Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5x55 Bullets

Didn't want to high jack the other thread so I started this one.

How would the Barnes bullets perform out of a 6.5x55 for hunting deer?
What bullets for hunting do you prefer for this caliber?
What are the limitations of this caliber?

How long do you think it's going to take for this thread to get hijacked? If history is any indicator, I expect about two pages.

Guess it depends on the game animal you're hunting.

I have a 6.5x55 and use cup and core for whitetails;
my current favorite is the 139 gr Scenar.

Monometals seem to work best at higher speeds and the 6.5x55 isn't known as a speed demon. I'd go with lighter 6.5mm monometal bullets and push them pretty hard, especially in a modern rifle.

There is a study showing that whitetail deer, shot thru the chest, travel further when hit by harder premium bullets than softer C&C bullets. I wouldn't use premium bullets in my 6.5x55 for WT deer. Others will probably take issue with that statement. Just saying what I do.

DF

120 TSX
129 Hornady Interlock

Turn out the lights the party is over.........

Ditto what Dirtframer has to say. I kill antelope with either Sierra 140 GrGK or Nosler,130 gr Accubond. The Accubond shoots a lot better in my Swede 96, is why I use it in the 300yard range, I consider antelope a lot thinner framed game than whitetail, but still about the same as an averaged sized whitetail.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why any one would want to use a premium Barnes in a 6.5 x 55. The velocity just isn't there, unless maybe you would be using something in the 110 gr weight class of bullets.

Ruger270man;
Hopefully this finds you well and keeping warm enough on this frigid Tuesday morning sir.

While we've not done an exhaustive study on 6.5 bullets or even 6.5 Barnes bullets, there is a pretty good one here from BCSteve I believe it is. I'll try to find the link after.

Our eldest shoots an ancient Swede - 1903 vintage - that I modified for my late father in the '80's and he passed back to us before he died.

With it she's shot somewhere around 8 or 9 local mulie and whitetail bucks - all of them with the Barnes 130TSX excepting the first one which was a 120gr Sierra PH.

She has yet to stop one in a buck - which considering the sample size already speaks well of the bullet, of course taking the ensuing tissue damage into consideration as well.

She has yet to need to shoot more than one into a buck.

Some of them like this one were a long, long walk from where it was shot. I apologize that we don't use a range finder so I can't verify the distances, but I very clearly recall looking back at where she shot from and scratching my head on this one.



It broke either the scapula or attached bone - ulna? - on the way out and there was a good amount of damaged lung tissue indicating the bullet opened up adequately.

This one was standing in such a way that terrain and vegetation necessitated the shot placement be in the neck.


The interesting thing on this buck I felt was that on similar shots in the past using various cup and core .308" bullets fired from .308Win., '06, .300 WinMag and .308Norma, we've had the bullet come completely apart on the neck vertebrae.

The 130TSX did not come apart and destroyed two vertebrae on a good sized mulie neck at the same time. For comparison sake - the neck of her buck is on the left and an "average" 3rd rack Okanagan mulie is on the right.


Finally here's another good sized Okanagan mulie that was hit at what we consider a good hike on the other side of a little valley.



I'd have to go find my hunting notes on this one, but if memory serves the exiting 130gr TSX absolutely shattered that big knuckle that connects the scapula to that next bone below it - again sorry about terminology - ulna ??.

As you and most readers here know it's a skookum bone or about as tough a bone structure as a deer has and the bullet blew it to pieces on exit after doing adequate tissue damage to the heart/lung area.

Hopefully that was some use to you or someone out there this morning sir. Good luck on your bullet selection whichever way you decide and all the best to you in this upcoming week.

Regards,
Dwayne

I have been using 130 grain AB's in my 6.5 X 55 the last several years with absolutely no complaints. Bughole accurate and flawless terminal performance. That said, I am going to try out the new Sierra 130 grain HP GameKing because they are less money (allowing me more shooting) and I really like Sierra bullets.

The reason I use the AB is that it is the longest bullet I could find in that 130 gr weight class and matches the 6.5 Swede military barrel twist rate very well. Mine would not shoot the 130 or lighter Sierra bullets well, but is great with the 140 gr Sierra GK. As a comparison, my Swede will shoot groups at 300 yards with the AB that are similar to 100 yards groups with the 140 gr Game King. My best accuracy with the GK was loading the them to 2650FPS or so. With the AB's I load to 2800fps which gives me the capability to stretch out to 300yards or so when antelope hunting. I use H4831 in both loads.

If it wasn't for that, I would still use the Sierras.

I've got a Swede that likes every bullet I run through it. I had some 130 SII's that the 6.5-06's didn't like so I gave them a try in the Swede. It shoots them the tightest of all bullets using a stiff dose of H4350.

Great pictures. Looks like you've raised quite a hunter.

Those Barnes bullets seem to be working well for her.

For bone and spine shots they seem very effective. For those of us who take chest shots to preserve meat, I still contend that soft C&C bulleta are a better choice.

Even for bigger bodied animals, I'd up the bullet wt. and stay with C&C in this round.

IMHO.

