Which 6.5 Long Action

[Dewey7271]

He originally said long range hunting.
That's going to take some practice to be proficient.
Other things. How far on average? Are you recoil shy? Etc.
If it's deer at 4-500 yards and you don't care for recoil, a 260 or 6.5-06 would be fine. A little more zip? Ackley either of them.
The cartridge, within reason, really doesn't matter as long as you can shoot it and use the bullet the hat will best accomplish what you need IMO.
You opened a can of worms asking a bunch of rifle loonies to help.
If the game is larger or extreme distance, then sure, a 7 or 300 is probably a good idea.
Just pick something you're comfortable shooting and can become very familiar with. There are lots of variables involved when you stretch one out.
By the way, when you hop on the slippery slope of building rifles, barrels are consumables.

[WinnieTheBoom]

Look, that custom 30x378 can send a 200 gr bullet at 3500 fps and you can take that to the bank.

Where are you getting these numbers? I'd like to see this 'custom 30-378' shoot that 200gr projectile 3,500 fps. Nosler's maximum published load for their 200gr Accubond is just over 3,000. So what you're saying is that one can reasonably expect to gain about 15% velocity in a custom rifle? I'm sorry but something doesn't sound right.

Furthermore, they're showing their 220gr Accubond traveling just a hair over 2,900 fps... The .338 Lapua 250gr Accubond is shown traveling around the same - just a little over 2,900 fps. So I think it's safe to say that a 230gr bullet out of the 30-378 is hardly sniffing the performance of a 285/300gr .338.

Again, compare similar weight bullets and case capacities if you're going to compare different calibers. There's no arguing that the 30-378 isn't a fantastic round - it is - but to say that it has better velocity over a comparably sized 7mm or that it will match and surpass the performance of a .338 Lapua ballistically is just not true.

Getting slightly off track here.

[bw34]

He originally said long range hunting.
That's going to take some practice to be proficient.
Other things. How far on average? Are you recoil shy? Etc.
If it's deer at 4-500 yards and you don't care for recoil, a 260 or 6.5-06 would be fine. A little more zip? Ackley either of them.
The cartridge, within reason, really doesn't matter as long as you can shoot it and use the bullet the hat will best accomplish what you need IMO.
You opened a can of worms asking a bunch of rifle loonies to help.
If the game is larger or extreme distance, then sure, a 7 or 300 is probably a good idea.
Just pick something you're comfortable shooting and can become very familiar with. There are lots of variables involved when you stretch one out.
By the way, when you hop on the slippery slope of building rifles, barrels are consumables.

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what I started here:). I have 1 bolt action gun a .270 win. I've had it for 20 years and love it. I enjoy being able to put a rifle together that is custom to me. I also like having something different then the guys I hunt/shoot with have. Pretty much everyone has either a .270, 30-06 or .300 min mag. I don't find the .300 fun to shoot so if I went with a cal with more punch I'd look into a brake. I live in Michigan and where I hunt a 150 yard shot is long. we started going out to eastern Montana and the shot possibilities are so much different. This past year I shot a mulie at 423yds with a 130 grain sst. It dropped where it stood. I'm a believer in shoot placement and not shooting farther than I'm capable. The range I shoot @ is 500 meters. I'm looking to set up a 500yd gun. Maybe stretch that a little has I become more comfortable with practice. I do like the fast ones though:)

[yobuck]

Short answer: Yes. With today's powder selection, the 7x378 is more feasible than it was 60 years ago when you were mentally masturbating or whatever you choose to call it. Barrel life is still an issue, accuracy had fallen off after 250 rounds in 2 different kreiger barrels. He's happier now with the 30/378 and isn't looking for an alternative. But it's overkill on this side of the states.

Well you did confirm what I said, and for what its worth, ive always been a follower on these type things.
Its got to be shown to me before I can come to grips with reality just like many others. But the wheel does get reinvented
in every generation.
As for the powders we had, for sure there were fewer of them. But that dosent mean there weren't some good ones,
with many still very popular today. That's especially true for cartridges like 30x378s.
I still have a small supply of ww2 surplus h570 which is a powder most today would have never heard of.
Were finding it offers the best all round performance in my sons 338x378 over all the others
weve tried including rl33. When I mentioned this to Bruce Baer, he asked me if id tried it in my 338 Big Baer.
I said I hadn't, to which he said well you should, that's what I use in mine for hunting.
It is also the most accurate powder in my 7x300 wby although 7828 gives more velocity and decent accuracy.
If you look in an older Sierra loading manual you will find the 7x300 wby listed for just one load. That would be the load
Mary Louise DeVito used to set the first recognised Williamsport group record. It was 87 gr h570 with a 168 smk.
Reality is we weren't lacking for anything we needed for this 50 years ago. We even found ways of ranging things then hitting them
with scopes and equiptment being laughed at today. But bring your Vectrinix, and money, and we'll see who laughs best.

