6.5x308 dies

[richhodg66]

OK, I'm something of a hoarder and spend time perusing Ebay and such for old and interesting reloading doo dads. Won an auction yesterday for a set of Lachmiller dies for 6.5x308. Obviously, the .260 Remington wasn't a legit cartridge while Lachmiller was still in business but is this not the same thing?

My son's first deer rifle is a .260 Model 7 and he still has it. Haven't loaded for it in years but seem to recall the dies I had did have some kind of issue, so I can kind of justify the purchase of these, LOL.

Was this a popular wildcat in the day?

 

[RicinYakima]

I was fairly popular in the rain forests of Western WA after the first batch of 6.5 Swedes dried up and before the new batch in the late 1980's. The two that I knew about were both build on 6.5 Jap rifles so you couple use the 160 Hornady RN bullets.

 

[Jeff H]

Ken Waters had one in 1963. He referred to it as a 6.5-08, I believe. If you have his Pet Loads, it should be in there.

 

[richhodg66]

I do have it, I'll check it out. Thanks.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

.......Obviously, the .260 Remington wasn't a legit cartridge while Lachmiller was still in business but is this not the same thing?.............

The answer to this is yes, sort of.

Because the 6.5 x 08 was a wildcat until 1997 when Remington made it a commercial cartridge (and SAAMI adopted Remington’s dimensions for said cartridge) there were no standard drawings for 6.5 x 08 chambers.

 

[CZ93X62]

I don't know what differences exist between 6.5 x 308, 260 Remington, and 263 Waters--maybe shoulder angles? Having a modern 6.5 x 55 Swedish (Ruger 77R built in early 1990s) I've never had a need to try any of the 2" cases or the 1.9" case of the Creedmoor. Mauser cartridges WORK, folks.

I did fire 20 rounds of 263 Waters with J-words about 15 years ago from an AR-10. THAT was a smooth, accurate ride! I can see the draw of these calibers, certainly--but for my needs the bolter Swede with larger case capacity in a 62 KPSI action does the job well. If the need for a self-loader 308 arises, an AR-10 or M1A will serve. If the 223 is too light for the game it's playing, an upper in 6.8 x 43 will get built.

 

[richhodg66]

That .260 Remington always struck me as something which should have been more successful. The 7mm-08 took off and doesn't seem to be enough different from its parent catridge to really be as successful as it is. The smaller 6.5s just seem like tge oerfect power level for deer hunting.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

That .260 Remington always struck me as something which should have been more successful. The 7mm-08 took off and doesn't seem to be enough different from its parent catridge to really be as successful as it is. The smaller 6.5s just seem like tge oerfect power level for deer hunting.

The 243 Win uses a 6mm bullet, the 260 Remington uses a 6.5 mm bullet and the 7mm-08 uses a 7mm bullet – All based on the same excellent 308 Winchester case.

The 260 Remington sits RIGHT in between the 243 Win. and the 7mm-08. It’s probably not different enough to generate a lot of sales but in my opinion a GREAT concept.

I have a strong fondness for ALL the cartridges based on the 308 Winchester and see a lot of value in that family of cartridges.

 

[Joshua]

That .260 Remington always struck me as something which should have been more successful. The 7mm-08 took off and doesn't seem to be enough different from its parent catridge to really be as successful as it is. The smaller 6.5s just seem like tge oerfect power level for deer hunting.

Yes, the 6.5 CM/.260 REM is perfect for deer. But, not for elk.
The 7mm-08, can handle elk just fine. Energy wise both the 308 and the 7mm-08 do fine out to 300 yards. But, after 300 yards the 7mm-08 retains more energy. And, does it with a flatter trajectory.
That is why the 7mm-08 is successful.

 

[richhodg66]

Never have and highly doubt I ever will hunt Elk, but I think any of those would put one down quickly enough if you put it through both lungs. That said, if I was going to go to the trouble and espense to elk hunt, a more suitable rifle would be easy enough to get and relatively a small expense. I wouldn't be shooting them at 300 yards either.

 

[Jeff H]

For several years, I shot the 257 Roberts and the 25 Souper side by side. The 25 Souper is a wildcat - .257" bullet in a 308 case.

I lost a stack of chronograph data I took over the years and in that stack was the 257 Roberts and 25 Souper data for 75 grain Sierra HPs and 100 grain Remington PSPs in both guns. Both would put five shots into less than a half inch at a hundred yards and both would push the 75 grain HPs to 3300 fps and the 100s to just over 3000 fps without straining brass or gun. Same powder even.

The Roberts was at home in a 98 Mauser, where I could seat 120 grain bullets out where they belonged and the Souper was in a Ruger M77 Tang-Safety Ultra-Light with a 24" Octagon Douglas Barrel. I could seat the 120s out in the short action with the shorter 308 case too. The two cartridges were identical once the bullet exited the muzzle.

These days, the 308 cases are much easier to find than the x57s or x55 cases and make good sense. Always though a little M77 RSI in 358W would be cool. I can't think of a caliber for which the case was used that isn't/wasn't a good combination.

 

[RBHarter]

Funny you should mention the Souper. I have dies and a 257 R barrel that would recut for a type 38 Arisaka with a.270 groove .
I didn't chrono the 24" Roberts , but Dad only ran the 100 gr about 3100 out of his 25-06' and an 87 gr Sierra HP 3400 . Maybe I should use those 6.5- 257 AI ........ No I don't think so.