I am looking for a new calibre for my R 93, I have settled on a 6,5x55, the fill the gap for shooting small deer and goats with good trajectory. So far I have Norma brass loaded with 120 grs Nosler Ballistic tips. Anyone use this calibre in the R93 or general experience? My uncle used a sporter I built for him for many years in that calibre but never really used it on game all that much.

Thanks

Aleko

I use the caliber in a Steyr rifle and have found it to be super accurate and deadly on medium game. I think it would be a great addition to an R 93.

I've been shooting a 6.5x55 for the past decade... A Model 70 Featherweight. Dead-eye accurate. One of my favorite rifles. Best loads I ever worked up were based on the 129gr. Hornady, it seemed to shoot a little better in my gun than the lighter bullets (120gr. and 125gr.) and had a good bit of velocity on the 140gr. bullets. I'd normally keep them to 2800fps and never had any pressure signs, it was a real workhorse round, especially on the fatso Manitoban whitetails. Tried the 160gr. Hornady on a black bear once, went clean through, devastating would channel. Instant kill. You'l do well with the little 6.5x55.

Lovely caliber, low recoil, surprisingly deadly and accurate to boot. Great components available - Lapua brass etc - and easy to get the best in dies for. Factory chambers tend to be a bit long throated.

Get one, you won't be disappointed.

- mike

I've been looking at this caliber myself too, and haven't heard a bad word said yet. I haven't heard a lot of tecnical details on it.

What are the trajectory/bullet weight charectoristics of it?

FB

FB,

I have a CZ 6.5 American and I am delighted with it. I use Hornady 129 grain Interlock's. Doing around the 2800 fps mark. According to pointblank software, a kill zone of 4 inches gives a point blank range of 240 yards with the gun sighted in at 205 yards. It is a delight to shoot, low recoil, accurate and it punches above it's weight.

Hope this helps

John

Here is what led me to the 6,5x55

1. Good bullet selection 100 to 160 grs
2. Good retained velocity
3. Wonderful Accuracy
4. Heavier bullets than the .243

I also like the fact that "Match Ammo" is avalible and trainer ammo. I also have a small cache od 156 Oryx I am going to try

Aleko

For me, ideal big game rounds start at 6.5mm. I know there are a lot of .257 fans out there, I just have a preference for slightly "more". Up here, our game grows quite large compared to down south, we have huge amounts of unspoiled habitat for game to flourish, and I find that they get a lot larger than they do in more populated areas, and I prefer carrying a little more "pop" than needed. Especially because you never know when your deer hunt will include an angry 400 pound black bear! The 6.5x55 is by no means a velocity champ. It's the bullets. There are smaller bullets for the 6.5 in the 120gr. and 125gr. weights, but I think the real gems are in the 129gr. and 140gr. weights. You don't need anything special. Just push them to a reasonable velocity. They penetrate deeply. Since the velocity isn't too high, bullet failure is uncommon. Performance is consistent. The long, slender bullets retain a lot of their downrange energy due to efficient design, eliminating the need for extreme velocity. JAYB is bang on with the calculations, the 6.5 with the 129gr. bullets at 2800 fps is an easy 250 yard shooter, just aim and fire. A few inches of holdover will take you to 300 yards and the limit of most shooters abilities(including mine). What's more is the fact that 2800fps isn't even really pushing pressure levels or recoil, and the noise is manageable. It's just a delight to shoot, everyone should own one!

i also have a cz 550 in 6.5x55 and also shoot 129 grn bullets at about 2800. damn near magic on whitetail deer . i don't think you will regret adding one to your arsenal

I bought the barrel for my Blaser, it is sitting on my off road timber stock with a Zeiss rifle scope attached. Going to shoot it on Thursday !

Aleko

Hi Aleko,

hope you have lots of fun with the new barrel - I also have a 6.5x55 barrel for my R93:



Best regards,

Erik
A recent grouping - 10 shots fired very fast, so a little bit more accuracy is probably achievable:

Here is the first group I shot last night at 100 yds with the 6,5 x55 with Norma 156 grs Oryx.

Aleko

Nice groups! I almost completely forgot about the Oryx... That's a fine heavy game bullet for the 6.5, I have used it to take a moose, and I know another whose taken 2 moose and an elk with that load...

My wife has used her Blaser 6.5 twice in Africa with great results.

She has taken 2 impala, 1 blesbuck, 1 springbuck, 1 blue wildebeast. I used it, with my left handed bolt inserted, to take a nice wart hog and the Southern Impala (SCI #7). Even the wildebeast fell as hard as the smaller animals taken.

She uses the Lapua 156 gr Mega bullets. Very acurate and all have performed perfectly. The trainer ammo is a nice plus.

Great choice for the Blaser. She loves it. Her compliments to the rifle & cartridge combinaiton are minumum recoil in a light rifle (Stock has been fitted to her) and ease of operation.

Mike