Someone talk to me about 6.5 cartridges that fit…

[Wambli Ska]

A Mauser 98 action. Favorites? Why? Pro/cons?

Ex. 6.5-06 would I have a problem with longer bullets?

Have a few projects in mind and know very little about 6.5s other than my Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creed that I love but I’d like a second gun in 6.5 that will reach out further.

[mitdr774]

6.5x55 should fit just fine. I guess 6.5-06 would depend on what variant of the M98 you are using and the OAL you want to run. I have not tried any on my 6.5-06 loads in a M98 to check for fit in the magazine or feeding, but I am set up for a R700 that has a really long magazine box compared to something like a VZ24. 6.5x55 is more like an intermediate length, but if I recall correctly my 129gr InterLock load for my M96 is something like 3.115". I would have to double check what action my M98 6.5x55 is built on, but the other two are M96.

If memory is correct .300WM at Hornady book OAL does not fit in an unaltered VZ24 magazine box. I believe the VZ24 is a little shorter than a standard M98, but I could be mistaken.

I have taken 4 rifles abroad, and the first was a M96 based build that was kept as a 6.5x55 using a recontoured M38 surplus unused barrel. It was taken for a red deer cull hunt in Scotland when I was a junior in high school. That was an expensive lesson in not letting any grades slip... No deer were shot, but it did do well on a fox. It also about wiped out my hearing in my left ear with one shot. The 6.5x55 is probably still my favorite cartridge. If I could only pick one cartridge to ever use for hunting again thats what I would probably pick. That being said, I do like my 6.5-06 even though its only been used on game once.

[Wambli Ska]

Commercial FN Action(s). The R700 is a great action for customs because the Rem 700 long action fits all the way to a H&H length cartridges so you can load missiles in there and they will fit, but I have a very specific set of rifles I'd like to build and they will have matching FN 98 actions. My preference would be to not mess with the bolt head for the 6.5 so keep the Mauser/30-06 rim diameter as the basis for the 6.5 cartridge I pick, so I guess my question is what is preferable as an option. For example: Do I pick a .260 and load it hotter with longer bullets or will a 30-06 case give me the best bang for the platform? the 6.5-06 is strictly hand loading right?

The other gun will be a classic big bore and might even be a wildcat like a .400 Whelen or a really cool classic like a .404 Jeffery (available commercial ammo so a great option) which would only require a small opening of the bolt face. Or if I go nuts maybe a 18" barreled .458 Win Mag which I hear is an easy mod to make it work.

[mitdr774]

I guess get a measurement on the magazine box to see what your max length potential is. I will try to measure some of my 6.5-06 loads later to see how long they actually are. I had to bring a few back due to feeding issues with the longer loading. If you have the room I would go the 6.5-06 route if you want maximum performance with a standard Mauser bolt face. .260 can always be loaded hotter than book to beat 6.5CM book numbers, just like 6.5x55 can. I have run a few 6.5x55 loads that pushed 140gr bullets to the same velocities my 6.5CM topped out at with 129gr. I still have not tried to get the Kimber to group. I kinda gave up on it as I had other more important things to work on.

[Zee]

6.5-284 Win
6.5-06

[Wambli Ska]

6.5-284 Win
6.5-06

In that order?

[mitdr774]

6.5CM 129gr IL 2.690"
6.5x55 129gr IL 3.115"
6.5-06 139gr IL 3.255"
6.5-06 150gr ABLR 3.455"

IMG_20250917_173541458~2.jpg (1.66 MiB) Viewed 2783 times

[Wambli Ska]

Magazine length is 3.3”, so all of them except the 6.5-06 with the 150 grain bullet. Hummmm

[mitdr774]

The 150gr can be seated deeper. I intentionally went long. I couldn't longer and still fit the chamber, but that is the longest I can go and still have them reliably feed in my rifle.

[GrapeApe]

since most mausers are a mid-length, I'd go with the mid-length 6.5x55
the 98 action can handle the pressure of what SAAMI considers "hot" loads.
IIRC, CIP loads are more inline with modern pressures

just checked, CIP's max pressure is 4,110psi higher than SAAMI's (55,5110 vs 51,100)

[Wambli Ska]

The 150gr can be seated deeper. I intentionally went long. I couldn't longer and still fit the chamber, but that is the longest I can go and still have them reliably feed in my rifle.

Yeah I noticed your 6.5x55 s seated WAY long!

[GrapeApe]

Using the max pressures, a hornady 143 ELD-x and a 22" bbl in QL
fastest CIP pressure load = 2720fps w/ rx16
Fastest SAAMI pressure load = 2657fps, also w/ rx16
So 63fps difference is what QL predicts

[mitdr774]

The 150gr can be seated deeper. I intentionally went long. I couldn't longer and still fit the chamber, but that is the longest I can go and still have them reliably feed in my rifle.

Yeah I noticed your 6.5x55 s seated WAY long!

