Hi All

Just picked up a left hand Tikka in 6.5 x 55 and would like to hear from those of you who are shooting this cartridge. Interested in using 125 grain bullets and up and in using game not match bullets, mostly for paper punching out to 400 yards (limit of gun range and most likely my abilities), but also for hunitng deer and cow elk.

Thanks in advance for the advice,

Regards

Mark

In the various 6.5x55s that have been through our household, there's one common denominator for the most accurate loads: Re-22. It's also generally tops in the velocity department as well.

With the 125 grain bullet, start at 45 grains of Re-22 and work up a half-grain at a time.

Also try the Hornady 129 gr with 37.5 gr's of Varget. The Hornady 140 gr with 36 gr's of Varget shot a .436" group at 100 yd's. Not too shoddy for a pitted 1919 Swede.

Keep your eyes open. Nosler claims they are coming out with a 130 gr Accu-Bond the first of the year. This should be a excellent long range bullet in this cartridge. R22 as mentioned or H4831 have been the powders of choice for me in the Swede with 125gr and up bullet wgts. I like H4530 with the lighter bullets, 100 or 120gr BTs. I have settled on the 129 Gr Hornady SP on deer and 120 gr BTs on paper. Both are very accurate with a powder/charge the rifle likes.

46-48 gr of 4350 & a 120 works well for me. start low and work up

Re22 works well for me.
For the range I use Re22 - 47.5gr with CCI200 primer, Lapua Brass, and 140gr SMK.
2.610" to ogive.

I've loaded 95 gr V-Max's to 140 gr A-Max's including the lowly 120 Speer SP and Hornady 129 SST's in my RH Tikka Hunter--they all shoot sub-MOA, mostly with H4350. A Barnes TSX might get the nod for elk, and Ol' Joe is right on with the heads up on the 130 gr Accubond as an all-'rounder. Easy shell to load for, forgiving and pleasant to shoot. Everyone should have one...

47 gr R22, 140 gr hornady or nosler part, Lapua or norma brass.

If nosler came out with a 6.5 cal accubond that would be great.

does anyone use Vit n160 in the 6.5? i wasw at the range yesterday and was using 46gr of n160 with 129gr SST and 120gr speer soft points? but did not dothat well with them but my mate loads the same round and works well in his Sako ( mine is a brand new tikka T3)????

I use VV N165 when loading 156gr Megas and the accuracy is fine -2.8 grams is max for my rifle.

+1 for cewe: I get cloverleaves out of my m/96 with Lapua Mega + 42.3 grs N 165. One snag, though: these bullets are a little bit too expensive for target shooting only.