I am in the process of having a 6.5cm built. I currently have a Bartlein barrel on order for the rifle in 1-8twist. I have been searching for months to find H4350 in stock and can't. At the time I ordered the rifle I didn't reload, I have all the components and will start. I believe the barrels are the same in both rifles it's just how you chamber them. I can find rl-17 and rl-19 along with numerous other powders in stock all the time. My shop also has berger 140 VLD target bullets in stock, which I would assume would work well in a 1-8 twist. Any heads up would be appreciated.
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Should I change my current build from 6.5cm to 260?
- Thread starter Lrdchaos
- Start date
They are almost identical. Faced with the same question, I bought a .260 just to use Lapua brass. I use Lapua 120g Scenars and RL-17 which often put 5 in a dime. I'm pretty confident the 6.5CM will do the same with H4350 or RL-17, 120 or 140g.
I would go to 260 if you enjoy reloading. I do and have a 260 DPMS. The RP brass id tough to come by but Lapua is fairly plentiful. The H4350 is coming back. In the last 2 months, i have seen it in person in 2 different stores. I bought all i could afford, but it was the first time i have seen it in years.
Mine likes the 140 Bergers as well with an 8.5 twist. It seems to like the hunting variety a little better but i cant explain that.
Ryan
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Mine likes the 140 Bergers as well with an 8.5 twist. It seems to like the hunting variety a little better but i cant explain that.
Ryan
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would be interested in hearing the reason most that said go 6.5 creedmore?
I am in this same dilemma, and seem to change my mind on a daily basis. At the heart of it my feeling TODAY is that if you want factory ammo, the 6.5 creedmore hands down. Also, some will quote that different case dimensions being better for heavier bullets since the case is a little shorter with little longer neck. How this really matters in the real world vs just seating the bullet a little deeper in the 260, I am not sure. This is obviously in terms of magazine capabilities, if you have the length the case capacity of the 260 could be beneficial, but seating them deeper will put it right on par with the 6.5 creedmore. I am looking to learn, so please don't nail me for this train of thought.
The main reason I am leaning 260 today is the brass. Not necessarily the lapua brass (because I think the Hornady brass is very very good from my understanding), but that I can neck up or neck down a variety of cases to form 260 much much easier than a person could form 6.5 creedmore. Given the current climate of reloading components, I think this may be beneficial at times. Further, the 6.5 brass is typically more expensive from what I have found as compared to most 308/243/7-08 cases (Lapua 260 is about the same as hornady 6.5 creedmore). Sure, brass can be re-used and all that but everyone will lose some if they shoot a lot or do matches with it, so having brass options seems like a good option. Unfortunately, the factory 260 match ammo options are few and expensive.
What am I missing?
I don't think you are missing anything. Loaded 6.5 is cheaper than loaded .260 - but my hand-loaded .260 shot much smaller groups (not unusual for any caliber, handloads are almost always better) - Buy 1000 rounds of bullets, try a few powders and move on. .243 does upsize nicely/easily to .260, but I bought 400 rounds of Lapua brass, so I'm good for awhile. Either of these calibers in a quality build or nice factory will impress. Reloads cost the same in either caliber.
I've shot side-by-side at our club with guys shooting 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Rem, while shooting my .260. We end up at 1200, all of us, with nary a way to tell the difference between one or the other when it comes to results and even dope.
I'm sure that folks on either side of the 6.5 vs. .260 argument will have specifics that lead them to believe highly in their choice, but it seems largely a toss-up from my point of view. I truly believe that you should each choose one of them and start shooting the bejesus out of it and never look back. This is especially true if you already roll your own. If you want to buy factory ammo, then 6.5 has the leg up for affordable offerings. There are plenty of .260 loads available now, but cost is higher per round currently.
I'm sure that folks on either side of the 6.5 vs. .260 argument will have specifics that lead them to believe highly in their choice, but it seems largely a toss-up from my point of view. I truly believe that you should each choose one of them and start shooting the bejesus out of it and never look back. This is especially true if you already roll your own. If you want to buy factory ammo, then 6.5 has the leg up for affordable offerings. There are plenty of .260 loads available now, but cost is higher per round currently.
