I just ordered a new Winchester Classic FWT in 6.5x55 swe. Can anyone share information about factory loads that have worked well for them.Thanks

Dave, I have had good luck with the american made ammo. The boltface and extractor are sized for 308/30-06 cases and not for the slightly larger (and proper)cases of the Europeans. Sometimes I have had trouble with euro ammo not ejecting or feeding properly because of this. I am on my second FWT. I like the style. Have fun with it.

Great caliber. I've got a Rem Model 700 Classic in it. The most accurate factory ammo I've found so far is 131 gr Seller & Belloit. I probably mis-spelled that. It's also eally inexpensive ammo at slightly over 8 bucks a box. I've taken a couple mule deer and pronghorn antelope with them and they have all been 1 shot kills. Have fun with it. I sure do.

Mac

I've had good luck with the Federal 140 Grain Partition Load.

Blue Collar Shooter Magazine

My model 70 FWT has been a good shooter with the Nosler partitions. 140 grain with a near max load of RL-22, and 125 grain with a near max load of H4831. Both 1" or less loads, the 140 grain has most of my deer slaying (also shoot a .308), but I'll be trying the 125 grain this year. Good luck. What scope did you put on this one?

My wifes 6.5 (same gun as yours) loves the Hornady Lt mag with the 129 in it.

Neat gun-have fun

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

The 6.5 Swede works fine with long, heavy bullets. The Norma Alaska 156 grains steel jacket kills efficiently without any considerable meat destruction.

Best regards,

Fritz

Find out if the rifle is long throated as the Euro 6.5 x 55s are... I have a featherweight in 6.5 x 55 but mine was a rebarreled 30/06. I had it long throated as the magazine length is meant for 270/ 30/06 length cartridges.

You also did not state whether you are a handloader or not.

The 6.5 x 55 is a very accurate cartridge. It is harder to find a load that does not shoot accurately than it is to find that " special" one. I shoot everything from 85 grain Sierras to 160 grain Hornadys.

The only bullet my non military ones like the least are the Sierra 160s. The ogive is closer to the tip or the bullet requiring deeper seating to clear the lands. This is not a problem on my military 6.5 x 55 ( 1920 manufacture).

For velocity, 100 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips are my favorite, followed by Sierra 100 grain HP.

General hunting ( deer) I use the 120s, 125 Partition, 129 Hornady.

For the heavier stuff, I use the 140 grain Remington Corelokt. I bought a box of 500 ( for $50.00 out of Midway) and after seating them to the lower cannelure ( they have two, one for the Swede and One for the other 6.5 mms) I get fantastic accuracy for a low cost bullet. Game performance has also been exemplary.

My barrel on my featherweight is 26inches, so I get higher velocity than the 22 inch. My velocities also rival factory 264 mag loads.
( 3550 fps with 100 grain loads, 2950 with 140 grain loads).

The key reason for a 6.5 is accuracy. Second reason is terminal performance; the high sectional density of the bullet does quite a bit of damage on wherever it hits. The final is lack of recoil compared to performance and range on other cartridges. It recoils like a 243 and game performance is equal to a 270.

I have a Remington 700 Classic in this caliber as well as 3 Swedish M96's. My Remington has a 1 in 9" twist and will shoot everything below 140grs. very well. It also does well with the Sierra 160 SPSP, but that's not a spitzer. It's also my moose load, plenty powerful; does all its damage in the boiler room. Don't even look for an exit hole. There's none. The most accuate loads tend to be with Lapua Scenar bullets and VihraVouri 550 and 560 powders. The best American bullets I've used have been the Hornady 129 SP, and the Nosler Balistic Tips in 100 and 120grs. The Lapua Scenars are not however hunting bullets, but match. This is simply a super caliber. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Love the Swede. Bought a classic like Cal back in '94, later gave it to my father - he was getting sick of the pounding from his old 30-06. That '06 has been racked ever since.

I myself, have never had much luck with the Win featherweights - had one in 6.5x55 not too long ago, it had a rather long throat and just wouldn't group like I have come to expect, but that's just me. Lots of good results I here about.

One of my favorite "for-stuff-smaller-than-elk" rifles is a custom 6.5x57 (not a 6.5 Roberts) I had made up a while back - douglas featherweight barrel - a real shooter, an honest 5-shot MOA rifle with Hornady 129s. Ballistically identical to the Swede, but a little something different is fun you know...

cal

I read an article in Rifle magazine written by Al Miller and in it he states that all of the American rifles chambered in 6.5x55 have a one in 8" twist barrel. I also have a Remington classic in this caliber and it is my favorite rifle, i mounted a leupy variX lll 3.5-10 40mm. I handload now but Hornady lite-mags in 129grs are a very good factory load as is the Remington core-lokt 140gr factory load. The first 3 shots out of my swede went into 3/4" with the Rem load, not too shabby.If you want a great factory load try the Federal premiums with the 140gr Trophy bonded bear claws, definately not needed for whitetails but will kill em no problem.

I am a huge swede fan and I have to say that you would be cheating yourself if you didn't buy Norma factory ammo. I have samples of all varieties of factory ammo that I know of. Drop me a PM if you want to try something you can't find.