6.5x55AI project

[denton]

Well, it sounds like a fun project, and something in 6.5 is definitely a winner for antelope.

Barnes is just down the road from me, and a friend of a friend quit his job there because he thought their load workup procedures were flaky. They are also noted for using 26" barrels (don't you???) to inflate their velocity numbers. They made some flat, dead wrong claims about their XLC bullet muzzle velocities, and I spent a while at the range thoroughly debunking the claims.

With my strain gage instrumented 6.5x55, I can safely get 2950 FPS with a 129 grain. I'm pretty skeptical of anything much higher than that.

I'm really just trying to save you some pain. Sorry if this sounds too negative. I just don't want to see a good guy spend money on something and end up disappointed. If the 6.5x55AI is really what you want to do, it's not up to me try to rain on your parade.

My favorite gunsmith showed me a rifle he built for himself, that might spark some ideas: He had a 257 Roberts on a small ring (less steel than large ring) Mauser action, with a light, short barrel. You could do the same thing with a 6.5x55, or the 257. You'll give up your dream of 3100 FPS, but it will be very lightweight, incredibly effective, while running at the slightly lower SR pressures.

Part of the trick is to shoot Partitions. They reliably open up down to 1700 FPS, where standard bullets have to hit at 2100 FPS to open. So at a modest 2750 FPS, a 125 grain Partition will still be going 1835 FPS at 500 yards, and be 48" below the crosshairs. It's not the flattest shooting thing in the world, but it definitely makes a 500 yard pronghorn shot very possible.