I have shot both and they are both solid. I choose the creedmoor because in a pinch I can get factory ammo and I like that the case was built from the ground up as an efficient short action cartridge. I think that between 260, 6.5 CM, and 6.5x47 you can't loose. Through into a hat and pick (but I'm gonna hope you pick the CM!).
I have not gotten into reload yet but plan to in the near future. The reason I was mostly give was because cost of ammo and they quality of the Hornady 6.5 CM factory load. I plan to save the brass and when I start reload I will use Scenars or Bergers. my Barrel is 8.2 twist. Contour Gap #7 25 ich length and will be using a AAC SDN-6 suppresor. I hope I dont get eaten up for this but they basically told me the 6.5 is the rising star and in the Midwest it appears the 6.5 is more popular. This was some of the info I gathered from Mile High and GA Precision. In the end I think they are both awsome ! I really struggled with this for some time before pulling the trigger.
If factory ammo is needed then hell yes the 6.5 is the way to go! As far as more popular in the midwest, again I would like to know why? Honestly, I think it may come down to what a certain smith believes in and therefore pushes/recommends. I am sure your 6.5 is/will be great and shoot just as well as any 6.5,260 or x47 out there!
I would go 6.5cm/x47 over .260. Especially in a semi auto. It's a better case design in my opinion. If you're worried about brass, just buy enough to burn the barrel and be done with it. The same with powder, primers, and bullets.
I have owned (2) .260's. One was a R700 in a T4A. The other is a Bartlein barreled LMT. The problem with a .260 in a semi is you can't really chase the lands because your OAL is limited by the mag. 6.5cm/x47 don't have this problem. In a bolt this isn't an issue with .260 especially if you have mag's that are with out the plate. The 6.5cm/x47 have a superior case design in my opinion.
At the end of the day however, I don't feel the case designed is the leading cause of my misses. Not even close.
I have owned (2) .260's. One was a R700 in a T4A. The other is a Bartlein barreled LMT. The problem with a .260 in a semi is you can't really chase the lands because your OAL is limited by the mag. 6.5cm/x47 don't have this problem. In a bolt this isn't an issue with .260 especially if you have mag's that are with out the plate. The 6.5cm/x47 have a superior case design in my opinion.
At the end of the day however, I don't feel the case designed is the leading cause of my misses. Not even close.
I don't know that I would want to run Lapua in a auto chucker... OP, I would stay with the CM and now that Winchester is loading match ammo it is only time before Winchester brass starts showing up which makes it even better, IMHO... from a 260 shooter.
Don't worry about getting backed in to the H4350 corner.
I have a CM now and have shot ragged holes with 760win, h4831sc, 4831imr and of course
h4350.
I have a second CM being built on a surgeon and ax chassis. I use 140 berger vlds and hunters with h4831sc
I chose the CM due to the design and brass is cheaper than lapua.
I have been using nosler brass and has been great so far out of the box.
I don't have a 260 and won't say the CM is better. I bought on brass choices and availability. They both shoot the same bullet.
I will say if I went with an AR platform, I would choose the 260 due to its shoulder angle for better function.
I have a CM now and have shot ragged holes with 760win, h4831sc, 4831imr and of course
h4350.
I have a second CM being built on a surgeon and ax chassis. I use 140 berger vlds and hunters with h4831sc
I chose the CM due to the design and brass is cheaper than lapua.
I have been using nosler brass and has been great so far out of the box.
I don't have a 260 and won't say the CM is better. I bought on brass choices and availability. They both shoot the same bullet.
I will say if I went with an AR platform, I would choose the 260 due to its shoulder angle for better function.
The caliber isnt the issue, I just would not want to subject 1 dollar a shot brass to the ejection system of a semi and its ability to fling it far and wide...
Which makes complete sense! LOL!!! That's sort of the draw back for the 47 for me.
Although H4350 does seem to be the perfect powder for 6.5CM when slinging the 136+ grain bullets, it is definitely not the ONLY powder that produces good results with those bullets. RL17 does great, and some guns like it better than H4350. IMR4350 is also great for this round, but be mindful that it is way more temp sensitive than H4350. I have a buddy that loads Hybrid 100v with his Scenars and he prefers it over H4350.
