GAP 6.5 4s: Is the juice worth the squeeze?

[OutdoorAg]

My current go-to gun is a 6.5 Creed that is slow with a capital S L O W.

First, its a Tikka barrel. Already behind the velocity curve. Second, I have it cut to 18". Third, I load it for accuracy, velocity be damned.

Since LRI came out with the new Tikka bolts, I picked up one with a mag bolt face. Its sitting lonely waiting for me to decide how to proceed.

6.5 SAUM shooters...Hows the game? I figure its been around long enough that there should be a few folks who have been there, done that. Care to share?

I'm intrigued by a speedy 6.5, as opposed to stepping into the 284 pool of players.

 

[Shooter264]

I’ve been shooting the 6.5 saum since 2011 and have owned several of them. I don’t see any downside to running them. There will always be a saum in the safe for me. I’ve ran bbls from 20” up to 26”. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I’d be glad to help

 

[hereinaz]

IMO, run 6.5 Sherman Short Mag or Sherman Short Tactical.

Either way, the 6.5 short mags are hammers.

 

[B23]

Just curious, why would you go any of these over the 6.5 PRC? If it's a "just because" thing I'm fine with that answer just curious if y'all believe there is any advantage to one of these over another is all.

 

[OutdoorAg]

Just curious, why would you go any of these over the 6.5 PRC? If it's a "just because" thing I'm fine with that answer just curious if y'all believe there is any advantage to one of these over another is all.

For me, the only PRC advantage is factory ammo. Given my other guns that can shoot factory, plus my reloading capacity, the PRC doesn’t move the needle for me.

 

[hereinaz]

Just curious, why would you go any of these over the 6.5 PRC? If it's a "just because" thing I'm fine with that answer just curious if y'all believe there is any advantage to one of these over another is all.

I like the Sherman case better. They are designed to run in a short action better, a 6.5 prc can run into problems with some longer bullets.

Its not that big of a deal, they all shoot. Small differences.

 

[PNWGATOR]

PRC factory ammo is virtually impossible to find and even quality brass ie ADG has web related problems. Personally, I wouldn’t do another PRC.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

My current go-to gun is a 6.5 Creed that is slow with a capital S L O W.

First, its a Tikka barrel. Already behind the velocity curve. Second, I have it cut to 18". Third, I load it for accuracy, velocity be damned.

Since LRI came out with the new Tikka bolts, I picked up one with a mag bolt face. Its sitting lonely waiting for me to decide how to proceed.

6.5 SAUM shooters...Hows the game? I figure its been around long enough that there should be a few folks who have been there, done that. Care to share?

I'm intrigued by a speedy 6.5, as opposed to stepping into the 284 pool of players.

I've had a 6.5 saum for about 5 years now, its a great cartridge that's easy to load for and is capable of incredible accuracy/velocity.

I like it over the prc for several reasons:
-More capacity gives awesome velocity with H1000.
-No issues with clickers like the prc seems to have.
-Its not the new craze so good brass is easier to find, although lapua prc brass will be pretty sweet.

If you plan on shooting long range I'd go with at least a 7.5 twist barrel throated for 156 bergers.
For sizing use 7 saum FL bushing dies and swap out the seating stem

 

[awildswanger]

I've had a 6.5 saum for about 5 years now, its a great cartridge that's easy to load for and is capable of incredible accuracy/velocity.

I like it over the prc for several reasons:
-More capacity gives awesome velocity with H1000.
-No issues with clickers like the prc seems to have.
-Its not the new craze so good brass is easier to find, although lapua prc brass will be pretty sweet.

If you plan on shooting long range I'd go with at least a 7.5 twist barrel throated for 156 bergers.
For sizing use 7 saum FL bushing dies and swap out the seating stem

I’m still learning more about reloading and all that, what exactly is a clicker?

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I’m still learning more about reloading and all that, what exactly is a clicker?

I’m still learning more about reloading and all that, what exactly is a clicker?

