Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 6.5X55 Loads for antelope

Any thoughts?
I've got 130 ABs and 129SSTs. The rifle shoots the 130s pretty well. I don't remember if I've even tried the SSTs yet....

S R M

I haven't had the privilege of hunting antelope so....

However you might find helpful info IN
Reloading Forum -

Big Game Rifles -

"Campfire Pet Loads"
Good 6.5x55 Loads -- P 3

I'm using Denton's pressure tested load w/120 NBT

There are quite a few loads members are using in the Swede.

Good Luck

Jrlerry

I've used the 142 gr accubond on Texas whtetail, about the same size as antelope, with good results. From all that I've read, those 130 AB's should shoot well. I'm not a fan of the SST's unless you stick to shots out past say, 150 yards. Inside of that range in the cartridges I've used them in I have had massive meat loss if you hit a bone.
jwall gave you some good advice. Check the thread in the reloading section for some possible loads for the two bullets you've listed.

123 Scenar.

100 or 120 grain Ballistic Tip. 120 Sierra ProHunter.

129 SST. From what I have seen from a Creedmoor on whitetail these hold together well.

I'm gonna watch this thread with interest. Just bought a 6.5x55. Gonna start up with the loading. I'm excited. Never dealt with the Swede. Got a 7x57mm on law-a-way. Gonna be a cool summer farting around with these 2 great rounds.

I've shot Roe deer with 120 NBT, and Sierra 140gr GK great results. Texas whitetails with 125 Part., and 140 Part. All with good results.
I've chosen to use Horn. 129SP his year for pronghorn, and muleys, but Nosler 125Part. were hard to pass up.

A good 140gr bullet is the best all around bullet for 6.5x55, 130's come into favor when having to use short action rounds like 260, Creedmoor,or Grendel.

I've hunted with a Swede for 20 years all over the world.

Trapr

I can't see how you could ever go wrong with the 130 grain AB in any 6.5mm cartridge in a rifle with a magazine long enough to handle it.

It is my favorite medium game bullet in long actions, the 6.5x55, 256 Newton, and 6.5-284, and in short actions, the 6.5 Creedmoor, 260, and 6.5 WSSM.

The only reason that I would use a longer bullet is if the rifle had a long/deep throat and I wanted to minimize the bullet's free-bore jump.

The Berger 130 VLD Hunting is a great bullet for antelope too.

Mine too, it works well for me on antelope sized deer in my 260 anyway. I really like the 140 gr Ballistic Tip too. In my wife's 6.5x55 we really like the 120 gr Ballistic Tip for the same sized animals.

I am going with the 129 Hornaday and R26. I have so many other bullets to test out but probably won't get to them as this combo just flat works.

Use the same load for the 130 Berger and might go that way for antelope as the BC is higher and any wind proofing can help. With these and R26 you are in 270 Winchester territory which is a good place to be.

125 gr Nosler partition is very good

OFFS ... It's a friggin goat. Use the deer bullet that the gun likes and whack 'em in the front end at the corner of the brown and white.

High BC is a plus, but not a requirement.

GE

They are not goats, but shoot them wrong and they will lead you on a merry long chase.

Best shooting bullet in my Swede is the 139 gr. Scenar.

DF

Just a Hunter,

The Linnaean scientific name for pronghorns is Antilocapra americana, which translates as American goat-antelope.

Actually, GE the OP has 'bullets'--- he's asking for recommended loads.

It'd be funny if I never mis read a Title.

Jerry

Thanks

My apologies. OP specifically asked about 2 boolits, one of which has been satisfactorily tested.

It is still a friggin goat. Don't overthink things. Use the deer LOAD (bullet, powder, primer, and do not forget the all important chamber matching brass) that the gun likes. In this case, the 130 AB. that the rifle shoots pretty well.

THEN whack 'em in the front end at the corner of brown and white.

GE

P.S. In a modern swede I'd put sufficient Hunter or Magnum under a 140 Horn SP to skip North of 2800 fps and worry about things like ice, coolers, jacks, and spare tires.

I gave up on SST's. I've gotten irratic terminal performance.

I blew up a cape on a Speed Goat at 385 yds, 140 gr. SST out of my 6.5-284.

Of the two bullets you listed, the NBT's would be my pick.

But don't limit yourself to those two, try others. See what your gun performs best with. You'll never know until you try.

