Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5x55 swede

Azar - I had the same results with the PMC 140 gr. soft points. I think it is no longer available. My rifle loved it.

I am in the process of rebarreling a 96 Swede that I sporterized about 12 years ago. I ordered a new Brux Barrel 1in8 twist. I shot a few deer with the 140 Hornady and it goes thru a deer like they are paper. I wanted to use the 129's but could not get any accuracy out of them. The new barrel should remedy that issue. I will probably never shoot 160's, so how long should the throat be for bullets of 140 gr or less? I am planning an Elk hunt next fall (if I get a tag) and wouldn't think twice about the 140 Hornady on them. 6.5x55 Swedes are great!

mine loves the nosler ballistic tip 100 grainer at 3250 fps. sort of a .243 on steroids.

Good caliber. Partitions and 4350.

Wayne

Great post guys, I really appreciate it. Thanks! From what I'm gathering from you guys that own and actually have experience with this caliber is the bullet options are fantastic. Luke I'm still laughing at your post comparing deer to paper with the swede. Good stuff

I will be using this 96 Swede/Kimber 6.5X55 tomorrow for the opening day of southern zone in N.Y. This gun shoots little tiny groups when I do my part with 140 gr. Trophy Bonded Bullets. The Swede is just plain cool, like to see that others are using this great round also.



[IMG]

Don't think you could find a bad bullet above 120gr. Several years years ago I tested most of the available bullets in wet phone books and their wasn't a great deal of difference between them all. The Nosler BT was the best of the 120 gr. bullets. The Hornady 129 and the Nosler 125 were pretty much the same. I've still got all of the recovered bullets around if you have any particular questions. Never personally tried anything less then 120gr., but suspect you could make themwork with a little shot placement. I've always hunted with the 156-160gr. bullets and they have absloutely crushed everything I've shot with them like they were touched by the hand of God. Not a large sample, but 4 mule deer and a bull elk. My favorite of the heavy weights was the Sierra 160gr. Semi-point, but I have used the Norma Alaska as well. Will switch to the Hornady 160 when I run out of Sierras.

Opening morning of deer season with The Swede.
The Gun : Swede 96 in 6.5X55

The Bullet : 140 gr. Trophy Bonded

The Deer : Nice Eating 4 Pt. Buck

Shot at 80 yards from ground blind at 6:55 A.M.(no kidding)
jay

What is available these days for factory rifles? Apparently Tikka but does anyone else still chamber it?

I have uses a lot of bullets in the 6.5 x 55 my favorites these days are 120 gr Speer SP or 120 gr Barnes X. Right now I have an older sako that I been shooting 156 gr Alaska SP's out of. You can by bulk 6.5mm bullets from Remington in 120 or 140 gr weights. When I run out of my supply of 120 gr Speer's I am going to buy 500 of the 120 gr Remingtons and that should do me for my hunting with a 6.5 x 55 for the rest of my life.

Bman, great to know the 129 is about equal to the 125s, always figured it would be that way.

Teal, Howa did, not sure they still do, Ruger did in 77 and #1, 700 Classic mid 90s, CZ does I believe, Steyr should, Sako does, Blaser and likely Merkel, Winchester did, Husqvarna did...

Nice one here I saw, Ray 'smith' has a good reputation IIRC, and it's priced right, made w/good components...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=146870432

BTW, Jay nice deer, bullet did very well no doubt. Common theme w/6.5s it seems.

This is a nice one. I've looked at it several times. Has anyone seen one of the CZs with the Kevlar stock in 6.5 yet? I've only seen 1 or 2 on GB. My CZ has the newer wood - gorgeous figure. I'd like to hear about the Kevlar version. Maybe add that to the stable for bad weather.

Kimber 260 keeps calling me, a SS/Walnut might tip me over the edge as I like the look and the stock would feel good in hand, but there are no flies on the practical Montana stock. Sure would be a nice carry rifle.

Not heard of the CZ Kevlar, those CZs have a very good reputation for accuracy. A testiment to quality control.

65BR - I haven't had a 260. I'm a stodgy old traditionalist so I've stuck with the Swede. Is the 260 a good round and easy to find a home recipe for? I read 1 or 2 posts, likely on another site, that said it was a fussy cartridge to work with but I don't know what kind of experience the writers actually had with it. And I have encountered a couple of opinions over the years that proved to be somewhere short of the facts. I have thought about looking at a 6.5SE with the 40 degree improved shoulder but can't find dies and sure can't afford to have one-off dies and chamber reamers done. I think it might be a very sweet round. As re: the Kevlar CZ, I've only seen a pic on GB. It's a McMillan stock. I've also figured out that MPI is making a 550 stock now so there may be another way to get a nice 550 synthetic. Rooster

One nice thing about the Tikka in 6.5...it will almost certainly shoot just about all the bullets recommended in this thread very well.

