6.5-06 AI?

[DrMike]

So, in all reality, I'm excited to see your build. I love to see when we start shooting our newly built rifles. Dewey has worked me pretty hard to look for another cartridge, and I probably don't need another rifle right away....

Yeah, but it's hard to bear the addiction! Give in, Scotty. Come over to the dark side. :mrgreen:

 

[truck driver]

So, in all reality, I'm excited to see your build. I love to see when we start shooting our newly built rifles. Dewey has worked me pretty hard to look for another cartridge, and I probably don't need another rifle right away....

Gee Scotty you can always use another rifle says the man that only owns 4 and only had 2 before he came to this web sight.

 

[sask boy]

Scotty you can give in just is once :wink:. I must confess I had 3 rifles & a shotgun for many years and then started to chat with a certain Doctor. Now that I have crossed to the dark side I have close to a dozen :shock: rifles.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[DrMike]

Now that I have crossed to the dark side I have close to a dozen :shock: rifles.

Blessings,
Dan

And you're better for it! :lol:

 

[M7025-06]

So, in all reality, I'm excited to see your build. I love to see when we start shooting our newly built rifles. Dewey has worked me pretty hard to look for another cartridge, and I probably don't need another rifle right away....

Nobody ever NEEDS another rifle. Like my dad always says..."a guy can never have too many guns".

I'm fixing to call the gunsmith tomorrow to start getting my ducks in a row. I talked to him last September about this (ended up dropping the idea til now) and he told me he had a 3-4 week turnaround which I thought was pretty dang good. He's got a really good reputation around here so I'm not worried about quality of work in that short of timeline.

After looking at the notes I jotted down the last I talked to him, it was the same price for a Douglas, Shilen, or X-Caliber barrel with a quicker turnaround with the X-Caliber (can't remember why that was). He charges a flat fee that includes one the 3 barrels mentioned. I'm leaning towards a Shilen (can't go with the Douglas either) so I have to get that decision sorted out.

 

[257 Ackley]

My plan is to utilize the pile of 25-06 brass I already have, which is why I decided on the '06 instead of the 284. From what I understand, all I have to do is run them through the full-length die and I'm set (on the standard case). I'm assuming if I went AI, the next step would be fire-forming?

For better consistency, anneal all the brass and use a .270 expanding mandrel prior to running the case through a 6.5 sizing die. K&M makes one I use: http://kmshooting.com//tools/case-neck- ... nsion.html

 

[M7025-06]

My plan is to utilize the pile of 25-06 brass I already have, which is why I decided on the '06 instead of the 284. From what I understand, all I have to do is run them through the full-length die and I'm set (on the standard case). I'm assuming if I went AI, the next step would be fire-forming?

For better consistency, anneal all the brass and use a .270 expanding mandrel prior to running the case through a 6.5 sizing die. K&M makes one I use: http://kmshooting.com//tools/case-neck- ... nsion.html

I'll look into that. Thanks for the info.

 

[M7025-06]

Talked to gunsmith this afternoon and if something doesn't blow up at work tomorrow morning...I'm dropping off the rifle tomorrow afternoon.

I'm going to let them order the barrel I just have to decide between a Douglas, Shilen, or X-Caliber (don't know too much about the X-Calibers). Right now I'm thinking a 24''-25'' 1-8 twist, #3 contour, stainless in either a Douglas or Shilen with bead-blast finish. Looks like a 6-8 week turnaround.

 

[257 Ackley]

The X-caliber barrels are every bit as good as the others you mentioned, at a better price. I have two; a 5R .223 7 twist and a 6BR 8 twist. Both barrels shoot better than what their price point would suggest. All three manufacturers use button rifling. The X-caliber barrels look kinda funky when you get them because of the stress relieving done, but they polish up really well (416 SS).

One of the guys I shoot F-class with shoots the standard 6.5-06 for both mid and long range matches. The caliber has served him well.

 

[longrangehunter]

Last year the shooter's for Butches Reloading were using the 6.5-06 in their tactical guns, and ran away with two big wins at the Steel Safari using a 140 Berger moly coated at like 3150 fps if I remember correctly, right below the max of 3200 fps for all calibers at this match. This was the standard version not the AI, plenty accurate enough for them and certainly moving along without being an AI. For simplicity, the standard version has it's merits, certainly the AI has the cool factor and the added capacity. Whether or not that would make a difference is up to you?

I do own a 280 AI, but my reasoning was I could already buy FF brass. This was years before Nosler made 280 AI brass. Kenny Jerrett FF Remington brass, sized and cleaned it and shipped it to his customers. Either way you go it's a great cartridge and performs very well, heck, it's on par with my 6.5/300 WSM!

 

[M7025-06]

Just as I thought what would happen...work prevented me from getting to the gunsmith today (it's about 75 miles away) so I'm on hold for a bit. For whatever reason, gunsmith's are few and far between around here. It seems like the real good ones are a ways away. I'm in no rush to get this little project done so not a huge deal. It gives me a little time to get dies and figure out what bullet(s) I want to start out with.

After going through my .257 bullet inventory...I figure it's going to take a few months to get rid of them. I'm hoping I can most of them sold off, which will go a long ways in offsetting some of the cost of swapping calibers.