Im thinking of a new rifle and im pondering "calibre" first "cartridge" second.

Which calibre/cartrdges of the three floats your boat and more importantly why ?

Englander

what is the rifle for?
woofer

I have little use for the 6mm. .25 bore has useful array of bullets for hunting, prairie dogs to maybe elk if you're really sure of your shot. I'd pick the 6.5mm for long range work. JMO

6.5. Why? 'cause I ain't got one. But that should change shortly as I have a rifle at the shop now being barrelled to a .260. I have read too much good stuff by folks whose opinion I admire not to think it will be a dandy piece.

IMHO, the 6mms are best as varmint rounds. I think of the quarter bores as the smallest big game calibers, again, JMO.

I like the 257 Roberts with 115-120 gr bullets, I like the 6.5x55 or 6.5x57 with 129 and 140 gr bullets; the former up through mule deer and the latter up through small elk (maybe). Anything larger and I prefer AT LEAST a 7x57 or 280 with 160-175 gr bullets. In stark contrast to my earlier hunting practices, I absolutely will not shoot farther than 325-350 yds, and then only if conditions and the shot presented are extremely good and there is no possible way I can get closer.

For smaller game like medium whitetail and pronghorn at ranges out to 250 yds (maybe 300 yds if things are just right), I'd take my 250-3000 with a 115 gr ballistic tip at 2800 fps or so.

For closer range work, like woods whitetails and black bear, I've used 6.5s with standard 140s (like the Sierra or even the remington core-lokt) at 2550 fps or so. If the black bears are big in the area, I usually take my 8x57 instead.

I think the 6mms are great varmint carts. & target rounds out to 400yds or so. The 25s are where the big game rounds start & the 6.5s are basically 1/4 bores w/ a good availability of match bullets for long range target work. If I were looking for a target/varmint round, I would go w/ a 6.5. If I wanted a walking arouns deer/antelope & sometime varmint round, then I would go 25. A 6.5 would also make a really nice mountain rifle for sheep, Tahr, etc.

ive got a 6.55x55 arch improved its a sweet little case. i also got a 257 bob imp that looks really good. i really like the sharp shoulders on them it makes them look fast. i think the payoff is good if you dont mind fire forming.

Historically, the biggest problem using a 6mm cartridge was use of a varmint bullet to try and take deer, etc. Another serious consideration is the fact that bullets today are light years better than the past. My 240 wby mag has taken two wild boars this year with 100 grain Nosler partitions. I used to also cuss the 6mm's until I got one and started shooting it. Nothing wrong with a 6mm in my book for deer on down.

Greetings Englander:

Boy, what a wide-open question! I personally like the .243 Winchester as an all-around hunting/varminting cartridge. A whitetail deer hit with an 87 to 100-gr. bullet from a .243 goes down like lightning had struck. One of the main reasons I like the .243 is that, on this side of the pond, just about every place that sells any type of ammo has .243 in stock. Secondly, the light recoil and reasonable price of ammo mean you can shoot this caliber until you are comfortable with it and can put the bullet into a "fatal" place when you shoot.

Merry Christmas ... and good luck with your choice ...

I personally prefer the 6.5x55, but I'm biased. I have one in a Remington Classic and 3 Swede M96's.
I use mine for moose in Canada and they do the job nicely. The bullet does not have such velocity
that it passes on through the animal. The 160gr bullet does all its work in the boiler room which is what
I prefer. The bullet range of this caliber is 85 to 160grs. That's a pretty broad range, and the caliber
is inherently accurate. The bullets have about the best bullet co-efficient going. You get a lot to like
with this one. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

another vote for the swede.

Seafire, some of the local poachers and writers of Aagard's ilk.
The reason I went with the .260 instead of the 6.5x55 is I bought a 788 in .243 that I intended to rebarrel into one or the other. I decided that the swede might be cutting it close on magazine space and since the .260 is nothing more than a large .243 -or a small .308- the conversion would be very stright forward.
Remember, if I shake your bush, you get to shake mine. And no hard feelings after the smoke clears. Merry Christmas

When in doubt ALWAYS go with 6.5mm.
.264 bullets from 85 grain HPs to 160 RN (will penetrate through a truck and beyond ).
What more could one want?

The only 6mm I have found to fit me is the 6x45 (6mm/223) and its a neat varmint rifle and kills deer well enough in open country (6/s don't leave good blood trails)

I have always been a great fan of the neat little 250-3000, I think its one of the all time great rounds.

I also have to add my vote for the 6.5mm. Just too many great bullets not to love it. I have a couple of 6.5x55s but have recently fallen in love with a 6.5x225 winchester improved 40 degrees (aka. 6.5JDJ). Its just a cute little cartridge and slings 120gr. bullets at 2800 fps out of my 21" barrel.