[Dewey7271]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what I started here:). I have 1 bolt action gun a .270 win. I've had it for 20 years and love it. I enjoy being able to put a rifle together that is custom to me. I also like having something different then the guys I hunt/shoot with have. Pretty much everyone has either a .270, 30-06 or .300 min mag. I don't find the .300 fun to shoot so if I went with a cal with more punch I'd look into a brake. I live in Michigan and where I hunt a 150 yard shot is long. we started going out to eastern Montana and the shot possibilities are so much different. This past year I shot a mulie at 423yds with a 130 grain sst. It dropped where it stood. I'm a believer in shoot placement and not shooting farther than I'm capable. The range I shoot @ is 500 meters. I'm looking to set up a 500yd gun. Maybe stretch that a little has I become more comfortable with practice. I do like the fast ones though:)

Ok. 500 or less.
Huge BCs aren't going to be quite as relevant then.
The 6.5s will have plenty of punch for Bambi at that range. Most of the 6.5s also aren't bad at all on recoil. Your original 2 choices would work well for that, either of them. You want some speed and don't mind wildcats then add the 6.5 WSM. You could build a 6.5-300 Weatherby also if you don't mind belts. A little hard on barrels but it and the 6.5 WSM will zoom them for you.
I mentioned barrels are consumables. Generally the faster it runs the quicker the barrel wears so keep that in mind.
Good luck! This should be fun for you.

[bw34]

Ok. 500 or less.
Huge BCs aren't going to be quite as relevant then.
The 6.5s will have plenty of punch for Bambi at that range. Most of the 6.5s also aren't bad at all on recoil. Your original 2 choices would work well for that, either of them. You want some speed and don't mind wildcats then add the 6.5 WSM. You could build a 6.5-300 Weatherby also if you don't mind belts. A little hard on barrels but it and the 6.5 WSM will zoom them for you.
I mentioned barrels are consumables. Generally the faster it runs the quicker the barrel wears so keep that in mind.
Good luck! This should be fun for you.

Thanks Dewey. I'll check out those 2. I'm aware that I could go though some barrels. If I do it just means I'm having fun

[yobuck]

The 6.5x300 Weatherby was popular with hunters 50 years ago. Today nobody uses them because there are more/better options.
The 6.5 wsm is a hotrod 6.5, but I personaly found it so good I unloaded mine after 320 rounds.
There are at least 2 others here who will offer similar opinions on that cartridge. But hey I'm a lefty, maybe a righty would have different results? lol.
Everything will work well for 500 yds without using a hotrod.
Any one of the factory 6.5s or a 6.5x06 would be a good choice. So would a 270 or a 25x06 and a 308.
If I were younger and could still walk around well, id be building a 280 ai for my every day gun with the exception of varmits.
From there id be going directly to a 338 with 300 gr bullets for the longer distances.

[Hotolds442]

The 6.5x300 Weatherby was popular with hunters 50 years ago. Today nobody uses them because there are more/better options.
The 6.5 wsm is a hotrod 6.5, but I personaly found it so good I unloaded mine after 320 rounds. There are at least 2 others here who
will offer similar opinions on that cartridge. But hey I'm a lefty, maybe a righty would have different results? lol.
Everything will work well for 500 yds without using a hotrod. Any one of the factory 6.5s or a 6.5x06 would be a good choice.
So would a 270 or a 25x06 and a 308. If I were younger and could still walk around well, id be building a 280 ai for my every day gun with the
exception of varmits. For those id be going directly to a 338 with 300 gr bullets.

Fixed it for ya.

You may be onto something there with the lefty/6.5WSM correlation. I'm also a lefty. Maybe I need to sell that 6.5 barrel to a right handed person and see how it works for them.

