Is the 6.5x55 as good as its touted to be ?
I have used the calibre for years, and even so,
I feel its calibre is small and its power is just adequate for medium sized game such as deer.
I have fired 120, 131, 140 and 160 grain bullets and yet I seem to have to track a few animals every year through very thick woodland to locate the carcase eventhough bullets were placed accurately in the shoulder or just behind the shoulder.
Come on, tell us what your views and experiences are, its great to hear about successes but let us hear about the failures and short-comings of this calibre as well.

Joe

While my experience with the 6.5 X 55 is only on deer sized animals.....I've killed two bucks to date....I can attest that it's an excellent choice for that size target.....

try loading a 129 grn hornady at 2700-2800 fps. so far, for me, it's worked about like a bolt of lightning(approx 10 whitetail deer)

There must be something to it....the 6.5x55 has almost a cult following.

I've shot exactly one deer with a 6.5x55 with a 155 Lapua Mega. He went about 20 yards and died. I can't really speak about it's failure but it's probably no better or worse than other calibers in it's class.

Behind the shoulder heart/lung shots are going to prpoduce more tracking jobs than a dead on shoulder shot or a neck shot or a spine shot, no matter the caliber.

Are you recovering the deer you shoot or are you losing them?

Are the deer dead when you find them? If so, they did just exactly what they were designed to do.

If you are expecting DRT rsults, then you need to concentrate on neck/head/high shoulder spine shots.

the same load as above also worked pretty good for my son this last season. this is one of those "failures" ....he went about 80 feet with the top part of his heart shot completely off.

quote:

Originally posted by budiceale:
the same load as above also worked pretty good for my son this last season. this is one of those "failures" ....he went about 80 feet with the top part of his heart shot completely off.

-all the antelope and deer I've shot were with a 7x57, close enough to qualify. All were shot as you state above, none ran more than 60-70 yards before they went down. I'd say they went as far as their last breath would take them.

The Scandinavians routinely hunt moose with the six and a half , also.

A mediocre bullet in any caliber is still a mediocre bullet... good bullets selected properly for the caliber, velocity and range are what any animal deserves.

quote:

Posted 21 May 2011 23:44
Is the 6.5x55 as good as its touted to be ?
I have used the calibre for years, and even so,
I feel its calibre is small and its power is just adequate for medium sized game such as deer.

Don't tell that to all the guys using a .243 or .257 Roberts. The 6.5 tops both of them in my opinion and I use a .257 for deer. Only killed one deer with a 6.5 actually a .260 Remington. 100 yards or so with a 129 grain Hornaday right behind the shoulder. DRT. No complains from me.

I've shot and killed a fair number of mule deer with 6mm ,25 & 6.5 rifles with good results. The 6.5mm x 55mm is close to the top of those I've used as totally adequate. The largest was a 300# 6 point(western count) with a 6.5 Carcano. Althouth not my first choice for larger game ,if necessary I'd use the 6.5mmx55mm on elk and be confident in it's performance. roger

Mackey wrote: “I feel its calibre is small and its power is just adequate for medium sized game such as deer.”

Your impression of the cartridge is entirely wrong. Just because an animal ran doesn’t mean the caliber choice was not appropriate. I’ve seen coyotes run after a hit with a .300 Win Mag, but does that mean the round is too small for the task? I think not.

I’ve taken dozens upon dozens of hogs with the 6.5x55, and the past few years, I’ve been using a 26” 6.5 Bullberry IMP, which is 250 fps behind the Swede. And yet it kills as good as any cartridge out there. I’ve also enjoyed success with others such as the 6.5 TCU, the 6.5x.308 (before the days of the .260), the .260, 6.5x50-R Bellm, 6.5 JDJ and 6.5-06.

Of course, I match the bullet to the game and the velocity window I am operating at, something I feel is critical to success with any cartridge. But the bottom lines is that the 6.5s work wonderfully for medium game. Here are just a couple of reasons I like them:

Thanks for the photos. Can't argue with your success. Proof right there in the meat!

I read all your comments about the 6.5x55
and as I said earlier ''we have all heard about its successes''. But I wanted to hear about the other side of the story.
I shoot 30 to 40 deer per year and have used the 6.5x55 extensively for the last 20 years along with larger calibres but I have experienced losses and a number of long tracking jobs on occasions when using this calibre. Sure its just about ok for shots at game if range is limited to 150 yards or so, but after that its not totally reliable.

Joe

mackey wrote:

quote:

Sure its just about ok for shots at game if range is limited to 150 yards or so, but after that its not totally reliable.

Joe-Most of us here beg to differ and have the freezer meat to prove it.

