possible 6.5Rem Mag build suggestions

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wjhenderson

New member
I have long been a fan of the 6.5RemMag since I recieved a Ruger 77 flat bolt in 1977 for my graduation. I started reloading around 15-20 years ago and was able to load better ammo than the factory Rem ammo. I like the chambering so much that I would like to build another. I just can't decide what action to start with. I really like the former 30-06 Savage 110 that I re-barreled into a .257 Roberts years ago. I also replaced the trigger in that rifle with a Timney. The whole thing wasn't very expensive.(ER Shaw barrel). I'm not a big Remington 700 rifle fan, the one I used to have that would fire when it was taken off safety left a bad taste in my mouth but I don't want to offend anyone (there's many dedicated Remington fans out there understandably). That may be a topic for another discussion but not now. Anyway I'd like some recommended actions that might be good options. I could always go with a Savage action like I did with the .257 it's just that I might want something different with this one. I would likely want to use a long action to be able to tinker with seating my bullets out closer to the rifling. I know it's a rather odd chambering but I'm familiar with it and I have plenty of brass on hand both new and fired cases, I even have 9 boxes of Rem factory ammo that I'll likely never use except the brass. Anyway any help is appreciatted!
Edit: I didn't mean to sound like I wouldn't consider a Rem action. I know the trigger issue that I had many years ago is easily fixed today. I likely would want another trigger regardless of the make anyway.Also if I put this thread in the wrong forum please let me know or move it accordingly...Thank You
 
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6.5mm Rem Mag is a good cartridge, especially with the high BC bullets out nowadays. No reason to look too far for an action, there are lots of Mausers, Remingtons, Savages, Winchesters, Rugers, etc, out there to use as project rifles. The cartridge was designed to fit in a short action, but would really shine in a long action where you can seat the bullets out so you don't limit the cartridge by having to seat the bullets too deep into the case (that was one issue with the cartridge when introduced in the Remington 600). Whatever barrel you opt for, make sure you get one that can handle the heaviset bullets you will use (I like at least 1:9 for .264 bullets).
 
Pick yourself up a Savage 111 in one of the magnum calibers.
The trouble is finding one right now.
Nothing wrong with an E.R. Shaw barrel. I have 3 now.
Douglas also making decent barrels.

Keep us appraised of your build!
 
One of my younger brothers bought a brand-new Ruger 77 in 6.5 Rem. Mag., back around 1974 or 75.... It was a good rifle and approximated the performance of my 270 Winchester... But it didn't feed nearly as smoothly as my model 70 Winchester and its magazine capacity was less as well. If you are going with a long action, you will be better served with a 6.5-06 or 270 Winchester.
If you simply must have a 6.5 caliber with that level of performance, there are Wildcats that are more practical, like 6.5-06, 6.5/257 Roberts A.I., and the no-longer-Wildcat, 6.5 Norma. Heck, even the 6.5 Swede, in a stronger action rifle would be more than decent.
A few years ago, I luckily, no, extremely luckily, found a couple of boxes of new Remington ammo in 6.5 RM at Sportsmen's Warehouse and bought it for my brother. But if you can't find ammo or brass for it and need it, you could laboriously form some from more common magnum-caliber brass.... In contrast, the 6.5-06 can be formed from 25-06 with one pass though the sizing die. If using 270 brass you will also need to trim to length.... you might even be able to use 30-06 brass with one pass though the die; I know I can with my 270, as I've done hundreds that way, though you might have to turn the necks down a little.
But 6.5 Remington Magnum? Like Marriage, only if you simply must.;)
 
I'm set on the 6.5 rem mag. I have 200+ new brass cases and another 100+ fired brass that I'm using now. I started buying iit 40 years ago. Plus I have 10 or so new (old) boxes of factory ammo.
 
A custom like the Bighorn Origin would be the easiest. Tikka would be easiest of the non-customs. IMO, Win 70 CRF would be the best hunting action to use.

Rem 700 would be ok, but possibly cost a lot to make reasonably true, timed and reliable.

Howa also makes a good cheap action.

IMO, it will be driven a lot by budget and stock choice.
 
