I recently got a 6.5x55 rifle. I have been looking at the reloading manuals, and it seems performance is not overly impressive. I am inclined to shoot this rifle as it is, as opposed to rechambering, it, but as I like 130 grain bullet weights as a minimum for what this rig would hunt--whitetails mostly, It seems I should stick with one of my 6.5x284's or a .270???

Other than being a 'classic' cartridge, are there some other reasons to stick with this rig as it is chambered currently? Also, if anyone knows, is it possible to rechamber this guy to a 6.5x284?

I would have to buy some dies, brass and such to start going with this rig, and have thought about using it just cause it's a little different, just wanting some feedback, or any creative ideas.

Thanks--Don

it is far more impressive than the book say. they tend to error on the side of caution since there are many old mausers floating around that won't handle modern pressures.

In any modern rifle, it will easily eclipse the 260rem in performance.

The 6.5X55 is a great deer rifle. I bought one for my 74 year old father to use a couple of years ago. I loaded up 120 gr ballistic tips at 2800 fps. He's used that rifle to take three mule deer and a whitetail. All of them were one shot kills, the longest shot was 270 yards. This cartridge has very little recoil and muzzle blast, and kills effectively with non-premium bullets. Here's a picture of this years deer killed at about 100 yards.

Nice deer.

The 6.5x55mm Swedish is a classic caliber because it flat-out works. Scandinavians take moose with it all the time.

Load it if you feel you have to or just use Federal's 140gr soft points. They'll take any deer-sized game around.

I shoot 120 NBTs at about 3000 fps and have had great sucess on blacktail and antelope. I prefer it over the 270 because recoil is noticebly less and it performs like magic. It's hard to explain, you just have to try it for yourself. Lou

I used the 6.5x55 for many years for deer using 140 gr at 2750.This is typical of the older factory loads. For a modern rifle that's what I would suggest. I wouldn't use the very reduced factory loads of today.The 140s are my choice as they are accurate, have high SD and BC so they hold velocity well and penetrate well.

I shoot a lot of 6.5-.284 Norma and a lot of 6.5x55. I can't say that the Norma kills any better than the old Swede. Unfortunately, the trend of magnumizing our shooting sports culture continues forcing great rounds into obscurity to sell new guns. A 160gr bullet out of the Swede will no doubt kill anything in NA that won't try to eat you. Shoot a few deer or elk with the Swede before you decide to switch it to something else.

Wes

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. It sounds like it's worth the dies and some brass to experiment a bit with her. I am fortunate to get to shoot at a couple of farms with depridation permits, and they always want a few more does taken, so I'll be able to put some real field experience under her belt pretty quickly.

It sounds like if real long distance is involved maybe need to go another rig, unless light pills for say antelope would be appropriate, then maybe she's fast and flat enough...but if the 6.5x55 will launch 140's at 2750, that is way up past what I was seeing she would do....my 270's aren't a whole lot faster than that.
I'll definitely try her out as I always like the idea of a new caliber, and I haven't even ever shot a 6.5x55.....

Cool pic of your Pop talentrec!

Don,

6.5x55 is a terrible round, tell me what gun it's in, I MIGHT let you send it to me!

When you look at the downrange numbers, the gap likely closes between it and the 270, esp with heavier higher bc bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by 6.5BR:
Don,

6.5x55 is a terrible round, tell me what gun it's in, I MIGHT let you send it to me!

I'm sure it's a shock, but it's a Sako 75 in a new McMillan edge varminter stock--nice gift actually!

I have a m700 classic in 6.5x55. I load the 125 nosler partitions and they blow through every deer that has been shot with it so far. velocity is mid 2800's.

That is REALLY a bad gun Fish....Don.

Can't get much worse! Ha, REALLY though, you could not do much better than the package.

I still cannot believe the chrono showing me my 7mm BR was putting out 2875 w/120's and using 32.5 grains of powder to do it! Was reviewing my old data from my old 96 mausers, one a 21" cut down, other 24, mv was 2830/24", and 2720/21", think the long bearing surface increases friction no doubt, but they do keep trucking way out there due to the high bc's.

Enjoy and let us hear some range and field reports! Might try 47 grains of Re22 with Lapua brass under a 140 bullet, hear that combo shoots VERY well.....

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:
I recently got a 6.5x55 rifle. I have been looking at the reloading manuals, and it seems performance is not overly impressive. I am inclined to shoot this rifle as it is, as opposed to rechambering, it, but as I like 130 grain bullet weights as a minimum for what this rig would hunt--whitetails mostly, It seems I should stick with one of my 6.5x284's or a .270???