May I ask about the specific bullets you are using? Something is amiss here, and it's not the 6.5x55.

quote:

Originally posted by mackey:
I read all your comments about the 6.5x55
and as I said earlier ''we have all heard about its successes''. But I wanted to hear about the other side of the story.
I shoot 30 to 40 deer per year and have used the 6.5x55 extensively for the last 20 years along with larger calibres but I have experienced losses and a number of long tracking jobs on occasions when using this calibre. Sure its just about ok for shots at game if range is limited to 150 yards or so, but after that its not totally reliable.

Joe

Sounds more like you're not hitting them in the right place.
\
Hell, if the various 6MMs and .257s will do it the 6.5s will do it better.

quote:

Originally posted by mackey:
I read all your comments about the 6.5x55
and as I said earlier ''we have all heard about its successes''. But I wanted to hear about the other side of the story.
I shoot 30 to 40 deer per year and have used the 6.5x55 extensively for the last 20 years along with larger calibres but I have experienced losses and a number of long tracking jobs on occasions when using this calibre. Sure its just about ok for shots at game if range is limited to 150 yards or so, but after that its not totally reliable.

Joe

Sounds to me like you are using to tough of a bullet for the longer shots where velocity may be down below the bullets designed intention.

I have had a few problems with the 6.5x55 when useing cheap bullets. Core and jacket separation is not a good thing ever but its worse with a smaller caliber.
Nosler ballistic tips are the bullets that gave me the most problems. It may have been a bad lot but I've switched to Sierra.
Its funny because the Noslers are not cheap, at least not to me.

Cheers, John

I've shot a lot of mule deer and pronghorn antelope with it. Every one I've hit has either gone straight down or went all wobble legged and tipped over after just a few yards. I've never found the cartridge lacking in either power or performance.

I shoot factory Seller & Belliot ammo with the 131 gr bullet. In my rifle it is very accurate and I laid in a bunch of it at less that 9 bucks a box. I doubt I can handload anything that groups better and they seem to work. Can't beat them at that price.

Don't think I'd shoot an elk with that factory load, but I wouldn't be afraid to go after elk with a bullet like a Nosler or Barnes in the 6.5x55.

quote:

I read all your comments about the 6.5x55
and as I said earlier ''we have all heard about its successes''. But I wanted to hear about the other side of the story.
I shoot 30 to 40 deer per year and have used the 6.5x55 extensively for the last 20 years along with larger calibres but I have experienced losses and a number of long tracking jobs on occasions when using this calibre. Sure its just about ok for shots at game if range is limited to 150 yards or so, but after that its not totally reliable.

Just what I thought.

I have killed enough deer/antelope with 22 centerfires to know that the above statement is due to the nut pulling the trigger not being adjusted correctly.

I call'em like I see'em.

I have lost exactly two deer in 30 plus years of hunting. First with a 243, second with a 270. The common factor that both shared is poor bullet placement.

I have been in on maybe a half dozen difficult tracking jobs, and follow ups required. Once again, the common denominator has been poor bullet placement.

If you are hunting very dense habitat, then maybe you should use a bigger diameter cartridge. Simple physics, bigger holes lead to better blood trails, but they do not make up for poor shot placement. As far as dying quicker, in theory it should work. But I have had to track a couple deer shot with 338's much further thatn I thought I should have. Both were textbook double lung shots.

Post removed because it is deemed factually not true !

I tend to think if there's a problem it's to stout a bullet. I love 6.5 cartridges and have never used a premium bullet yet on game up to and including caribou. A simple 120 grn corlok bullet will do the job without fail.
Alf,
do you like the cock on open conversion kit? Was it as much a pain in the arse to install as some claim?

Post removed because it's not true !

My doubts about the true usefulness of this calibre has come from experience, its not about
''yanking the trigger and pulling shots etc''
but rather stating what I have observed over years of using this cartridge. If you only shoot a few animals per year with the 6.5x55
and all goes well, then the impression given would certainly be that the cartridge is fine.
However, if you use the cartridge more than casually then its limitations soon become apparent. For small animals and fairly short ranges its fine, but it will not perform so well at extended ranges when the game is big and tough.
All you 6.5x55 fans out there; face up to the facts and admit its lack of prowess. The same goes for the 6mm and .257 merchants as well !

quote:

For small animals and fairly short ranges its fine, but it will not perform so well at extended ranges when the game is big and tough

The original post you made was about deer at 150 yds or so. Hardly long range, hardly big and tough. Combined experiance adds up to many many animals from folks who posted.
I'm thinking troll post now myself!

In Sweden it has always been common for game up to moose. I've also got a Mannlicher Schoenauer in 6.5x54MS and it has to be noted that W.D.M. Bell used it quite effectively on elephant.

Not trying to grind an axe, but the Swede has been taking big game for a lot of years in a lot of different places. Somehow I don't think all that collective knowledge and experience is suddenly discounted just because you say it is.

