6.5 options for 3000fps

[CobraRed]

you can't look at it like that...so assume you get 5 good reloadings out of each...its $0.52 per lol.

wait....6.5x284 lapua brass is $1.16 per...so thats technically $0.23 per reload assuming 5 firings also...

DARN...still double the cost

Especially when I got Lapua 6.5x55 for $63/100/5 = 12.6c

[russ69]

Necking down 100 year old cartridge designs are not going to give you the accuracy results you might want. If you want high velocity and accuracy, you'll want what everybody else is using the 6.5-284. Frankly the 6.5 Swede/260 Rem is a nice shooting cartridge, you might just want to optimize that with good brass, the best bullet and a long barrel. There are much better bullets than an AMAX.

[CobraRed]

you might just want to optimize that with good brass, the best bullet and a long barrel. There are much better bullets than an AMAX.

Using Norma and Lapua brass
28.5 Mcgowen barrel

As for the Amax (which I weight sort).
I have used 142 SMK, 139 Scenar, 140VLD and 140 Hybrids. The first two wouldn't group as well as the Amax's, i could never get the 140VLD's to group - bought a 500qty box and played around with OAl and jump to lands forever.
The 140 hybrids are a great bullet and I was able to get them to the same size 700 yard 5 round 5-6" groups as my Amax's - but at a lower velocity node and they cost much more.

[mark501w]

I don't know if your 700 is the .308 sized action. If so your restricted to the medium length cartridges.

[toby]

Yeah dude if your not going to shoot the modern 1975 PPC cartridges your just kidding yourself on getting great accuracy with anything else... it will never happen.
Good luck trying though.

[ar15barrels]

My vote would be for 6.5x55 Ackley Improved.

[MongooseV8]

^I do love me some AI^

[killshot44]

A straight 7 SAUM is an "overbore" cartridge, competitive barrel life is less than 1,000rds.
Don't see how a 6.5SAUM wouldn't be even shorter. 2,500rds is fantasy.

[MongooseV8]

A straight 7 SAUM is an "overbore" cartridge, competitive barrel life is less than 1,000rds.
Don't see how a 6.5SAUM wouldn't be even shorter. 2,500rds is fantasy.

Read above, overbore is not the only factor in barrel life.....

[ElvenSoul]

I'm pretty sure they were a one time offering in the 'classic' offering for the 700 sometime in the early nineties.
Fantastic pairing of limited rifle in limited chambering.

On gunbroker there is finnlight 6.5x55 up for sale

[Gofasterdammit]

A straight 7 SAUM is an "overbore" cartridge, competitive barrel life is less than 1,000rds.
Don't see how a 6.5SAUM wouldn't be even shorter. 2,500rds is fantasy.

Call (816) 221-1844 tomorrow, ask to speak to "George" and say "2,500 rounds in a 6.5 SAUM 4S is a fantasy".

[Pthfndr]

A straight 7 SAUM is an "overbore" cartridge, competitive barrel life is less than 1,000rds.
Don't see how a 6.5SAUM wouldn't be even shorter. 2,500rds is fantasy.

Here are the relevant posts from George, along with a couple in quotes from other people.

The Xtreme Hunter is just at its debut, Im not one to just throw a product at guys without a year of testing. Yes I have over 3400 rounds on my rifle now and its still shooting sub 1/2" Bryan Yeung on Team GAP shot one to 2800 and it was still in the 1/2 " range. This is proven. Its not a real secret its about Pressure!! The 308 runs at at pressures of 53000-58000 PSI I wanted to find a case that would make 3100 with a High BC Bullet at that same low low pressure. The Saum was wat we landed at with lots of testing. With a 140 JLK I could get 3080 FPS with only 53000 PSI I shot this load for a year, guys there are many to witness, I shot this at Lonestar, Snipershide Cup, PTS, Maammoth, and Nor-Cal I shot this at last years IceBreaker, and this years as well , with alot of practice in between, all on the same original Barrel. It still shoots great. The same load is now 3020 but with 63 grains of H1000 and the 130 Berger im getting 3180 in this same warn out Rifle with that group at 1157 to prove it still has some life. Guys this is Legit its about pressure!

Exactly, the 130 Berger pointed has a BC of .600, the 140 JLK has a BC of .670 pointed, which is basicly where the 7mm 180's are. you can launch the 140's at 3300 out of the SAUM, at these pressures the barrel wont last long. So agin keep in mind the goal was to keep pressures at under 58,000 PSI So far of all the different combo's ive used there is one that sticks out.

