yet, another new 6.5mm cartridge just when I thought it was

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rangerbob

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Usually, I stay on top of recent events, but this one slipped past me until a couple of days ago. Weatherby has introduced a new 6.5 mm cartridge, the 6.5 RPM(rebated performance magnum). Basically, it's a 6.5 x 284 lengthened to 30-06 length so that it will fit in their 6 locking lug smaller Mark 5 action currently used for building 30-06, 270, 240 WM rifles. The key to the whole thing is that they can make a 4.9 pound titanium light rifle with 6.5 PRC ballistics using on the shelf parts. While I can't take credit for this, I imagined such a cartridge decades ago. Dave Kiff at PTG already has reamers for this and the wildcat 7mm RPM. I imagine we'll see this cartridge necked up and down as a way to expand performance from a 25-06, 270, 30-06, 338-06, or 35 Whelen with a simple rechamber of one's favorite rifle. Meanwhile, I'm going to work with my Mossberg Patriot in 6.5 PRC. Bob!! :mrgreen:
 

rangerbob

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I'm not advocating that we all run out and buy a $2000+ Weatherby rifle, far from it. I was just reporting something new and different. For the first time Weatherby rolls out a useful cartridge without the belt and their signature curved shoulders. It's what WW should have capitalized on when they brought out the 284 in 1963, a long action rebated case, just slightly longer that the 30-06 so that existing 270's, 280's, and 30-06's (and later 25-06, 338-06, and 35 Whelen)could be rechambered to, providing very near magnum performance with out the useless belt. WW should have jumped on the 270, 30, and 338 version as factory rounds. Of course, this is all wishful thinking and water under the bridge. Bob!! 8)
 

rangerbob

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Weatherby already had the 6.5 x 300 Weatherby Magnum. Rebated Performance Magnum is probably just as good a name as any and separates it from the 6.5 PRC. Bob! 8)
 

Nomosendero

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6GUNSONLY said:
Interesting that they didn't name it the 6.5 Weatherby Magnum. My shooting buddy has a 6.5/06 Ackley Improved, which I think would amount to about the same thing. My 6.5mms are "ancient" 6.5 Remington Magnums from way back in the 60s. Ahead of their time, they were. Original short Magnums.

It has a lot more loading potential than a 6.5-06 AI. It is more like a stretch 6.5-284 with a rebaed rim.
I have a M700 in 270, ready to re-barrel.
 

rangerbob

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Nomo, the M700 is probably the best candidate for the 6.5 RPM as it has a longer magazine. I built a M700 in 35/284 on a short action and used the SAUM follower with good results. I suspect the usual long action magnum follower would work well with the RPM. Bob! :mrgreen:
 

Nomosendero

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rangerbob said:
Nomo, the M700 is probably the best candidate for the 6.5 RPM as it has a longer magazine. I built a M700 in 35/284 on a short action and used the SAUM follower with good results. I suspect the usual long action magnum follower would work well with the RPM. Bob! :mrgreen:

Indeed it is & the 270 is a fine round but I just don't use it anymore. I thought that a factory chamber 6.5-06AI would be nice as Nosler has taken on the 280AI but this is one better. The brass story is much different than it used to be now that we have so many fairly new companies making brass. I suspect that at least one of those will offer the RPM brass at a decent cost & that will put me over the edge.

I look forward to your results with the Patriot, it seems to be a lot of rifle for the buck.
 

rangerbob

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Nomo, the 6.5 PRC Mossberg rifle turned out to be a fine shooter even though there is no RL 26 available that I can find. Using 7828SSC with 140 Hornady Spire Points, I'm getting 1" groups at 150 yards with my poor 68 year old eyes. Recoil seems no more than a 30-06 or 308 and the Zeiss 3x9 terra is the only reason my old eyes can still shoot well. I was able to zero the rifle without ever removing the windage cap on the new Zeiss scope. This tells me the receiver, barrel and scope base are all fairly square. The only other rifle that I had that happen was a tang safety M77 RS in 280 Remington in 1983. Anyway, I am 100% pleased with the Mossberg rifle. Now if they would just make one in 300 PRC. Bob! :wink:
 

