Question about 6.5x55 vs. 7mm-08

O

ormandj

Guest
Hi everyone,

I've narrowed down my caliber choices to 6.5x55 and 7mm-08. I'm planning to build a rifle to suit myself, and it seems there are good choices for barrels/actions for both of these calibers.

I do plan on hunting up to medium sized game, but being a benchrest forum, I'm interested in your take on these two in terms of long range competition.

I've not shot long range competitively yet, so please excuse my ignorance about all of the different types of competition, but I'd like to shoot up to ~1000yards. I don't intend on doing any rapid firing-type shooting (too expensive and too many worn out barrels).

That said, I've read many articles praising the 6.5 variants as being extremely accurate. I've also read some older posts claiming 6.5 was superior to the 7s, due to higher BC bullet choices. Well, looking at available bullets (currently), it seems you can get very close to the same BC bullets for both 6.5 and 7mm. SDs looking really nice on both as well (for hunting purposes.) 7mm seems to have a little bit extra energy downrange, so I would think with equiv. BC bullets, it'd (potentially) perform as well as the 6.5, or even a bit better.

That said, crunching numbers on paper and actually having experience are two different things! I'm curious to get some feedback from people who (quite obviously, from reading posts on this forum) actually know what they are talking about. :) I'm not going to be building a 16lb rifle, so I'm not going to be winning any major competitions (unless there are some with weight restrictions), I'm planning to build something I can actually hike with.

I appreciate any advice/input you can give me, even if you just point me in the right direction to research on my own.

Thank you kindly,
David
 
Neither of these is used by short range benchrest shooters. You could try the 1,000 yard benchrest forum, but I'm pretty sure nobody shoots them there, either. The 6.5x55 Ackley Improved in a whole other story; a number of people use it. at 1,000 yards. The general minimum with a 1K rifle is a B.C. of .500 at a velocity of 3,000 fps. Yes, you can trade a bit of one for the other.

600 yard benchrest might be another story. Even here though, I think you'll find the 6.5x55 AI more common -- in part because most 600 yard shooters are also 1K shooters.

You best bet for information/recommendations might be among highpower shooters. BR Central has an F-class forum, and I believe a number of those guys also shoot regular highpower,
 
Charles E said:
Neither of these is used by short range benchrest shooters. You could try the 1,000 yard benchrest forum, but I'm pretty sure nobody shoots them there, either. The 6.5x55 Ackley Improved in a whole other story; a number of people use it. at 1,000 yards. The general minimum with a 1K rifle is a B.C. of .500 at a velocity of 3,000 fps. Yes, you can trade a bit of one for the other.

600 yard benchrest might be another story. Even here though, I think you'll find the 6.5x55 AI more common -- in part because most 600 yard shooters are also 1K shooters.

You best bet for information/recommendations might be among highpower shooters. BR Central has an F-class forum, and I believe a number of those guys also shoot regular highpower,
Click to expand...

My apologies, didn't realize this was a short range benchrest forum, I thought it was a general benchrest forum! Thank you for your input, as well. I'll look into those other forums you suggested.

Cheers,
David
 
Both would be fine choices...

ormandj said:
Hi everyone,

I've narrowed down my caliber choices to 6.5x55 and 7mm-08. I'm planning to build a rifle to suit myself, and it seems there are good choices for barrels/actions for both of these calibers.

I appreciate any advice/input you can give me, even if you just point me in the right direction to research on my own.

Thank you kindly,
David
Click to expand...

Dave...both of these calibers are such fine shooters that it's really a toss up in the use you plan to put this rifle to. Really...you can't go wrong with either one. Personally...I like the looks of the 6.5x55 better...how's that.
 
the sierra 175grs match bullet in 7mm is a good choice for longrange
but the accuracy reputation of the 6.5x55 is indisputable.
I own 2 7/08's and a 6.5x47. for hunting I'd choose the 7mm, for the range the 6.5
 
why not a 260 Rem?

If you went with a 260 Rem you would have the same case as the 7-08 and the 6.5 bullet going just a bit faster than the 6.5x55. Also if you wanted to upgrade your velocity later, you could have the 260 rechambered to 6.5x284 using the same boltface as the 260.
 
If you went with a 260 Rem you would have the same case as the 7-08 and the 6.5 bullet going just a bit faster than the 6.5x55.
Click to expand...
I believe this is true only if you stick to factory ammunition, or ammunition loaded to be safe in the 96 (95?) Mauser. I believe the 6.5x55 case is a touch bigger than the .308. Too, you can get Lapua and RWS brass for the 6.5x55. The RWS is far better; the Lapua we've seen has excessive wall thickness variations -- 50% of the cases with over .005.

As I said, in the Ackley Improved configuration, the 6.5x55 is used by several long-range shooters,including Dave Tooley, Steve Shelp, occasionally Joel Pendergraft, & I'm sure others. I think enough of it so that when Joel got a reamer for it, I got a Carstensen FL die. To date I've gone with my 6.5/270 AI, but if I do more 600 yard shooting, the 6.5x55 AI might appeal.

The fallacy in all this is no competitor I know of tries to have a hunting (carry) rifle which is also capable of match-winning performance. The two are just different.
 
6.5

A .260 should do very well for both hunting and targets and is superior to the 6.5x55. If the .260 is and AI but the loads are kept down, (like 2800fps for a 140 gr.) Barrel and case life should be great. I believe most that go this route use Lapua .243 brass to make .260. Far better than Rem .260 brass.
 
260

I've wanted a 260 for several years now. I still don't have one, but I know for sure, sooner or later, I'll get one.
 
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