Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x55 and a Varmint load ?

Has anyone used there 6.5x55 with a 85 or 90 grain bullet for varmints? If so please send me your load specifics. I am not looking for a nxet to hot load just a good plinker for prairie dogs and maybe a coyote. Thanks, Buckfever1

Nothing that light for me. I do have some 107 grain Sierra HPBT Match bullets that I want to try, though.

Look at the 95 gr V max

I too use a 6.5x55 for p/dogs ocassionaly

but when I do I'm shootin' them in the next county..

I'll stay with the heavier 140's in unpopulated areas

The 95 V's will not skip off the hard ground...

I've run them thru my 6.6 x 55s in Ruger and Model 70 rifles..

not sure what velocity you are looking for, as you didn't say...

but they aren't real finicky... those are some accurate bullets available in that range... I have used both the Sierra 85 grain HP and the Speer 90 gr TNT...

and then all the 100 grain bullets as well... ( and on deer they work quite well)

if you are looking at powder experience...3031, 4895, 4064, Varget, Rl 15, AR Comp, W 728, BLC2, H 335, Benchmark all worked great.. plus a host of others...

for economical plinking or 200 to 250 yd ranges on prairie dogs or coyotes, Rl 7, 4198, RL 10, SR 4759, 2400..

I've tried all of the above and a host of other powders in those burn rates.. and there wasn't a dog in the entire batch on both of my commercial Swedes..

the least accurate bullet I have tried in mine was the 95 grain V Max.. don't ask me why.. I just can't get them to shoot as well as about every other 6.5 bore bullet out there..

might be they do well with a one in 9 twist, and my rifles sport a one in 8...who knows...

good thing is, it will be harder to find a powder combo that won't work.. so there is no real down choice here..