Other than being a 'classic' cartridge, are there some other reasons to stick with this rig as it is chambered currently? Also, if anyone knows, is it possible to rechamber this guy to a 6.5x284?

I would have to buy some dies, brass and such to start going with this rig, and have thought about using it just cause it's a little different, just wanting some feedback, or any creative ideas.

Thanks--Don

Depending on the strength of the action, the 6.5X55 will drive a 140-grain bullet between 2700 tp 2800 FPS. That is as good as any .270, when you consider that the 140-grain 6.5mm bullet has a better ballistic coefficient than a 130 or 140-grain .277 bullet of identical shape.

The point of the 6.5X55 and many other classic cartridges is not how you rate them by their numbers on paper, but rather the accuracy and killing efficiency...I know I know I am a broken record, but Americans [I am American born breed and patriotic, but you still must call a spade a spade] has really got issues with what is a good cartridge. I was once there and now I am backing down. I have an old 30 Remington Model 8 and a Springfield 333OKH that will kill as cleanly as most cartridges if you hunt them and don’t just shoot them. I am having a custom 6.5X55 made just for that reason and will also refurbish and old 30 Remington pump for deer too. Why, because we have gotten nuts. Seriously we do not need ultra magnums to drop these things. I watch on Versus the other night where they were hunting Texas white-tails with a 300 Ultra Mag.....why? Short mags….why again? Because we didn’t have one that is why, not because there was an empty niche

Amaze yourself sometime and load one of these classics the way it was intended and take it hunting. The old Mannlicher 6.5X54 and 6.5X53R got an amazing reputation with the 160 grain slug and very moderate if not slow velocities and I can tell you it still kills like before. The 6.5X55 does that and then some. How far do you need to shoot that the 6.5X55 cannot do accurately and deadly? If you are undergunned on deer and similar animals with its range you are probably shooting animals and not hunting them.

I fell in love with the 6.5x55 a while ago., I have two of them, a Blaser semi-weight R93 that shoots into 1/4moa with almost everything. It is mostly used for prairie dogs and other varmint shoots (95gr V-max @3000fps). I also have a single shot K-95 Stutzen in the same caliber. It shoots 140gr Trophy Bonded bullets into 1/2" at 100 yards at a paltry 2500fps, yet it's a killing machine.

quote:

Amaze yourself sometime and load one of these classics the way it was intended and take it hunting. The old Mannlicher 6.5X54 and 6.5X53R got an amazing reputation with the 160 grain slug and very moderate if not slow velocities and I can tell you it still kills like before. The 6.5X55 does that and then some. How far do you need to shoot that the 6.5X55 cannot do accurately and deadly? If you are undergunned on deer and similar animals with its range you are probably shooting animals and not hunting them.

well said roger

When my son was 13, I took him on his first deer hunt with a short stocked/barrelled 6.5x55 my friend built for his daughter. We practiced a day or two before the hunt so he would know how the gun handled,etc. He made perfect 1 shot kills on a doe and a 7 pt. buck that we were not expecting to see.

We used Cheap PMC factory loads in the white box. The builder and daughter used 100-129 grain bullets with great success on deer. That rifle has been loaned to a bunch of kids in town for their first hunts and I think everyone has always come back happy. Merg

Thanks guys for the intel. That's one of the great things about this forum, lots of info from different sources.
Heck, I'm actually getting excited about shooting this rig now, and don't have the components yet!

6.5 BR I'll spin together some loads similar to that and give em a whirl. I've got some Lapua brass ordered, and have quite a few choices on bullets here already.

I'll be giving this rig a try in earnest, I was hoping for some feedback to keep my interest up in her as is, it's better than that now!

There are so many great bullets for the 6.5mm calibers that you can taylor it to any animal. The venerable swede will kick out a 120gr bullet to close to 3,000 fps and that is in a modern action. If your deer are not really large northern brutes a good 120gr pill will get it done very easily.

I shoot a 700 classic in the swede and have killed deer with 120gr,129,130 and 140gr and to tell ya the truth i havent seen any noticeable difference. Actually the only bullet that didnt completely penetrate was a 140gr Speer hot-core that was hand loaded. The swede flat out kills stuff real quick and is my favorite cartridge.

Every time someone introduces the 6.5x55 as a topic, it triggers a mass orgasm. People have their favorites but the reaction to this caliber seems unique.

