Want To Buy 6.5-06 Brass

[Graham Hunter]

I am looking for some 6.5-06 brass with the headstamp for this caliber. Would prefer Nosler but will consider any make. Anyone got some for sale?

 

[gillettehunter]

I always just upsized some 25-06 brass. Doesn't have the right headstamp, but I've never had that checked. I don't see any on Noslers current list. Thought ADG or maybe Bertram might have some, but again didn't see any there......
Bruce

 

[Graham Hunter]

Am I the only one with a 6.5-06?

 

[rookhawk]

Quality Cartridge is taking deposits. When there is enough demand in the months or years to come, they'll do another run: https://www.qual-cart.com/264 cal.htm

Or for less money and aggravation, you can rebarrel that gun to an easier to find caliber. I know that's a ridiculous statement to make, but if you're trying to hunt in Africa they do check headstamps and it better match the rifle!

This is a real no-no, but if its a junkie gun but you love it, pay $50 and have the 6.5-06 nomenclature struck from the barrel. Have 30-06 stamped instead. Then use 30-06 brass. Problem with this solution: Someone will seriously injure themselves if you pass on someday and anyone inherits that gun and puts a true 30-06 cartridge in it so marked.

 

[rookhawk]

Found some in stock! Run, don't walk to buy it all up since this is your easiest path forward!:
https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/24801

 

[Graham Hunter]

Found some in stock! Run, don't walk to buy it all up since this is your easiest path forward!:
https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/24801

The reports on quality cartridge brass has some bad reports or I would be all over it. Thanks for the help.

 

[rookhawk]

The reports on quality cartridge brass has some bad reports or I would be all over it. Thanks for the help.

Fair enough. What’s the alternative? Has any other manufacturer made headstamped brass? Norma will probably do it if you order $25,000 order. RWS the same. Bell and Jamison maybe, again a custom run?

 

[Graham Hunter]

A square made them as well. Just looking for 40.

 

[postoak]

I bought some Qual Cart brass recently and it wasn't that bad -- just some out of round case mouths that were easily straightened by running through the sizing die. You should buy those.

 

[graybird]

If you're looking for only 40 pieces, perhaps buying some loaded ammo from one of the various custom ammo providers would serve your purchase. I know it's expensive, but at least you'd have your brass.

 

[Ryan]

Under the circumstancss I'd say buy 60-80 from Qual-cart, load and shoot them to check their integrity and choose the best 40 to reload for your trip.

 

[Graham Hunter]

If you're looking for only 40 pieces, perhaps buying some loaded ammo from one of the various custom ammo providers would serve your purchase. I know it's expensive, but at least you'd have your brass.

And who loads for this caliber?

 

[leslie hetrick]

99 precent of those owning that caliber.

 

[Graham Hunter]

99 precent of those owning that caliber.

I mean commercial.

 

[Jager Waffen74]

Unfortunately I just sold 300 pieces of new quality cartridge brass since I had sold my 6.5-06. Quality is the only company.. I waited 18 months for brass.

 

[Ray B]

Someone will seriously injure themselves if you pass on someday and anyone inherits that gun and puts a true 30-06 cartridge in it so marked.

I haven't tried to put a 30-06 case in a smaller bore, but I doubt that anyone could chamber a 30-06 cartridge in a 6.5-06 chamber. This is not to say that some larger cartridges such as the 8x57mm aren't inadvertently chambered in a 30-06 with less than satisfactory results.

Back in the day I knew of a fellow who liked to hunt deer with a 228 Ackley. The problem was that cartridges needed to be at least 240 to be legal. His barrel was mismarked to the larger size. I never heard if anyone tried to chamber a 240 Ackley in it, but if it could be done, the results wouldn't be good.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I haven't tried to put a 30-06 case in a smaller bore, but I doubt that anyone could chamber a 30-06 cartridge in a 6.5-06 chamber. This is not to say that some larger cartridges such as the 8x57mm aren't inadvertently chambered in a 30-06 with less than satisfactory results.

Back in the day I knew of a fellow who liked to hunt deer with a 228 Ackley. The problem was that cartridges needed to be at least 240 to be legal. His barrel was mismarked to the larger size. I never heard if anyone tried to chamber a 240 Ackley in it, but if it could be done, the results wouldn't be good.

Well, Weatherby now has their 6.5x.300. But, why stop there. Buy a .50BMG and neck it down to 6.5. Go big or go home! When does it all end!Ha!Ha!Ha!

 

[Ryan]

Well, Weatherby now has their 6.5x.300. But, why stop there. Buy a .50BMG and neck it down to 6.5. Go big or go home! When does it all end!Ha!Ha!Ha!

Why stop there? Well, while I know you're being facetious, you are comparing an apple to a watermelon. The 6.5-300 Weatherby is in a world of it's own few want to deal with. The 6.5-06 on the other hand has some interesting history and applications. I recall reading an article ten or so years back that it was popular enough amongst the benchrest/F-class crowd to be the most commonly made wildcat die set for a while. A Square felt it was good enough they stuck their neck out and had it standardized. Unfortunately for it the 6.5's have been a niche thing that weren't very commercially successful until Hornady and Ruger really started pushing their 6.5 re-creations. I say re-creation because they felt the 6.5-06 attributes were perfect enough that they mimicked it ballistically with the 6.5 PRC. Check the numbers out sometime.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Why stop there? Well, while I know you're being facetious, you are comparing an apple to a watermelon. The 6.5-300 Weatherby is in a world of it's own few want to deal with. The 6.5-06 on the other hand has some interesting history and applications. I recall reading an article ten or so years back that it was popular enough amongst the benchrest/F-class crowd to be the most commonly made wildcat die set for a while. A Square felt it was good enough they stuck their neck out and had it standardized. Unfortunately for it the 6.5's have been a niche thing that weren't very commercially successful until Hornady and Ruger really started pushing their 6.5 re-creations. I say re-creation because they felt the 6.5-06 attributes were perfect enough that they mimicked it ballistically with the 6.5 PRC. Check the numbers out sometime.

Your right, I was just being facetious. But with all the current 6- 6.5s being produced out there, I find it somewhat ironic that the .264 WM from 1959 and the 6.5 Remington Mag. from 1967(?) are somewhat (or nearly) forgotten. Wrong calibers for the time? Not many .260-6.5 choices back then. They both were competing against the proven .270 Winchester at the time. In the case of the 6.5 RM it was the 18" carbine it was first mated with which spelled it's doom, along with the fact that short, fat cartridges were just a novelty then. The .264WM could burn out the barrels produced in that era over time. With current barrels, this isn't an issue.
I mean really, how better ballistically are the newer cartridges? Newer, more technically advanced, affordable rifles in the newer calibers I guess? But, the '06 is a GREAT base cartridge for many calibers! The brass is plentiful and inexpensive. I WILL check out the 6.5-06 cartridge. Thanks!

 

[graybird]

And who loads for this caliber?

I found a custom ammo manufacturer doing a simple google search.

https://dallasreloads.com/product-category/rifle-ammo/6-5-06/

If it were me for that price, I'd go with the brass at Graf's and take my chances.

Good luck