Just wanted to make sure but I don't think the 6.5x55 or 6.5x55AI will fit in the short Rem 700 action and work as a repeater; will it?

Well the 6mm Rem's case is 57mms and both it and the 257 Roberts have been made in short actions... so the Swede, and the AI version could go in a short action...

you probably couldn't use 140 grain bullets unless you were seating them deep, but the 129 Hornady and down probably would work out just fine....

if you were doing it strictly for a varmint cartridge and using 100 grain bullets and less, then that would present no problems whatsoever...

GSSP

Have you thought about the 260 REM. at all, that is for A short action, and will do what the 6.5X55 will. I had a chance at the 260 Rem. when I got my 6.5X55 in A Ruger 77 MKII, I some times wish I had the short action.

6.5 SWEDE

The problem isn't the case, but all the reamers that are made for it are set up to have the bullet seated out about a mile.

The case is essentially the same length as the .284. Therefore anything over 125 gr. or so must be seated quite deeply. That's not to say that it isn't doable. It is just that to seat deep enough to fit in the short action you have a bullet jump about a yard before it engages the rifling. I've known some guys that have had custom reamers made with essentially no throat or a very short one.

Unless you are just really keen on the 6.5 sweedy (and I have one and love it) you might be better off to go with the .260 (which I also have in an encore pistol).

I went throught this when deciding what to rebarrel my M700SA to. I settled on the .260ai & am very happy w/ it. You can load long 142grSMK & still get enough powder in the little case to make 2800fps+ from a 26"
bbl. The std. 260rem is a great cart. too. You probably only get about 50fps from the AI but if you are going from scratch, why not?

SOME short actions can go 2.85 - 3.00, i.e. ULA (pricey) Sako, Win 70 with minor mods, MRC, etc.

I DO believe that my OAL for my 6.5 SWEDES 1894 mausers was JUST over 3.00. If so, with the right throat, it might work, as Seafire said, up to mid weight bullets. 260 might be best fit for Short 700 if that is what you go with in a project.