Happy New Year to all of you.

Please advice..
I am looking for a new 6.5.
I have my focus on the 6.5x55 or should I go to the 6.5-284 & the 6.5-06.
I like the 6.5 caliber....
Any practical difference in performance?
How about reloading components?

M

The latter two are hotter on paper, but there is no practical difference in performance in the field. The 6.5X55 is one of the nicest and most efficient rounds to reload. Maybe you can tell it is one of my favorites!

Geronimo

Ditto to Geronimo's post. I've used the 6.5x55 for years and love them. They are easy to load for, extremely accurate and absolutely deadly on medium-sized game such as deer and hogs.

These days I'd pick the 260 Remington before any of the cartridges on your list. $0.02

I think it's interesting that a Scandinavian would need someone else's opinion on a 6,5mm. And I think you're the first European whom I've seen refer to it as a "6.5"...

Jaywalker

In Scandinavian countries, the vast majority of Moose are taken with the 6.5X55.

I'd go with the 260 or 6.5x55 because they're easier to find. If you want a short action and seat your bullets deep than go with the 260. If you want a long action or want to seat your bullets longer to get more powder capacity, then go with the Swede. If you're going to build a custom rifle or you find a reasonably priced rifle in 6.5-06 or 6.5-284 that you really like, go for it. Ballistically, they're all very similar.

I can't decide which is the better calibre the 6.5 or the 7mm. Perhaps they are equaly good. It's as much a matter of the rifle as it is the calibre.

I'd be quite happy to use a 260, a 6.5x55, a 7mm-08 or a 7x57, all four are very good for despatching deer.

To answer your question, given where you live, it's my view you would be served best by the 6.5x55.

But then, I have been wrong before, my wife tells me so.


Copula ergo sum.

VKG10

Since you live in Scandinavia, I’m not sure the exact country at the moment

I would recommend 6,5X55 or 6,5-284 Norma. 6,5X55 has the advantage of cheap, or almost free brass and ammo is easy to find.
6,5-284 Norma offers a tad more performance, in particular with heavier bullets, brass could be obtained from Norma and Lapua. 25-26 inch long barrel would be my choice.

260 rem is not common in Sweden. It will be hard to make a 139 grain bullet reach class 1 performance and most factory ammo is not up to the task. No, it's not very easy to find components.

6,5X64 Brenneke or 6,5-06 are strictly handloading calibers, brass needs to be formed and no factory ammo available. 6,5X57 and 6,5X65RWS are quite popular in Central Europe but are more or less enthusiast calibers in Sweden.

Cheers
/JOHAN

The 6.5mm question depends upon what you want! The 6.5-06 is the ultimate wildcat, IMHO, since it takes advantage of the superb .30-06 case, and the equally superb 6.5mm bullets Someone wrote a magazine article many many moons ago describing the 6.5-06 as the "thinking Man's .270", and I seem to think that person was right. I've been thru two different 6.5-06 custom rifles, and both have moved on to shooters who desired them more than I did, but the meat of the matter is that those 6.5-06s shoot better than any other competitive cartridge, in the eyes of the purchasers. What do I know? I am a 6.5x54mm - 6.5x57mm - .260 Remington freak. However, from my sojournes with the 6.5-06, I do know real majesty, and the 6.5-06 has a majesty all of its own
LLS

I own 260s,. 6.5 x 55, 6.5 x 57 and quit there...

I had an opportunity to play with 6.5 /06 and a 264 Mag.... and the 6.5 x 284.. I got pretty much the same velocity potential out of the above cases... the 6.5 x 57 being the fastest.. but that was based on the rifle I have built for it...

it has a heavy magnum barrel in 28 inch length.. on a model 70 Winchester action... and is long throated where bullets can be seated to magazine length....

another key thing to note, and not everyone realizes this.. Sierra and supposedly Lapua admit that their 6.5 match bullets are the most accurate at about 2700 to 2800 fps... so any faster speed reduces accuracy potential in most rifles...

secondly, at least stateside... since there are so many slower bore 6.5 cartridges in existance... most 6.5 bullets are designed to open up at very very low speeds in comparison to other calibers....

higher velocities will actually cause a lot of the bullets to blow up if the velocity is too darn fast.. there are exceptions, but not many....

If I was living in Scandahovia! I'd stick with something simple and with readily available cheap components...with the 6.5 x 55 standard up there.. why re invent the wheel???if ya got to be a little different.. build a 260 Rem.. all ya have to do is neck down 308 brass and I am sure that is pretty available up there also...

so UffDa!

cheers
seafire

Thank you very much for all your advice and comments.
The 6.5x55 will be my choice.
I am thinking of a SAKO or a MAUSER rifle.

Thanks again for your comments.

M

Sako made some mannlicher stocked 6.5x55 that I have always thought would be a very nice woods rifle, as would a mannlicher stocked Husqvarna.

Jeff