Rebarreling choice....

[Sim G]

I've had an RPA in 7mm-08 for 10 years now. Seriously starting to consider a re-barrel. Thought I would be at this point a couple of years ago and in truth, I'm still not actually at "that point"....!!

The barrel, which is still the factory Archer, has had almost 4800 rounds down it. I don't run hot or maximum loads with either a 150gn SMK at 2700fps or a 162gn Amax at 2600. The thing will still give an honest-to-God .75" five round group at 100 and honestly there isn't any accuracy drop off at the minute. But, that doesn't mean there won't be a catastrophic drop in a couple of hundred rounds...

So thinking about the choices I was near settled on a "fashionable 6.5". Well the .260 Remington actually. Appears to me to give what I was looking for, but still utilising that expensive brass I've got and just necking it down. But when all said and done, I rarely get to a range beyond 1000, licensing is just problematic with time taken, barrel life of a .260 could be half what I have now and well, I do love the 7mm....

Am I just being a "fashion victim"?

[TattooedGun]

Yep.

I'd say stick with what you know is good, what you have dies for and a good grounding in knowledge on loading for the cartridge.

Unless for you the thrill is in developing a load, spending loads of money to get the equipment you need and burning half the barrel trying to find the perfect load.... in that case, go for something new and fashionable...

[saddler]

Nah - just being a t*@t

IF you were on the fashion trend you'd be Creedmoor or go homo!!

Nothing wrong with the .260
Nearly as nice a round as 6.8SPC :)

[ovenpaa]

6,5x47 Lapua and the 123 grain Scenar is my choice for a lot of my shooting, both overland and at the range out to 1200 yards

[WelshShooter]

The .260 is a very respectable cartridge with lots of options for the handloader. I concur with Ovenpaa on the 6.5x47 Lapua because I also use this with 123 bullets but there are other 6.5's which are just as good! There's the 6.5 creedmoor and there's also the 6.5x55.

The 7mm-08 is a nice calibre too and I was looking to get that when I was contemplating the 6.5x47 Lapua. I've not shot the 7mm-08 personally but I know it has a good reputation, however, I can tell you that my 6.5x47 Lapua is great fun to shoot! Mild recoil, great trajectory and always puts a smile on my face when I do my part. See if you can have a go with some of these calibres to re-assure yourself that a 6.5 is what you won't or whether you would rather stick with the 7mm.

[ovenpaa]

WS, Other 6.5's just as good? Agreed, looking at external ballistics there are many other 6.5's that are virtually identical and it is often only down to powder capacity and cartridge design as much as anything that gives the ability to cope with heavier bullets. The 6,5x55 is a good example of an oft overlooked cartridge as it is no longer fashionable outside of sporting use. The 6.5CM is now hailed as the most accurate 6,5mm new kid on the block yet Zak Smith was testing the CM over 10 years ago in a 6.5 shoot out and it did not seem to set the world alight back then so I find it interesting that people are claiming not just improved accuracy with the CM, they are actually claiming changes in external ballistics for identical bullets!

A 6.5 bullet is a 6.5 bullet regardless and the only questions should be based on distance shot and barrel life :)

[saddler]

WS, Other 6.5's just as good? Agreed, looking at external ballistics there are many other 6.5's that are virtually identical and it is often only down to powder capacity and cartridge design as much as anything that gives the ability to cope with heavier bullets. The 6,5x55 is a good example of an oft overlooked cartridge as it is no longer fashionable outside of sporting use. The 6.5CM is now hailed as the most accurate 6,5mm new kid on the block yet Zak Smith was testing the CM over 10 years ago in a 6.5 shoot out and it did not seem to set the world alight back then so I find it interesting that people are claiming not just improved accuracy with the CM, they are actually claiming changes in external ballistics for identical bullets!

A 6.5 bullet is a 6.5 bullet regardless and the only questions should be based on distance shot and barrel life :)

This

Chances are a 6.5x55 will have much the same external performance (as it uses the same bullets)
THE issue that makes the difference will be case length & what action length/design it's intended for.
Lots of good options for the Swede....the CM, x47 & others tend to be designed for Rem SA & similar short actions, or AR15/AR10 type rifles.