[yobuck]

Thank you MR Moderator, I always thought you had some resemblings of intelligence, now I know why lol.
Seriously though, about the time I got serious about long range hunting with serious guns, the 6.5 wby was
on its way to being part of history. When their barrels washed out, those having them were replacing the barrel
with a 7mm because of better bullets being available. Its really always been about bullets, then finding the best
suitable case. So I missed out on the 6.5 Wby craze, and frankly always had the feeling I might have missed something.
Even though I had friends telling me I really hadn't. When I started hearing about the 6.5wsm, my interest was aroused
enough to build one. It was a learning experience for a number of reasons none of which were good. Except I did shoot 2
antelope with it that I could have just as easily gotten with my 25/06.
Getting a bullet to a distant target is easier than until recently, most people realize.
Turn the dial on the scope and walla, its there.
Very average shooters have far more ability for hitting distant targets than
most realize given the right equiptment and very little instruction.
Hitting it again, then again, is where problems usually arise for a number of reasons.
But put a novice behind a 6.5 and have them shoot a few rounds at a rock at say 900 yds.
Then hand them a 338 with a 300 gr bullet and have them shoot at the same rock.
The 338 will make them a better shooter, and isn't that what its all about?
Bear in mind however, there is a difference between good hunting accuracy and good benchrest/target accuracy.
Also bear in mind the best tactitions don't always win when hunting.

[Dewey7271]

Don't know how this degenerated into a "bigger is better", need a super duper high bc rifle for an OP that said he's a little recoil sensitive and is going to shoot max 500 yds?
Also, fwiw, the 6.5-300 Wby is so far gone Weatherby announced a while back they're factory clambering it. Geez, who really cares? And my 6.5 WSM shoots just fine, thank you.
I have nothing but respect for all you guys and your abilities but why can't we just answer what the poster asked?
Mod, if this is out of line, delete it.
OP, sorry for the rant.

[yobuck]

Don't know how this degenerated into a "bigger is better", need a super duper high bc rifle for an OP that said he's a little recoil sensitive and is going to shoot max 500 yds?
Also, fwiw, the 6.5-300 Wby is so far gone Weatherby announced a while back they're factory clambering it. Geez, who really cares? And my 6.5 WSM shoots just fine, thank you.
I have nothing but respect for all you guys and your abilities but why can't we just answer what the poster asked?
Mod, if this is out of line, delete it.
OP, sorry for the rant.

No rant as far as I'm concerned, just ideas being shared some of which are backed up by our personal experiences.
I don't think ive bad mouthed any cartridges here at least for the most part. I didn't even say my 6.5 wsm didn't shoot well, (after)
all the issues were ironed out. Just that it wasent up to shooting as well as others I have which is what also killed the early 6.5 wbys.
As for the op's question, I think he got what information he needed a long time back. Hopefully he's enjoyed the rest of what he is
responsible for starting. lol
As for Weatherby reinventing the 6.5 Wby cartridge, its not the first time they've done that.
They also did it with the 30x378 about 30 years after it was invented the first time by a hillbilly farmer/ gunsmith.
What prompted Weatherby to do this wasent the fact that the world has a need. But rather they see the current
popularity of long range shooting and the 6.5 cartridges, with the hope it might help their bottom line.
Whereas 50 years ago what l/r hunters there were, were primarily found in small geographic areas and largly classified
as kooks or worse. Even long range benchrest shooting was and probably still is to some degree sneered at by the purists in that sport.
Its changing because of its popularity and the flow of dollars being spent and no other reason.
The train left the station years ago, but now everybody wants a seat. Can we spell BERGER for example.
Fact is Roy Weatherby was on the train, and were left to wonder what would have been had he lived another 25 years.

[LongRange]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what I started here:). I have 1 bolt action gun a .270 win. I've had it for 20 years and love it. I enjoy being able to put a rifle together that is custom to me. I also like having something different then the guys I hunt/shoot with have. Pretty much everyone has either a .270, 30-06 or .300 min mag. I don't find the .300 fun to shoot so if I went with a cal with more punch I'd look into a brake. I live in Michigan and where I hunt a 150 yard shot is long. we started going out to eastern Montana and the shot possibilities are so much different. This past year I shot a mulie at 423yds with a 130 grain sst. It dropped where it stood. I'm a believer in shoot placement and not shooting farther than I'm capable. The range I shoot @ is 500 meters. I'm looking to set up a 500yd gun. Maybe stretch that a little has I become more comfortable with practice. I do like the fast ones though:)

you dont need a heavy artillery to do this at 500yds...as you said most of your hunting will be closer so 243 will easily get it done....next would be a 260...a 130g bullet at 2950fps at 500yds is still over 1500ft-lbs of energy and still over 1100ft-lbs at 800yds.
you pretty much said you dont like the recoil of the 300 and a standard 7mag isnt going to be much different. if you do some research on ballistics you will find the 260 with a 140g bullet is almost identical to a 300 win mag until you get into the 200g class bullets in the WM.