I'm set on the 6.5 rem mag. I have 200+ new brass cases and another 100+ fired brass that I'm using now. I started buying it 40 years ago. Plus I have 10 or so new (old) boxes of factory ammo.
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Since that's settled, it will be a great caliber for you.
I agree with Nathan:
IMO, Win 70 CRF would be the best hunting action to use.
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Maybe you can find a rifle in one of the WSM calibers and perhaps only a barrel change would have you up and running.
 
Rem 700 would be ok, but possibly cost a lot to make reasonably true, timed and reliable.
Howa also makes a good cheap action.
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Remingtons are very common, easy to modify and rebarrel,, and truing a Remington action is not expensive. Howa makes a good action, but not a lot of aftermarket support for them.
Maybe you can find a rifle in one of the WSM calibers and perhaps only a barrel change would have you up and running.
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The 6.5mm Remington Magnum was introduced in the model 600, a 308-length action. The action was too short to best utilize the cartridge's capabilities. WSM actions are considerably shorter than a 308-length action, so that would just be making the problem worse.
If you simply must have a 6.5 caliber with that level of performance, there are Wildcats that are more practical, like 6.5-06, 6.5/257 Roberts A.I., and the no-longer-Wildcat, 6.5 Norma. Heck, even the 6.5 Swede, in a stronger action rifle would be more than decent.
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Feeding can be a problem with any belted case. I owned a 6.5-06 years ago and it was a good round, the 6.5mm Rem Mag should give a little better velocity than the 6.5-06. 6.5-257 is considerably slower than the 6.5-06, and the 6.5X55 is slower still.
 
The 6.5mm Remington Magnum was introduced in the model 600, a 308-length action. The action was too short to best utilize the cartridge's capabilities. WSM actions are considerably shorter than a 308-length action, so that would just be making the problem worse.
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I’m confused by this statement. Typically 308 Win actions use a 2.86” mag length. I believe most WSM’s have a mag length of 2.9-3.0”, even though the OAL’ s are 2.81” and 2.86” respectively.

The 6.5 Rem Mag should be in a mag length for the 6.5x55 or the 30’06....ideally it needs a 3.2” mag length, I would guess. Using a Winchester 70 action would give your smith some flexibility as the real CRF actions are all the same length. Mags can be any length you want to set them up up to 3.6”.
 
Today you can buy Wyatt magazine for Rem short action. It's 2.995" inside for WSM. I did 6.5x284 Norma (3.228") on Win 70 action.


I have 284 long action I seat out and shoot 180gr. If you have Hornady 10th they did 6.5 Rem mag on FN action and they seated out to 3.020"./3.040" with their 129gr/140gr/143gr ELD and they do list spec OAL max @2.800". The shorter 95gr/100g OAL is listed 2.940"

If you going to seat out 3.200" you may want talk to whom ever going to chamber about throat it different.
 
You can get a Savage target action from Norther Shooter supply (might have to wait a bit depending on what port choice is)

It comes with the Target acu trigger which is a delight.
 
The only one of the Rem 600 series rifles I'm missing is a 6.5 Rem Mag. I have .222, .243, 6mm, .308, and .350 Rem mag. The magnum guns were designated the model 660 shortly after they were introduced.

A comment on the 600 action being "too short". The 2 Rem mag rounds were designed for that action. It's not "too short". What it isn't is it isn't long enough to load longer and get the greatest possible potential from the rounds. This is different than "too short".

The point of the 6.5 and the .350 was to give the performance of a longer round in the short action rifle. They knew those cases would give even more performance in a longer action, but that wasn't the point, at the time.

If you're looking for a 6.5mm Rem mag build, I think the ultimate would be to build (as close as you can today) the Harry Lawson Cochise Sporter.

Back in the 70s, Harry Lawson would take a model 660 6.5, and extensively rework it, changing the bolt handle, bolt shroud, trigger guard (adding a pushbutton safety there) fitting a flush style muzzle brake and his own Cochise thumbhole stock. Made a Weatherby MkV look almost drab...:D

TO me, that would be the ultimate. No idea the cost today, Harry is long gone his son had his shop afterwards but I think he might have retired by now as well. One of his rifles was the cover of a Guns & Ammo magazine, in the mid 70s.

Saw one of his rifles (on a Rem 700 action in 7mmMag) at auction recently sold $4500 or so...

If you've got the $ you might consider something like that, if you can find someone to do the work...

Good Luck with whatever you choose!
 
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