I often say that I'm just one rifle away from being satisfied. That's remains the case. However, I did find something to scratch a certain itch.
I recently parted company with a certain Remington 700 VSSF II in 264 win mag. This left me with an uneven number of 6.5's. So this little number caught my eye and the price tickled my fancy.
I just couldn't help myself and seeing as I had not bought a rifle this year, well...........





Didn't have a 2.5 x 8 or a 3 x 9 on hand. Had this 3.5 x 10 Leupold laying around collecting dust. Since the rifle came with high rings I thought I'd give it a try.

GWB

Great, now you made me itch. I've come close on that very rifle several times.

Nice rifle, I'm rather fond of my Mark X Manlicher in .270 win, though the 20" barrel is a little loud in a .270.

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:
I just couldn't help myself and seeing as I had not bought a rifle this year, well...........

GWB

Good on ya!!!

I've always been smitten by the look of that stock. I was in my favorite gunshop today and they had a CZ 22 rimfire sitting in the rack with that stock on it (albeit smaller version).

I wouldn't let them take it off the rack and hand it to me.

Whew, that was a close one!

SS,

I can feel your pain! I have a problem with rifles following me home also. Dogs and rifles. Well I guess its cheaper than women.

I do the same as you. Unless a rifle really calls to me, I try not to fondle it, cause when it comes to rifles, I'm kinda like a drunk in a bar at closin' time and there are a couple of coyote uglies present. There's very few I can't find something appealin' about 'em.
GWB

Nice acquisition there, Geedubya.

I have a particular fondness for the 6.5 bore diameter, and the 6.5x55 is one of the sweetest cartridges ever developed. You are going to enjoy it.

Here's hoping you get to break it in very soon...

That rifle has nice looking walnut. I have read mixed reports on that Euro style stock, but I really like it, whether the FS or the one with the shorter forearm - just as much as I like the American style.

I'm just getting familiar with the 6.5x55. I have a CZ 550 6.5x55 in the American classic style stock that I haven't been able yet to enjoy because it isn't accurate. I'm speculating, but I'm relatively sure it just needs bedding properly, but there have just been too many projects ahead of it. I'm sure I'll have it done before spring. I have a 8x57 custom barrel on a CZ 550 that was finished out by AHR, and it's very accurate and very satisfying and easy to handload for. So I'll probably just send the 6.5x55 to let them finish it too.

I have a pretty Husqvarna small ring commercial rifle that Mike McCabe tweeked for me, and I'm working with it now. Finally got some Norma brass, which fits the extractor. Winchester brass wouldn't eject properly, and the Norma stuff works perfectly. I suspect Lapua brass would be just right too. I'm now developing some handloads with the Norma 156 gr Oryx, which should be just right for the fast twist. I also think the Lapua mega 155 gr bullet would be great, but I just wanted to use Swedish brass and bullets.

I'm looking forward to shooting the CZ too, and I believe it has the CIP chamber, throat and fast twist rate too.

I'm kinda thinking that the 6.5x55 will become a favorite, especially for deer and hogs. It's surely pleasant to shoot.

KB

Bobby,
pardon the pun, but I'm gonna give it a "shot". In fact I'll shoot it a number of times and take it on at least one hunt. That will determine whether its a keeper or not.


KB,
I'm loading up some 130 gr. accubonds over some RL-19 tonite. Gonna go to the range tomorrow to do a little testing. If all works out, I'll take it with me this weekend, as I may have the opportunity to splat as many as three whitetail doe.
GWB

That's a beauty. I have a butt-ugly Tikka T3 Hunter 6.5x55 with wood as plain as the birch you'd see on a 10/22. But it is an eager beaver when it comes to doing 5 shots into .75 moa or better.
It's my first 6.5x55 and I too am smitten with the cartridge.

Nomo4me,

I'm older than dirt, have had several toddies tonite, and have been married to the same woman for 31 years. I still want more wine, women and song. Perhaps you can explain your handle to this "expert" (definition: an "ex" is a has been and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure.
GWB

It's a Utah thing.

That don't 'splain it, but I'll take your word for it.
GWB

Those 130 grain ABs should be the cat's meow for the game you pursue.

Although I am only running it a little over 2600 fps in a 26" 6.5x30-30 AI, my longest shot on a hog (292 yards) has been with this load, and even at the reduced velocity of this range, it performed perfectly, completely penetrating the chest of the 175-180 pound hog and putting him down in short order.

I have not stopped one in a hog yet that I can recall. And if they do move after the shot, a generous blood trail is what I have experienced.

Here is a blood trail from a hog I shot last Spring. I took him from about 160 yards using the aforementioned AB loading. The bullet took off the top of the heart and wrecked a good portion of the lungs before exiting.

At the shot, the hog whirled, ran maybe 5 yards and stopped, walked another 5-6 steps and then collapsed. The picture of the blood is from where I believe the hog hesitated. As you can tell from the scene, his immediate travel plans were going to have to be rather abrupt.

By the way, I always enjoy seeing the props you choose for your gun photos. Very nice...

Bobby,
I always take it as a high compliment when a professional makes a note of my feeble attempts at creativity.