Now, you havent said exactly what game it is you find it lacking for. You originally talked about deer and now are talking about bigger game. So, just exactly what game are we talking about here? I've shot 25 elk myself and have seen well over 100 elk killed and I would not hesitate to go after an elk with my Swede if I had Noslers or Barnes.

Now boys and girls, don't get hot under the collar just because I voiced my opinions on the effectiveness of one of your pet calibres the 6.5x55.

Certainly WDM Bell writes about using a 6.5 for his elephant shooting, but he also found fault with it for this purpose also, stating that the bullets were inclined to bend.

Flags I am wondering did you kill the 25 elk in one season, or was it one per year for the past twentyfive years. If it was the former then you did very well and are to be congratulated, if otherwise then one experience per year won't
tell us much.

Joe

I'm not going to say that the 6.5x55 is the greatest and most powerful cartridge of all time. Although it is Extreemly Flexible in what it can be used for.
In my use, I have a matched pair of CZ550's one is 6.5x55 the other is 9.3x62. If the game is on the big side, I just grab big sister.

Cheers, John

quote:

Originally posted by mackey:
Now boys and girls, don't get hot under the collar just because I voiced my opinions on the effectiveness of one of your pet calibres the 6.5x55.

With this comment you just proved that you intended this post to be something other that what you said. See, nobody has gotten "hot under the collar", they have just stated their experience doesn't mirror yours.

By making the statement about it being someone's "pet caliber" you lose all credibility. Very few have said it is their pet caliber. But many of us have used it effectively. Remember your original post asked for people's bad experiences. Most of us don't have any. The Swede has done what we asked without problems.

I've used the Swede, but have also owned and used the 7mm Rem Mag, 350 Rem Mag, 9.3x62 Mauser, 375 H&H Mag, 6.5x54MS and 450 Marlin. I have borrowed and used the 243 Win, 270 Win, 300 Win, 416 Rigby and 450 Rigby. I've never been able to fault any caliber when an animal didn't die quickly. It was always my fault for placing the bullet poorly.

Certainly WDM Bell writes about using a 6.5 for his elephant shooting, but he also found fault with it for this purpose also, stating that the bullets were inclined to bend.

No arguement there. But you also have to be honest and note that the quality of the bullets in Bell's day were not as good as what we have today. And, you can not deny that Bell successfully used the 6.5 on the biggest game available. So, unless you've been shooting whales, Bell's accomplishment proves it can be used on any of the really big game that you could ever hope to shoot. Remember, you asked about using the 6.5 on big game without defining exactly what you're talking about.

Flags I am wondering did you kill the 25 elk in one season, or was it one per year for the past twentyfive years. If it was the former then you did very well and are to be congratulated, if otherwise then one experience per year won't
tell us much.

Here's where you really show your ignorance if you think elk is all I hunt on a yearly basis. There is no place in America that you will legally take 25 elk in one season. But, as I stated, I've seen well over 100 elk killed. And it must be noted that the average North American Elk is considerably larger that the Red Deer you have in Ireland. So, you can't compare the two on equal footing.

But, if 25 elk aren't enough experience for you, I've also personally taken 57 Whitetail Deer, 41 Mule Deer, 22 Pronghorn Antelope, 5 Black Bear, 5 Bison, 30+ wild hogs, 2 Bighorn Sheep, and a Mountain Goat. Plus, I've shot and killed 3 men in combat. Not all these were 1 shot kills, but when they weren't, it was never the fault of the caliber. It was always poor bullet placement.

So,I'd say my level of experience is probably pretty close to yours and very well may exceed it since I haven't even mentioned hunting other countries beside America. And when I've used the Swede, it has done exactly what it was supposed to. Bad experiences are usually the fault of the shooter and not the gun if an adequate caliber for the game is used in the first place. And the Swede has been proven adequate for many decades in many countries, for many different species of game

Joe

You see Joe, here's the issue. You have yet to post a specific instance in which the Swede failed. You've talked in generalities, but have not given on specific. That makes me suspect because in my experience, hunters will talk about specific failures and not speak in circles.

All the people that have responded have noted the Swede has been effective for them. And when nobody has aligned themselves with your statement, you have sort of gone pouty. If you don't like the Swede, don't use it. I find it kind of strange if you've been having problems with the Swede for years, as you have stated, that you haven't changed to something else and put the Swede away for good. It must not be too bad if you've kept using it. Seems like you're trying to go out of your way to try and discredit those that do like it.

I'm of the opinion this post is an example of someone trolling just to generate responses to which you can take exception.

quote:

. If it was the former then you did very well and are to be congratulated, if otherwise then one experience per year won't
tell us much.