Good powders for popular rounds disappear off the shelves fast. My best friend bought several pounds of H4350 from Midsouth recently, but I just went to their website and it is out of stock now. When I find them on the shelves lately, I always buy a few pounds whether I need them or not. It seems like everybody reloads now, and I never thought I would see the day where my reloads were more expensive and hard to get than factory match ammo - but that point is almost here. If you think H4350 is hard to find, try getting Varget!
If in a pinch for some H4350, you can always pay too much and buy it on Gunbroker.
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Like has been said, you can go either way, just really depends on what is worth more to you. The availability of good brass or good factory loadings. The fact that Winchester is getting into the game of 6.5 cm makes that one pretty entertaining in my eyes, but in the meantime I have no plans to ditch the 260 with my Lapua brass. Both cartridges just plain work.
Really, my main reason for commenting here is that there are quite a few more powders you can choose from, H4350 is a good powder, but there are plenty others out there that will give you good performance as well. Just find what's in stock within the specified burn range that looks like it will get you to whatever your particular velocity goals are.
Don't get locked into the I must have H4350, Varget, or whatever else you read about as shooters tend to get locked into one thing as being best and then deviate very little from it. These boards sometimes help to only make that worse as newer loaders ask for help from others and then go out and get whatever powder a bunch of them say to get, they have good results, and then get locked into that themselves. It's a vicious circle that just perpetuates itself. Experiment a little, you might be surprised what you find.
Really, my main reason for commenting here is that there are quite a few more powders you can choose from, H4350 is a good powder, but there are plenty others out there that will give you good performance as well. Just find what's in stock within the specified burn range that looks like it will get you to whatever your particular velocity goals are.
Don't get locked into the I must have H4350, Varget, or whatever else you read about as shooters tend to get locked into one thing as being best and then deviate very little from it. These boards sometimes help to only make that worse as newer loaders ask for help from others and then go out and get whatever powder a bunch of them say to get, they have good results, and then get locked into that themselves. It's a vicious circle that just perpetuates itself. Experiment a little, you might be surprised what you find.
Where can I find the best way to compare powder burn rates? I know this a slight deviation from the op intent, but it's still a good question.
Here ya go, don't know if it will answer your question but it should help
6.5mm Shootout: .260 Remington vs. 6.5x47 Lapua vs. 6.5 Creedmoor
Kirk Roberts
6.5mm Shootout: .260 Remington vs. 6.5x47 Lapua vs. 6.5 Creedmoor
Kirk Roberts
Agreed. If I wasn't alreay tooled up for 260 and stocked up on components, I'd have went Creedmoor when it was time to rebarrel. I've got a matched set of AR10 upper and lower that I'll eventually build a Creedmoor on, but as a companion to my 260 and not a replacement.
Google is still your friend. Pick and choose: https://www.google.com/search?q=power+burn+rates&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US
fficial&client=firefox-a&channel=sb
I'm going to rebarrel my 700 soon to one of these calibers. I'm having trouble nailing down the answer to one question. Is it safe to say that, for the reloader, components are more available and plentiful for the 260 vs the 6.5 cm? I dont care which round I end up with so long as I don't end up with an empty ammo shelf.
Lapua, Norma, and Nosler brass is easy to catch in stock for the 260 at almost any vendor. RP brass has dried up and has been basically unobtainable for over a year. Hornady and Nosler are making brass for the Creedmoor and either is usually fairly easy to find. Other than the availability of Lapua brass for the 260, both are going to run pretty much the same powder/primers/projectiles.
+1 to the above and 260 is very easy to make from a few others by simply running it through a resizing die or neck die... My go to brass of choice is Winchester 7mm-08 in one rifle but at the moment Winchester is difficult to find but I found some Remington 7mm08 and used that since 260 was unavailable and I didn't feel like losing a few dozen Lapua in the weeds.
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Get the good stuff, 6 Creedmoor, the way mine shot today how can I suggest anything else. If you haven't seen my thread, "Can I brag a little" check it out.