I just reloaded a bunch and can't wait for a mild day.

keep it.

when you don't bother to take your .30calsuperhotflatshootingturbo magnum, .50calwaytomuchpowerelephantstopper magnum, .10-120mm supervarminterlasertrajecoryouttotheothersideoftheworld or any other enthusiast gun.

you can just take out a plain jane rifle that will take everything up to moose.
that's the beauty of the 6.5x55, it's not spectacular in any way, quite boring by many's opinions.

just load it up with good 140gr bullets and put it in the closet.

i wish you the best with the soon-to-be 114 year old warrior

As most posters have said the 6.5X55 is a classic round with great punch and little penalty. One of the biggest reasons it never was moribund was the neat little package it originally came in -the model 96 mauser. It seems the old Swedes survived two world wars and then some in remarkably good shape, and when sold on the surplus market, hunters "rediscovered" just what a great little round the 6.5X55 was. It is unfortunate that the surplus market is drying up as every gun nut should have at least one. Everyone wants a Swede carbine (model 38) and if you're lucky enough to get your hands on one, you'll know why.

quote:

Originally posted by Burlington Rd:
Every time someone introduces the 6.5x55 as a topic, it triggers a mass orgasm. People have their favorites but the reaction to this caliber seems unique.

Oh, ohhh, ohhhh!

a sako in 6.5 X55 ?
Oh my , if who ever gave it to is a woman and not your wife, please forward my marige proposal.
There may not be a better deer rifle on earth. I would recomend you rethink your 130 grain thing.
Nosler makes a 125 grain partirion , 65 that should be very deadly indeed. !
You should have a very acurate combo there some place. Put a good scope on her.
...tj3006

The 6.5 x 55 in a good action will clock over 3,000 with a 120 grain bullet.....it kills deer just fine and at very long ranges.

It's among the finest cartridges for deer/pronghorns I've ever used.

For elk size animals, I'd prefer the .30-06 but the 6.5 X 55 with 140 grain bullets will handle the task too!

I might be bias since I only have two, both on 700 actions,put together by PacNor and may break down and get a third if I don't get soft and go for a .260 or 6.5X284 instead.

100 grn pills 3200 fps
120 grn pills 3000 fps
125 grn pills 2950 fps
140 grn pills 2800 fps

Recoil is nearly non-exisitant. Kills like the hammer of Thor.

There's no need for a 25_06 or a .270 if you handload for the 6.5X55 in a modern action. As I'm sure you have guessed, that didn't stop me from needing a .270 and a 25_06.

Sounds like I need to look at some of the 120 grain pills too. I was thinking a XXX would be a good thing, but I am a little leary of the hollow points get closed in the sub 30 calibers with Triple Shocks, and penciling.....The partition seems worth a try, maybe if they bring it on, the new tipped TSX--would be a laser in my 6.5x284's too.

I have some AB's, Scirroco's, Game Kings, Ballistic Tips and a few others I'll tinker with as soon as the brass and dies get here.

Was thinking of 3.5x10x42 Swaro, or maybe 4x12x50, but I do have a Zeiss Diavari in 3x9x36 that might look cool on there--it's stainless as is the action/barrel on this rig.

great round! it kills much better then it should. i hope to get a CZ M-S stock this year in 6.5x55. The combo of high BC gives it a great ballistics even at lower speeds, and the high SD helps push that bullet deep. personally i think this makes a great combo in a light rifle for high altitude work

Maybe you all can recommend a load with my components that will get me up to 2700-2800 fps.

I tested a load of 140 gr Hornady with 43.0 grs AA4350 in a modern M70 classic. I got a rather sedate velocity of 2428 fps. I would like to bump it up using the same bullet and powder.

I have kegs of AA4350, at least ten pounds of H4350, and a couple of cans of IMR 4350. I do have a couple of pounds of 2700. 2700 is a ball powder, rather slow burning. You can understand I really don't want or need to accumulate more slow burning powders like 4831 etc.

Any suggestions would be welcome.


M70 Featherweight 22" Barrel

140 gr Hornday Spire Point 43.0 grs AA4350
R-P new brass CCI-200 OAL 2.990"

18 Nov 2007 T = 75 °F
easy bolt life, nice rounded primers
Ave Vel = 2428
Std Dev = 29
ES 95
High 2480
Low 2385
N = 24

Then there is the ole 6.5x57. An outstanding round & quite an easy rechamber too. Set the barrel back a couple of threads due to the larger base of the Swede the recut the chamber.

