6.5 STW realistic expectations

jjjones7

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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?
 
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jjjones7

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I have little experience with a 26 nosler but please tell me those 3150-3250 fps velocity numbers from nosler with the 140 with a 26” barrel are slow. I can get that with the old .264
 
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jjjones7

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Honestly because I have good 7STW brass and have access to good 28 nosler brass for a cheap price. From what I’m seeing the 26 nosler, 6.5 STW and 6.5-300 are for all intents and purpose the same capacity.
 
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I have little experience with a 26 nosler but please tell me those 3150-3250 fps velocity numbers from nosler with the 140 with a 26” barrel are slow. I can get that with the old .264

While I don’t own a 26 Nosler, yes those velocities are very slow. The problem is the 3.340” OAL. All of the Nosler cartridges beg to be properly set up by seating long and throating properly.

I have a 264 Win Mag that I improved the case and throated it for 156 EOLs. During fire forming with reduced loads I was kissing 3300 FPS. Now to be fair this is with a 28” barrel. But if set up properly the 26 Nosler should have a decent edge over the 264 Win Mag.

Picture attached for comparison. Left to right 26N, 264 WM improved, 264 Win Mag.

c0484c3e5e106e5655e36428c05ee598.jpg


Picture showing the difference in a 264 WM at SAAMI length (same length as 26N SAAMI) and my Improved and throated version.

f67028b25655199f8d3d28a0f28eef53.jpg


IMO the Nosler cartridge design is a fantastic but Nosler handicapped them by trying to fit them in a standard long action. They should have set them up properly from the get go and I bet they would be more popular.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
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jjjones7

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Mike D thank you for your insight. I really like what you did there with that .264. That is the performance I’m looking for. Since this is going into a sako 85 magnum action I’ll have plenty of room (roughly 3.73”)to seat the bullets out and throat appropriately. That line of thinking just pushed me to the 26 nosler. I can pick up once fired ADG brass for cheap.
Now to decide on a bullet…..
 
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