C'mon guys. There are over 6000 members on this board. It's obvious that many (most?) on this board use big bores and magnums, but surely someone out of 6000 must have some experience with the killing power of the Swedish mauser?
I'm hoping to have a report for you in late October... taking my Swede out for deer here in Utah.
I have the 29" barrel, which gives me about 100 fps more than what the reload sheets give as maximum for 24" barrels. That about compensates for the fact that you have to keep loads down to 46,000 CUP.
There is a professional hunter from NZ that posts here from time to time. He uses his on 300 pound deer, and claims that it "kills like lightning". Everything I've seen supports that notion. It is a long, skinny bullet, which means that it has a terrific sectional density.
With the long barrel, it will beat the pants off any .243 in the field, and most folks hold that that is an adequate round for decent size deer.
Posts: 2281 | Location: Layton, UT USA | Registered: 09 February 2001
You will like it. I have only used it on one deer. But it sure worked well. Easiest blood trail I have ever followed. Easy nice splotches for the first 30 yards and then it looked like it had rained blood for the next 30 yards till I found it. Mine likes winchester 140 gr bullets and Hornaday 140's and re 22. Good hunting "D"
Posts: 1701 | Location: Western NC | Registered: 28 June 2000
I use the 6.5 x 55 from a 1901 CarlGustav 96 Mauser (sporterised by Kimber). The round is an exceptional performer on a wide range of game from rabbits (not if you want thenm for skin or eating though ) up to and including pigs and several species of deer. The 6.5 (.264 calibre) has very high sectional density and has excellent penetration on game. This causes many people to wrongly believe that it doesn't carry as much stopping power as a .308 or similar. The fact is that a 120gn 6.5 round has the same sectional density as a 180 gn .308 round. Many shooters use a 140 or 160gn projectile in their 6.5's and over penetrate. (I've had many clean pass throughs on pigs at close - middle distances with these weight projectiles.
The 120gn speer (game king or pro -hunter? can't remember which) being pushed by 44gn of AR2209 (very similar to IMR4350) is an excellent load for larger game. The little 85gn speer hollowpoints are ace on varmints. I'd love to try some round -nose projectiles in my gun, I think they would be awesome.
Good luck with the 6.5 and remember the lighter projectiles will tend to provide better stopping power on pigs and smaller species of deer.
I use the 6,5*55 all the time. I�ve shot everything from red foxes and beavers to moose with it. I think it�s a great caliber! I hunt brown bear with it too (haven�t shot one yet though).
It is the most popular moose and roe deer caliber in Sweden. And since most bears are shot during the moose season 6,5*55 is the the most common caliber for bears too. Most of you probably think that 6,5 is too small for bears but it works fine here. No one is getting killed by charging bears. I wouldn�t use it on grizzlys thou.
I prefer ammunition from Norma...especially Norma Vulcan and Norma Oryx - excellent bullets! Never brakes, great penetration, great shock-effect.
The moose me and my friend shot last season walked two steps before colapsing. It got a Norma vulcan trough both lunghs.
The 6.5x55 and the Swedish Mauser rifles chambered for it are generally quite accurate. I won the most recent MSA (Mauser Shooting Association) shoot with a M1896 Carl Gustav mfg in 1919! I don't know anyone here in Alaska that has used one for Moose, though it might work. Our Moose here are, I believe, somewhat larger than the "Elg" of our "Norsk og Svensk venner".
Enjoy, it's great round!
TF
Posts: 324 | Location: Fairbanks Alaska USA | Registered: 10 June 2000
Do you reload? In order to get the best out of this fine cartridge you really need to make you own. With many ex military actions around the US cartridge makers often under-load for what they mistakenly perceive to be actions of dubious quality. Just covering their butts.
Try 45grains of Rel 19. 125 Partition. 2600 fps in my 20 inch barrel Swede. No pressure signs but quite tight.
It is a great and versatile calibre. I have worked up useful loads from 100 grain � 160 grain. It penetrates like a HEAT warhead! Have fun shooting it!
Posts: 1978 | Location: UK and UAE | Registered: 19 March 2001
Alaskan moose may be huge, but they are made of the same materials. If I can penetrate most of a 600 lb. cow elk (end to end). I'm not going to hesitate to shoot crosswise through something that weighs two or three times as much. Those 140 grain Nosler's are hard to find after you shoot something with them.
