So not that I really need another project but I’ve got a Sako 85 long mag action and a Bartlein 6.5 1-8 twist #3 contour barrel. My initial thoughts when I was collecting parts for this was to build a .264 win mag. My dad had one growing up and I thought it was amazing for a hunting gun. It seemed to hit like Thor’s hammer, penetrate and buck the wind.
Fast forward a couple years and I’ve been on the short(er) barreled suppressed bandwagon pretty hard and have enjoyed good success going that route.
Problem is for a .264 win mag to perform like a .264 win mag you really need a 26” tube which I really don’t want to do with the added length of the surpressor. Sure I could cut down the .264 but realistically I think what you’d end up with is a ballistic equivalent of a 6.5 PRC which while it isn’t a bad thing it just is not quite what I’m looking for.
Was talking with a couple good friends and one suggested the 6.5 STW. I built and shot a 7STW briefly before a buddy talked me out of it. One of those offers that was to good to pass up. I’ve still have some of the good old nosler brass for it. Anyway in doing a little research I’ve found that expectations for the 6.5 STW are around 3400 FPS with a 140 class bullet. Is it unreasonable to think I could go down to say 21-22” and still expect around 3200 FPS with a 140 basically matching the performance of the .264 win mag in a shorter suppressed package?
And before it gets brought up by everyone yes I realize it is a barrel burning overbore. Yes I suppose I could kill animals just as dead with less velocity, but just ask guys who own a 300 win mag if they would want to step back to a .308 (for hunting not target shooting)
I shoot alot but I figure this gun I’ll get a good load and dope for it and maybe put 20-25 good cold bore & realistic practice shots a year though it. I plan to set this gun up identically to a 300WSM and 6mm Creed that I own so with my 20-25 shots per year it should feel very familiar.
And if I really enjoy shooting it that much I do my own barrels so minus the cost of the barrel rebarreling isn’t a big deal.
So is around that 3200 mark achievable with a 21-22” barrel with 140 grainers?
Fast forward a couple years and I’ve been on the short(er) barreled suppressed bandwagon pretty hard and have enjoyed good success going that route.
Problem is for a .264 win mag to perform like a .264 win mag you really need a 26” tube which I really don’t want to do with the added length of the surpressor. Sure I could cut down the .264 but realistically I think what you’d end up with is a ballistic equivalent of a 6.5 PRC which while it isn’t a bad thing it just is not quite what I’m looking for.
Was talking with a couple good friends and one suggested the 6.5 STW. I built and shot a 7STW briefly before a buddy talked me out of it. One of those offers that was to good to pass up. I’ve still have some of the good old nosler brass for it. Anyway in doing a little research I’ve found that expectations for the 6.5 STW are around 3400 FPS with a 140 class bullet. Is it unreasonable to think I could go down to say 21-22” and still expect around 3200 FPS with a 140 basically matching the performance of the .264 win mag in a shorter suppressed package?
And before it gets brought up by everyone yes I realize it is a barrel burning overbore. Yes I suppose I could kill animals just as dead with less velocity, but just ask guys who own a 300 win mag if they would want to step back to a .308 (for hunting not target shooting)
I shoot alot but I figure this gun I’ll get a good load and dope for it and maybe put 20-25 good cold bore & realistic practice shots a year though it. I plan to set this gun up identically to a 300WSM and 6mm Creed that I own so with my 20-25 shots per year it should feel very familiar.
And if I really enjoy shooting it that much I do my own barrels so minus the cost of the barrel rebarreling isn’t a big deal.
So is around that 3200 mark achievable with a 21-22” barrel with 140 grainers?
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