Favorite 6.5 Cartridge

[Outlaw6.0]

Oh I didn't mean to feed you crow just wondering and a little surprised. Heck, I've said I would never buy another factory fifle except as a doner for a project and I bought a Vanguard 223 just a few weeks ago. Glad I did too. It's a good shooter, very inexpensive trigger time and gopher/PD regulating.

I feed myself Crow all the time i'm used to it. I've been wanting a smaller 6.5 for quite a while, these have a reputation for being dern good shooters so.... My only complaint is I wish Savage would quit screwing with stuff every year, makes it dern hard to find aftermarket parts (especially for a southpaw).

XLR does make a chassis that will fit, but an $800 stock isn't exactly "Budget Build" material .


t

 

[candatus]

Years ago I was a "bigger, stronger, faster" gun guy. I visited a Utah barrel maker to help me decide on a larger shoulder mounted hunting device. Then I saw the results of his brother's use of a "rocket" on a mountain goat. It totally changed my paradigm on hunting.

During the next year I studied the accuracy guys, the long range guys, the girls who were given small caliber guns to hunt with their men, the kids - everybody I could get information on caliber choice from.

I had never met anyone who owned what it was boiling down to, but I didn't see the fallacy of the trend kicking off between my ears.

(I've gotta stop right here to assure anyone not on the same page with me - this is not to disparage anyone who uses rifles of a heavier caliber than I. In fact, there are times I really applaud the use of the big stuff to acquire one's safety, one's meat, or one's trophy.

This is just about me, the Royal "we", nobody else.)

I was nearly solid on my bore size when I read a story about a woman from Montana - forgive me for not noting the source -

This woman owned a surplus "Swede" she got shortly after the war, 1948 I believe. From the date of her acquisition until her death at over 90 years of age, she noted every game animal taken by herself with this rifle - over 140! The game animals noted were from foxes . . . to an Alaskan Brown Bear!

Sold!

I only had to pick the 6.5 case I was to make my own.

In all the reading I did of comparisons of the different 6.5s, almost every single author stated somewhere in the article that "This XXX 6.5 XXX is the equivalent of the 6.5 Swede." Authors are still doing the same thing today.

I walked into my local discount gun store and said, "Bob, I want a 6.5X55 Swede in anything you've got it in!"

Bob never said a thing, changed expression, or stopped moving. He walked right past me like he'd never heard me speak, the door to the storeroom closing on the spring hinge. My guts were in a turmoil because knew I'd committed to something semi foreign, Bob ignored me like an unseen ghost, and my wife needed explaining to when I got home.

Bob walked out of the storeroom with a box containing a brand new Ruger 77 in 6.5X55. "Just got it this morning," he said.

That rifle has filled my freezer many times over since that day. I don't shoot it much for fun, except for the 400 rounds of Swedish military stuff I bought that day, along with the two boxes of Remington CORE-LOKT 140s. In fact, the only game I've shot with it is deer. Lots and lots of deer.

The only deer that didn't dropped in their tracks with this rifle were three that were running, and I missed, and one that startled me when it stood up in the tall grass and I snapped the shot off prematurely, and missed. Every deer hit - never took a step.

I've still got some big stuff over 30 caliber. I still shoot hot loads in my big revolvers. But when I open the door to my rifles, my Swede is the first in the row, ready to go, deadly as can be when I do my part.

I have a custom Husqvarna in .270 that might become a 6.5-06, or 6.5-06AI . . .

I have a custom tang safety Ruger77 in .338 Win Mag that might become a 375 H&H based 6.5 of some sort . . .

I have a Marlin XS7 in .243 that just needs a ready-made McGowan in 6.5 Creedmoor to screw in and tighten the nut on . . .

 

[ranger1183]

260 Remington and 260 Ackley Improved have proven to be very affordable and excellent for long range shooting. The brass is readily available as I use everything from .243 to .308 winchester. Neck size or expand as necessary, sometimes ream the inside of the necks if the brass is really thick. A bunch of 7mm-08 brass is really doing well on multiple reloads. Just a very affordable and easy to load for cartridge.

