Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Anything To Be Gained?

I have a lingering affection for the 6.5x 55. I’ve always loaded 140s, usually Hornady ILs. They have performed perfectly on deer. Now, I have a beautiful A Bolt II Medallion in 25-06 that is very accurate and easily tuned with the BOSS. I still have a desire for a Tikka Hunter or Forest in 6.5x55. Is there really anything to be gained shooting 140s vs 117s or 120s in the Browning 25-06?
I’d appreciate input based on experience (rather than theory). I have another .25 which is a good shooting Roberts.

Dave

Bullets matter wayyyyyyy more than headstamps. Hint.

There is nothing worth a fhuqk,available in .257”. Your .264” choice is rather poor to boot,though vastly superior choices abound in said bore sizing. Hint………..

The 6.5x55 is as good as any. You can get more velocity with a 6.5-06, a 256 Newton, or 6.5-284 but the improvement is not all that great. I shot a 6.5x55 "F" class gun for quite a while and won a lot with it. Today, when I build a 6.5 for target use, I just do a 6.5 Creedmoor. GD

Deer are easy to kill if you shoot them in the heart, lungs, or CNS with a properly constructed game bullet that both penetrates and expands regardless of the diameter.

When deciding between a 25-06 and a 6.5x55, I'd recommend carrying the rifle that you prefer, as both cartridges will do the job if you put the bullet into the heart, lungs, or CNS. I doubt that 0.007" of bullet diameter or 20+/- grains of bullet weight is going to make a material difference when compared to bullet placement and construction.

It sounds like you want a 6.5x55. If you get one, isn't that something gained?

Not IMHO. The 25-05 at typical WV deer hunting range is probably the #1 DRT cartridge. YMMV

IIRC, I’ve killed deer in MD, PA, VA, and WV with rifles using 11 different cartridges, plus a couple with 12ga Fosters, a couple with MLs, one with a .44 revolver, and now 7 with an xbow. Hit well, all have gone down in seconds. A couple hit poorly with a ML and the xbow, went a ways. Unless you plan on reaching waaayyyy out there, just buy whatever makes you happy, pick a decent bullet, and enjoy it all.

If I understand correctly (always subject to doubt) you're asking if you should get a 6.5X55 to replace your .25-06. It sounds like you used to have a 6.5X55 but don't any longer? This is somewhat confusing? Do you live somewhere where it's prohibited to have more than one rifle?

I have both calibers and they both kill deer. As Stick alluded to, it's long been an article of faith among the long-range cognoscenti that there really aren't any "good" .257 bullets. That really doesn't matter from the standpoint of a guy who's only interested in shooting deer and such from about 400 yards and closer. There are lots of good bullets for that. 6.5X55 with any one of a number of 130 - 140 grain bullets is plenty good for that purpose too (my own favorites being the 130 grain NAB and the 130 SGK HPBT).

Given that you have "another .25 which is a good shooting Roberts" I think you should get a 6.5X55. You should also get a 7X57. You don't mention whether you have any .224 rifles. If not you should at least get a .223.

I’ve been found out! Yeh, I want to justify a Tikka 6.5x55 - or maybe a nice 7x57. I thinned out my selection of rifles a while back and have decided I made some mistakes. Gotta fix that.

BTW I appreciate y’all’s responses.

I'd vote you get a classic wood/blued 6.5x55. I have 2 sporterized mausers, one a rifle in cheap plastic stock with a Vortex 3-9, the other a Carbine in a beautiful wood stock wearing a Leupold 4x. Have taken deer with both, the ugly one is a beater/loaner rifle, the Carbine always attracts attention when I show it to others.

Between the two, I would choose the 6.5x55. The 25-06 has never piqued my interest at all.

"Maybe" a tad gain if using the Swede/140+ weights on elk size. Yet I know several guys out here that just use 120gr factory loads in 25-06 on elk easy enough. Instead, what "will" be gained is you get to mess around with a favorite round, so go for it!