Cartridge and reamer choice for LR hunting rig

[cdself]

I'm building my first custom hunting rifle. I have ordered the following:
>Defiance Deviant Hunter Action - they're making some minor mods to fit to Wyatt's longer SA box
>Bartlein #4 contour (bull sporter) in 6.5mm
>McMillan Hunter stock (also opened up for the Wyatt's box)
>Jewell trigger

I have been back and forth on cartridge choice. I first was going to build a 260, and that's why Defiance is doing some minor mods to allow the longer loaded rounds to feed reliable from the longer Wyatt's box.

I can't get the 6.5 Creedmoor or the 6.5x47L out of my head though. I would go straight-up Creedmoor if I could get Lapua brass readily as I like the steeper shoulder design and the ballistics are almost identical to the 260. It also has some cheap factory stuff available for playing.

As most of you know, Lapua makes only the 260 and the 6.5x47 brass and I generally prefer the stronger brass that needs less prep to make high quality reloads. I am now tempted by the 6.5x47 as it seems to be making steady gains in some of the national competitions where these cartridges compete against one another and the small rifle primer *may* take a little more pressure before having issues allowing performance very near the other two even giving up a grain or two.

I'm having Bartlein chamber and fit the barrel and they're going to want to know how what chamber I want in the next few months. They have a match reamer and a standard reamer in 260. I'm concerned if I go match reamer, it will have a short throat and will defeat the Wyatt's mods of my stock and action and ultimately require me to load pretty much "normal" length 260 even with longer bullets. I've also heard some match reamers may not like Lapua brass - not sure if that's true as most real matches are won by those loading Lapua brass.

Right now, I'm thinking I might just go with the standard 260 chamber and fit my ammo to my new chamber. If it requires cartridges loaded a little long then my mods should allow me to cycle them without issue. This also will keep the 140's from intruding on my case capacity when I try to get them to 2900 out of my 26" tube. I do hate giving up any accuracy advantage the "more modern" designs might provide, but this isn't a bench rest gun and it won't shoot in 1's as much as I am hoping.

What would you guys do seeing as I already have parts moving in the above specs?

6.5 Creedmoor
6.5x47 Lapua
260 Rem Standard
260 Rem Match

Wildcard - 260 AI

 

[LeonCarr]

260 AI no replacement for displacement .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[taliv]

what are you hunting and at what range?

 

[rcmodel]

Pick the caliber & bullet weight and OAL you want to shoot.

Then have them chamber & throat the barrel for it.

rc

 

[redbullitt]

260 rem std here for my target and east coast hunting (no bear though). Great performance and barrel life. Many brass options... you can even use 243, 7mm08, or 308 brass as a start in a pinch with a bit of work.

Moly or hbn coating on the bullets is worth a look for some extra uumph.

140 amax and 142 smk have worked great for me. Berger heavies are nice too!

My lapua brass always seems to take a notably bigger neck size bushing fwiw, so I imagine it is thicker there than many others.

 

[cdself]

The biggest animal I hunt with regularity is a Southern US whitetail. Big males may get to 200 lbs on occasion, most are 150 lbs or less. Ranges are almost always 300 yards or less here in Alabama. I'll probably use this to go after some coyotes as well at the same ranges.

I have a desire to do more in more exotic locations with longer shots, but no current plans for a trip.

I really want this rifle to be a good paper puncher as well since it might be 11 lbs in full kit. We have a new 20 million dollar rifle range opening in March that is only 25 miles from my house and it will have 600 yard stations.

The 260AI is an awesome cartridge and it would definitely work. How accurate are the AI's when fire forming regular 260 cartridges? It gives me the steeper shoulder I really want and the only drawback would be the shorter neck compared with the Creedmoor or the x47.

 

[taliv]

ok, 260 is great for that. i just wanted to make sure you were talking about moose at 1000 yards or something stupid.

holy crap! what 20 million dollar rifle range???

i won an f-class match several years ago while fireforming brass

 

[cdself]

Here is the article from our local papers talking about the new CMP shooting range. It looks like the Taj Majal of ranges with a 13,000 ft^2 clubhouse and much more. It will probably be a month or two late in completion, but I hope to get to shoot there this summer.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/03/talladega_marksmanship_park_co.html

http://www.al.com/news/anniston-gadsden/index.ssf/2015/01/500-acre_marksmanship_park_sch.html

 

[Jim Watson]

It is not clear to me which reamer has the shorter throat. The "match?"
I would get that one even though it will call for a shorter OAL than your magazine will accept to start with. That way you can "chase the lands" as the throat wears.

As to CMP Talladega, 20 megabucks and 500 acres but they couldn't find 1000 yards? There is not a public Long Range in Alabama. I have shot the Alabama State F Class Championship... in Tennessee.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

Ask Pacific Tool & Gauge to email you a copy of reamer print 57114; .260 Rem Match. Look it over and then call and speak with Dave Kiff. Discuss what you want to accomplish in relation to the dimensions of this reamer.

Next best case is load a couple of dummy rounds with the cases you intend to use, and the bullets you intend to use, and send them in.

