6.5-06

[Freezer]

I'm having a 6.5-06 built With a 26" Shilin lite varmint barrel on a 1909 Arg Mauser action.  This will be a varmint/long range deer gun. I of course hand load.  Does anyone here shoot the 6.5-06 and what kind of performance do you get.

[shotgun31]

I'm on my second one, and can assure you it's deadly.  I prefer to use 95 gr VMaxes, or 140 grain depending on intended target--don't use anything in between.  Hornaday interlocks, the Nosler partition, Sierra Match Kings, or Berger VLD's all have performed well in both of my rifles.
Shotgun

[shot1]

I don't have a 6.5-06 but my hunting buddy did. I shoot a 6.5X55 Swede and 264 Win Mag.  The 100 gr Sierra HP is a BOMB on groundhogs out of either the 6.5X55 or the 06. Red mist and pieces flying. As an average deer bullet the 120 Nosler ballistic tips really work well. I started using the 130 Nosler Accubond when I got my 264 Win mag and it is a super bullet. Flies like the ballistic tip and starts to open up like one but holds together and keeps on trucking like a partition. I am shooting the 130 at 3350 fps from my 27 3/4" Shilen barrel and shot 4 deer this past season from 98 to 275 yards with it. All dropped in their tracks. I did recover one bullet shot into a buck at 111 yards. Bullet entered the front edge of the left shoulder smashing it and making soup out of the vitals and when I was cutting up the meat I found the slug in it's right ham. Perfect mushroom and weight was 87 grs. That bullet had to still be going around 3200 fps at least. That tells me it is a great bullet.

With a 26" barrel on your 06 you should be with in 100 to 150 fps of a 24" barrel 264 win mag.

My buddy gets 3000 fps with 140's and 3200 fps with 120's on average out of his 26" barrel. These are not max loads either just the best accuracy loads. IMR 4350 and H-4831 is the powders he uses. If you have some Retumbo I would give it a try. It really made my 264 mag sing a pretty tune and I have heard good things of it's use in the 25-06.

[Coyote Hunter]

My 6.5-06 is an AI version, more because I wanted to to use necked-up .25-06 brass and eliminate any chance of sticking a 6.5-06 cartridge into a .25-06 chamber than anything else.

The rifle is an Interarms Mark X action, Timney trigger, Krieger 24" fluted stainless and semi-heavy barrel with a Boyd laminated stock.

I run 140g AMAX for practice and 130g Scirocco II's (BC .571) for hunting.  I call this rifle my "600 yard clay pigeon rifle".  Although the rifle is a virgin when it comes to taking game, I have no boubts as to its capability.

[Freezer]

  Thanks guys that's the info I was looking for.  I can't wait till this gun is done.  I'll give the gunsmith the first few shots than to the 200 and 600 yard range I go!

[Justin10mm]

When the barrel on my M700 .270win. gives up the ghost it will be resurrected as a 6.5-06.

[K-1]

Isn't a 6.5-06 the same as the old 256 Newton. My dad had a Newton yr. ago, unfortunately the barrel was shot out and he rebelled it to a 25-06.

[Barstooler]

Isn't a 6.5-06 the same as the old 256 Newton. My dad had a Newton yr. ago, unfortunately the barrel was shot out and he rebelled it to a 25-06.

Similar, but not quite the same.  I own and shoot both.  256 Newton is slightly shorter and has less case capacity that was driven by the available powders of the day.

Barstooler