That is seated how my M96 likes it. I was getting my best groups with it that way. Keep in mind, a 6.5x55 chamber cut like a military chamber is designed for a 156gr RN bullet. The 129gr can be pushed further out, but I'm already at less in the neck than I would prefer.

SAAMI 6.5x55 specs are set up around the designs limitations of the M94, but mostly the Krag-Jorgensen. A M98 or just about any modern design should have no issue handling ammunition loaded to typical pressure used in modern cartridges. Most published load data will favor SAAMI pressure though. Nosler is a big exception.

[Zee]

IMG_7712.jpeg (1.53 MiB) Viewed 2731 times

IMG_7713.jpeg (1.51 MiB) Viewed 2731 times

6.5-06 and 6.5-284 Win
Both with 140gr A-Max seated long.

[Jay]

Ditch the old mid length action and go with a modern short action that pushes 6.5 to 2950 fps..

[Wambli Ska]

Ditch the old mid length action and go with a modern short action that pushes 6.5 to 2950 fps..

I happen to have two FN actions that are begging for a classic rifle combo. I’ll probably do your idea too in the future but I think this project set is next in queue.

[Wambli Ska]

IMG_7712.jpegIMG_7713.jpeg

6.5-06 and 6.5-284 Win
Both with 140gr A-Max seated long.

Interesting, so they would both fit. The -06 is a little less than .10 inch too long seated that far out but I don’t think that would affect case capacity too much if I pushed the bullet in a little bit.

Do you like one over the other?

Thanks for the measurements.

[mitdr774]

My major concern with the 6.5-284 is potential feeding issues. While I have no personal experience with the cartridge, I have been advised by multiple professionals that rebated rim cartridges tend to have feeding issues in CRF actions. I did debate a 6.5-284 prior to my 6.5-06, but the -06 won out for a couple reasons.

As far as short vs intermediate vs long, I see no real practical advantage for one over the other beyond selecting the one that works with the cartridge you want to use. If this is a hunting rifle, its going to make no real difference to the typical hunter. I have yet to find myself wishing I had a 1/2" shorter bolt throw on a follow up shot. For obvious reasons a .30-06 isnt going to fit in something like a Howa mini action, and a 6.5 Grendel probably wouldnt work well in a typical long action. Im not going to eliminate a 65-06 as a possibility just because the 6.5 PRC can use a shorter action. A 6.5 PRC also wont work with the standard bolt face on the action in question in this thread.

[mitdr774]

My major concern with the 6.5-284 is potential feeding issues. While I have no personal experience with the cartridge, I have been advised by multiple professionals that rebated rim cartridges tend to have feeding issues in CRF actions. I did debate a 6.5-284 prior to my 6.5-06, but the -06 won out for a couple reasons.

As far as short vs intermediate vs long, I see no real practical advantage for one over the other beyond selecting the one that works with the cartridge you want to use. If this is a hunting rifle, its going to make no real difference to the typical hunter. I have yet to find myself wishing I had a 1/2" shorter bolt throw on a follow up shot. For obvious reasons a .30-06 isnt going to fit in something like a Howa mini action, and a 6.5 Grendel probably wouldnt work well in a typical long action. Im not going to eliminate a 65-06 as a possibility just because the 6.5 PRC can use a shorter action. A 6.5 PRC also wont work with the standard bolt face on the action in question in this thread.

[Wambli Ska]

That's interesting about the 6.5-284 feeding issue, I need to investigate this. I also think the mag lips would have to be tuned for the wider case.

The decision on the action is done because I have the actions on hand and I want two classic rifles (blue steel and wood). I want good performance but I'm not looking for laser beams either. Just trying to squeeze what I can out of the cartridge/platform. So far the 6.5-06 seems to be the front runner. How tough is it to make cases? Is it just running .270 brass through a sizing die and I'm done?

And thank you too for the measurements!

[Big Al1]

6.5-06 seems like the logical choice. Any standard length action should work. I'd get a commercially made magazine with hinged floor plate in 06 length. I built a 7MM STW on a standard action, just altered the feed ramp and got a mag length magazine.
I built a .284 on a Turkish action, just had to alter the feed rails, but with the fatter case you have to load one less in the mag.

[Wambli Ska]

So in summary a 6.5-06 loaded with 139gr bullits would give me a 7mm-08 with greater powder capacity and the ability to launch same weight but slightly better BC bullets farther/flatter out there.

[Zee]

I would go 6.5-06 as both are a handloading endeavor but the .284 is harder and more expensive to get brass.
I load my 6.5-06 to .264 WM levels in a single shot. But, I don’t recommend that for you. You don’t have to seat long, but……you can get more out of it when you do. You can make it fit in the magazine.

[Zee]

I use .30-06 brass necked down in one pass because that’s the brass I had.

[Wambli Ska]

I have tons of 30-06 and .270 once fired brass laying around so it seems like the 6.5-06 is the front runner. Cool…