The 6.5x55 is certaintly adequate for moose. Its killing power is greatly underestimated. The Euros use it all the time for moose. However, their moose are smaller then moose such as the alaska-yukon moose... As with ANY cartridge shot placement is key. A well placed shot with a 6.5swede is just as good as a well placed shot with a 300mag... both will kill the moose with stunning beauty!
Posts: 935 | Location: USA | Registered: 03 June 2001
You are certainly correct: Europeans love the 6.5 Swede for moose. The average Swede considers it ideal for all hunting that needs to be done. Some would even use it on bear. I would say that Bob Forker or whoever is a little out of his league to denounce a proven killer like the 6.5. Pay no heed to his advice (I'm sure he recommended a fast 300 eh?) I'd use it on any day of the week. If you have one, you should too.
Mr Jagermiester I feel your statement is a bit strong telling a forum user to pay no heed to his advice. The forum is designed to inform and your advice is giving the opposite connotation. Every one of use has pertinent information to share. It is up to each of us to decide we accept or reject that advice or ask more questions. It is a fact some shooters may try to take elephants with a 22 hornet, just to say they did. It is up to us to inform them that is a poor practice, but it is up to them to decide the end result. If we could be sure your statements are always 100% correct the rest of us would never need to post on this forum or any other for that matter.
I would certainly NOT use the 6,5 for moose or elk size animals. Some say it's a good cartridge, to my mind the lie does not become truth because it's repeated. There are better cartridges for this kind of game.
I would as minimum gotten a 7mm, or even better a 338 or 9,3.
Some gunmagazine writers is not always right, but I agree with Mr Forker. 6,5 for Elk/Moose is a NO NO.
[This message has been edited by JOHAN (edited 12-08-2001).]
With the SD of the heavier 6.5 bullets and within reasonable ranges(say to 200yds.) and having killed my share of moose with 30/06, having been in on kills using .243Win, .270Win and such, and being also a shooter of a 6.5x55, the round is adequate for moose. There is no way any round will knock one over, so a lung/heart shot from a 6.5 will kill just as effectively as any and better than some. Having stated that, I would opt for my '06 or my 9.3 or my 45-70 before purposely going after bullwinkle with my 6.5.
I am also one of those, who are a bit sceptical for the 6.5 Swede as a moose rifle. It true that about 25 000 of swedish mooses are bagged with it each season, but it is also an accepted matter of fact that it must be used with much skill. I would not hesitate to shoot a moose with the 6.5 if it were standing broadside and I had a good rest for my rifle, so I could place the bullet exactly behind the shoulder. During other circumstances by no means. On moving moose there is a pretty good reason to keep the fingers away from the trigger of the Swede, as the bullet may not always penetrate the shoulder.
You have read it in many of the other postings: use enough gun. My personal advise is the 9.3 Mauser or 9.3x62, but everything from .30-06 up with good, i.e. slow and for-caliber-heavy, bullets will do a proper job.
Best regards,
Fritz
Posts: 846 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 19 April 2001
I don't feel what I said is any worse that "[6.5 is] certainly not for moose." When about 3 of you oppose the idea, while the nearly 25.000 others continue to use it on moose annually, how does your arguement have any validity? When so many people use it, it is not right to persuade people that it is certainly not for moose. As Buell declared, it is shot placement that counts. If W.D.M. Bell could take down elefant with the .275, ANYHONE could take a moose down with a 6.5 Swede with the proper load for the task. And for the record, feel free not to heed MY advice either.
Interesting topic!! My username says my preferences, but a skilled shooter should be able to use the 6.5x55 with good results, if the hunter is willing to PRACTICE a lot and walk away from the bad shot. Lets see, that would be true of the 416 Rigby also, the 300 Lightning Bolt, the 458 Thors Hammer, etc. The gun does not make the hunter, the hunter uses the gun in the hunting experience. No offence intended to anyone, good hunting.
Posts: 1944 | Location: Moses Lake, WA | Registered: 06 November 2001
Well, I've used the 6,5 for moose for several years but I've now decided to get a much larger calibre (somewhere between .338 and .375) for the largest game and rework my 6,5 for roedeer and some other special small game applications. I haven't lost any moose using the 6,5 but on a couple I've been forced to use one (or two) shots to many.