Basically the chamber specs are wonky and the case head over expands creating a clicky bolt lift after firing.
It sounds like a ton of shooters are having this problem with the 6.5 and 300 prc

 

[Kimber7man]

I’ve had a 6.5 SAUM since GAP came out with the extreme hunter.
Started with George’s recommended load of 63.0 H1000 with the 130 VLD and then Pats load and BTO with the 139 scenar and have been really impressed.
ADG has brass now too. Lots to love in this round.

 

[6.5x284]

I have several and mine has become my 99% hunting rifle. I run 156 Bergers at 3030 fps, or 143 ELD-X at 3150 or so. Mine has been devastating on deer and elk. Little recoil, ADG brass is fantastic, hard to beat! 6.5 PRC or 6.5 SS would be good options as well.

 

[OutdoorAg]

I have several and mine has become my 99% hunting rifle. I run 156 Bergers at 3030 fps, or 143 ELD-X at 3150 or so. Mine has been devastating on deer and elk. Little recoil, ADG brass is fantastic, hard to beat! 6.5 PRC or 6.5 SS would be good options as well.

That 156 at over 3000 would is a gold standard hunting round! What barrel length to get there? Hoping for 22....

 

[6.5x284]

That 156 at over 3000 would is a gold standard hunting round! What barrel length to get there? Hoping for 22....

Mine is 26” but DE is spinning up a 22” with their plus P throat and it sounds like it’ll be at 3k still with H1000 or V565. I’ll let you know when I have time to test it!


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[B23]

Mine is 26” but DE is spinning up a 22” with their plus P throat and it sounds like it’ll be at 3k still with H1000 or V565. I’ll let you know when I have time to test it!

What is Shawn chambering that 22in tube in for you, 6.5 SAUM or something different?

I have a few different rifles they've built for me with their +P throat and all has been good so far.

 

[6.5x284]

What is Shawn chambering that 22in tube in for you, 6.5 SAUM or something different?

I have a few different rifles they've built for me with their +P throat and all has been good so far.

Yes, 6.5 SAUM again. I will PM to you. Curious on powder amount when switching to the plus P chamberings.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hereinaz]

6.5 Sherman Short has more capacity than the saum, if a little more velocity is the word.

My 7 SS runs 180 vld at 3050 fps. I agree that 3000 pfs with a high BC bullet is a magic hunting round. My 180 is way more than needed for deer inside 800 yards. A 156 would be good for deer and elk unless you subscribe to the 300 cal only club.

 

[wind gypsy]

There are only a couple reasons to go SAUM over PRC IMO:
1. A little extra velocity
2. The clicker issue. This should be resolvable if you spec your chamber right but the reamers most smiths have on hand do nothing to combat it. I was contemplating going 300 PRC with a WM i had rebarreled and the smiths i talked to about this showed 0 interest in getting a different reamer and I had 0 interest in ordering and waiting for one so I went WM.

Otherwise, lapua brass in the PRC would be pretty sweet!

In regard to the clickers issue, this thread covers it as well as ive seen.

The PRC die "problem"

There are a number of people experiencing sizing issues with the PRC case. When designing a chamber, brass, and resize die there is no one size fits all. We want good hard case brass, but its harder to size. We dont want sloppy chambers either. I have experience with designing reamers with...

www.longrangehunting.com

I have a SAUM custom that has had a couple different bartlein tubes. Neither has been particularly easy for me to get shooting really tight. Plenty accurate for hunting but nothing impressive. One gun with two barrels from the same smith/reamer doesn't make a pattern for a cartridge but it has reduced my favor for the cartridge a bit.

 

[B23]

What is the case capacity of the different 6.5 Sherman short mag cartridges??

 

[Sako76]

I have a 6.5 GAP 4S that I bought from Len Backus on LongRangeHunting. It's a 6 lbs. 10 oz. Mountain Rifle, Pierce Titanium Action, Manners Superlight stock, 24" Bartlein Barrel, gill brake and flush detachable mag. Shoots Copper Creek 156 Berger's at 2850 fps and .5" groups. I stoned two raghorn bulls in 2019 in Wyoming and Colorado with this set up, both DRT, ranges were a whopping 150 and 250 yards! Zero recoil and a pretty light rig with a Leupold VX5HD 3-15 scope on it.