tryin to decide on my next rifle. looking at the 6.5 swede in a finnlight. also considering a 243. anyone recommend the 6.5? just wanting to add another caliber to the arsenal. mostly deer hunting and whatever western hunt i get to go on at some point
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any 6.5x55 fans?
- Thread starter Robster80
- Start date
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AYE! The 6.5 Swede has been around longer than our venerable .30-06 and still going strong. I started my boys with a Carl Gustav carbine in 6.5x55 using 140 grainers.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/i-got-lucky-112100/
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/i-got-lucky-112100/
140 NABs but I will be trying out the 150 and 160 Matrix VLDs.
yes, yes, yes!
1) International caliber available everywhere
2) Recoil of a varminter caliber
3) Effective as the avg 30 cal
4) Best combined varminter and game rifle
5) best first rifle for anyone starting out.
6) Best caliber to start the young ones hunting
7) Easy to re -load
8) Accurate as
9) Short,meduim and long range application
10) Doubles as sport shooters caliber
11) Good examples available to the lefties
12) Light or heavy platform compatible
13) Best SD around in 6.5 projectiles
Go and build the most beautiful custom and hand it down to your son one day ... will be past down for generations to come....
1) International caliber available everywhere
2) Recoil of a varminter caliber
3) Effective as the avg 30 cal
4) Best combined varminter and game rifle
5) best first rifle for anyone starting out.
6) Best caliber to start the young ones hunting
7) Easy to re -load
8) Accurate as
9) Short,meduim and long range application
10) Doubles as sport shooters caliber
11) Good examples available to the lefties
12) Light or heavy platform compatible
13) Best SD around in 6.5 projectiles
Go and build the most beautiful custom and hand it down to your son one day ... will be past down for generations to come....
The 6.5x55 is a great round for most of North America hunting. If you hand load you can exceed most of the factory ammo velocity quite a bit because it is loaded to be under 46,000 CUP for the old Krag and small ring Mausers. In modern actions you can raise the pressure up and thus velocity. Even with loads under 46,000 CUP with longer barrels like the 29" that comes on the Model 96 Swede Mauser. I get 3000 fps with 120 gr bullets with a Max load of AA 4350 and 2850 fps with 140s with a Max load of AA 4350 according to Accurates manual. Both loads are tack drivers and kill deer like lightening struck them. I use Nosler BT and Sierra 120s and Sierra and Hornady 140s. I have used Sierra 100 gr HP and IMR 4064 for a bit over 3000 fps on ground hogs out of my sporter 96 Swede Mauser and it will red mist a ground hog. The 6.5X55 is a much better deer killer than the 243 Win in my experience. With the Swede pay attention to the barrel twist. It needs to be a 8" twist to shoot the 140 gr and longer bullets.
benchracer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2009
- Messages
- 1,659
IMO, the Swede is a handloader's cartridge. Yes, there is factory ammo for it, but even the best factory ammo does not reach the full potential of the 6.5x55. Where factory ammo is concerned, I have been impressed with the Hornady Superformance 140 SST load. The Prvi Partizan stuff is a good choice for plinking/barrel break-in ammo and will leave you with good brass to reload.
I believe the best option to be loading your own for the ol' Swede. Buy the dies of your choice (I like and use Redding dies, but there are plenty of other good choices), Lapua brass, and whatever bullet suits your fancy. For most things, I prefer Berger 140 VLD's and Hornady 140 AMAX's. If I were to ever consider using the 6.5x55 on elk sized critters, I would go with the 140 Nosler Partition. The 140 class bullets have all shot well from my 6.5's with 9 twist barrels, but an 8 twist is still a good idea.
So far, my best load has used H4831 and Berger 140 VLD's. RL-22 and RL-17 are also excellent choices.
In a modern action, made with modern steel, the 6.5x55 will outperform the .260 Remington and come very close to the 6.5-284. Among my 6.5's, I have a 6.5x55 and a 6.5-284. I consider the latter to be much ado about nothing. It is being re-chambered to .264 Winchester Magnum. The 6.5x55 exceeded my expectations. I would take it over any other non-magnum 6.5 and have a second one being completed in a light sporter configuration.
I believe the best option to be loading your own for the ol' Swede. Buy the dies of your choice (I like and use Redding dies, but there are plenty of other good choices), Lapua brass, and whatever bullet suits your fancy. For most things, I prefer Berger 140 VLD's and Hornady 140 AMAX's. If I were to ever consider using the 6.5x55 on elk sized critters, I would go with the 140 Nosler Partition. The 140 class bullets have all shot well from my 6.5's with 9 twist barrels, but an 8 twist is still a good idea.
So far, my best load has used H4831 and Berger 140 VLD's. RL-22 and RL-17 are also excellent choices.
In a modern action, made with modern steel, the 6.5x55 will outperform the .260 Remington and come very close to the 6.5-284. Among my 6.5's, I have a 6.5x55 and a 6.5-284. I consider the latter to be much ado about nothing. It is being re-chambered to .264 Winchester Magnum. The 6.5x55 exceeded my expectations. I would take it over any other non-magnum 6.5 and have a second one being completed in a light sporter configuration.
HSM load them with 130 and 140 Berger VLDs; I.Q. Metals Inc. - 6.5x55 Swedish or pg 30 of 62 http://www.thehuntingshack.com/catalog/retail/ProductList.pdf
I dont have one, but it is the one that I miss in my inventory. I have a .223 rem for practice, 9,3x62 for driven hunts and other hunts for now, .300 win mag for LRH and shooting and I feel that 6,5x55 would be the best to fil the gap between my .223 an 9,3 for hunting and also long range.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
If your not going to hand load for it you would be better off with the 6.5 Creedmoor. . The Swede is an aficionado round IMO. I don't know of any high performance Swede ammo. But its a GREAT reason to start reloading! gun)
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
Man, can I relate!!!!!!! I had a 223 for calling predators and blasting and my 9.3×64 Brenneke for big game ruminates and the 416s and 458 for bear protection/ hunting. But I wanted a better/ best winter rifle and long range. I chose the 6.5 Creedmoor. But that was because I prefer stainless Rugers . . I'm also planning on adding a 338 for long/ extreme long range and ruminate big game hunting.
If your not going to hand load for it you would be better off with the 6.5 Creedmoor. . The Swede is an aficionado round IMO. I don't know of any high performance Swede ammo. But its a GREAT reason to start reloading! gun)
ive got a couple friends that reload im sure if i bought the dies and powdr and what not theyd help me some.
