barrel life. For serious competitive load development I wait until the temperature hits double digits.
Click to expand...

I couldn't see myself load develop under 5C for sure,
Not because of my FPS as Varget is insensitive, more because of the human factor, the colder it gets the more I suck at shooting!
 
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