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

its not a funtion of bullet width, its a function of area.

Hence the .264 bullet expanded to 2 times original diameter is (pi*{.264]**2) = 0.219 square inches

the .338 is 0.359 square inches, or 60+% larger

Moose......elk, bear, buff.....I'm sure either would work the same on any of them.

Actually, my 6.5x55 is one of my favorite hunting rifles, and it seems perfect for caribou. Admittedly, I have shot less than two dozen caribou with it, a lot less than I've killed with either the 6mm or the 7mm-08. But the difference between the latter two when used on caribou has been readily apparent to me in terms of which has been able to more quickly put them on the ground.

I do not have disdain for the 6.5X55 at all. However, if it were every bit as effective as the 30-06 then it would make no sense to use a 375 or 338 when the 30-06 was just as good; it would further make no sense to use the 30-06 because one could just as easily use a 6.5. That argument might work on deer or hogs, perhaps even elk. But when you get to animals that easily top 1000 pounds, I'll put my money - though I know they all work- on something bigger being better than the 223, 243, 6.5X55, 7mm-08, 30-30, etc.

Again I will ask, will a moose be able to tell the difference with a hole through his vitals of 0.219 inches squared versus 0.359 inches squared?

Klik, I somewhat agree, but where do we draw that line? What is big enough for deer/antelope? What is big enough for elk? What is big enough for moose? Why is bigger necessarily better?

Luke,

is not a study but reports from hunters compiled in some areas.

Norway has done the same for whole country but dont get any feedback from now (NINA is the name of the study).

If all you're doing is punching a hole straight through both lungs on a broadside shot, unimpeded by anything other than the ribs, then you'll probably not see a difference. But change the angle by ten degrees and all of a sudden we may be talking about including muscle around the legs. (See my original post in this thread. None of the four "premium" 140s out of my 6.5 exited.) The exit often makes quite a difference on a moose simply because the second and bigger hole often allows the lungs to collapse which means the animal dies more quickly.



This old and often posted picture includes bullets which I've recovered from moose I've killed. The bullets on either end, a Grand Slam and a Ballistic Tip, were both taken from the same animal. They both originated in the 340 Weatherby cartridge. The distance was the same. The Grand Slam was a shoulder shot (without hitting the big bones.) It made the animal take weight off one leg and stand in place while I poked three of those 200 BTs into the lungs. None exited so the animal stood there until it bled to death. I think that pretty much demonstrates what you are thinking. OTOH, that same rifle with better penetrating bullets would have easily punched three holes through the far side of the animal, most likely killing it more quickly. I have had very good success getting better results with the 30-06, and bigger cartridges, with nothing more than plain old Interlockeds, Gamekings, and, of course, the better bullets.

"Dead is dead" when you're staring at a computer screen. Dead may appear in several shades of grey, however, when you end up looking for your prize after he wandered into the donkey swamp or decided to wade into the river for one last "drink".

"Dead is dead" when you're staring at a computer screen. Dead may appear in several shades of grey, however, when you end up looking for your prize after he wandered into the donkey swamp or decided to wade into the river for one last "drink".

GREAT POINT!

I had a miserable moose recovery because the shooter shot said moose through the lungs and watched it walk off into a 3' deep half-frozen beaver pond to die. Without a chainsaw powered winch, the moose would have spoiled before we got it out, but it would have been much nicer if the shooter had kept shooting it and if it had died on dry land, even better if it had died within 20' feet of where we could have driven the pickup and hooked a chain onto it.

Jeff

I had a friend shoot a small Kentucky whitetail with a .30-06 with 180g Partitions at 45 yards. The doe jumped in the air, stopped, then ran and crossed a creek off of the hunting lease. We called the land owner across the creek and asked if we could recover the animal. He said yes, as long as he got to keep the meat.

We then crossed the creek, where the land owner met us with his tractor to recover the deer. That 180g Partition went through off side shoulder completely wrecking it. The small doe still made it 85-100 yards and crossed a creek without lungs and with a mangled shoulder.

Is the 180g Nosler Partition too light for whitetail does?

I think we all have these stories, but does that prove a point one way or the other?

Is a .338 Mag a minimal cartridge for Whitetail does?

No, but perhaps too heavy in certain light animal applications. In the case of a small deer, perhaps a rapid expanding cup and core would have been better.



Same deal. Many 338 bullets are going to act a bit tough when applied to smallish animals. A 270 or similar would probably have the more desirable effect at the expense of more damage - which will more likely prevent run-offs like you related.

Shooting through an animal the size of a deer is simple. It's actually quite a bit more difficult to catch a hunting bullet with an animal that size. OTOH, an animal the size of a moose is approximately the reverse situation. Consequently, it isn't difficult to shoot a deer-sized with more gun/cartridge/bullet than what is necessary and even useful in making a quick, humane kill. On an animal the size of a moose, shooting a shoulder fired gun that is equally as capable of the same things would certainly not be for the squeamish.




I would hope so, else we would still be using rocks, spears, or muskets. Study the anecdotes you witness and add other useful info as you can. I am aware that 30-something moose is not a statistically valid sampling of data. However, I don't think it's meaningless. I have no issue with anyone wishing to shoot a moose with a 6.5 Swedish chambered rifle. It will kill them just as sure as a 243 or 30-06 will with proper bullets. As with the 243 though, it isn't as ideal as something bigger like the 30-06, etc.

aka MKBenenson. Around 1895-1930, arctic explorers from Norway and Sweden were killing polar bear and walrus with 6.5x55 Krags and Mausers and, I believe, military full jacket ammunition. Around the same time in Africa the 6.5x53R and 6.5x54 Mannlicher were successfully used on a wide range of African big game. Penetration with the 156 and 160 grain bullets, and close shooting by experienced hunters, was the key both on the ice and in the jungle.

Lets see, passport ... check
Flights to Stockholm ... check
6.5x55 ... dang it still at Shaw's

DOH!!!

Good discussion, I tend to differ with you on a couple points, but I have enjoyed the discussion.

Thank you.

I am a 6.5x55 admirer, but I would leave my 6.5x55 Tikka home and grab my DOU45 sporter in original 7.92x57mm instead. 220 gr Sierra GK or 195 gr Hornady on a compressed charge of IMR 4350. No laser speed, but will have the job done.

Ruger 375, Sweden may not be the right country, it could be Finland or Norway. But I distinctly remember it as a government done, highly detailed, fully documented to the foot study on the subject of killing Moose. Someday I will dig it up.

to further the discussion.

is my remington 6.5x55 with 140 hornady interlocks @ 2700 fps a solid bull elk cartridge?

i've never hunted elk before and was planning on using it, but i'm not sure it's enough cartridge.

I found it! It was posted on this forum 7-05-07 post #1521544. Posted by Henrik, may also be #1522364. If any of you guys know how to bring this post back, I would appreciate it. I have it bookmarked but don't know how to transfer it.

Rockchucker, I will be using one of my Swede's this fall for cow Elk. I visited with an old timer in Wyoming a couple of years ago, who preferred his 6.5x55 for Elk, and had used it for years. I believe every cartridge has it's limits, just work within them.

Rockchucker, I will be using the same bullet you mentioned.

It's plenty of cartridge, but not my choice of bullet for elk. Something like the 6.6x55 begs for a premium bullet on elk.



Casey

I'll try this. http://www.24hourcampfire.comubbthreads...e/1#post1521544

Type in," sweedish cartridge statistics on moose," and it will come up. It does'nt come up if you use the prefix www.