ream 260 to 6.5-06?

[benchracer]

I was looking at the case dimensions in my reloading manual showing the 260 rem and the 30-06, trying to determine whether or not a 260 chamber would clean up properly if reamed to 6.5-06.  The case diameter near the case head seems to be ok, but the '06 case seems to be more tapered than the 260/308 case.  I don't know how to tell whether or not the conversion would work. Does anyone know if a 260 rem can be reamed to 6.5-06?  If not, what would be a good alternative path?  Would 6.5-06 AI clean the chamber up?  I have also thought about the 6.5x55, but it looks to me like the larger case diameter near the case head would not clean up if reamed to 6.5-06.  I am very interested in building up a 6.5-06 on a mauser action using a pre-fitted short chambered barrel and am trying to come up with a likely candidate for a chambering that can be readily reamed to 6.5-06.  Suggestions anyone?

[quickdtoo]

The 6.5-06 wouldn't work, but the Improved version would. I don't have a cartridge drawing of the 6.5-06AI, so the 30-06AI will have to do.

Tim



http://ammoguide.com/?catid=109

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=184

[gunnut69]

The problem is the 308's lack of taper will create a slight bulge or ripple on the body of a 6.5-06 case fired in a re-cut chamber. Setting the barrel back a turn or so will eliminate the problem. 

[benchracer]

Thank for the input guys.  Looks like maybe the best path to a 6.5-06 may just be to order a barrel chambered for it.  Until then, maybe I'll tinker with a 6.5x55.  I dunno.  I'm still mulling things over, er, benchracing.

[gunnut69]

The 6.5x55 is now slouch!! They have a greater case capacity than the 260, but factory ammo for the most part is loaded light.. I've built several sporters on the M96 Swedish Mauser and they are amazing!! Had a 1907 built gun that would easily put 5 140 Sierras under 5/8 inch, at 100 yards. For a sporter weight rifle I was thrilled.. My last acquisition was a M70 classic Featherweight in 6.5x55. It is a sweetheart.. light, accurate and deadly!! What more could you ask for!! I really like the 125 Nosler Partition for deer but some rifles prefer the 140 grain weight.. Either will go just fine!

[benchracer]

Thanks for the encouragement, gunnut69.  I have a BRNO mauser 98 action that I am want to build into a sporter in a 6.5 of one flavor or another.  6.5 Swede looks like the best of the easily obtainable options.  I would really like to use bullets in the 140 grain weight class, though I will probably experiment with some of the lighter bullets as well.  However, I am still undecided on barrel length and twist rate.  I am looking at either a 21" or a 24" barrel, both with a 1-in-9 twist.  I think the 21" barrel would make for a better handling rifle, while the 24" barrel might provide better ballistic performance.  However, having no experience with the 6.5x55, I do not know how much of an advantage could be gained with the extra barrel length.   I have already constructed a scout type rifle in 7x57 and do not wish to duplicate it.  In your experience with this cartridge, what barrel length gives the best balance of rifle weight/handling and ballistic performance?  As for twist, 1-in-9 seems to be the standard.  In fact, Berger lists this twist on its website as being appropriate for its 140 gr VLD bullets.  However, in a recent issue of Handloader magazine, an article stated that 1-in-8 is often required to stabilize some of the longer bullets in 6.5, but did not comment on which bullets need that twist.  At the velocity levels commonly generated by the 6.5x55, and given my preference for the 140 gr bullets, would a 1-in-9 twist be sufficient?  I would really like to hear from anyone with experience with the 6.5x55 about what barrel length and twist has given the best results.

[weasel]

I had my .260 rechambered to 6.5X444, works well in my encore, not sure how it woulld feed in a bolt gun though.

[Aardvark]

 Why not just go with the 7mm08...It wont require any modification of your magazine...The longer '06 cartridges may hang up if left as is.

[benchracer]

I don't want to go with a 7-08 because I have already built a 7x57 scout rifle (like my 22-250, not ready for primetime).  It promises to be a honey of a rifle.  I am interested in a 6.5-06 because I would like to build a light to medium sporter with long range capability.  The sectional densities and BC's obtainable in 6.5mm bullets offer superb long range potential, coupled with relatively mild recoil.  In a full length '98 action, the 6.5-06 seems to me to offer advantages over both the 6.5x55 and the 6.5-284.  The 6.5-06 should offer noticeably higher velocities than the 6.5x55 and feed better than the 6.5-284.  Additionally, having the '06 case as its parent means a plentiful and inexpensive supply of brass.  However, my main hurdle is finding an inexpenseve way to get to a 6.5-06.  Dies run about $75.  Also, it would appear that going the A&B barrel route seems to be a no-go for two reasons:  First, I cannot find a 6.5 type chambering that would clean up properly with a 6.5-06 reamer.  Second, although I could buy an A&B unchambered blank, I do not have the ability to chamber a barrel myself.  I would have to have the chambering work done by a machinist or gunsmith.  Thus, the difference in cost between an A&B barrel and say a threaded and chambered Pac-Nor starts to narrow considerably.  As for feeding issues with '06 cases in '98 actions, they are not difficult to overcome.  I have a friend who has built a 280 Remington on a mauser '98 action.  The only things really needed to make it feed are a 30-06 follower and removal of about .040" of material from the inside of the bottom metal.  No big deal.  With all of that in mind, I have elected to go with a 6.5x55 for now.  I think that I can do that inexpensively, get pretty good performance out of it, and have lots of fun in the process.  That, in a nutshell, is the current state of my thinking on this subject.  However, I still have a couple of commercial mauser actions set aside for when both my skills and my pocketbook are sufficiently stout to attempt an all out effort at a truly nice custom rifle.  Perhaps that will be my 6.5-06 build...  I'm still thinking... Benchracing can be fun and is mostly free!