SlamFire

Just continue working up with your AA4350 in 1/2 gr increments until you get signs of pressure (excessively flattened primers and sticky bolt lift with a velocity in the mid 2700s and then back off 1/2 gr. That's the old traditional way. I know some will get excited and have a coniption but many, many of us have been doing it that way for many, many years without any problems.

I use H4831SC in my sporter M38 Swede with Hornady 140 SPs. It has been converted to cock on opening (another major no-no by some) and is very accurate. I use 49 gr in W-W cases with WLR primers. Velocity is 2740 fps with MOA accuracy. It is my primary hunting load for antilope to elk.

While I push Sierra 110 gr HPs to 3225 fps with MOA accuracy over 47 gr Varget (a very deadly Varmint load) I prefer the 120 Sierra or Nosler 120 BT over 44.5 gr Varget for 2950 fps. A very accutae load , deadly on varmints, excellent at longer ranges and capable for deer or antelope without too much meat damage.

Larry Gibson

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:
Then there is the ole 6.5x57. An outstanding round & quite an easy rechamber too. Set the barrel back a couple of threads due to the larger base of the Swede the recut the chamber.

Well, I have a couple of 6.5 x 55s, a couple of 260s and then ONE 6.5 x 57.. ( I love it the most.. mainly because it is some of kind of American aka 6.5 x 257 Roberts)...

6.5s are the perfect balance in a big game cartridge for almost ANYTHING big one would want to hunt...

it is hard to go wrong with a 125 grain partition or a 120 grain Ballistic tip in any one of those chamberings...

and as far as load data, since you have a new strong style action.. look up some of the load data in the old 1950s and 1960s load manuals for the Swedes... before Lawyers running the industry, Swedes were loaded up more to "modern standards" of other cartridges... in rifles that had actions less strong than what factories turn out today...

Some of the older manuals were using 18 inch barrels... and they had some decent velocity... put the same load into a longer barrel and watch the velocity soar...

like 3100 to 3200 with a 120 grain bullet,
3000 to 3100 with a 129 grainer and
2900 to 3000 with a 140 grainer...

these are using 22, 24 and 26 inch barrels..

I myself, use load data from the Speer Manual Number 7 I picked up at a store used for like $3.00...

of course most folks are trained to tell you how these loads ( that were considered fine in the 1960s) are going to kill someone today...when we have much better and stronger actions than the surplus ones that were 40 to 60 years old back in the 1950s...

Prior to WW2, the 6.5x55 Swede was usually in the winners circle on 1000 yard matches, with micrometer sights I might add. It is indeed a very fine long range round.

My favorite load is 140 gr. Swift A-Frames, 49 gr. RL 22, Fed 210 primer. This gives 2770 fps. and 3/4" accuracy in my model 70 with 22" barrel. My son used this same load to kill a ton of plains game up to and including zebra and wildebeast. All one shot kills except the zebra which ran about 50 yards then required a finisher. As others have said, this is a caliber which, for whatever reason, kills out of porportion to paper balistics.

Geronimo

Unfortunately my Lyman manual, 41st edition, does not even list the 6.5 Swede!. The publication date is 1957. But my 8th edition Speer manual, copyright 1970, gives a max charge 47.0 grains IMR 4350 with a Speer 140. They had to be using a 1894 carbine because the barrel length is given as 18â€.

Given that I have a modern action I should be able to take the Swede out of the 40,000 psia data range.

Mod. 96 140gr Sierra, 45gr accurate 4350, up to 2800fps. Std. Mil. 29 1/2" barrel. roger

Well, I've decided to run with her as is, it's a 20 1/2" barrel. It is very light being in the edge stock, so maybe this might be a new Antelope rig!!

The 6.5x57 sounds interesting, I'll have to look and see what that looks like against a 6.5x284.....

Good stuff guys!

I love mine!Sako 75 with MacMillan stock,shoots everything from 100-156grs comfortably sub inch and with low recoil(especially with sound moderator fitted)Enjoy! Toby

TR, that is a nice looking rig. Which action is it built off of?

I really like the idea of a moderator. I'm not really sure about getting one here in the States, but I understand it is quite an ordeal, I can tell you they aren't readily availble, or I would have several.

That looks to be a really nice range you are set up at, video target monitoring and all...what kind of ranges do you have available to you there??

we got just the same system on our range.
and it isn't videomonitoring, it shows where you hit with a black/white dot, and gives how much off you are from center(i.e 37mm up, 48mm left).

when you done with the first series, you just push a button and all the dots go away, and you just continue shooting.

i think it's 2-3 years since i last walked up to the target to see where the bullets hit.



as he said in his post it was a sako 75 with a mcmillan stock.