wondering about contender barrel in 6.5

[RogueRiver]

So I'm thinking of a 6.5 carbine barrel for my contender(original style not encore) I was thinking a 7-30 waters necked down or maybe a 6.5 carcano. I already have everything for carcano. the 6.5-30 I was thinking brass would be easy enough to size down. Or am I wasting time and should use the 30-30 barrel I aleady have with 125 bt and see how flat that shoots. Ok Jd338 and Fotus I know u both saw a topic with 6.5 so your reading this lets hear your 2 cents.

I have 22 hornet 21" custom shop, 23" 3030 and 45-70 barrels for it. So you can see I have a gap in there. I thought about 7-30 waters, but I have so many 6.5 bullets to feed my 264wm that it makes sense 2 go with that. Basically I want a flatter shooting round for my contender-I love carrying it during deer season its so light and handy. guess I should shoot the 30wcf barrel alot and see what it does-I know its superaccurate at 100 yrds

 

[longwinters]

Why not go with the 7-30. I've got one on my tender pistol and love it with 120 BT's and 140 Partitions.

Long

 

[Larry in SD]

Depending on what bullets you have on hand for your .264WM they may or may not expand from the velocity you'd get from a .30-30 based 6.5 cartridge. If it were ME I'd look at having your 23" .30-30 Winchester rechambered to .30-30 Ackley Improved. I have hunted with a couple different 14" .30-30 AI's over the years and it is a highly under-rated cartridge. But then the 7-30 Waters from a 23" Barrel is nothing to sneeze at either.

If you are set on a .30-30 based 6.5 cartridge you may want to contact Match Grade Machine as I know they offer the 6.5x30-30 AI. I know a guy on another forum that has shot quite a few critters with the 6.5x30-30 AI out of a Contender Rifle.

Larry

 

[1Shot]

Don't worry about 6.5 bullets not expanding, they will. Most of the cup and core 120 to 140 gr bullets are designed to operate at and under 2500 fps muzzle velocity. That is what makes them great for short barrel pistols. I contemplated a long time about having a Contender pistol barrel 14" made by MGM in 6.5-30-30AI. I decided to go with the 30-30AI simply because of the cost of loading dies. Lee has 30-30AI dies that work great for me and the 6.5-30-30 is a custom built die that cost MUCH MORE. I really love my 30-30AI. With 125 Nosler ballistic tips and 33 grs IMR 4198 I get 2670 fps and under MOA accuracy and it just hammers deer. If if had a carbine barrel in 30-30 Win I would just load up some 125 gr Nosler ballistic tips and go hunting. You can use but one rifle at a time to hunt with and the 30-30 so loaded would make a fine 250 yard deer rifle in my book.

 

[SJB358]

No real advice as I don't own a small 6.5, but man, that 6.5x30WCF AI would be pretty cool in carbine or handgun.

The 30-30AI sounds pretty cool too.. That 125 BT seems like a perfect bullet for that case too. Love to mess around with these someday. Good luck, post up some targets and pictures when you get started. Sounds like slick little deer rounds.

 

[wildgene]

...might want to check EABCO...

http://www.eabco.com/

...they've been advertising a 6.5 for their rifles & Contender barrels for years...

 

[JD338]

I have a 6.5 JDJ for my T/C Contender in a SSK Shilen custom 14" barrel. It shoots the 120 gr BT at 2424 fps and shoots sub .5 MOA. Effective range on deer sized game is 300 yds. The 6.5 JDJ is based off the 225 Win.

JD338

 

[wildgene]

...24000 is pretty good MV for that little case... :shock: :twisted: :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

...24000 is pretty good MV for that little case... :shock: :twisted: :mrgreen:

Yup, you never have to guess the hold over even from me to you.
MV is 2424 fps.

JD338

 

[Creedmore]

I have a 6.5 JDJ for my T/C Contender in a SSK Shilen custom 14" barrel. It shoots the 120 gr BT at 2424 fps and shoots sub .5 MOA. Effective range on deer sized game is 300 yds. The 6.5 JDJ is based off the 225 Win.

JD338

That is a beautiful piece of work right there! I used to shoot IHMSA (thus my handle) and when I retired, I sent my .30-30 barrel to SSK Industries. Now it is a .309JDJ and a deer hammer.

J.D. Jones and P.O. Ackley have a special place in my heart.