I'm now of the opinon that yes, the 6,5 can be used for moose but the margin is definitely not on your side and sooner or later that margin will be what makes the difference.
Having said that I'm all for using it if your a good shot and can keep a cool head and access the situation (angle of shot etc) when hunting moose. But you don't get to many chanses to shoot moose ...
Posts: 544 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 27 October 2001
It would be an interesting bit of information to find out how much time the contributors of some of these opinions spend in the bush each year and just how many head of game they have taken or lost over the years. Poor shot selection is just that, poor shot selection, no matter what the caliber, bigbore or otherwise.
Not to blow my own horn, but I see more game here than you can imagine; there is a reason why hunters come from all over the world to hunt here. As far as losing game, never. Unless it was a clean miss, everything I've ever shot has gone down. Come up(?) some time; you won't believe the game here!
W.D.M shoot with fullmetal jacket bullets and one of his gun were never polluted by softnose bullets.
You can shoot Moose with FMJ in 6,5X55 and brain shoot if you want to go that way, it's good penetration by all means, any shoulder would work, it's also very illegal.
I don't think Mr Bell would have been recommending a 7X57 with softnose bullets for Elephants. The comparison of elephant with FMJ and Moose with Softpoints are not in the same ballpark.
Don't forget that the American Moose is much bigger than the tiny ones we have in Sweden. If you should use the 6,5 for Moose.
I feel that the 6.5s are adequate for moose assuming the use of the proper bullet but if heading out on a moose hunt I don't think my 6.5x55 would be my first choice. Daryl Elder, When we lived up in that area (over 40 years ago) there wasn't nearly the game that there is now. At that time there were mule deer, moose, bear, and some caribou. No elk. No whitetails. We left Taylor in 1960 and I've never been back up. Maybe next year. Regards, Bill.
Bill Leeper, That is very true. 20yrs. ago nobody hunted either whitetail or elk. Now we have some monsters! There are a few that use a 6.5x55 as a mtn rifle as actions/stocks/bbls. can be trimmed down a lot. Probably ideal for the mtns. in your area? Of course, the problem isn't with the game, it's running into Yogi Grizzly and only have a 6.5!
Daryl, No shit! I just drove through your area. I was on my way back home from Sask. I was driving at night and there was a full moon and clear skys. You could have driven without headlights. Anyways, we saw well over 100 head of moose in the ditch or on the highway between Ft. St.John and Liard. Driving was somewhat hazardous. We had the highway to ourselves. The truckers were all pulled over and started hitting the roads at sun up. Had my eye on a couple of 2nd year calves. But then that would be poaching and my freezer is already full...
I think that the comparison of the elephant to moose is indeed in the same ballpark. Using a solid on elephant or not, that is one hell of a risk...and I don't see half the risk in the 6.5 Swede on moose. If the range is realistic and the shot is good, no problem. But for those who do not feel confident with this calibre on a moose, it is wise to step up to something larger.
In northern Sweden a mature bull moose weighs between 450 kg(1000 lbs) to over 600 kg (1400 lbs). Live weight, as he walks in the forest. And depending on area and time of year (before or after rut).
The biggest recorded moose in Sweden was a cow, shot in the 1940�s or 1950�s, that weighed over 800 kg (1800 lbs). And that was in southern sweden , where moose generally are small!
I wouldn't lose any sleep if I used a 6,5X55 for moose. There are too many very experienced hunters, with several hundred moose under their belt, to prove that the 6,5 works.
Since you asked, the North American moose (alaska yukon) is generally a great deal larger, weighing from over 1500 to around 2000 (pounds) on average. A 2000 lb moose is huge, but of course is not odd or abnormally large. I'd think that 1800 lbs is pretty standard, yes?
If the shoot is Not good with 6,5 you chances are very small, there is not always a second time for shooting.
The 6,5 does not always leave much blood for tracking as the bigger calibers do.
I have seen far too many mooses in Sweden that has been running farand away with exellent shoot placement with 6,5. The bullets never had the extra steam to penetrate the game completely. The American Moose is about double in size of our dwarfs. I wish the american moose would move to sweden, most welcome..
