6.5mm twist rate

[Troy G]

Has anybody done any experimentation with twists slower than 1/8 at velocities in the 2600-2700 fps range?  Will a 1/9 twist stabilize the 139 Lapua Scenars or other VLD bullets at this speed?  I am also wondering if anyone has noticed an increase in velocity going from a 1/8 twist to a 1/9 twist assuming the barrel lengths are the same?  Anyone shooting a 1/8.5 twist a cartridge like the TKS?

[longgun]

Last year I bought a Shilen barrel from Brownells in 6.5mm,  it was supposed to be 1/9 twist.  I chambered it for 6.5X55.  It would shoot 107s and 120s very accurately.  However it would not shoot either 140 or 142 SMKs well.  I worked with the gun with several loads and found that if I loaded the 140 on the high end it would shoot fair.   Finally I checked the twist and found that it was actually only 1twist in 9 1/2 inches.  Shilen replaced the barrel with a 1 turn in 8".  But it still failed to shoot heavy bullets well.   I then bought a Schneider 1twist in 8" and it shoots everything into tiny groups.   My advice is pay the money and get a good barrel with 8" twist and save your self a lot of problems.  Most of the custom barrels cost within $ 50 of each other,  buy a Schneider, Hart, or Lilji  and enjoy shooting small groups.......DW

[Troy G]

Thanks for the reply.  I have been shooting 6.5s for some time now.  I have been shooting 1/8s in my silhouette guns and 1/8.5s in my 1000 yard bench guns.  My brother has shot a 1/9 in 6.5/.284 and it stabilized the 140s but they were going over 3000 fps.  I would like to try a 1/8.5 with the hopes of picking up a little velocity but still being able to stabilize the 140 bullets.  What twist does Tikka, Sako, and Rem use for their .260s and the 6.5x55.  I was sure that Rems .260 was a 1/9 twist.

[Heikki in FIN]

Sako and Tikka uses 1/8 twist for 6.5x55.