 

[nwhunter]

48 years ago at the age of 10 I killed my first deer with Dads 6.5x257 jap.
Dad hunted and killed dozens of deer and elk with that gun. It was stolen and in the mid 1980s I bought Dad a brand new model 70 in 6.5x55.
I still have a 6.5x257 jap as well as a 6.5x55, 6.5x06 and 6.5 rem mag, I had a 6.5x284 but a friend talked me into selling it to him.
I had a couple of 264 win mags but they never really grew on me.
He brags about the tiny groups he gets and how far away he kills coyotes with it.
You can probably tell I like the 6.5 caliber, I like em all! My favorite has been my 6.5x06, it will out shoot all of the rest.
Lately I have shot my 26" barreled 98 Mauser 6.5 rem mag more than the others, but they are all great.
No, none of these are my favorite cartridge or even cartridges, those would be the 7x57 and 257 Roberts. I only own one of each, both model 70 post 64 featherweights, the 257 is simply the most accurate gun I own and the 7x57 is a long time companion that has killed more deer and elk than I can count.
That said, I shoot my 6.5 caliber guns the most.

 

[260 rem]

I have got 2 6.5 rifles my 260 rem and my 6.5x68 gun)

 

[JaseinMT]

Finally registered, after lurking for a couple years, so I could start posting. I have a Browning in 223 WSSM that I love and hate. It shoots really well, even though the throat is getting thrashed after about 600 rds. The WSSM were a poorly executed idea, but I like the idea. I hate the brass. Working it is a serious pain. The necks are awful for 22 cal- just too much brass. Anyway, I am planning to get another barrel for it chambered in 6.5 WSSM. I have been surprised that there has been no mention of this cartridge on this thread! Anyone shooting it?

 

[tick]

My choice is the 6.5x55 my first use of this caliber was when I bought a Swedish mod 96 Mauser in the eighty's for 55 dollars along with the rifle came a couple of boxes of target ammo . I set up a target at about fifty yards fired one shot and then a three shot group .Three shots in one ragged hole even the fouling shot which was aimed at the same place was about a half an inch from the center of the three shot .I could not believe an old gun could shoot that well. That old battered rifle showed me what the 6.5x55 could do. I still shoot this rifle mostly at targets . Its light recoil and accurate shooting keeps me shooting this old girl . barrel looked like it had seen a fair amount of use before I bought it and it seen a lot of use by me over the years , The old gun seems to be holding up well , and can still stack it's shots close together. my son owns a Tikka lite in .223 and has shot 5 shot groups under an inch at two hundred yards . So I felt the need to get a Tikka lite in 6.5x55 and see how it shoots .I have only had time to run the barrel in and try a reload or two ,but one load I tried two groups of five shots each averaged about half M.O.A ,and I'm sure it will beat that with a little more work . I would like to say this is my first post,I hope I have not bored or rambled on to long . this is a great forum,I have gathered a lot of information . I am in Australia and I have to say, we envy you guys gun rights and freedom.STAY STRONG. All the best from done under

 

[elkaholic]

My choice is the 6.5x55 my first use of this caliber was when I bought a Swedish mod 96 Mauser in the eighty's for 55 dollars along with the rifle came a couple of boxes of target ammo . I set up a target at about fifty yards fired one shot and then a three shot group .Three shots in one ragged hole even the fouling shot which was aimed at the same place was about a half an inch from the center of the three shot .I could not believe an old gun could shoot that well. That old battered rifle showed me what the 6.5x55 could do. I still shoot this rifle mostly at targets . Its light recoil and accurate shooting keeps me shooting this old girl . barrel looked like it had seen a fair amount of use before I bought it and it seen a lot of use by me over the years , The old gun seems to be holding up well , and can still stack it's shots close together. my son owns a Tikka lite in .223 and has shot 5 shot groups under an inch at two hundred yards . So I felt the need to get a Tikka lite in 6.5x55 and see how it shoots .I have only had time to run the barrel in and try a reload or two ,but one load I tried two groups of five shots each averaged about half M.O.A ,and I'm sure it will beat that with a little more work . I would like to say this is my first post,I hope I have not bored or rambled on to long . this is a great forum,I have gathered a lot of information . I am in Australia and I have to say, we envy you guys gun rights and freedom.STAY STRONG. All the best from done under

Tick.....thank you for the great post and the encouraging words! I have heard many people are moving to your area for the same reasons?......Rich

 

[MontanaRifleman]