I hunted 6 days, walked many kms with (at different times) 3 professional Jagarforebundet staff who had some of the best areas and best dogs.
I saw 2 moose one of which I shot at 20m as it semi stopped for a microsecond.
They all used 6.5's and shot 10's of moose with them each year. But they didn't have to fly for 3 hours to do so (allthough Sweden is big enough) and they no longer get buck fever and are able to pass up shots.
This argument will run and run. Even the Swedes argue about it. One of the rangers thought there was absolutely no difference between 6.5 and 9.3 in terms of how far they ran, what made more difference was how much stressed and aware of you the moose was. Another felt that there was greater risk of deflection by bones with 6.5 and had tried a heavier calibre giving it up because of flinching.
Having done it for a short time only I am of the opinion that scope selection is as important.
But they are BIG.... If you had a bigger calibre that you could shoot as well then it would be a good idea to take it. If not become the 25,001 user.
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
I'm confused now! The following is from the Alaska dep of fish & wildlife:
"Mature bulls can weigh from 1000 to over 1500 lbs. Mature cows weigh nearly a half ton. Even calves will weigh over 300 lbs. in September. When choosing an area to hunt and a means of transportation, remember that you will have about 400 to 700 pounds of meat and up to 65 pounds of antlers to transport from the kill-site to home"
To me that sounds just like a mature north swedish bull moose. What am I missing??
A bullet from a 6.5 in the right place is far better than a bullet from a 9.3 in the wrong place. Will a 6.5 kill moose, yes. Would it be my first choice, no.
------------------ When in doubt, empty the magazine.
The Alaska/Yukon variety of our moose are quite large. I have seen large mature bulls that would go over 1800lbs and might possibly even top 2000lbs.
That said however, I would think the "average" decent sized (ie. trophy, 55"+ spread) Alaska/Yukon bull would weigh only 1300 to 1500 lbs (live weight). The average might go up or down a little depending on locale.
The "average" Canada moose (bull) would weigh about 1100 to 1400 lbs, and the "average" Shiras (bull) would go 900 to 1200 lbs.
When I was growing up in the Peace Country my Pa shot a number of big (55"+) bulls. The most meat we ever dropped off at the butcher shop was 850 lbs (bone-in quarters). These moose are classified as Canada Moose, but are getting on the larger end due to the proximity to the Alaska/Yukon variety.
If anyone has any numbers that contradict this, please post them.
Canuck
[This message has been edited by Canuck (edited 12-10-2001).]
Posts: 7121 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001
Sounds about right, Canuck. One must sift thru the bull when hearing the stories of the monster someone shot. If his head is higher than the cab of your 1 ton diesel 4x4 crewcab, it's big! And when you call one in and you are the object of his affection, it's really BIG!
Well, according to the numbers quoted here, so are the American and Scandinavian moose of the same size, except for the Alaska-Yukon variety that may grow up to 30% larger.
I did some more reading confirming that the biggest Alaska moose aren't often that much bigger than the Scandinavian variety. What really differs though, is the size of the antlers! The mass and spread of antlers of the north american moose is generally considerably larger.
So as long as you don't take antler shots a 6,5X55 will work fine even for North American moose.
PCH, please don't include Norway when you say "Scandinavia". The moose here rarely gets over 300-400kg "slaughtered weight".
Most hunters/gun dealers/gunsmiths I talk to agree the 6.5x55 is marginal for moose. It will work yes, but the hunter has to be carefull. It won't work from some angles which are perfectly acceptable with larger calibers.
PCH, I don't know about Sweden, but here in the states we have a phenomenon whereby many game animals and fish continue to grow after slaughter. Especially after they are packaged and in the freezer.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
Well I only saw one answer from someone with some experience who said he'd chose something larger. I wonder how many moose Forker has shot with a 6.5x55. I'll bet none. I've never shot a moose, but I got nearly full penetration on a cow elk once, shot her in the butt, found the bullet in the brisket. I'd guess that would reach the lungs of most meese, if you didn't have to shoot through the paunch to get to the lungs.