Englander



Get a 6,5, it will work for roe's, fallows, red's and everything that you might encounter in your country. The 6,5X55 is a good allround choice, if you want to reach out over the moorlands, then the 6,5-284 Norma or 6,5-270 would be suitable. What kind of rifle are you thinking about? bolt action or a break top rifle?



Say, isn't it to strech your luck, haveing the name Englander and be located in Scotland? English are not alwyas very popular in Scotland



Cheers

/ JOHAN

I've owned two 6MM Remingtons and currently own one .243. As has been stated they are great little rounds and will take whitetail deer like crazy. I currently own four 6.5X55's and two 7X57's. I'm building a .280. I would choose the 6.5 in either 6.5X55, 6.5X55 improved, or 6.5-06. Bullet ranges from 85 grains up to 160 grain. Very accurate and well balanced bullet. The 6.5 takes game like no other bullet I've ever shot. A close second in my book is the 7MM family of cartridges. The 7MM Mauser has taken game all over the world and is still taking game today. In a large ring high pressure action it doesn't leave anything to be desired.

I thought I had a response, but on second thought, I would base my choice on the "type" of rifle you're looking for.
For example: -heavy varminter: 6m/m Remington, or 6.5X55
-sporter: 6.5X55, .25-06, .257, 6m/m, .243
-light sporter: .243
As much as I like the 6m/m Remington, it isn't alyays readily available in the guns I like. In the last decade I have become a big 6.5 fan, but believe this is where a true hunting calibre begins. Big chunks of lead at moderate velocities tend to ricochet; not a good thing for a varminter. The 25s have always been a favorite of mine, but like the 6s, most are only available in a sporter package. I can't make up my mind, but rest assured, I would choose either the 6m/m Remington, or the .257 Roberts.

These are my choices for varminting, but for an all-rounder, you can't beat the 6.5X55 Swedish, unless you get the venerable '06.

Another vote for 6.5mm. Not only will it be adequate for all UK deer species, but in many areas it's now the largest calibre the police permit to be used for foxing / vermin control. There is a fine selection of bullets available, and Lapua produce some VERY reasonably priced products.

As for chambering, the Swede has to be the way to go.

Patrick

Hello. First post on AR.

I seem to recall other posts on possibly other forums wherein an "Englander" takes to task all North Americans for our foolish avoidance of all things 6.5 mm. Could that be you?

Jaywalker

Jaywalker~ Glad to see you yanks are at last admitting your "Foolish avoidance" of 6.5mm

Patrick~ My friendly constabulary allow my .308 for Mr Fox

Im a short action fan so 6.5x55 out if i could get a .260 Rem i would be a happy puppy but Rem model 7 is just silly money and Rugers i just dont like. A .25 Souper would float my boat but then we are talking big bucks over here for custom work.

I traded my .243 in for a .308 and its hard to find fault hand loading its so versatile. Reckon i will be sticking with it as i keep find no good reasons to change.

Englander

Englander:

Quote:

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Im a short action fan so 6.5x55 out

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Normally, I would agree, but I'm also in the search for a 6.5 and discovered an interesting possibility. Since some "short actions" are longer than others, and some "long cartridges" are shorter than others, there might be a case in which a 6.5X55, which is relatively short (only 4mm longer than a .308-based case) might cheerfully co-exist. I don't know this to be true, but I suspect the Winchester M70 Featherweight could conceivably fall in this category. At least the published weights of the various caliber Featherweights show the 6.5X55 as weighing the same as the .308-class cartridges. Alas, the otherwise-excellent Sako is definitely longer and heavier in 6.5X55.



However, I have been very impressed with the quality of a newly-purchased Winchester M70 Classic LT, and might try a Featherweight Swede.



Jaywalker

I just called Winchester customer service and spoke to "Teri," who checked and called me back regarding the length of the action. She verifies that the 6.5X55 is indeed housed in the "short" M70 action.

The 6.5's have a very accurate reputation. In Europe, I suspect it has a lot to do with the recognition that it's a fine caliber. In North America, I suspect the reason is a little more complicated.

Most or all of the North American factories use hammer-forging for barrel manufacturing, in which a mandrell is inserted into the barrel blank and then "hammered" into barrel form. Care and replacement of the mandrell is vitally important, and since NorthAm factories don't make many 6.5mm barrels, the mandrell retains its condition longer. Thus, even the NorthAm factories produce excellent 6.5 barrels. IMO only.

The newer .260 Remington would also fall into this class of good quality barrels, but I think I'd avoid two of the three main NorthAm makers, Kimber and Remington, for persistent recent rumours of quality control issues. Ruger should be okay, though.

I think I'll go with the Winchester M70 Featherweight - short action 6.5X55.

Jaywalker