130 Berger Hunting VLD Pointed BC of .600 63 grains H1000 COAL of 2.900 yeilds 3180-3200 fps and 55,000 psi from the 24" barrel on the XTREME Hunter. Its 3250 out of my 26" Match rifle. This puts is at 5.8 mils to 1000 Yards at 1500 ft DA. With extremely low recoil.

7mm WSM will come close to the same but at much higher pressure, with lower barrel life and alot more recoil

Ive been away from this Thread, LOL. But it just helped me make up my mind. Im going to shoot the 6.5 SAUM with 3600+ rounds on it at the Cup. its a little slower than when new but still hammers. With the practice and the match it will put it over 4000. Its been shot hard, there are at least 15-20 people here on the hide that have seen me shoot this rifle at Matches and at Pats Icebreaker. It has never been babied, shot lots of rapid 10-15 shot strings and has always either shot 140's at 3100 or 130's at 3250 with H1000 and a little retumbo at first. Its had one setback but not a full setback just 2 turns .122" and chamber bump that was at 2200 rounds and was mainly because I had the barrel off for a new brake and decided to go ahead and do it since it was off and seemed like a good Idea.


Setback is like a Tuneup its $150 and takes a week or so so I hardly think its a big deal if guys need a setback to get 4000. it would be worth it.

I was too at first, after seeing a lot of 6.5x284's go south at 900 and a couple 6.5 WSM's go south at 500-600 I started thinking. Powder Burning does not cause the heat that destroys barrels its the Pressure. The Pressure causes the extreme heat that's necessary to burn and heatcheck the barrel. Kinda like how they make carbon turn to diamond's Pressure.

Anyway the 6.5 Saum case is near perfect because it allows you to throw a 6.5 140gr at 3100 at about 53,000 PSI with H1000. Other cases have too much capacity or not enough. The Saum case was picked not because its magical , because it is the perfect fit. In a perfect world I would take the the RCM case and shorten it a tad and give it a longer neck. That would truly be perfect!!!!


At any rate the 6.5 Saum is working as we thought it would. Here is a thought to those that are still having problems understanding it. Shoot next to a 6mm REM, 243 ETC, any caliber that has a 63,000-68,000 PSI SAMI pressure. as soon as the rifle is fired eject the case into you hands. Those of you that have had a 223 brass land on you or go down your shirt know what will happen, it will burn the crap out of you. The 6.5 Saum with the load im talking about with come out only very warm and you can grasp it tightly with your hand without getting burned. Keeping chamber pressures low not only keeps your barrel from puking early its also easy on your rifle and the components , IE Brass lasts a long time!!

Yes if you hot rod this caliber IE a load of 60.5 grains 4831 SC and the 130VLD at 3400fps you will be pushing 68,000 PSI and toast the barrel in 600-800 rounds.

The 6.5 did Its Job. I will pull the Barrel with just over 4000 rounds about 4034 or so give or take about 10, I kept pretty good count. I will keep this barrel for training as it still shoots great. just lost alot of velocity. Hopefully the Nay-Sayers will have the proof they wanted.

Initial loading's were based on Quick Load predictions which are not 100% accurate but are ballpark. Bryan Yeung (posted above) tested these loads with a strain gauge type pressure meter and the predictions were very close to the QL predictions 53 to 56k . Nobody has made a Pizo or CC test Barrel and got actual's yet. But I'm not that worried about it at this point as its doing what we theorized it would do so its a mood point. 3k+ with the recommended loads. 61gr H1000 on 140 , 63gr H1000 on 130. You want to add horsepower there is plenty of room but your mileage will suffer.

George,
Has the 3,000 round barrel been set back? If so how many times?

He has set it back once if I am remembering our conversation correctly. And he is approaching 3500 rounds.

Barrel life on the 6.5 WSM run at its capable speeds is 500 rounds (approximately)
Barrel life of the 6.5 SAUM is easily triple that before a set back.

[ar15barrels]

6.5 options for 3000fps

So there ya go...
Set the barrel back every 1500 rounds.
It's just a "tune up"...

[MongooseV8]

The quote states 2200 rounds originally. Even at 1500 thats better than the 6.5-284.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I was too at first, after seeing a lot of 6.5x284's go south at 900

Holy hell, is that correct? I mean, yeah I know it depends on a bunch of factors, but really that low a round count is possible to get erosion?