Buck loves those big cals but the difference between him and most other ppl is he has shot those heavy cals his entire life(and he has been around for a long time LOL)where as most other ppl have not...something to think about...i shot a 300wm for several yrs and it was a tac driver...several guys i know that are pretty good shots shot that rifle and only 2 could shoot it to its accuracy level but all of them could accurately shoot my 260.

[Hotolds442]

Buck loves those big gals.......

And don't believe his age, either. He only put 66 in there because it wouldn't take all 3 digits.

[yobuck]

And don't believe his age, either. He only put 66 in there because it wouldn't take all 3 digits.

Well I'm getting closer, but not there yet. Hopefully somebody with a good ipod program will remind me. lol
I have questions however regarding guns and what we need or don't need for long range hunting.
I have my jeep rigged for the type hunting we do in the particular location we do it.
There are 3 long range guns, one being a 7x300 wby, a 30 cal wildcat that would be essentially a 300 Norma,
and a large 338. I also carry along a 25/06 or a 30/06 in case somebody (not me) needs to go finish one off.
Admittedly, the 7x300 could be a smaller cartridge but that's what I have. Where we hunt, you might be looking at
400 over there, but over there is 800, and over there could be 12 to 1500 all from the same location. And for those
just dying to ask why, forget spot and stalk because its not even a remote possibility there. Try hitting a gallon milk jug across one of those valleys in December with the wind blowing and you would soon get the picture.
No different than a serious bass fisherman having 6 rods rigged laying ready for different situations.
Or a golfer with a whole bunch of clubs just to hit a ball that's laying right in front of him.
We will shoot as well as the distance and conditions permit us, and if the conditions aren't good
that might not be very far especially with the smaller cartridges.
Our hunting season for rifle is for 2 weeks, and there are no cancelations for unfavorable conditions or being unprepared.
If your in an area like some parts of Wyoming for example, where you can spot an animal at a long
distance, then duck into a dry stream bed maybe 6 ft or more deep to close the distance that's a whole different situation than were faced with.
We shoot from here or we don't shoot at all, and those are the choices.
Pick your club and good luck. And yes they kick lol.

[Burr]

...No different than a serious bass fisherman having 6 rods rigged laying ready for different situations.

Heh, I was not fishing Bass....

Actually I'm testing my ability to learn how to post a picture, so work with me on this one, OK? Let's see if this works.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...psv7noqwps.jpg


Hmmm, that does not look like it will work, how about this.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...pszjjm4xsm.jpg

Arrgghhh, I think I need to look at my account settings. I'll figure it out.

[Burr]

...No different than a serious bass fisherman having 6 rods rigged laying ready for different situations.

Heh, I was not Bass fishing....

Actually I'm testing my ability to learn how to post a picture, so be patient with me on this one, OK? Let's see if this works.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...psv7noqwps.jpg


Hmmm, that does not look like it will work, how about this.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...pszjjm4xsm.jpg

Arrgghhh, I think I need to look at my account settings. I'll figure it out.

How about this







That might be it.

[Robinhood]

Global Warming?

[LongRange]

And don't believe his age, either. He only put 66 in there because it wouldn't take all 3 digits.

oh i know...i think Buck was there on the seventh day!!

[yobuck]

I'm sorry yobuck but that's simply incorrect. A 30-378 will sling 200gr bullets to MAYBE 3,100 fps. A 7mm Allen Magnum (based on a .338 Lapua case) will sling 200 gr bullets over 3,300 fps. The point being that all else being equal, namely case capacity, 7mm velocity will ALWAYS trump .30 cal velocity. This is not opinion, this is fact.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'larger .30 calibers,' but at least compare apples to apples.

