Anyone using a 6.5mm x 68 RWS rifle?

[Bavarianbrit]

As are mine. The P1 dimension determines whether 'large-series' dies are necessary.
RWS 6.5 x 68 case walls are no tougher or thicker than those of Winchester's WSSM or WSM series.

He is busy shooting the factory ammo that he has at the range to check out the accuracy then I will get those fireformed case sent to me.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Checked out with my comparator the unfireds measure 2.173" to the shoulder and the ones fired in his rifle measure from 2.1815" to 2.1875" so a max movement in fireforming in his rifle of the shoulder 0.0145" forward.

 

[smokey]

Many years ago, in the early 1980s I went to the Nottingham arms fair, a most wonderous event that made Christmas seem utterly dull in comparison even for a 12 year old, will never forget the fantastic aroma of cigar smoke, stale beer, cosmoline and gun oil. Anyway I bought an inert 6.5mm x 68 RWS cartridge as I collected that sort of stuff and it eventually sat hidden away in a sweet tin for many years.

Fast forward 40 years and I dig out said tin, and marvel at this cartridge, which makes my 6.5 Creed and 6.5PRC look very tame indeed. Done a little research and discover that it was first marketed in late 1940.

Picture below: 6.5 Creed on left, 6.5 PRC middle, 6.5mm x 68 RWS right.

View attachment 350443

So this has now got me thinking... before its too late and I kick the bucket, I probably need to find a rifle chambered in this calibre.

Anyone on here shoot this calibre, is it now ultra rare? I see that RWS still sell ammunition but the bullets seems to be somewhat light at 8.2 grams (126 grains), or a "non lead" at 6 grams (92 grains). Velocities are tamer than I was expecting, with the factory offerings producing 3116 - 3641 ft/sec - but with so much case capacity (a whopping 82 grains of H20 according to Quickload) I'm sure its capable of a lot more.....

i used to have a Sauer 90? in this calibre talk about flat i used to use RWS h mantels in it anything else would disintegrates

 

[Sinistral]

Checked out with my comparator the unfireds measure 2.173" to the shoulder and the ones fired in his rifle measure from 2.1815" to 2.1875" so a max movement in fireforming in his rifle of the shoulder 0.0145" forward.

Your readings seem a bit off, metric source and imperial here.
It's quite a difficult case to measure due to that old-fashioned sloping shoulder.

https://bobp.cip-bobp.org/uploads/tdcc/tab-i/tabical-en-page30.pdf

C.I.P. 9/2024	L1	L2	L3	R1Ø	P1Ø	P2Ø	H2Ø	G1Ø	SA°
6.5 x 68 (reb. rim)	2.037	2.382	2.657	.512	.524	.479	.299	.264	15

I think the reason RWS only load 93gr & 127gr KS bullets for it is that German spec barrels have a slow twist rate of 1:250mm/1 in 10" with a 30mm freebore. In contrast 6.5x55 barrels have a 1:8" or so twist with a 14mm throat so the 140gr bullets work much better.

 

[Finnwolf VL63]

Fantastic round,I have a Ackley improved version by Callum. It is a very special long range performer on Deer and Vermin.

 

[6pt-sika]

Nice big cartridge - can't be far off the 26 Nosler. I've seen a Sauer 202 chambered in 6.5x68.

6.5x68 is more in line with the 264 Win Mag . Best I ever got from a Ruger #1B in 264 Win Mag 26” with a Berger 130 VLD bullet was 3000-3100 fps same bullet from my 26 Nosler with a 26 3/4” barrel is 3500 FPS . FWIW that 26 Nosler with 130 grainers is the first time I ever met or exceeded what was in the load manual . Nosler was saying 3480 FPS from a 26” and my average of six shots was 3512 ! Granted I have 3/4” more barrel .