More bullshit.
I have the good luck to be able to help cull shoot when I go to namibia, so have racked up some fair numbers at one time. I dont count kills, never have for anything, but... If I shot 25 of one critter in one trip or 25 in 25 trips, the results are the same. Or do you think the rifle shoots harder once the barrel is warmed up??

quote:

Now boys and girls, don't get hot under the collar just because I voiced my opinions on the effectiveness of one of your pet calibres the 6.5x55.

Not hot under the collar at all, just know a bunch of when I see it.

Well done Flags, I enjoyed your Red post immensely, I had a good laugh and belly-ache.

But seriously though, its not wise to become so animated by such a trivial discussion as the weaknesses of the 6.5x55.

When you mentioned the 25 elk in the previous post I thought you had shot them all with the 6.5x55.

The rap about the killing of fellow human beings, is something I cannot boast.

Joe

Who's becoming animated? I posted in red so I could plainly address your comments in order. Spend a little time on the forums and you'll see that is a common practice when addressing specific quotes. It seems pretty obvious that most of the people that have responded to you post simple do not agree with you.

I personally have not seen any weakness with the 6.5x55. From the various responses, neither has anyone else. So, from what you're saying, we should all discount our personal experiences in the field with this cartridge and just accept your viewpoint carte blanche?

And why would we do that? Sorry Joey, but I don't buy your line of bullshit and refuse to accept your premise that your experiences will automatically invalidate mine or those of anyone else.

I still notice your lack of specific examples. I take that as an indication that you have much less experience than you claim. And, you haven't yet answered this question: If you found the Swede lacking over a period of years, why have you continued to use it?

The fact that you continue to use it seems to negate your claim.

Flags, your taking this discussion too personally.

I made no reference to your ability or experience in using a rifle, its the cartridge
I am writing about.

From what you have posted I am sure you are both
an accommplished rifleman and an honourable hunter from the amount and variety of game you have taken. Certainly far more than I have but with the various calibres that you mentioned.

I have taken a great many deer with the 6.5
but on occasions even when all went right the
carcase was not recovered until the following day after searching, or not at all. Animals
that were located showed that shots were perfect into the shoulder or just barely behind the shoulder.

If you used the 6.5 exclusively then sooner or later some anomaly in its performance would show
up.

Much of the reason for not receiving support from my point of view is down to human nature
which can particularly be applied to hunters;
namely people do not like to openly discuss
their failures, especially the topic of lost and wounded game.

So come on, all you guys out there, can you all
honestly say that you have never experienced problems when using the 6.5x55 ?

Best of luck to you Flags.

Joe

Well, honestly, in 20 years of hunting with it, I can say I did find one issue with it. When you use a 120 BT in it, the innerds tend to turn to mush and the cleaning is a pain in the butt. I don't remember a single failure in more than 20 deer with it. As far as tracking, it is better then my 30-06.

I think that, in general, the 6.5x55 is as good a cartridge as any for medium game and as with most hunting situations the proper placement of a properly constructed bullet, for the intended purpose, has more influence on the success of the hunter than does the firearm or cartridge used.

I've shot a bunch of critters with the 6.5x55, from 'chuck in VT to Eland in Botswana, and have had good success. In general, I have had to follow wounded game when the bullet placement was suboptimal or the bullet construction was too stout and the bullet didn't expand much or dump enough of its energy on its way through. Deer aren't particularly tough or hard to kill, so I tend to use quick expanding bullets when I shoot them in the pleural cavity. With that thought in mind, I like the balance of speed, accuracy, and penetration offered by the 100 grain Partitions in both .257" and .264" diameters.

EDIT: www.Sportsmansguide.com recently had a good price on RWS 140 grain 6.5x55 factory ammo that should work well for any medium game application.

JEff

quote:

As far as tracking, it is better then my 30-06.

IMO the smaller calibers are superior to the larger (much more powerful) in the task of hunting for deer sized animals.....possibly because of the bullet construction of the smaller calibers.

Post removed

Alf, great post.

Mackey,
if that last post is an honest one, as you have been jumping around in your replies... it's not hard to answer.
Given the experiance you claim, you should know yourself, shit happens! A shoulder shot can cause a deflection, it's happened to me several times with calibers up through 375 H&H, bullets that work perfectly 99.9% can not expand or fishtail. Sometimes an animal just doesnt know it's dead. There are records of people surviving things that medicaly they shouldnt have, same with animals. you are blaming a cartridge, one with a proven track record, even by your own admittence, for a few losses. You are blaming a bullet mishap on a cartridge, two differant things. How far did these perfectly hit animals go, miles? or a few hundred yds and you couldnt find them? Why could you find them later but not after you shot?? If you stick to topic you started, and not wander around with your BS it's not hard to come up with likely answers.