DF

Ruger270man,

I've killed a bunch of deer and antelope with the 6.5x55 out to almost 400 yards with the 120-grain Barnes X at about 2950 fps, with no problems in killing power or bullet expansion. That was the pre-TSX model, and no doubt the present 120 TTSX would work at least as well, and maybe better.

I've used a bunch of other bullets in the 6.5x55 and they've all worked, including the 1oo Partition, 120 Ballistic Tip, 129 Hornady Interlock, 140 Partition and 140 Berger VLD. In my experience it's very difficult to FIND a 6.5mm bullet that won't work on deer from the 6.5x55.

I wouldn't choose the 6.5x55 for hunting brown bear, Cape buffalo or anything bigger.

Some years ago, I read an article that advanced the idea that there is an kind of an ideal range of bullet velocities where bullets perform the best. If I remember correctly, the velocity range was around 2700- 2800 fps, just about the velocity the old Swede launches most bullets.
John, you wouldn't have happened to have ever seen that article, would you??

I've been using 140gr Accubonds out of my Ruger No1 6.5x55.

Very happy with the accuracy, and the stopping power of them so far.

I have not killed any animals with them yet, but I have got great accuracy from the Sierra GK's in 130gr HPBT.

2750 seems to be the "sweet" spot for my 6.5x55...

Dirtfarmer;
Thanks for the comments on my post, I hope this finds you well and sufficiently warm enough this frosty - up here anyway - Tuesday morning sir.

Upon rereading my post I see I neglected to mention that when my late father was using that rifle between he and I, we managed to shoot somewhere around a dozen mulie and whitetail bucks with it too.

As JB said, it was successful with most bullets we tried, though I do admit that the '80's cup and core Nosler Solid Base and the Sierra Pro Hunters - both in 120gr - did come apart even on ribs.

The 140gr Partitions were great as I recall and if memory serves the 140gr Hornady likewise worked well.

On the topic of preserving meat, as you can sort of see in the neck photos, one of the intriguing things about monometal bullets that we've found is that there is less meat ending up as cat food than with our previous cup and cores.

To be sure one still has the damaged tissue and resultant bloodshot meat, but somehow it can be cleaned up with noticeably less waste than a "typical" cup and core using similar shot placement.

The trip down the monometal bullet path for us was mostly one of seeing what was to be found there rather than one of necessity if that makes any sense? Inquiring minds and all that I suppose.

All in all though the 6.5 Swede is a neat and very effective cartridge, from what we've seen anyway.

Thanks again for your response sir and all the best to you in the remainder of the week.

Regards,
Dwayne

I have yet to use Barnes in the 6.5x55. But like Dirtfarmer, would note that Barnes seem to prefer speed and the 6.5x55 isn't noted for it. Because of that, and because I've liked the accuracy and terminal performance of the .284 150g TTSX on elk, I personally would try the 100g or 120g TTSX for the higher velocity and easier expansion.

I've used the 140g Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claw (factory), 140g Hornady Interlock (handload), and 129g Hornady Interlock (handload). Next season I may give the 140g Speer HotCor a try. Or maybe even the 160g Sierra ProHunter. Honestly, any 100-160g 6.5mm bullet designed for medium/large game hunting* is good-to-go.

If I had to give up all bullets but one and planned to only hunt deer sized game I'd pick the 129g Hornady Interlock and not look back. It shoots great out of my rifle at a very respectible velocity (2,770 fps), has a reasonably good B.C., performs well on game, and has a fantastic reputation amoungst 6.5x55 and .260 Remington fans. From what I've seen it's probably the most recommended C&C bullet for hunting with the 6.5x55.

The farthest kill shot on deer I've taken with the 6.5x55 is 380 yards (140g TBBC, factory loaded). I've taken it on a cow elk hunt, but missed due to overcompensating for range. So I don't have personal experience with it on elk, but due to it's reputation from others that do I'd use it again as a backup elk rifle without hesitation. Although I feel more comfortable with a more powerful cartridge as a primary for elk and other larger sized game.

* Many people like the A-Max or Scenar bullets for hunting, but I have yet to give them a try.

120 Sierras and 140 Sierras worked so well for me, I bought some 120 TSX and 130 TSX. They both shoot very well out of my Tikka T3, and based on my use of other TSX's and X's, I would tackle even moose with either one of the TSX's, or even the Sierra 140. What one learns quickly about the Swede is that it kills at a lot higher proportion than the simple numbers would indicate. It's them looooooooongggg pencil like bullets that keep on going.

I am a 30-06 man, tried and dyed, and the 6.5 Swede has fought it's way to the top of the heap.

For deer only -- tough to beat the 120 TTSX.
For moose -- I'd up the ante to 130 gr TSX. And get ready for packing meat!

I've got some 120 TSXs loaded for my 6.5X55 too, but have not killed anything with them.

I also have SSTs (129 and 140s) and 140 interlocks, but plan to use the TSX this fall and see what happens.

Based on what others have said, I don't think they're going to be a problem, though I am equally sure they're not necessary.

Fred,

No doubt he was on of those Neanderthals who lost all his brain cells shortly after 11:59 p.m., December 31st, 1999. There's no room for such thought in the 21st century.

Dont know about the 6.5 Barnes, but I'd hunt game up to Moose with my Swede and 140 gr Partitions at 2775 fps.

Gunner