I use 4350 in my 1903 6.5X54.
I use the 160 grain Hornady and also the 156 grain PPU. I have not killed anything with the PPU bullet however. Anyone out there have reports on the PPU bullet?

I did kill a buck antelope a few months ago with this rifle, but I used a Sierra 160 grain RN which you can't get anymore because Sierra quit making them. That bullet hit the neck and did some weird things but dropped the buck instantly because it hit the vertebra.

The bullet hit the neck and something came out the front of the throat 90 degrees from the direction the bullet was going leaving a hole that was about 1.5 inched wide and 1" high. There was an exit wound on the other side of the neck that was about 1-1/4" around, and then a round hold next to it, about 1" away, that looked like a pistol bullet entrance wound. I believe the bullet came apart, but I don't know for sure because the pieces exited. I can't say if the off-side woulds were made by metal or bone or both, and I can say the same for the exit on the front of the throat. Weird wounds but nothing left of the bullet to examine.
Here are some pics.
[Linked Image]2018 #1 Ant. Buck 2 by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]
You can see the small entry wound and the large exit very near it it here.
[Linked Image]2018 #1 Ant. Buck by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]


I agree that the Oryx bullet is likely to be better than what I am shooting in every way, but I didn't have any. Still don't. I love shooting this old classic, but I am not wealthy enough to practice with bonded Norma bullets and so far I have yet to find any to buy for hunting. When I find them it seems money is too tight. When I have a bit of money to play with, I can't find any.

I also have heard of the Hornady breaking up from some other shooters (fired from 6.5X55 Swedes) but those I used in the past worked well for me from my old Swede. I don't have the rifle anymore, but when I did I had good success with it.

This is the only kill I have made with the Sierra bullet and I have only 18 of them left, so I doubt it would mater if they were good or bad at this point. A friend of mine killed a nice buck deer with one about 8 years ago and the bullet didn't exit the deer. He could not find it either, so again we can't really say for certain what it did. If they "suck" I don't think I'd buy more even is sierra made them again. I think I am going to settle on the PPU as my practice bullet.

Last edited by szihn; 12/31/18.