DF

I used regular Hornady 129 grain SP for 2 of my 4 antelope........all worked well. IIRC, the powder was IMR4320 (can't remember the charge off hand). Good luck!!!

I know you asked about 130 accubond which works really well in the Swede with Re19, but the 120 BT stoked with 46grs of H4831
works real well for antelope out to 400yds in my tika, as stated, try them both.

Doesn't mean they are a goat

The 120 ballistic should be a good performer too.

120 Sierra, cheap and accurate.

Just a hunter,

No, pronghorns are not "a goat" or "an antelope," but they're in the same scientific order as both, and their genus name (along with some physical characteristics) provides some justification for commonly calling them "goats." English is a living language, defined by "common usage" and not strict, arbitrary rules like German--or the more somewhat more flexible rules of Linnaean nomenclature.

Yes and it'd be nice if some would accept that when it comes to "caliber" re 'cartridge'.

chambering sounds kinda funky to me.

Jerry

I call them speed goats and antelope. My kids call them Pronghorn and so do I. The "just a goat" comment struck a little odd to me. Also they are my favorite animal to hunt and I have seen them run for miles on 3 legs from bad hits. I read or was told there bones are stronger then cow bones for their size.

With that said my wife uses 120 Speers and 120 Sierra's in her 6.5x55.

I mentioned the hardness of their bones in an article years ago, which eventually became a chapter in a book. Can't remember where I found the info, but as I recall somebody had tested pronghorn bones and found them around 9 times harder than domestic cattle bones.

They sure can be tough little critters when hit wrong!

Sometimes they're tough even when you hit them right. I once shot a doe just behind the shoulder where the colors come together with my 250 savage and 100gr Ballistic Tip at 200yds. She ran a half circle and stopped at just shy of 400yds and stood there. "WTF?" says I. I sat down, carefully lined up another shot and put another one right through the lungs. She runs100yds and falls over dead. When I looked her over she was well and truly shot with the first bullet, dead on her feet. She just didn't know it. Tough old biddy that goat was.

I load 130 grain TSXs over H 4350 for my wife's Sauer. It is overkill for antelope, but she carries the same rifle for everything. She has killed a pile of antelope with the load, all one shot kills, and she doesn't have issues having to track them.

Hey I have a few boxes of the 120 Speers. How was their performance on game?

No question to me... 100 grain Ballistic Tip, or 100 Grain Sierra HP...

Haven't tried the 100 grain A Max, but sure miss the Hornady 100 gr SP.

Load it with 47 to 48 grains of IMR 4064 or 4895, and a Large Rifle Primer...

velocity is duplicating a 25/06 with a 100 grain bullet...

if ya think ya need a stouter bullet, remember Nosler makes a 100 grain Partition in 6.5 mm...

Either bullet would be a good choice with the possibility of more meat loss with the SST. I haven't tried them at lower velocities so can't say. The original 270 130 gr. was explosive at 3100 fps but they may have improved it since that batch was made.

My wife hunts all big game with her custom Browning in 6.5mm Swede. One loading for all animals regardless of size. We load the 140 grain Nosler Partition bullet. This particular bullet provides good accuracy, rapid expansion, and deep penetration. She has toppled many animals with this outfit including three antelope which were shot at distances about 275 yards or so from the muzzle. She has toppled two elk as well. Both were mature cows that provided excellent table fare. In summary, Nosler Partitions perform quite well indeed!

Sherwood

I built my swede on a VZ-24 action and have no problem loading it "warmish" so to speak. I get very close to 3,000 F/S with 120 grain bullets and that makes for a fine deer and pronghorn load.

If you have a swede and want to hunt pronghorns.....go for it and there's no need for anything heavier than 120 grain bullets and for those that tout the use of 100 grainers.....I see no reason to back away from that as well

I had heard this too possibly from you. But I saved some leg bones for knife handles and can say for sure it is tougher than cow or deer and a lot like camel which is popular for custom knife grips. So if you want a local replacement for camel bone Antelope is it. It is almost like Ivory maybe less porous.

Just for a reference, I shoot the 129 Hornady IL in my .260 and get 3010 fps using Re17 powder. It smucks deer. I shot several last year with the farthest being a 430-yard bang flop. You should be able to get the same speed, or more from the 6.5x55.