GunnyGene

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Have the gun controllers discovered this round yet? I mean it's a super hypersonic exploding bullet and obviously designed for mass shooters who aren't happy with the 5.56mm. :wink:
 

rangerbob

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GG, I hope not! Apparently the long range precision shooters have discovered it and RL 26 as there is none to be had. An 8# container is on my list if I ever see any again! Bob! :wink:
 

Don Lovel

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I am having a ball playing around with the 6.5 Grendel.
I remember when my Grandpa's friend bought a new then 264 Win Mag Model 70 Westerner, probably around Christmas 1957. He loaded his own projectiles made out of 6.5mm copper ground rod. Turned the profiles and cut to length on a small tool & die lathe.
I remember him and my grandpa using a well driller's pipe measuring tape to measure a 600+yd coyote kill way across a flat wheatfield.
 
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I have a Grendel and a Creedmore (6.5). Creedmore still unfired but Grendel hasn't impressed me. I spent a very frustrating week trying to generate an accurate load for a 264 Win mag a looong time back and swore I'd never go into 6.5 country again but here I am. I can only hope the 6.5C likes some relatively inexpensive factory loads. The Grendel does like the Hornady ELD and SST ammo well enough to fit my needs.
 

rangerbob

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Mobuck, for the 6.5 CM, WW has a white box target load and S&B has a FMJ load that won't break the bank plus you wind up with more brass to load. The 123 gr SST over RL 17 works for me. Bob! :wink:
 

smith1961

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Ho-hum..........
I was initially indifferent to the 6.5 Creedmoor for a while after it's arrival. Now quite frankly it makes me sick with all the marketing hype and perpetual myths surrounding the cartridge. There is NOTHING that 6.5x55 Swede in modern, currently available 1-8 twist rifles like Tikka, Ruger, CZ, and others can do, that could be outdone by the 6.5 CM. End of story.
 

rangerbob

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Except fit in a short action! Same could be said about the 260 Remington and it will fit in a short action. I went with the 6.5 PRC in a Mossberg Patriot and it will out do the CM and the others. And yes, I have all 3 of the other calibers as well, but I'm a rifle looney!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bob! :mrgreen:
 

smith1961

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rangerbob said:
Except fit in a short action! Same could be said about the 260 Remington and it will fit in a short action. I went with the 6.5 PRC in a Mossberg Patriot and it will out do the CM and the others. And yes, I have all 3 of the other calibers as well, but I'm a rifle looney!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bob! :mrgreen:

Yes absolutely right right RB! I might be lulled into 6.5 PRC too, but in a Mauser M18 perhaps! Still, the 6.5 CM is not the second coming by any means............... :shock:
 

dgr416

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I have a 264 win mag a 260 rem and a 6.5 jap .The 264 win mag has a 24 inch barrel and really needs a 28 inch barrel The 260 is awesome it's only 200 fps slower than the 264 win mag .The 6 5 jap needs to be turned into a 260 rem .I shoot 155 grain bullets out of the 264 and the 260 and they hit super hard. MY 264 is 3 pounds heavier than than the 260 and gets hunted with less and less .I shot my 338 win mag the other day and the 264 win mag and the 264 seemed to kick more .The little 260 kicks half as much and is getting hunted with way more these days .I am fixing to build a ruger 77 tang safety rifle in 260 with 1in 8 twist it's going to be my last hunting rifle.
 

rangerbob

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dgr416, we have rechambered several Type 38 rifles and carbines to 260. It is a simple rechamber job. Feeding from the magazine is hit or miss and I even used a M700 follower on one of the rifles. Where I to rechamber another one, I'd probably look at the 6.5 Creedmore, as it is shorter and may feed better and ammo is everywhere. I handload for all of them and the 260 is as good as any, particularly when handloaded. You may have noticed that the amount of 260 factory loads have doubled or tripled in the last few years due to the popularity of the Creedmore and the bountiful selection of really fine 6.5mm bullets for hunting, match, or PRC use. My last rifle I bought, as mentioned earlier in this thread, is the Mossberg Predator in 6.5 PRC, a perfect combination of short action, 5 shot, high velocity, affordable hunting rifle. Bob :mrgreen:
 
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