Gunsmithing 6.5WSM

krw

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 28, 2004
1,437
398
Arkansas
Have anyone of you had any experience with necking the 270WSM down to 6.5mm? If anyone could point me in the direction of any info on this I would appreciate it? krw
 
Re: 6.5WSM

What kind of velocitys are you getting? Any pro or con vs the 6.5x284? Latter is more established and has Lapua brass available, but the 6.5WSM is just kinda interesting.
 
Re: 6.5WSM

I built one shortly after the 270 WSM came out and found I could get 150-200 fps faster than my 6.5x284 and was not as finicky to load as the 6.5 x 284 was also.

The downfall was short barrel life, it could not hold 1 MOA past 550 rounds. The deer I shot with it were very impressed but they did not have to pay for the next barrel.

wade
 
Re: 6.5WSM

I have a freind who shoots one. Necking .270 down is no biggie, it's only ".013".
Like the others said, barrel life sucks. When you order a barrel, get an mtu taper, or order extra shank so you can set it back 1 1/2". He's at around 900 rds and it is faltering right now.
I do think a bullet switch to Berger 140 hybrids would run this barrel to 2k, but he doesn't want the expense of the bullet change.
The round is awesome, on calmer days he can run with my 7mm saum out to 1450 yards, easy.
On a cost comparison, rechamber, time brake, maybe repaint after bing chucked in lathe, $250.00 and up.
$13.00 more per box of bullets x 11 = $143.00.
 
Re: 6.5WSM

I run a 6.5WSM on a MTU taper Obermeyer. I also use a Redding Bushing die.... It's that easy. The Norma 270WSM brass has been decent, I can't complain as of yet.

I custom ordered my reamer to run the 130grain Cutting Edge Bullets. Velocities over 3400 are achievable & Accuracy as of now is <1/2moa with N-570.

The barrel life may suck by, you pay to play. I don't mind at all.


t
 
Re: 6.5WSM

Well even though I get my bbl's put on for basically nothing, I still don't want to make a yrly job of it. I don't think a 6.5WSM is for me. This just confirms my need of a 6.5x284. Thanks for all your responses.
 
Re: 6.5WSM

sorry for the delay, I am getting 3232fps with 139 lapua scenar. I have the lilja 3 groove barrel and haven't had any issues so far with eating it up. I have shot it to a lil' over 2000 yards. I don't have an exact reamer spec though.
 
Re: 6.5WSM

I tried a 6.5 x 284 and found it finicky to find a load for but liked the velocity. I had PT&G make a 6.5 x 55 AI reamer made for me and I built a 6.5 for the 800, 900, and 1,000 yard lines and it shoots outstanding very easy to find accurate loads. The load that did the bext at 1,000 yards was with 139 g Scenars with a muzzle velocity of 3,050. I was able to easily get 3,150 fps but the most accurate and stable loading was at 3,050. I have a 1-8" twist barrel blank on the shelf and I will chamber it in the improved swede.

The fireforming loads were laser like at 300 and 600 yards.

wade
 
I am looking for some help on a 6.5wsm reamer, can anyone help me understand these reamer specs and if it would be a good choice for the 140 Berger vld.

LRI reamer:
6.5/300 wsm, neck 0.298", throat angle 1*30, free bore length 0.14"
 
How does this 6.5 WSM compare to the 6.5 SAUM? I see guys saying barrel life is short but i see guys claming 3300+ shots with the SAUM......any comparison?

Honestly the cases are very similar, just 5-6 grains of difference in powder, same as the difference between a 7 saum and wsm pretty much.
The SAUM cases are more well suited to run in a SA, and have a bit longer neck.
The 270 and 300 wsm cases have slightly longer neck and less internal volume then the 7 wsm case to begin with.
As for barrel life run them the same way with same type of powder and you will get very similar results.
The SAUM will have a slight edge in barrel life, as it uses less powder to achieve the same.
The 6,5 saum with great barrel life is lightly loaded with H1000,nothing magical about it, do the same with the 6,5 wsm and you will see similar results.
It's more about drinking the SH cool aid then anything else, and a simple question of personal preference.

You can run a saum to be just as much of a barrel burner with hot loads, that a wsm loaded more moderatly will.

It's the same kind of question as what does a 6 CM offer that the existing XC did'nt?
 
Last edited: