I've been selling a few of the new 6.5X55 Classic Featherweights in 6.5 lateley and decided to try one for myself. I pulled the stock and worked on the trigger until I had it at a crisp 3#. I ordered some Talley rings and a Leupold M8 4X scope.
The first shot was about 6" low at 25yards with the scope on zero from the factory. The windage was 1" to the right. After a few shots I was shooting at 100 yds. The Talley rings seemed to line up true with no binding of the scope.

I shot 2 factory loadings: Winchester 140gr soft points (spire point) and Norma 156gr Alaskan (round nose).

I wasn't real thrilled with the Winchester ammo but not bad. three..3 shot groups were:

Winchester 140gr:
1.38"
1.72
1.37

The Norma ammo really got my attention...two...2 shot groups:

.65"
.415

I'm looking forward to handloading for this rifle. I have one spire point bullet that a friend loaned me that is 120gr. I used it to measure for an overall length of the chamber. It measured 3.060. I can see where the lighter bullets would not be able to reach the lands. The Winchester 140gr. factories measure 2.943 and the Norma's measure 3.055.

Anyway the rifle is promising. No problem with the Norma ammo as of yet, as far as ejecting etc., and I'm looking forward to chronographing the factory loads and handloads later.

The Nosler ballistic tip in 120gr. is as long as a 140gr. Sirerra. They shoot great in my Ruger with a max. charge of RL.19.

[ 02-02-2003, 01:44: Message edited by: waxman ]

Terry,
Sounds like you have a nice rifle there. It is definitely chambered for a sweetheart of a cartridge. What with game being so much tougher these days, you wouldn't want to take that rifle up against those ferocious whitetails. Everyone who has been reading their assorted gun rag magazines knows that some sort of the latest whizbang magnum is required for the taking of deer. Seriously though, I have always thought that the Winchester featherweight was one of the most handsome rifles on the market. That swede should be "old meat in the pot". Good luck with your rifle.

WDM Bell used 6,5*54 for elefant but his favourit was 7*57,he used 22 Savage for buffalo but he thought it was dangerous.

I bought my 6.5X55 more because I liked the rifle than the cartridge - the gun just "FIT". In fact, I'd never heard of the cartridge until I bought the rifle, but since I reload I wasn't too worried. If you have the same luck as me, you'll keep that little "Swede" for a long time. Mine's a Sako L691 that really likes Barnes XLCs, both 120s and 140s on top of fairly stiff loads RL19. FWIW, my COL with these bullets is 3.055", which puts it just off the lands. That's no-no according to Barnes, but I can't argue with the way it shoots. Both loads happily churn out sub-MOA groups, though the 120s hit a couple inches higher at 100 yards. Good luck and have fun with the 6.5.