The only 6.5 I have is a refurbished one from Kimber of America. While it wasn't the best thing I have ever purchased, after replacing the stock, mounts and cheap scope it delivered on what it was intended for. I purchased it for my daughter to have something with light recoil that would effectively put a hog down in the thicker woods we were hunting at the time.
That all said, what I found was that the thing was throated long enough to stand a 140gr A-Max on the lip of the case and close the bolt on, without it touching anything.
It took a while but I managed to work up a few loads of which the 140gr A-Max over some H-4831 was one of. It was something to behold on anything we put them to task on. I tested it for nearly a full year on hogs ranging form 60 - 275 pounds and at ranges of a few feet to well past 400yds and in each case, upon impact there was a downed hog.
I undoubtedly believe this was totally due to the lower velocity used with these long bullets. If you push them hard they will open violently and not give you adequate penetration, as was witnessed on a few we hit up close and personal. Yes they were down and out immediately, but the devastation provided by the bullet suggested they were on the upper end of where they could be counted on velocity wise. My loads never exceeded 2600fps.
Over the past decade I found that the Privi 140gr SP ammo shot hands down far better than my loads ever did in this rifle. So I purchased a dozen or so boxes of the same lot and have been using them sparingly just to verify sighting and for hunting. I also find that those bullets seem to be a bit lightly constructed as well. But the only thing we have used them on since switching has been a few white tail does in the 100# range.
I do not know if you can get your hands on the newer Hornady 140gr ELD-X or not, but if so this would be one to look hard at. I have a few hundred sitting on the shelf right now to run through a new .260 once the shop gets done putting it together. Hopefully it will preform as advertised.