Tikkas are the least finicky, best shooting, most consistent out of box rifles I have run.

DJ

Rooster, you are wise, the Swede is Sweet....the 260 is it's ballistic twin more or less, and nicely housed in short actions, but when I had my first 6.5/308 custom built, I did find it somewhat fickle, and sourced most of it to brass quality. WW 308 brass worked great, later my 260 Sako, my boys gun shoots FC 7/08 and 308 brass better than RP brass. In fact at 200 yds, I shot a 3 shot group w/all three brass, using same load, a 130AB 44.5/IMR4350 for 2780 fps.

Results, BOTH groups using Fed brass shot the first 2 shots into ONE hole at 200 yds, using a 6.5-20x Leupold, the third opened to around 1.25. The RP shot a round/triangle group if you will not much larger, but did not throw any 2 close together, and I know it's a small 'sample' to pool data but I am convinced that RP brass is not quite as good as other brass.

I venture to say if Lapua made 260 brass, it would rival the 55 on accuracy, but they are stuck in a rut wanting to push their 6.5x47 round and are adamant about NOT mfg. 260 brass. 243 and 308 Lapua can be reformed but reports are that many hardcore 260 fans use WW708 brass for equal results, no 'donut' issues in reformed cases - on base of neck. If you look on the snipershide
forum you will see owners getting 1/2MOA and under routinely with 260s. I think overall a 6.5x55 will edge out a 260 unless one has prepped/sorted cases or at least the better brass.

Outside target and competition shooting, I find my 260 shoots on average about the same as my current 6.5x55 Ruger #1, as it shot a group of 1.1" at 200 yds, Lapua brass, IMR4350 and 130 ABs, same speed using 1.5gr more powder, loads safe in my rifle as an FYI. All else equal, I like to K.I.S.S. and first rate quality 'out the box' properly stamped brass is MY preference.

FWIW, I have a Barlein bbl on order, it will be chambered in a 260 unless I change course last minute and do a x47. I am confident this custom will be a 1/2MOA or better shooter and that is better than I typically will be, when not on bags.

DJ, you are correct on Tikka's...

"This can be seen in the fact the 1999 British Long-Range Benchrest Championship was won by a Tikka Continental in 6.5x55. Group size was an almost unbelievable 10 rounds into 4.4 inches at 1,000 yards. Anyone looking for an accurate out-of-the-box varmint rifle would do well to consider a Tikka."

I started using a 120 grain Northfork and it worked quite nicely.

At 3040'/sec it killed deer with the best of rifles I've used.

Lately since Northfork has been bought out by folks that think a lot more of their bullets than I do, I've moved to A-Frames in 120 grains.

One really don't have to buy premiums for this job but I like the flat shooting of the 3000'/sec stuff and I like them to stay intact when they find a whitetail.

Personally, I have no use for a 140 in this case nor the .260 Remington either.

65BR - Thanks for an informative response. Any experience with an improved 6.5x55 or knowledge of it?

No sir, but a guy on 6mmbr site does, there are a few guys who run 55 and AI or 6.5x55 BJ AI. Also on Snipershide.

Most claim it equals a 6.5x284 and I believe w/better bore life. Another guy says he has been running a std. Swede at 2900 / 139-142s for many years equalling the 284 round. Many are running 26-30" tubes for comp guns, me, I like a 23-24" if I were building a Swede for hunting. Nothing wrong w/22 and I am happy with my Ruger K1A. 2800 w/.488 130gr AB will reach further than I would normally ever shoot (load would bump close to 2900 I believe when I go to H series 4350 but field performance is not likely to change at my ranges-under 400 yds).

If one is not opposed to a long action, a Swede is a very nice round and doing an AI version would be a good one, if the 100-150 fps diff is of value to your needs. Many simply run a 6.5/06 and/or AI version, and there is the 6.5 'Brenneke' a 270 case version w/longer neck IIRC, but I would believe a Swede AI would get you VERY close in a more efficient round, and better bore life, quality Lapua brass stamped '6.5' is a bonus.

Good luck.

Check this out:

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=310

139 at 3050 in a 26"......not bad if you are looking for reach.