 

[cdself]

Jim - I thought the same thing regarding the long range. With the size and $$ being spent, it seems they would have found a way to do the 1000 yards. I wonder if there's room to create it later? On your other comment - I was thinking the match reamer would have the shorter throat based on my brief conversation with Frank in the sales office at Bartlein, but I haven't looked at the specs or explored with them in any meaningful way. I guess I need to do a little more homework on where the throat would be and as some have suggested, I could always have a little more free bore machined either now or later and still get the presumably tighter 260 match chamber supporting it.

Dry - As for the match reamer and chasing the lands, that is certainly an option. I don't need a screaming banshee of a round and any case capacity lost to the short throw shouldn't be too detrimental to my desires for the round. How does accuracy generally fall off when you are doing this? Seem to me that it would work, but as those first few inches of barrel are degrading, there would some drop off in accuracy, but practically speaking wouldn't even matter.

If I spent one tenth the time shooting that I spend thinking about theoretical accuracy stuff, I'd be a far more accomplished rifleman. Worse yet, most of the things I'm thinking are either wrong or practically unimportant.

 

[MrBorland]

If I spent one tenth the time shooting that I spend thinking about theoretical accuracy stuff, I'd be a far more accomplished rifleman. Worse yet, most of the things I'm thinking are either wrong or practically unimportant.

Well, now there's some refreshing honesty.

Truth be told, nearly all of us can admit the same in one of our more candid moments.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

Dry - As for the match reamer and chasing the lands, that is certainly an option. I don't need a screaming banshee of a round and any case capacity lost to the short throw shouldn't be too detrimental to my desires for the round. How does accuracy generally fall off when you are doing this? Seem to me that it would work, but as those first few inches of barrel are degrading, there would some drop off in accuracy, but practically speaking wouldn't even matter.

I think it's more of a chamber cut to do what you want to do, instead of chasing the lands. Just because you will have a longer magazine box, doesn't lock you into a long throat, unless you really need to use or seat longer bullets out further.

Lots of bullets jump just fine

 

[allaroundhunter]

I'm shooting a 6.5 SLR in my LR rifle and am really liking it. Not much written about it, but it is a fantastic round. My boss shoots a .260 Imp 30 and you can't tell a difference in performance between it and my SLR out to 500 yards.

When it comes to deciding between the .260, 6.5 CM, 6.5x47L, and the SLR, performance differences are minute.

A couple questions that may help you decide:

Are you okay with paying more than $1 per piece of brass and losing a little case capacity? (6.5x47L)

Do you want readily available factory match and hunting ammo? (6.5 CM)

Tried and true? (.260)

New kid on the block, with blended features that are supposed to increase performance? (6.5 SLR)

 

[CB900F]

Cdself;

I've already done this project, and decided that the original, and in my opinion still the best, 6.5 cartridge for the purpose is the 6.5 x 55mm Swedish Mauser. Lapua brass is available, I've got a box of 100 I haven't had to open yet. Accuracy, with the Lilja barrel, has been outstanding. And I hunt elk with mine every year I've had it. Living in Montana as I do, that means every year.

900F

 

[cdself]

Thanks AAH - very good questions and essentially the same as what I have asked myself. Brass cost isn't a problem as I don't lose much brass. I would put my values as competency, accuracy, availability, and minimal prep. These are all terminally competent, so I'm looking at the other factors and their minimal differences to make my choice.

I just bought some Lapua 260 brass and some berger 140's, just so I can start moving forward. That really doesn't eliminate many of my choices as the 260 Lapua is probably something I would use as a starting point for all but the 6.5x47 loads.

 

[cdself]

CB - who can argue with the success and quality of the Swede? I have short action being built though, so it's already out the question for this build.

 

[CB900F]

Cdself;

That would preclude the Swede. In which case I'd probably go Creedmore.

900F

 

[RPRNY]

With the Swede out, for a HUNTING rifle, it's got to be the 260 Remington, bog standard. Virtually identical to the Swede up to 130 gr and in a modern action, probably the same at 140.

Sounds like an excellent rifle. Enjoy!!!

 

[cdself]

Deviant Hunter Action arrived today. Weight is 30.3 oz. Good quality work from the folks at Defiance.

I also have the 260 brass in-hand and am deciding between the 260 and the 260 AI. Not sure I could go wrong here.

I'm most torn about today is whether I made the right choice on barrel contour and stock. I've got the McMillan Remington Sporter ordered that has a straight comb and is pretty classic looking. The #4 Bartlein will be about as much barrel as that stock can handle and that's what I currently have ordered. McMillan and Bartlein have long lead times and I still can make changes. What do you think...cut it down to a #3 and save a pound? I'm close to 11# right now if I go with steel bottom metal and steel rings. That's a lot of rifle to lug around, but I'm 6'2" 240lbs, so if I were concerned about weight, I'd eat differently.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

My thoughts on a hunting rifle.

Get it as heavy as you need to be as stable as you need for the longest shot you need to take. I seldom walk more than a half mile to a stand, which makes a mile round trip.

Anything under 8 ish pounds isn't bad with a good sling. I have several around 12-13 lbs, and one over 16. 500 yds is about all I'll tote any of those...