Slamfire, Have you pebetrated a cow from end to end with the swede. I'd would like to know the details, if so. I've heard it is a tremendous penetrator.
Origanlly Posted By Aaron ________________________________________ Slamfire, Have you pebetrated a cow from end to end with the swede. _________________________________________
I have using the swedish mauser for a number of years. I favor 140 gr nosler partitions. Have gotten excellent results with both 140$160 gr bullets. I too load around the 2600 fps level and have had no pressure signs. I know people in WY & MT that use the swede quite successfully for elk. I use for for deer(both mulie & whitetail) and antelope. I always get great penetration and results. The round seems to drop them quite well. The swede has pretty much replaced my .243 as my antelope weapon. I too have a 29" barrel and its a sporterized Carl Gustav. I have also used the 85 gr bullet for varminting quite successfully. I sight in dead on at 300 yds and have not had any problems hitting anything in between. It is a very versatile round, and I have never seen a swedish mauser that didnt shoot well. I have seen wyoming shiras moose shot with a swede...no one had to give it CPR...its still in the freezer...bullet exited on a quartering shot.hope this helps...regards swede
I hunt in South Afica . I need only my two calibers/guns for everything : 1. 6,5x55 2. 375 H&H I also prefer the 140 gr'ers as they group best in my gun .
IronMan, elk is the name they use for moose in Europe. Hey Aaron, the 140 grain bullet is the all-around weight for the 6.5 swede. Cor-loks are good bullets and hold together well.
Oryx is a very good bullet, and the Swift is in my opinion a little bit better if you are loking for penetration. (Probably the best big-game bullet in .264 I think). You can get the Swift in 155 gr. Normaly this bullet also give very litle meat-damage.
I have used the Hornady 160 gr. RN on moose (calf). Nice expansion, but lost to much weight, and was stopped by the skin at the oposite side. The bullet did not hit any heavy bones (lung/hart-shot).
In (western) Europe the only populations of moose are found on the Scandinavian peninsula (Norway and Sweden) and in Finland. In Swedish (and Norwegian) moose is called "�lg", correct pronounciation difficult for non-scandinavians
The similarity between our word for moose and the English word for the american species elk causes lots of misunderstandings, even in these forums. I would only like to point out that the word elk is *not* used over here. If you should happen to discuss hunting with a European use "moose" to make your meaning clear. Unless you talk Swedish, of course
By the way, I've used Normas Alaska (156 gr) in my "Swede" on several moose with good results but they are a bit on the soft side and seldom penetrate other than on shots behind the shoulders.
[This message has been edited by Wachtel (edited 04-01-2002).]
Posts: 544 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 27 October 2001
As far as on game performance,A strongly handloaded unit will duplicate the 25-06 with less noise. My load for the now defunct Nosler Solid base is 49.5 gr 4350 at 2950 f/s. This load has shown to be an excellent unit for deer, antelope and coyotes. Much of the credit is the Rifle, a Rem 700 classic.As a gen purpose deer gun it ideal,though I have not, and will not use it on Elk of Moose. I would look at the light mag load as the other units are extremely underloaded.
monz, since our american friends always use "elk" when talking about the species "Cervus elaphus" I used the term "american species". The British name the same species (at least the same according to science) "red deer" or "red stag" for the males. We Swedes say "kronhjort" or sometimes "kronvilt", if that info is of any use ...
I only wanted to end the use of "elk" by europeans talking about "Alces alces"!
Posts: 544 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 27 October 2001
Aaron, where in canada are you, if you near minnesota, you could hpo on down, and pick your self up some norma ammo, or perhaps, ask some of the ammo stores, alot of places up here in ak will order ammo for my rifles, but dont carry it because of a small market.
Posts: 675 | Location: anchorage | Registered: 17 February 2002
To my mind it is the most versatile round ever designed! A week ago I took mine on a beautiful spring afternoon. I wanted to shoot some rabbits in the afternoon and then shoot some crop damaging fallow. Load is 100gr ballistic tip at 2975fps.
At then end of the day I finished with 6 rabbits for 9 shots (some wind) shortest 200yds longest 260yds and one fallow pricket. I saw everyone of those animals hit through the scope.
With a usable bullet weight spread of 85-160gr you have an arsenal in one rifle.
It can be a flat high velocity number as well as a dependable penetrator.
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
) up to and including pigs and several species of deer.
