Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5x55 for Moose? Really?

When I read about the 6.5x55 there is frequently this addendum, "THEY" say that "THEY" shoot moose with it.

Are there any "THEY's" out there?
Anyone actually had experience shooting Moose with it?

I hear about the thousands of Europeans who successfully use it but are there any forum users who have had first hand experience shooting moose with it?

What loads are used?

How effective is it? I know that this last question is subjective but I'd like to hear the answer anyway.

I'm currently building a 6.5x55 and I hunt Newfoundland Moose. I am not sure that I could be persuaded to try the 6.5 on them but I sure would like to hear of others who have.

Thanks,
Jim

Its a 6.5 what more needs to be said.....

Rug,

I have not used the 6,5 on moose myself. I have, however since 2003, danish hunters come hunt wildboar with me.

Many come with their 6,5x55, after all, it kills moose.

Long story short - the fame of the 6,5x55 comes from its inability to throw the heavy 10 gram (160 gr.) hard enough for the bullet to fail tensily.

Hit the soft stuff (tissue, ribs, heart, lungs) and your animal will be dead.

Hit hard stuff (bones, heavy muscle, shield on a boar) and you are in trouble.

I have followed up to many boars wounded with the 6,5x to condone its use with the regular bullets for boar. I would feel the same for moose.

Game changes dramatically with todays bullets, though.

Think 130 gr. TSX.

39.5 gr IMR 4350 under a hornady 160 round nose for 2450 ft/sec
Karl Gustav model 96 with 29 inch barrel Every moose and most every bear one shot kills. I shot six or eight bear a year for ten years, and half a dozen 800-1000lb moose wthout incident.

I changed to a larger bore for bear after a charge scared me. The bear died with a single shot to the head and it charged from 20 feet, died at my feet, but very scarry
Randy

By the way that new rifle was the start of my rifle loonyism. Do not fear shooting moose with the 6.5x55 and 160 gr bullets, they penetrate straight line and extremely deep. I have never used \barnes TSX in it, but they perform super well in other calibres.

Randy

I'd not think twice about it using a TSX, but I'm funny that way I guess (even though the 6.5 is not my favorite caliber after using it some).

I've taken several with a 270.....it's bullet placement. There have been thousands killed in Alaska with the 30-30

Most Scandinavian moose are smaller than Alaska/Yukon variety and a large percentage of the harvest is calves of 300 pounds or less.

Not too many years ago, Ross Seyfried wrote an article about hunting moose with a 6.5x54 Mannlicher, IIRC. Oryx bullet, which he had altered slightly with small cuts in the jacket at the nose to make it expand just a little faster.

One shot, one moose, and it only took a few steps.

Now that I think about it, I think it was a rifle he'd bought off of Ken Waters. Neat article. Close enough to the 6.5x55, I'm thinking.

- Tom

It was an Elk and a .256 Dutch Mannlicher, rimmed 6.5x54

Dang, you're right. It was an elk.

I [bleep] around and got too damned old before I could afford to go huntin where mooses are at. Hell, I'd use the 6.5 Swede..

Saying I'm right is a bit redundant, but thanks. I have one of those photographic memories, it's a curse.

Fixed it for you

I whacked an elk with the swede at a sedate 2350 fps or so with the 160 gr. Sierra. Would take it for moose in a heartbeat with any 156-160 or any of the 120 plus premiums.

I've said it here many times, but there is nothing I would hunt with a 30-06 that I wouldn't use the swede instead. Of course all the 6.5x55 rifles I've had have been scary accurate and I limited my shots to those I am very comfortabe making.

Anyone with inspirational tales of successful huge animal kills with the 155 gr Lapua Mega in the 6.5X55 Swed? Would like a preview of what I have to look forward to.

Figured that wouldn't need to be stated.....

You got something?

I use to live where beef was for sale and moose was for eating. Nobody ever said a 270 wasn't enough.A 6.5x555 with a 140Part. would be the same.

Not done it personally, but I will find out next time I go. Dressing up a Swede right now.

Favorite load for the Swede?

Using the Nosler 120 Ballistc tip in a modern rifle and the 130 TSX?