I'm loading some 6.5 x 55's tonite. Starting with 130 Nosler A/b's and 45.5 gr RL-19, incrementing by .5 gr. up through 47.5 gr. Will go to the range in the AM if its not to windy.
See if I can't find a load that will work at 100 yds.
I'm going with the Texas Predator Posse to do a doe splat in Menard this weekend. Hope to take at least three. Let me know if you need some venison.
GWB

Geedubya ; I take it from " this year " you mean 2010 .

Eye candy, indeed.

Congrats!

I've got the opportunity to go "splat" some white-tail does this weekend. Leaving early Friday AM, so this afternoon was the best opportunity to get this rifle on paper.

Loaded up some 6.5 x 55 rounds last nite. Measured the max OAL using stoney point guage at 3.010 OAL. Nosler Manaul shows most accurate load at 45.5 gr. RL-19. Started there and went to 47.5 gr (book max). Loaded .030 off lands (2.980" OAL).

Well, the range I go to requires one to stop shooting at 5:00 PM this month. Got there at 4:10 pm. Got my chrono and targets ready to set out at the next cease fire. Darn it all. I forgot to bring the ammo I loaded last nite. Called my youngest and he got my loads to me about 4:40 Shot three shots for zero at 25 yds between 4:40 and 4:50. Shot these rounds to zero and three groups between 4:50 and 5 pm. Distance 100 yds. Wind 5 to 10 mph.

Shots 1-3 to get on paper at 25 yds.


Shots 4 & 5 to zero at 100 after getting on paper.


shots 6,7 & 8, 46 gr. Rl-19,130 gr. nosler Accu-bond, 2.980" OAL, 210 primer


shots 9,10 & 11, 46.5 gr. Rl-19,130 gr. nosler Accu-bond, 2.980" OAL, 210 primer


shots 12,13 & 14, 47 gr. Rl-19,130 gr. nosler Accu-bond, 2.980" OAL, 210 primer
By this time the barrel was getting pretty hot as I had shot 12 rounds in about 10 minutes.
That might account for the stringing.

Not to shabby for a first foray. Oughta' be able to splat a doe at 100 yds.
GWB

GWB,

I have that same rifle but with a 1.5-5 Leupold VariX-III in Warne medium quick-releases. My rifle is fed 140gr Hornady SPs over 46.5gr RE-22, Lapua Brass, & Fed 210s.

My favorite little woods carbine. The 140s slam deer hard.

(NICE) looks good to me and a great cal. to I really like the 6.5X55, mine seem's to like the 129 Hornady SP, with 49.0gr of RL#22, and the fed 210. good luck with your new friend.
6.5 SWEDE.

Hopefully GWB will be generous and give us a full report, with pictures, of the results of his weekend "splatting" deer and perhaps hogs with his new CZ in 6.5x55.

My box of Norma 155 gr bullets came in, and they look real good. The 140gr Hornady SST bullets are actually a little longer. My plan is to seat the heavy Norma bullets way out there - close to the lands. So, last night I set up the dies, and loaded a dummy round, and kept trying it in the chamber to see just how far out maximum is. It's way out there. That CIP chamber on the Husqvarna 1640 has a really long throat.

As it turns out, the heavy Norma bullet, seated with the base of the bullet just about even with the junction of the neck and shoulder of the brass is just about right to come slightly shy of the lands. That's very close to the way I predicted it, and what I had hoped for as it allows me to have whatever slow powder I use, up to the neck without compression.

It's kinda funny - I'm using Redding dies, and I actually had to back the seating die off the shell holder several turns to allow me to seat the long bullet that far out because there aren't enough threads on the seater plug to allow me to back it off enough.

I'm telling ya'll about this because I'm new to loading for the 6.5x55, although I've got experience with other cartridges, and because I find loading for the 6.5x55 interesting. If you see that I'm making a mistake, please let me know. I'm planning on testing and hopefully setteling on a load with the bullets seated out as described above. Right now I don't have powder that is slow enough for this cartridge, from what I'm seeing in the manuals, so as soon as the store opens, I'm going to buy a pound of something - probably RL22, which is the slowest on the local shelf, and load some up and go to the range.

KB

Kabluewy, don't forget to try IMR 4831 IMR 4350 H-4350 H-4831 RL#19 you may also find somthing there, good luck and keep us posted on how things work out.
6.5 SWEDE.

Well, I loaded 9 rounds, 3 each working up 1 gr at a time to the max per book. Evidently they were all mild loads. They all shot about the same accuracy, which was about 2 1/2" at 100 yards. Nothing to brag about, or to say that I have found the right load. I was surprised that the powder didn't fill the case more with the book max load, but there was still some room. I'll keep working with it. At least the rifle is shooting pretty good, and I'm relatively sure I can get it to shoot better. I've got the time, especially spring and summer. Today it was nippy at about 28 F. Tomorrow is supposed to be colder, but sunny.

KB

Long troats and heavy 6,5-bullets: here in Scandinavia the Norma MRP (very similar to RL-22) and the MRP-2 (very similar to RL-25) is very popular. The MRP-2 fills the cases completely, high velocity at relatively low pressure.

It's not a small bore but I thought a post about the gun itself was justified. I have the CZ550FS in 9.3 X 62; Warne QD's, Trijicon 3 X 9 post and get ligit 3/4" groups at 100yds with this one. Fantasic wood, the action is super slick, handles, carries and shoots like no other I have owned. I would definitely consider another in a different calibur, so thanks for your post.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member