6.5-06

[wisconsinteacher]

Well after striking out on the stock idea for my Sako, I talked to Scotty and he put out the idea of rebarreling my Ruger tang safety 30-06. After talking the thought of a 6.5-06 just won't leave my brain.

So, tell me about the 6.5-06 and why I need this rifle. My thoughts are to shoot 140 grain bullets and use 270 win brass sized down. Also, I'm thinking of a PacNor barrel with a fast twist.

So, join team Scotty and help me spend my money!!!

 

[Dwh7271]

Ok. All the following are my opinion. Great cartridge choice. One of my favorites. I have 2. One Ackleyed.
First, 8 twist, 26".
Second, 25-06 brass necked up. Only .007 difference. Easy to do, no trimming necessary. You neck down you may have to trim.
Pretty terrific BCs on the heavier 6.5 bullets too.
I shoot 140 ABs in one, 130 Sciroccos in the other.
You'll see 2920-60 out of the regular w 140s and a little work, 3050 and maybe a little w 130s.
My 6.5-06 AI is a Pac-Nor 26" #3 on a 98 (VZ24)action. Good barrel.
You're going to want the 26 as you'll get a little extra out of some slow burners IMO. Let's it show off a little for you. :lol:
It's an easy cartridge to work with and mine are very accurate.
For reference, the 6.5-284 and 6.5-06 are pretty much ballistically twins so what people are seeing w 6.5-284 you can pretty much do with the 6.5-06. I've heard the 6.5-06 is a little easier on barrels but haven't burned either out yet so can't verify that.
Feel free to pm me if you need anything else.

 

[bbearhntr]

So, tell me about the 6.5-06 and why I need this rifle.

So, join team Scotty and help me spend my money!!!

It might be faster to tell you why you shouldn't...........(crickets)

OK as you were......

Good luck with the build :mrgreen:

 

[AFG270]

I just had Pac-Nor do a 25-06 barrel, 1 in 9 twist for my model 70, love it. I almost did a 6.5-06, I went back and forth for months trying to decide, finally went with the 25-06. Still want a 6.5-06 though. LOL

Pac-Nor is great to work with also. I sent them my barreled action and they did the work, had it back in 6 weeks.

 

[preacher]

c'mon Teach! Get with the program and go for the 6.5/280 Ackley Improved!!! Of course, in the hunting field, you won't be able to see any difference....stick with the 6.5/06 and enjoy yourself...easy cheesy! I used a 6.5/284 with 120/125 Nosler exclusively for a couple years...it was one wicked, wind defying round! My Mod 700 SA had feeding issues though. I swore if I ever went that route again I'd do a "plain" 6.5/06 and be happy...go for it!

 

[Dwh7271]

FWIW, this is what I load

Cartridge          : 6.5-06 A-Square
Bullet             : .264, 140, Nosler AccuBond 57873
Useable Case Capaci: 60.991 grain H2O = 3.960 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 26.0 inch = 660.4 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-26 ?

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   84    50.59   2840    2506   47257  10758    100.0    1.426
-09.0   85    51.15   2868    2556   48904  10819    100.0    1.404
-08.0   86    51.71   2896    2606   50605  10878    100.0    1.382
-07.0   86    52.28   2923    2656   52362  10937    100.0    1.361
-06.0   87    52.84   2951    2707   54177  10995    100.0    1.340
-05.0   88    53.40   2978    2758   56051  11052    100.0    1.320  ! Near Maximum !
-04.0   89    53.96   3006    2808   57988  11108    100.0    1.300  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0   90    54.52   3033    2860   59988  11163    100.0    1.281  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   91    55.09   3060    2911   62056  11218    100.0    1.262  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0   92    55.65   3087    2963   64193  11272    100.0    1.243  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   93    56.21   3114    3014   66401  11324    100.0    1.224  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+01.0   94    56.77   3141    3067   68685  11376    100.0    1.207  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0   95    57.33   3168    3119   71046  11427    100.0    1.189  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0   96    57.90   3194    3172   73489  11477    100.0    1.172  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0   97    58.46   3221    3225   76015  11526    100.0    1.155  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0   98    59.02   3247    3278   78630  11574    100.0    1.138  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     93    56.21   3209    3202   81154  10953    100.0    1.133  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     93    56.21   2969    2739   51719  11869    100.0    1.352

Cartridge          : 6.5-06 A-Square
Bullet             : .264, 130, Swift Scirocco
Useable Case Capaci: 61.329 grain H2O = 3.982 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 26.0 inch = 660.4 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-26 ?