Winnie, I'm sure your a really nice guy, but youve read too many books and not done enough shooting with these type guns.
Don't believe a word ive said and that's fine with me. But, if your really curious as to wether that old kook has lost all his marbles for making such outlandish statements, make a few phone calls and get your facts straight.
Ive known guys whove claimed 3600 fps, but they will also admitt to 1 firing from the brass.
My load wasent a particularly hot load at 113 gr of h570 with the 200 gr in a 36" barrel.
118 gr of the slower h870 or wc872 would put the bullets at the same location at the 1500 rock ledge we shoot at frequently.
145 to 150 1/4 min clicks on the dial should help you to at least roughly decipher the velocity. 200 clicks were needed at 1700 yds which is the furthest I ever shot the gun. AT that point, 240s were landing in the same place with same clicks. The gun was also really out of gas at that distance as for any kind of accuracy.
I don't know how much luck you will have getting these people to answer their phones, because if the machines are running they wont answer. And frankly, they are usually running and you can google them for the numbers.
Try Bruce Baer in Willow Hill PA, also Mark King in I believe Duncannon PA, and also Kevin Cram in Danville PA.
Kevin would be the youngest, but certainly as able as the others as for his work. But I'm not as sure as to his first hand experience with the 30x378. He is however a very experienced long range hunter as are the other 2, and might also be easier to contact.
For sure he as well as the others could set you straight as to what you believe are silly statements.
If your serious about shooting at extreme distances, you would have been wise to discuss your options with someone like one of these guys first, and hopefully you did. Otherwise it will be learning by trial and error and you will either give up on It, or ultimately seek out good advise from someone who does this for a living every day.
For starters, I have some doubt any of these guys would advise building any 338 on any Savage action.
So if your afraid you might hear that, be forewarned as to that possibility.

[WinnieTheBoom]

buck, I'm sure you're a nice guy as well, but none of what you posted has any relevance to what I said.

I've talked to plenty of guys (none that you listed, but others that are just as qualified) and done enough LR shooting myself... never hunting mind you, but shooting, and I stand by what I said.
There's no arguing that the 30-378 isn't a fast shooter, it obviously is. But my point was that, all things being equal (action, barrel & length, etc.), putting a 7mm bullet and a .30 cal bullet over the same amount of powder is going to net you the same results. The 7mm is going to be faster. That's not reading books, that's standard physics. I'm glad you know guys that have claimed 3,600 fps out of a 30-378. That's fantastic!

Now tell them to do the same thing with a 7mm and report the results. I'm not even arguing if a 7mm or a 30-378 is a better long range round. I'm saying if you're looking for a flatter shooting, faster round, the 7mm is going to take the cake. That's what research shows (and by extension, 'what the books say'), that's my personal experience, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's most people's opinions (you being the exception). Unfortunately, that's going to hold a lot more weight than you coming on a internet board and saying you know a guy that knows a guy that got 3,600 fps out of a 30-378. To be honest, I really couldn't care less. Classic case of being the exception and not the rule.

As far as the .338 Lapua goes, what does that have to do with anything? Honestly. Just because I decided to build one on a Savage action doesn't make it right, and just because seasoned gunsmiths 'would advise against building any .338 on a Savage action' doesn't make it wrong. But I'm failing to see what the point of even bringing that up was. I've got no dog in this fight, and am perfectly fine with differences of opinion, but some of you old school guys need to realize that there isn't just one way of doing things. And that's not a knock on you or anyone, it's simply personal preference.

[Hotolds442]

This one has about run its (off) course.

For the OP. I've found personally that the 6.5 X 284 is somewhat finicky. Developing a load that will work may take some time, if your accuracy standards are at the same level as mine. Using 7 different powders and a slew of different bullets, we finally developed a load for ours, purely by accident. That accident occurred when bullet seating was done using a 6mm comparator insert instead of a 6.5. The bullet was seated deeper and it shot well. Very well. But after another 150 rounds we're now chasing the lands and moving the bullet out farther. Throat erosion is occurring and there's not much we can do about it. I'd imagine the 6.5/06 will be worse, and can confirm that the 6.5 WSM IS worse. We will be retooling for the 260 in the near future, and will do so on a long action, specifically throated for the 142 ABLR. The 6.5 creed was our second choice, but I fell on a good supply of new Lapua 260 brass. Want a little more than the 260? Go with the 6.5x55 and fresh Lapua brass, loaded to 2016 pressure levels. You'll be happy with either of the three for years.

[bw34]

This one has about run its (off) course.