Gentleman, I have never shot a moose with anything, but I have some experience with a 6.5 X 284. I shoot long range with some other guys, and we were shooting at 10" carbon steel plates at 800 yards one day. The .308 Winchester with 168 grain Sierra MK's were denting them some. The 6.5 x 284 with 142 Sierra MK's were blowing right through the 1/4" plate and leaving a .26 caliber hole that looked like it had been drilled in it. The 6.5 will Penetrate! An aged Korean War vetran told me his uncle encountered both the 6.5 Japanesse and the 7.7 Japanesse in the Pacific Theater of WW II. The 6.5 was feared for its penetrating abilities on palm tree log fortifications. I do believe a properly constructed hunting bullet of 140+ grain would provide entirely adequate penetration and performance on game animals of large size. Just my humble opinion.
Respectfully Submitted.......RiverRat
Posts: 413 | Location: Owensville, Indiana USA | Registered: 04 July 2001
Cardinal, A 400 kg, slaughtered, moose is big. If you mean a moose without skin, hooves and stomach lungs etc. That moose would weigh approximately 1600 lbs, over 700 kg live weight. That is pretty big even in North America.
Beemanbeme Yes, I guess it's a world wide phenomena. It also incudes the range at which the animal was taken or distance covered by foot or weight carried in backpack
Just for reference, I shot a decent (4 year old) Shiras moose this fall, and carried out 309 lbs of meat. I shot a 10 year old or so Rocky Mountain bull elk, and carried out 263 lbs of meat.
That's a lot of hamburger!
Shiras moose are big, but they don't compare to the Northern varieties in size.
But they SURE taste good! Dutch.
Posts: 4564 | Location: Idaho Falls, ID, USA | Registered: 21 September 2000
quote:Beemanbeme Yes, I guess it's a world wide phenomena. It also incudes the range at which the animal was taken or distance covered by foot or weight carried in backpack [/B]
I think that hunting stories are like good wine, they get better and better with age, and as the memory of it fades, it becomes more robust and full. JKJK
Posts: 1944 | Location: Moses Lake, WA | Registered: 06 November 2001
I take it you are all talking of factory ammo. When handloading I can get near 2800 fps with a premium 140 gr bullet from my modern stronger action Styer Prohunter.( no pressure indications ) . My guess it should be sufficient to take Moose as Gemsbok and Kudu gets taken with it in SA.
Right. And I have heard Australians say that the 303 Brit is perfect for scrub bull and water buffalo.
If a 6.5 was all I had, I would go moose hunting. But if I were purchasing a rifle for a moose hunt, I would get one that has a little more margin for error.
Posts: 18352 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA | Registered: 20 April 2002
In Finland majority of the moose are taken with 308Win, 7.62 x 53R and 30-06, 308 being most popular. I've taken my share with the 308, and though it works, I've switched to 375H&H and not looking back.
One sad thing is that, at the local internetforum pretty much every conversation deteriorates to an argument over 308 vs. bigger calibers. The last I checked there was a heated debate wether you should use the 308 for cape buffalo.
The Moose weight in south and mid Sweden is not by any means in range of what the people in North are claiming. You can always check the arcives at jagarforbundet to find out.
I doubt that many of the Big Swedish moose are really the size of the North American species in average weight.
I have never owned a 6,5X55 and will never do soo, NEVER. Think about the animals. Even 270 WIN would be a better choice.
Ottodude has the right idea use enough gun for the game.
My father shot 15-20 moose (in Quebec) with a 270 (because that was all what he could afford) but he was a good shot. Even so had to go looking for the animal sometimes. He later acquired a 300WM and never looked back. I shot a moose (3 shots in the lung) at 100 yds with a 30-06 but was not impressed with the results. I intend to gun up to 9.3X62. I have yet to loose an animal hunting and do not intend to start now.
I assume Jagermeister that if you shoot at a moose and do not recover it, you cease hunting for the season.
If you want to prove the point that you can shoot large game with a smal caliber, you should make it sporting and start with large dangerous game (grizzly or lion).
Posts: 562 | Location: Northern Wisconsin, USA | Registered: 22 May 2002
Come up(?) some time; you won't believe the game here!
And when you call one in and you are the object of his affection, it's really BIG! 