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   83    50.59   2883    2399   44072  10785    100.0    1.425
-09.0   84    51.15   2912    2448   45599  10843    100.0    1.403
-08.0   85    51.71   2941    2497   47177  10900    100.0    1.381
-07.0   86    52.28   2970    2547   48807  10956    100.0    1.360
-06.0   87    52.84   2999    2597   50491  11012    100.0    1.339
-05.0   88    53.40   3028    2647   52230  11067    100.0    1.319
-04.0   89    53.96   3057    2697   54028  11121    100.0    1.299
-03.0   90    54.52   3085    2747   55886  11174    100.0    1.280  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   91    55.09   3113    2798   57806  11227    100.0    1.260  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0   92    55.65   3141    2849   59791  11278    100.0    1.242  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   92    56.21   3170    2900   61843  11329    100.0    1.223  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0   93    56.77   3197    2951   63965  11379    100.0    1.205  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0   94    57.33   3225    3003   66159  11428    100.0    1.187  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0   95    57.90   3253    3055   68429  11476    100.0    1.170  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0   96    58.46   3281    3107   70777  11523    100.0    1.153  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0   97    59.02   3308    3159   73207  11569    100.0    1.136  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     92    56.21   3277    3099   75997  10934    100.0    1.128  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     92    56.21   3004    2605   47925  11906    100.0    1.355

 

[BretN]

I always thought if I were to do a wildcat, the 6.5-06 would get the nod. A one step sizing process with either 25-06 or 270 brass is appealing to me. I've resorted to resizing '06 brass for my 280 when things were scarce a few years ago and it worked just fine.

.264 bullets have high BC and SD numbers too, which allow them to buck the wind and hit harder than 120 or 140 gr. bullets should. My brother's first deer rifle was an old Herter's mauser action in 264 Win mag, which I helped him reload for. Those long slippery bullets really did a number on his first few deer and he had no problems handling the 264. The 6.5-06 isn't really much slower than the 264 WM. If you already have a 25-06 or 270, you have no "need" for one, but when has "need" for a new rifle ever stopped anyone?

 

[truck driver]

I must say that if I had to pick between the 25-06, 6.5-06 or the 270 I do believe it would be the 6.5-06. A-square got it SAMMI standardized so there should be know problem finding properly marked brass thought that doesn't matter to me.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I also looked at the 143 Hornady eld-x. Between the 140 AccuBond or the Hornady, I should be able to get one of them to work.

So....

What barrel lenght and twist and contour??? I would like to keep the factory stock that I currently have with the 30-06.

 

[BretN]

Maybe send Pacnor the whole gun or at least the barreled action. They can match the factory contour I would think. I'd want a 24" barrel for sure, maybe 26" with a fast twist. Should be a good project. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Dwh7271]

First, 8 twist, 26".
Second, 25-06 brass necked up. Only .007 difference. Easy to do, no trimming necessary. You neck down you may have to trim.

 

[345 kv]

Built a 6.5-06 earlier this year. Went with a 24 inch 1/8 barrel. It's a good shooter getting about 2950 fps with a 140 gr AB and a stiff load of H4831. Necking up 25-06 brass.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Well, I believe I am ready to order my barrel. Going to go with a 1:8 twist and a 24" barrel at the same coutour as the factory original barrel.

My plan is to size up 25-06 brass and try the ELD-X 143 grain bullets.

I have a Leupold vx-2 3-9 on the rifle now but plan on getting a new scope by next fall. Thoughts???

 

[Dwh7271]

That'll work. I think you'll like it.
Feed it some h4831, RL26 or the like and you'll be pleased.
If for hunting, try the 140AB but don't rule out the 130s, either AB or Scirocco. I think you'll find with the right bullet it punches out of its weight class. Those pencil stick like bullets punch through.
As mentioned earlier, the 140s will run 2900 and some, the 130s 3000 plus.
Very pleasant cartridge to shoot.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Thinking about two scopes for it.

Vortex Viper 4-16


Minox ZV 3 4.5-14x44 SF - PLEX

 

[Dwh7271]

I have two of the 4x16. One x 44, one x50.
The HS and PST are good scopes IMO.
I really like them now that they're 100% American made.

No experience with the Minox though.

 

[truck driver]

I have a Meopta Meopro 3.5-10X44 that is great and reasonably priced the Meopta Meopro 4.5-14X44-FS version is the same as the old Zeiss Conquest line as is the 3.5-10X44.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Well it is ordered!!! My first rebarrel!!

 

[JD338]

FWIW, the 130 gr AB out of a 6.5mm Rem Mag kills deer
like a lighting bolt.

JD338

 

[HomerOz]

So, tell me about the 6.5-06 and why I need this rifle.

So, join team Scotty and help me spend my money!!!

It might be faster to tell you why you shouldn't...........(crickets)

OK as you were......

Good luck with the build :mrgreen:

G'Day Fella's,

LOL! (crickets), bbearhntr!

And as Truck Driver said re; .25-06, 6.5-06, .270!

Wisconsinteacher, the 6.5-06 is a cartridge, that I thought long and hard over.
Look forward to reading about this project!

Regards
Homer