For the OP. I've found personally that the 6.5 X 284 is somewhat finicky. Developing a load that will work may take some time, if your accuracy standards are at the same level as mine. Using 7 different powders and a slew of different bullets, we finally developed a load for ours, purely by accident. That accident occurred when bullet seating was done using a 6mm comparator insert instead of a 6.5. The bullet was seated deeper and it shot well. Very well. But after another 150 rounds we're now chasing the lands and moving the bullet out farther. Throat erosion is occurring and there's not much we can do about it. I'd imagine the 6.5/06 will be worse, and can confirm that the 6.5 WSM IS worse. We will be retooling for the 260 in the near future, and will do so on a long action, specifically throated for the 142 ABLR. The 6.5 creed was our second choice, but I fell on a good supply of new Lapua 260 brass. Want a little more than the 260? Go with the 6.5x55 and fresh Lapua brass, loaded to 2016 pressure levels. You'll be happy with either of the three for years.

Thank you for the reply. It helps a lot.

[Londerko]

My vote is for a 6.5x55 swede.
Relatively cheap lapua brass. Loaded at modern pressures. The swede will shoot to 1K or better with a 140gr at 2800 easy. Plenty of room on a long action mag to load those long pills way far out to the lands

[yobuck]

buck, I'm sure you're a nice guy as well, but none of what you posted has any relevance to what I said.

I've talked to plenty of guys (none that you listed, but others that are just as qualified) and done enough LR shooting myself... never hunting mind you, but shooting, and I stand by what I said.
There's no arguing that the 30-378 isn't a fast shooter, it obviously is. But my point was that, all things being equal (action, barrel & length, etc.), putting a 7mm bullet and a .30 cal bullet over the same amount of powder is going to net you the same results. The 7mm is going to be faster. That's not reading books, that's standard physics. I'm glad you know guys that have claimed 3,600 fps out of a 30-378. That's fantastic!

Now tell them to do the same thing with a 7mm and report the results. I'm not even arguing if a 7mm or a 30-378 is a better long range round. I'm saying if you're looking for a flatter shooting, faster round, the 7mm is going to take the cake. That's what research shows (and by extension, 'what the books say'), that's my personal experience, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's most people's opinions (you being the exception). Unfortunately, that's going to hold a lot more weight than you coming on a internet board and saying you know a guy that knows a guy that got 3,600 fps out of a 30-378. To be honest, I really couldn't care less. Classic case of being the exception and not the rule.

As far as the .338 Lapua goes, what does that have to do with anything? Honestly. Just because decided to build one on a Savage action doesn't make it right, and just because seasoned gunsmiths 'would advise against building any .338 on a Savage action' doesn't make it wrong. But I'm failing to see what the point of even bringing that up was. I've got no dog in this fight, and am perfectly fine with differences of opinion, but some of you old school guys need to realize that there isn't just one way of doing things. And that's not a knock on you or anyone, it's simply personal preference.

So if we drop a ton of bricks and a ton of bs off a tall building, ones gonna hit the ground first? Let me guess which one lol.
Personal preference is fine and I have them just like everybody else does.
But choices are one thing and facts are another. How we get the facts are yet another thing which is a big part of the issue here.
You want be needing any facts being told to you to see whats the best car on the race track, assuming of coarse were judging by performance.
And if you would like to come visit me sometime you wont need any facts on these guns either, because again seeing will be believing.
As for there being other ways of doing things, that's really not true assuming again were talking performance.
We can of coarse alter how we do things to allow for our personal choices and performance.
As the old cliché goes, we cant have the cake and eat it too. If we want to shoot rifles at very long distances for what ever reason, certain rules
will apply unless your satisfied with less than the best results it might be possible to get. I am of coarse talking here about cartridge perfofmance
and not individual performance.

[yobuck]

This one has about run its (off) course.

For the OP. I've found personally that the 6.5 X 284 is somewhat finicky. Developing a load that will work may take some time, if your accuracy standards are at the same level as mine. Using 7 different powders and a slew of different bullets, we finally developed a load for ours, purely by accident. That accident occurred when bullet seating was done using a 6mm comparator insert instead of a 6.5. The bullet was seated deeper and it shot well. Very well. But after another 150 rounds we're now chasing the lands and moving the bullet out farther. Throat erosion is occurring and there's not much we can do about it. I'd imagine the 6.5/06 will be worse, and can confirm that the 6.5 WSM IS worse. We will be retooling for the 260 in the near future, and will do so on a long action, specifically throated for the 142 ABLR. The 6.5 creed was our second choice, but I fell on a good supply of new Lapua 260 brass. Want a little more than the 260? Go with the 6.5x55 and fresh Lapua brass, loaded to 2016 pressure levels. You'll be happy with either of the three for years.

Hey, I like the new logo picture. No 442 in that I'm guessing. But again I'm off topic lol.