My choice is the 6.5x55 my first use of this caliber was when I bought a Swedish mod 96 Mauser in the eighty's for 55 dollars along with the rifle came a couple of boxes of target ammo . I set up a target at about fifty yards fired one shot and then a three shot group .Three shots in one ragged hole even the fouling shot which was aimed at the same place was about a half an inch from the center of the three shot .I could not believe an old gun could shoot that well. That old battered rifle showed me what the 6.5x55 could do. I still shoot this rifle mostly at targets . Its light recoil and accurate shooting keeps me shooting this old girl . barrel looked like it had seen a fair amount of use before I bought it and it seen a lot of use by me over the years , The old gun seems to be holding up well , and can still stack it's shots close together. my son owns a Tikka lite in .223 and has shot 5 shot groups under an inch at two hundred yards . So I felt the need to get a Tikka lite in 6.5x55 and see how it shoots .I have only had time to run the barrel in and try a reload or two ,but one load I tried two groups of five shots each averaged about half M.O.A ,and I'm sure it will beat that with a little more work . I would like to say this is my first post,I hope I have not bored or rambled on to long . this is a great forum,I have gathered a lot of information . I am in Australia and I have to say, we envy you guys gun rights and freedom.STAY STRONG. All the best from done under

Tick,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your post! The 6.5x55 is certainly a very popular round with a long history of good accuracy. Hope you guys down under can win back many of your gun rights.

Cheers Mate

 

[mtntrapper1]

Tick,, Great Post and best to you. I grew up with a Swedish Mauser in 6.5 x55. Someday I'll have another ! Thanks and welcome.

Andy

 

[CRaTxn]

Tick,
Go on YouTube and pull up Longrange Blog 42 by Sierra 645 [ Thomas Haugland - TH ].
There are 68 blogs but go to #42...TH is shooting both the Swede 6.5x55 & 6.5x284 barrels on his Blaser 93 to well beyond a 1000m

 

[tick]

Thanks guys, great info .Those old Swedish Mausers and the 6.5x55 Swedish cal have become a life time addiction for me. Can't stop don't want to .

 

[FAL Shot]

The reason that "Other" is the leading choice on the list is because the 6.5x55 Swede was not listed. By sheer number of owners alone, it is the favorite 6.5mm caliber of the entire world. About the second best mule deer cartridge and the best one in 6.5mm. #1 spot goes to the 7x57mm Mauser as a mule deer cartridge. The daddy of the .30-06, which is the best all-around big game cartridge in the world. I believe the new Winchester M70 Featherweight is offered in both 6.5x55 Swede and 7x57 Mauser, which makes both cartridges the oldest cartridge designs to be offered for the "Rifleman's Rifle".

The 6.5x55mm Swede is offered by CZ in the CZ 550 American, and for around $800 that should shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards with handloads out-of-the-box, and better if you glass bed the action.

Factory mmunition is easily available for the 6.5mm Swede around here, and factory guns from major manufacturers at attractive prices will keep it in a leading position as far as popularity. Like the 7mm Mauser, the fast twist rate makes it an ideal long range rifle that handles high BC bullets that the average person can shoot and afford. Every store around here that sells reloading equipment has die sets for the 6.5mm Swede, and older guys who have real field experience rather than gun mag reading experience like the 6.5mm Swede a lot.

The 6.5mm Swede suffers the same fate as the 7mm Mauser, in that if you want to know how the cartridge can really perform, you MUST load your own ammo as all the US factory loads are lackluster in energy due to the proliferation of old military surplus rifles in those calibers. Norma sells powerful factory ammo that flat out shoots in both rifles, if you want to pay the $55 price per box. Your handloads might be slightly more accurate, but probably not as powerful. What you WILL have is #1 grade fireformed Norma brass that would cost you over $1 per case if you bought the brass alone and will probably last you 20 reloads, so not too bad a deal to try a box or two.

The 6.5mm Swede was the strongest military rifle of its day, as well as being the best in production quality. The secret proprietary Swedish steel used in the receiver was better than anything that the Americans, Brits, or Germans had at the time. My brother shot modern Norma ammo in his 6.5mm Swede with nary a problem, and was that ever a nice shooting and accurate rifle! Most women and teenagers should have no problem handling the recoil. "Favorite" should have no relation to the latest gunwriter induced mania whose main purpose was to sell advertising for a magazine. The 6.5mm Swede still shoots better than the vast majority of those who will ever read this rant of mine. And like I said, the reason that "other" is the leading choice on the poll is specifically because the 6.5mm Swede was noit specifically mentioned.

 

[benchracer]

FYI, the Hornady 140g SST Superformance load in 6.5x55 is an excellent factory load. I have shot it side by side with my best handload @ 300 yards. My handload shoots just a touch flatter and is just a bit more accurate, but the difference is very small. I strongly recommend that load from Hornady, provided your rifle likes it and assuming you can find it on the store shelves.

It's not particularly expensive, either. Then again, you don't get Norma brass in the bargain. I use Lapua brass for my handloads. 6.5 Swede Lapua brass is about half the price of 6.5-284 brass and is a bargain when you consider the quality vs the price.