Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best Modern Factory Rifle in 6.5x55?

Tikka T3 Hunter

Picking up a Sako Finnlight in 6.5x55 tomorrow morning. Have wanted a rifle in this cartridge for a while.

no brainer.. cooper hands down.......

woofer

For you Ruger MKII owners...

Could you recommend an aftermarket trigger, please

I got me a NIB Ruger MKII 6.5x55mm and would like to take it out on a deer hunt soon...

And I'll free-float it as you guys said!!!

Want to run 120gr Rem Core-lockts and Hornadys on top of IMR4350...[any load suggestions with this powder?]

Thanks!

FoxBat - great choice...remember it's all about the "U" - GO,CANES! Homesteader.

This is the one you want to keep your eyes out for. Winchester model 70 XTR featherweight pushfeed built in the early 80's. I totally lucked out on this one in .257 roberts at a local gun show, but they made the exact gun in 6.5x55 and they will pop up on gunbroker etc every once in a while.

Another good choice would be to simply rebarrel one of the huaqvarna small ring 98's. You'll be able to find some nice older S&W hva action rifles at reasonable prices that will make a great donor.


Weagle

Thanks. Good to see another Canes fan on here.

Here you go. Also, this one is very rare due to the open sites. Not mine. Just passing. I have this same rifle in 7x57. Here is a pic of it from last season. I find the Model 70 XTRs from this era to be top notch. Excellent rifles. High quality.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=188364836

I don't know if this is an option for you and I admit I haven't read everyone's reply, so if anyone else made this suggestion it might be an option.

Savage switch barrels. If you have a Savage long action in the safe that you aren't using as often or a Remington 700, you could order a pre-cut barrel and have a local smith attach and head space it.

Put a Spec-Tech trigger in and you're good to go...I have one in my 6.5x55 and my .458 Lott

FoxBat - every now and again a "Gator" pops up at the 'fire...strange as I thought they were an endangered species.
making a slooow comeback. LOL Homesteader

Okie, That is a handsome rifle. I never gave them a second look before, but I sure like yours. Ken

I thought I wanted a Howa 1500 in 6.5x55mm, but never
found one. I see they didnt last long on the Howa website.

Jericho - 6.5 Swede barreled actions may still be available however...thru Jerry's (a distributor). Wanted to go this way but found purchasing a Tikka T3 was the better deal (except for them d--mn expensive magazines). Homesteader

Rifle Basix is the best route to go.
I've installed Timney's, SpecTech's and the Rifle Basix in Ruger Mk II's.
With both Timney and SpecTech, to fit the safety lever, you must file down a shelf on the trigger till the lever slides over the shelf, so the safety keeps the trigger from pulling. It is VERY easy to over file the shelf, and you wind up with no safety at all. The sear releases the the cocking piece, and the rifle fires in the safe mode.
Rifle Basix has a better design, where no filing is required, and the safety works as it should. You can install a RB trigger in minutes with no hassle.

Before opting for an after market trigger, I would try simpply replacing the trigger return spring with a lower powered one. You might be satisfied with that.

The ruger m77 mkII and hawkeye is one of the easiest ones to work on. Some smiths charge about $20-$30.00 to lighten these up and it makes a world of difference. Here's something for the guys that feel confident enough to work on all their own stuff. http://www.centerfirecentral.com/77trigger.html

Here's a nice one and it is a CRF if that is any concern.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=188998442

I would pick up that CRF M70 if I was looking for a 6.5 Swede. The T3 might shoot better but that wont make up for the class gap between the 70 and the T3.

RAS

I had my two T-3's in 6.5x55 out this past weekend. I was trying some new loads using RL22 and a variety of 130 and 140 grain bullets. Nothing shot over 1" and many were right around .5". That kind of performance combined with great triggers makes it hard for me to discount T3's.