Remember the 6.5 mm Rem Mag.

[Rebel Dog]

Do you remeber this rifle? What happened to it? I remember my Dad buying one over 25 years ago and he still uses it we call it the Zebra Gun because of it's stripped stock. I think it is an awsome round for our smaller whitetails here in the east. Pop is still dropping them with it but ammo is getting scarce. Why did it fail?

[texhookem]

I am reading about it in cartridges of the world-it is in the obselete secton. It says that the lack of good factory loadings led to the demise. The only factory load for it was a 120 grain bullet at 3200 fps. Some people like using a little heavier bullet in the 6.5mm's. I.E. 140 grain. Also the 264 winchester, which also has faded in popularity had it beat on the velocity end. Lastly the 6.5 remington magnum was offered in the remington 660 carbine which a choice of either an 18.5 or 20 inch barrel. To achieve its advertised ballistics it had to have a longer barrel. I think remington is even still offering the 6.5mm magnum in its guide gun.

[biscuit jake]

Sure, I remember it. Take heart. It has been reincarnated in Remington's new "Guide Gun" which has some similarities.

I think the 6.5's suffer in popularity due to the common acceptance of the 270 Win, and also because with novice and timid shooters; they go to the less powerful cartidges like the 6mm and 243 Win.

[Slamfire]

Crummy advertisin' was one reason. Tellin' the customer that it was the equal of the .270, then stuffin' it in that shortest of all Remington actions, cost the round 200 fps, and the customer didn't want to give it up. Then the gun writers started givin' it bum reviews about the long bullets takin' up too much powder space. If Remington had countered with a full length 700 action they might have saved it, but then Big Green ain't known for marketing genius.

[James B]

Slamfire. Man you got that right. Remington is famous for dumping their own creations. The 6.5 Mag was a good cartridge that came out before its time as did the 350 Mag. I had one in the 600 series rifle. I like the 6.5 round. I quess the 6.5 Swede just took its place in my gun safe. It was one of the first short mags. The hunting world was not quite ready for them at that time. As someone else said, introduction in the 700 model would have made a difference.

[Slamfire]

My elk huntin' pard used one built on a Mauser 98 action. You could actually outspeed the .270 if you used a 26" barrel, but not by enough to make any practical difference. Those carbines that Remington wanted us to use could barely exceed 3000 fps with the 120 grain bullet, and were louder than the Model 94 Swedes. I saw Vinny roll a cow with the 129 Hornady round nose, so fast she must have been dead before she ran into the tree.