Ridge Runner

Jake, 6.5/06 AI, you'll be impressed
RR

super_hunt54

+1 there. Much bigger bullet selection and better performance. May kick a bit harder than the .25-06 depending on rifle and load but not much. I'm actually thinking about building one of those myself. I have a couple K98 actions laying around here somewhere I could probably get close to matching ballistics from the 6.5-284 with a little TLC at the reloading bench. Either that or a Gibbs But since I don't shoot game over 400 yards a Gibbs would be more or less a paper toy.

Ridge Runner

speaking from experience, I don't think the gibbs after all is said and done is worth the 100-120 fps more MV. its an awesome cartridge but the difference is not worth the agrivation making cases
RR

Bocajnala

RR, I'd need to fireform brass for that right? Right now I need something simple. Between the family, work, and continued training my time is pretty limited. I haven't done any reloading since last summer even other than for pistols which I shoot allot more and have to reload for to keep shooting.... So I'd like to keep it simple and something I can reload easily or even buy factory ammunition if need be.

I'm not 100% on the .25-06, just have always been a fan. And as I said, just a little bored with the .270. This rifle isn't needed for anything, just something different.
-Jake

Ridge Runner

jake, step by step how to make brass for a 6.5/06 AI
take a 25/06 brass
prime, don't even resize
put in a max 6.5/06 powder charge
seat any boattail 6.5 bullet
shoot it, out pops a fully formed 6.5/06 AI brass, though your first loads won't be full power in the AI, the 6.5/06 is no slouch, will pick up another 100-125 fps after you shoot them once. it is the easiest wildcat there is to get brass.
some AI shooters swear you can load them to max right off the bat cause all your doing is changing the shoulder angle.
RR

Bocajnala

That's pretty simple. I'll do some reading tonight. Thanks.
-Jake

super_hunt54

Or you could use the cream of wheat method to fire form. Good bit cheaper and you wouldn't need a range with a back stop. I'm pretty sure you can form the shoulders in an AI chamber with it. But you need a really super fast powder and you will have to experiment a bit to get the right powder load to form the cases properly. Most people, myself included, use a fast pistol or shotgun powder (small charge) and fill the rest up with cream of wheat then plug the case mouth with a wad of some sort. (disclaimer- NEVER USE A PISTOL OR SHOTGUN POWDER FOR RIFLE LOADS UNDER A BULLET UNLESS YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR RIFLE BLOW UP. THIS METHOD IS FOR CASE FORMING ONLY AND NOT TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A BULLET OF ANY KIND) I figure you already know that Jake but there are those that come on here that may not know that little problem so thought it best to write out that disclaimer.

Ridge Runner

Don't use cream of wheat, use cornmeal, a lot less abrasive, recommended charge for '06 based cases and the one I use to form the gibbs is 11 gr of unique. just just changing the shoulder angle fireforming is not needed like it is with the gibbs due to not only changing the shoulder angle but moving it foreward approx. 1/8th inch.
RR

Ridge Runner

the great thing about the method I described to jake is, you can use those rounds for hunting, its not burning powder for nothing, you can develop all your data then just change the MV to match full power loads and your off.
RR

mrbb

I have a few wildcat cartridges
many are easy to make
my .30 hart, I can simply fire .300 wby rounds right out of gun and have fire formed brass when I am done, and they will shoot OK accurate as well??

I also have done the corn meal, forget off hand my magic mix,(haven't made any in a few yrs now)but its just a few grains of powder NOT a full charge, a primer some corn meal(have that weight out too, forget amount),and then sticka loose fitting patch in the top to hold mix in
and fire
works great
BUT the bigger issue is, it makes cleaning the gun added pain here
when I shot a LOT of wild cats , I had extra actions and short bbls chambered to JUST be used to fire form brass
could make a LOT of brass sitting on my bench then! and NO need to clean my rifle

wild cat cartridges are NICE and fun way to kill time, but to be honest, I have YET to NOT been able to hold my own at any range with factory chambered calibers and brass
been shooting 1,000+ yrds in matches and for fun for over 30+ yrs
owned a LOT of the latest and greats fad calibers, from small fast to .50 bmg's
in single shots and repeaters for range work.
out FAR weather has the bigger factor IMO than ANY caliber! some days bigger heavier bullets win that game, some lighter faster does!

BACK to the 25-06
nice caliber, BUT tends to be hard on barrels as to OTHER calibers
all the more so if your always loading to the max

a way better deer caliber/sheep, than bigger game IMO too!

OH and forgot to mention
a DRAW back to shooting full charged loads out of a mod chamber, is you also have MUCH higher risks of splitting necks on case, more stress there, and lower life of cases can happen!
plus chamber wear increases as every one splits!
so?