6.5X55 Swedish
Anybody have an experience with this round? Thinking of buying a new Model 70. Want a good shooter with out too muck kick but heavy enough for deer. Any pros and cons.
0
-
Excellent choice! Swedish military round for many years. Has a very good reputation for accuracy and ease on the shoulder. Plenty sufficient for deer sized game out to 250-300 yds. 0 -
The 6.5X55 has been around a long time and IS a good deer round provided you don't try to make it do things YOU can't. Good velocity, energy and ballistics out to about 225 or so yards as I recall. It is not outdated, the cartridges are NOT extinct, etc. It's not one of the newest Ultra-Manglem offerings and doesn't try to kill YOU with recoil either! There are probably better choices, depending on your specific hunting needs, but that chambering will likely serve you well. Best of luck! 0 -
Thanks for the insight. Local gunshop has a bunch of new brass, about 3 bags. I want a Model 70 Featherweight. Thought about a 25-06, but not available in the fthwt. Plus 06 has a longer barrel. Want a medium power round. Got a couple belted mags, 7mm Rem and 300 win, both mdl 70s. Got a Ruger 77 280. Love the 280, good all arounder, but would like a little nicer on the shoulder to do more shooting. What about loads, 120s or 140s? What powder? Thanks again guys. I have NO expeirence with the old European mil rounds. I am kind or a purest and avoiding the new Short mags and Super shorts, don't ask why just want the not so popular. 0 -
Since you like the .280, you may want to consider the 7mmx57 Mouser.[:D]
Boomer
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed"
. and the antithesis to this philosophy was uttered by Bill Clinton "I smoked it, but I didn't inhale."[V]
NRA Life Member0 -
The 6.5x55 is certainly a well balanced cartridge for both hunting and target shooting. Bullets range from 95 gr. to 160 gr. and can handle anything from varmints to elk. It is mild in recoil and well known around the world for its accuracy. The only slight drawback that some will put forth is that it is an intermediate cartridge and really needs a long ('06) length action to function correctly. This also allows you to seat the .264 bullets out a bit since they look like arrows anyway. As to range, that's up to your ability and choice but I have 30-30's that will shoot to 225 yards accurately.
Loads:
http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=120 (113 loads)
http://www.lapua.com/ (select 'reloading')
http://www.norma.cc/sida/eng/
http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/65x55sm.php
Great choice for North America!
Best.0 -
The 7X57 is not available in the mdl 70. They have cut down on most of the "good old" calibers for the new "Shorts". I think the 6.5 Swiss will work well. Ranges here in Northern NY is seldom over 80 yards for hunting. Getting harder to even find a true 100 yard field for shooting. Gonna grab all the brass when I order the gun. My dad has XTR featherweight in 280 and I have always loved it. Gonna get the same. No more XTRs, my 300 win mag is a XTR Sporter. I think a 2.5-8 Leupold will look nice on top!! Gonna try a bunch of different loads. I have always used IMR, but think I'm gonna try some Reloader, 19 and 22 should fit. Thanks for the help. This is, without question, the best forum for such ?'s. Mark Trudell 0 -
I've shot a Swede for years, I like the "old outdated" catridges. Mine are built on Swede 96 actions which are a great deal stronger than people know. I also shoot mostly 160 grain bullets but if you laod 120's or 140's it runs right up there with the 270 Winchester. The 6.5 Swede is a lot like the 7 Mauser. It has been under loaded for years because of all the really old and weaker actions out there. Both those catridges as well as the 257 Roberts when in a strong action can easily be loaded to +P levels. It's a great round....you'll love it. 0 -
I think you have chosen wisely. As nononsense has stated, it is plenty accurate, and has the benefit of light recoil and high BC bullets (for weight). With a 120-140gr hunting bullet, it is easily a 300yd rifle on game.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
Good choice. My M-70 Fthwt 6.5x55 likes Nosler 140gr BT and IMR 4350 powder for .75 inch at 100 yards.
SEMPER FI MAC, SEMPER FI0 -
A great caliber, especially if you load your own, my favorite is the Nosler 125g partition. You will need to watch out for US made ammo as it is often loaded low pressure for the older M96 rifles. Hornady however makes a 129g lite magnum load that really sings. My personal 6.5x55 is heavier then I had counted on and I am thinking about having the chamber puched out to 6.5x284. As my rifle is built on a M98 intermediate length action this won't be a problem. I'm just mentioning this as the Win feather weights aren't all that light when compared to modern ultalights. 0 -
Want a good shooter with out too muck kick but heavy enough for deer. Any pros and cons.
Your search is over.0 -
The 6.5 X 55 is the PERFECT deer round. Also doubles for varmits.
I have shot it for the last 30 years and know of whence I speak. I have used the Winchester Model 70 Featherlite, Winchester Model 70 Sporter, '96 Mauser, and finally, now, a SAKO hunter in the Swede. My two brothers shoot 6.5 X 55 as does a close friend; They have the finnlight. It is also made by Ruger, Remington, Husquevarna and others.
Ammo is available from Norma, Federal, Winchester, Remington, as well as some other overseas brands.
I find the 120 grain ballistic tip with 4350 powder to give me the most accurate loads.
ALL of the Swedes have been accurate.
A good choice!
Sako Fan0 -
quote:I find the 120 grain ballistic tip with 4350 powder to give me the most accurate loads.
I have a M96 and it likes 129 gr Hornady SP's pushed with 34 gr of Varget.
0 -
I have 3 of the 6.5X55mm rifles and they shoot great. The Ruger Mark II shoots the 129 grain hornady very well and the 120 grain Speers want to stay together (both with IMR4350 powder). The other 2 have Swede Model 96 barrels(1 is a swede Model 96 that I sporterized with a woodgrain synthetic stock and 1 is a turkish mdoel 98 / Model 38 that I re-barreled with a new swedish barrel and glass bedded in an laminated stock) on them and need the heavier 140 grain and up bullet weights to get their best accurracy. Over the years I've shot about everything from a .22 Tomcat to the .458 Winchester magnum. If I had to settle on just one cartridge it would come down to the 30/06 or the 6.5X55. Since I don't hunt brown bear I would not need anything bigger. 0 -
Mark T,
They shoot everything with it up there. It's a great round. Minimal kick with good power and great sectional density and ballistics. A lot of 1000 yd guys use the 6.5 because of it's accuracy (and no doubt the ability to shoot it that way.) I'd give it an A+ for choice if I were you.
We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
15 comments