wildcat build, 6.5 x 61 Sharpe and Hart

M

Montana Guy

Inactive
I need help finding a reamer, for rent or sale, that is the 7 x 61 Sharpe and Hart necked down to 6.5. This is sometimes called a 264 Shannon or a 6.5x 61 Sharpe and Hart. P. O . Ackley lists this in his Handbooks. A smith named Jerry Shannon of Spanaway, Washington, in the late 1940's to the late 1960's built rifles with this chamber. Ackley noted it used a 35° shoulder. Any kind of help is appreciated.
 
PTG my go to but......

Thier schematic for 6.5 x 61 is a full Quarter Inch shorter than its parent the 7 x 61 Sharpe and Hart. I do have a CerraSafe cast of 6.5 x 61 RCBS Form die but the shoulder is exactly like the original 7 x 61 Sharpe and Hart. This could be a real problem but we are working on the schematic, we shall see how it comes out.
Thanks for contributing.
My goal is 6.5 mm 140 grain Sierra Gamekings at or near 3100 from a 26" barrel. I have a Rem 700 in 7 Rem Mag that needs a new barrel so I tnought Id try something different.
Could end up more trouble than it is worth.
 
The PTG reamer is likely to be the only style you'll find commonly available.

If you want "the original" (like guys like me that want the "original" .400 Whelen), you'll, most likely, just have to pay for a custom reamer.

The only shop that I think might have the reamer available would be Fred Zeglin's Z-Hat customs. But that's a long shot. It's probably the PTG reamer.
 
Or you could just chamber in 264 Win Mag. I think you might have trouble consistently launching a 140 gr at 3,100 fps using a case smaller than the 264. 6.5-284 gets you to 2,750, 6.5-06 can get you to 2,900 fps, 6.5 Rem Mag can get you to 3,000 fps, but the 264 gets you to 3,100 fps. Since the 264 is about .200" longer than the 7X61 case and has a shorter neck, it looks like it has more capacity than the 7X61.
 
Or .264 Thor, a .264 Win Improved just enough to get advertised velocity without tricks like double diameter bullets.
 
the new old 6.5 weatherby wright hoyer(300 weatheryby necked to 6.5 can get you the speed you want with a 140 gr bullet).eastbank.
 
6.5 x 61

Thanks for all the tips. Pacific T & G seems the most logical as they have a schematic even if it is shorter. I do have a forming die made by RCBS but they dont divulge thier dimentions.. I did cast the Form die and was surprised to see the form die has the same shoulder as the 7 x 61 Sharpe and Hart.
As for the 264 win it has a capacity about 8 or more grains than the 6.5 x 61. Maybe trying to get the 160 grain bullet to 3100 is a reach just like the original 7x61 Sharpe and Hart b didnt get to advertised speeds until Norma redesigned the case.
As always in the gun business I have to get a custom reamer then so be it. I was trying to get the reamer as close to the forming die so as not to have to have dies cut also.
thanks for listening to my project
 
6.5 x 61 project update

Thanks for all the input!
others have told me 6.5 is a considerable over bore for this case and as recommended here just shoot 264 win
barrel life becomes a concern so I think I will try a different tackt
thanks you
 
I agree there are practical considerations to going with the standard 264 Win.
Setting shoulders back,and then dealing with neck thickness,etc is extra work.
At the same time,IMO,there are advantages to matching the volume of the boiler room to the amount of powder you can burn.
I agree that in theory,the 7x61 case might have an advantage in balance.
Another path to consider might be some of the newer beltless cases.
Like maybe a WSM case.
 
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