6.5 Long Action, looking at building 6.5x55 , 6.5 x284 or 260 long action

[Fore300]

As the title says, I am looking to make my long action 30 Cal into a 6.5 x ?
From looking at the 6.5x55, 6.5x284 or 260 long action, they all seem to be very similar velocity. Is there a benefit to picking a specific one?
It will be a spare target rifle bit am looking to make it my go-to hunting rifle.
Thought?

 

[Crashman]

I have built two straight up 284 winchester on long actions, it really lets you drain every last bit of performance from that case. I am not sure there is much to be gained by building a 260 in a long action, so for me if you really want to stick with 6.5mm the options are 6.5X284, 6.5X55 (AI?), or 6.5-06.

 

[Mongo62]

have a friend who has a 6.5-06 very very nice rifle, shoots very well. 270 brass to 6.5 easiest wildcat ever.

 

[.284]

25-06 brass to 6.5 is even easier and you don't have to trim it

 

[beeman2]

260AI would be a very nice hunting round. Guys are getting great velocity with R26. For a little more speed you could build a 6.5-06AI. If you want the baddest 6.5 on a standard bolt face go 6.5 SHERMAN. My SHERMAN drives 140 Berger's 3339 fps out of a 28" HART.

 

[Ryan.M.Anderson]

6.5X55 AI or 6.5 Swedemore (6.5 Addiction is another name for it).

The 6.5X55 is a sweetheart of a cartridge. The brass is cheap ($99/box) and I was pushing 140 Bergers in the mid 2,800 range and there was more in there if I wanted. I think with an AI you could get pretty darn close to 3,000.

I would AI it for sure though. I think due to the case design on the 6.5X55 it grows a lot and requires lots of trimming (the whole cartridge is tapered for ease of feeding).

 

[catnthehatt]

6.5X55 AI or 6.5 Swedemore (6.5 Addiction is another name for it).

The 6.5X55 is a sweetheart of a cartridge. The brass is cheap ($99/box) and I was pushing 140 Bergers in the mid 2,800 range and there was more in there if I wanted. I think with an AI you could get pretty darn close to 3,000.

I would AI it for sure though. I think due to the case design on the 6.5X55 it grows a lot and requires lots of trimming (the whole cartridge is tapered for ease of feeding).

I owned and shot an 6.5x55 AI extensively about 20 years ago and it certainly does dangle ! 2950with a 140 Match King and accuracy was all that and a bag of fries!!
one of my al time favourite 6.5 cartridges!
Cat

 

[Alpheus]

I owned and shot an 6.5x55 AI extensively about 20 years ago and it certainly does dangle ! 2950with a 140 Match King and accuracy was all that and a bag of fries!!
one of my al time favourite 6.5 cartridges!
Cat

Mag fed or single shot? I've always heard the AI was too short-fat to feed reliably.

 

[wasrupzuk]

Perhaps I’m off base but I assume your LA 30 cal is a 30/06?
At any rate IIRC the 6.5x55 has a different rim/base diameter than the 30/06, not much but it is different (.472 to .480)
Again, if I recall correctly, some domestic 6.5 brass is actually the 30/06 size but other brass is not and they have issues with the undersized bolt face.
If I’m not wrong on the above I would consider a 6.5 that utilizes the 30/06 base diameter.
Or spend the extra to open up the bolt face.
Of course YMMV, I could be wrong.

 

[Alpheus]

You are correct, Lapua brass is made to the proper spec, and won't fit 308 (.473") bolt faces and shellholders.

 

[vultr]

x55, unless you plan on a healthy rebarrelling budget.

 

[Ryan.M.Anderson]

I had a 6.5X55 built on a 30'06 action (R700). The rems are sloppy enough to work.

Edited: Most of them at leaast.

 

[dero338]

one day, the swedes immagined a cartridge which gets the best possible ballance between performance, accuracy and barrel life. then yankees have tried to get something bettet because of course there is no way they would admit someone else makes something good enough for them. Well, this was about 125 years ago and they are still trying

 

[Fore300]

Great info guys, thanks a bunch. I didn't realize the bolt face was different from my 30-06 to a 6.5. I have my 260 and it is the same she'll holder for both. I will double check though.
Thanks for the great input

 

[dero338]

if you have a savage, its just a matter of chucking rhe bolt head and remove some material. for a 700, the extractor fit is little more totchy . a Tikka, you are in business from begining

but remy, winchester, federal brass will work fine. best is give a try with 1 or 2 lapua brass and if the work good with your bolt, then just stop worrying about it.

 

[catnthehatt]

Mag fed or single shot? I've always heard the AI was too short-fat to feed reliably.

Mag fed with absolutely no issues!
Cat

 

[wasrupzuk]

Great info guys, thanks a bunch. I didn't realize the bolt face was different from my 30-06 to a 6.5. I have my 260 and it is the same she'll holder for both. I will double check though.
Thanks for the great input

The 6.5x55 is a different shell holder.
6.5x55 uses Lee #3
30/06 & 260 uses the Lee #2

 

[dero338]

Mag fed with absolutely no issues!
Cat

When going to AI swede, how much do you gain? Does barrel life suffer? How is brass life?

 

[CanuckR]

I have recently built 2x 6.5x55ai. One on a tikka and one a 700 LA. So far I love the caliber. I throated them a bit longer to hang the 140's out a bit more. My tikka is running 140 RDF's at 3030fps. The Remington is shooting 142 SMK's at 2950 ish.
As far as brass goes. I've run Lapua in the tikka only.
The Remington was run with Winchester brass. It worked perfectly without modifying the bolt face. We switched to Privi brass and I had to open the bolt face up a bit. It's a very simple operation on the lathe and the factory extractor dropped right back and has worked flawlessly with no other work done to it.

 

[catnthehatt]

When going to AI swede, how much do you gain? Does barrel life suffer? How is brass life?

I didn't really notice the barrel life shortening drastically , lands didn't get chased like crazy like some of my wildcats.
i gained about 75-100 FPS IIRC, but brass life increased.
Cat