[gunnut69]

The swedes I built were all over the place. One used a 25 inch barrel and several were in the 23-24 inch range. They seem to like the lowered muzzle pressures from the longer tubes.. You may also consider the 6.5x284.. I read where Norma (I think!!!) is going to make it factory available. Dies would still be higher but at least brass would be easier to come by. Ballistically the 6.5x284 is the same as the 6.5x06. The 06 based case would likely feed better but either will work. Still the swedish round is all you'd likely need. The 140 Partition is scarey accurate and will drive thru any deer I've ever seen.

[benchracer]

Yeah, the 6.5x55 looks like the most practical choice.  Sounds like a 24"-26" barrel is the way to go.  What twist has worked best for you with the 140 gr partitions?

[gunnut69]

I've only used the standard military twist as found in those M96 Swedes and the Winchester Featherweight. And I don' know either. The swedes shoot a lot better than any 100 year old rifle has a right to.. I believe the twist rate is in the 1 in 8 or 8 1/2 range. They original load was a 160(something) bullet that was reduced in the 1930's.. The 140 is actually a light bullet for the Swede. For deer I prefer the 125 grain Partition. It shoots nearly as well as the 140 and packs all the punch any white tailed deer needs! Plus it seems to stop the deer a bit faster than the 140's..

[Bingo]

   The 6.5x284 seems to be the big thing right now among the custom builders that I have talked to. It was one of the options that I had considered for my old Jap conversion. My gun has a 20 in. barrel and that was to short to burn all that powder so I opted to go 260 Rem.

[benchracer]

Are you converting an arisaka?  That sounds interesting.  I would most definitely be interested in hearing how that works out for you.  As for the 6.5-284, I really prefer not to go that route, for two reasons:  First, it is a short action cartridge and the action I intend to use is a long action.  Though it will obviously fit, it just seems to me that I would be better off using a cartridge that better fits the action.  Second, is the notorious feed problems with .284 Win based cases, one of the things that helped sink the original as a commercial case (the same problem that is plaguing the WSM's, too).  In a mauser action, it looks to me that a 6.5-06 would be a lot easier to get to feed properly.  In this context, the 6.5x55 would also make a lot of sense and looks to me to be easier and less expensive to build.

[Steve P]

If you can get the 260 barrel, why spend the $$ to change it?  The .260 in a rifle will take any north american big game sans the big bears. 

I have a .260, 6.5x55, and 'o6 improved.  All have taken deer out to 300 with one shot clean kills.  I grab the .260 or 6.5x55 over my '06 and heavier magnums as often as possible.  Now days the 7mag, 338, etc only come out in big bear country where high power stoppage is needed.

Good luck with your choice.  The modern 140gr bullets in 6.5mm are excellent for long range hunting.

Steve 

[benchracer]

Just looking for a cheaper route to a 6.5-06 than buying a custom barrel.  From what I gather, there really isn't a practical way of doing that.  So, I figure I will buy an A&B in 6.5x55 and put it on my mauser just for fun while I save my pennies for a custom barrel to build my 6.5-06 later.  I suppose that a 260 would do just about anything in the field that a 6.5-06 will, but I just want a 6.5-06.  I don't really have a better reason than that.  I just think it would be fun to experiment with the 6.5-06.  For the moment, however, the 6.5-06 will stay on my wish list.

[gunnut69]

The 260 has a bit less case capacity than the 6.5x55. It's main reason for being was the lack of brass for handloading when the silhouette game was new and booming. At the same pressure levels the 260 won't quite equal the Swede, but since factory ammo for the swede is loaded to lower pressures the factory ammo is a bit faster for the 260. The difference between most high intensity rounds external trajectories is small. Hits to 300 yards are quite doable with many different rounds and part of the fun of shooting is experimenting!! Another alternative would be the 264 Winchester Mag. It has a bit of a case capacity advantage over the 6.5-06 but not much. It would clean up any of the chambers we've talked about but of course would require bolt face modifications.. Still it is a wonderful round. I've only had experience with a couple of them but when Winchester made the SuperGrade in 264 a few years ago I bought one and even with factory ammo it is a fine shooter. I shoot the Remington 140 grain load (bought a bunch of cheap ammo at a gunshow). I've killed several deer with it and it worked quite well. None of the hits were marginal and no more meat was lost than most high velocity rounds would have caused.. With handloading coming soon I fully expect the 140 Partition to shoot well as usual and kill anything I point it at, if I do my part..The small bore and large case give the same problems the 6.5-06 has as to limited powder choices and reduced barrel life.. Still it'll outlast nearly any normal hunter.. The 6.5-06 and the 6mm-06 have become the darlings of the local coyote hunters. Heavy barrels, large powerful scopes and rangefinders allow for some extremely long range kills..

[benchracer]

Hmmmmmmm...  Sounds interesting.  I'm going to have to do some research and a little more benchracing with the 264 WM in mind.  I will post my questions/findings as I generate them.  Thanks for the idea!