As some of you may know, the 6.5x55 swedish mauser cartridge turns 130 this year. Seems like this cartridge and rifles were way ahead of its time. As an example, my m96 Swedish mauser has a 1 in 7.87" twist. Pretty fast twist for such an old rifle/cartridge. It sure doesn't give up much to the newer rounds like the Creedmoor. Sure, most factory ammo is loaded down because it needs to be safe in grandpa's mauser:


After all, it should be in a museum or just hung on the wall:


Not really, this cartridge hangs with the newer ones of today, with no problem:

Creedmoor on the left, Swede on the right^^^^

After shooting the old girl today, it reminded me that it is a contender in todays world of high bc accurate cartridges. Here's just one group from todays outing with the old swede. Under load development for a military rifle shoot on the 28th of this month:

Pretty much minute of angle for 5 shots, with iron sights. Not bad for such an old cartridge. If you guys have never shot an old Swede, you need to. Pay those respects, you might just be surprised. I know this old rifle and cartridge is one that shoots better than me. Any of you guys have any to share with us? Post them if you have them...

First of all I have no idea how you can accomplish anything on that work bench. Ya gotta sort through your stuff to find what you need and then half the time ya can't find it. That is how it is done. Not neat and tidy like that.

And now, I have five Swedish Mausers. Two long rifles and three 94/14 carbines (one correct and two in sporter stocks). They are a true joy. First one came home back in the early 80's. Twenty bucks from Woolworths. I don't have any ready photos and I have never mastered posting photos on here. Just impossible for me to figure out. Maybe I will do a group shot or two and put them in the gallery with a link.

Anyhow, that is a fabulous grouping.

that is a good looking rifle bsa . love the stock

I messed with a bunch of Swedish Mausers over the last 40 years, from 94 carbines to M96's, M38's, and a shining example of a M41 sniper. Every mother's son of them shot extremely well. Sadly they're all gone now as my interests don't sit still very long. Now my sole 6.5x55 is a Ruger 1A that is truly my heart's delight- it delivers 1/2MOA groups often enough that I'm tempted to call it a 1/2" gun. There's a spare BRNO M98 action gathering dust here that is kind of earmarked to become a 6.5x55, if I feel a need to build yet another totally unnecessary (for me) deer rifle.

Excellent rifle and cartridge. When we used to have our old military rifle competitions at our club the Swede M96s always took top spot in the Mauser class.

Beautiful rifle, the stock reminds me of those Finnish Mosins. Wish my M96 had wood like that.

If I had to choose my pick for greatest smokeless round ever invented it would be choice between 7x57 and 6.5x55. They share many admirable features. First is a ballistic sweet spot that is as perfect today as when introduced. For hunting all but largest, aka massive & exotic game, they are ideal. Not, adequate, but ideal. Not that it makes a big difference, they work as do 100 other choices.

I am getting into mil-surps guns lately and many of the 1890 ish period smokeless rounds used odd size lands an grooves. Like Carcano 2.68 and Mauser 312. And even today these require special loading skills because the rifling is cut deeper than expected. The Sweed got it right from the get go.Also, pressure levels are right. these two as introduced are perfect. I dont want the max load, I want the accurate load. My loading has nothing to do with grandpa.

The other consideration these two are relatively mild in recoil for high power rifles.

I dont know? What is a battle rifle? Why are some rifles called precision? All the modern, cool, buss words apply. If only we could make up a uber-cool new name and put on a good marketing campaign, they would No1, and 2 for sure.

Best looking stock on a 96 Swede I've seen. My 1901 has a decent walnut stock but not in that class. No surprise it's accurate too. I've never had one that wasn't no matter the bore marking. 1,2 or 3 they all shoot. Congrats on a great rifle.

Old... and new.


A sweet combination.




GR

Very nice!!

Thanks. From what I hear these rifles can become addicting and they multiply in the safe. Ha ha.. That's why I keep it hanging on the wall.. Also, as far as shooting, I am guilty of cherry picking the winning load. Working on loads for the old girl. I didn't show the runner up from yesterdays shooting:


Crappy picture, but you can see the rifle does pretty well. I also fired off some 10 shot groups with the 129gr Hornady interlock load I worked up a couple years ago.


That interlock load is no where near as accurate as the barnes bullets I tried in it a few weeks ago, but I'm trying not to shoot those up. Saving those for my comp on the 28th. Hoping to make them connect like it did a couple weeks ago with that bullet:



My goal is to keep them all in the 10 ring and maybe get a few x's out of the deal... We will see though..

Sounds like you had a very nice collection at one time. I believe you when you say you have a 1/2 moa rifle. The cartridge itself is very "inherently accurate". One of the good ones for sure, even though it is damn old.

Very true.

Chopped a 1906 Gustaf Swede down to a 24" barrel, beavered out a new stock, installed a Dayton Triaster trigger, put on a butter knife bolt handle, and its 117 year old tube consistently deals out 1/2 moa accuracy with 140 grain Noslers. Was originally purchased as a truck gun, but it lives in the safe beside Weatherby's, Remingtons, Winchesters, Rugers, and a Sharps. One of the cheapest but most accurate units in there. Those folks seriously knew how to manufacture a rifle.

For initial tests, I assembled a ladder load series ahead of IMR4350, and every slug tucked into an area that could obscured by a quarter. Will have to stretch it out a few hundred yards to maybe get a valid assessment.

I've got a rather nice CZ 550 American in 6.5x55. Other than being a heavy pig, it's quite accurate - once put 3 Hornady Superformance 140 SST into a single hole. Don't have a photo, but I have a witness. My reloads, (140 grn. NP, under 44.5 grs, RL22) not so much, but then, I'm a novice reloader.

Meebe I'll get the stock slimmed down one day and shave off some weight. I do like the rifle.

I wouldn't mind a custom 1909 in 6.5x55. Wouldn't mind it one bit.

Your cut down Swede sounds cool. I damn near bought a Kimber of Oregon sporter model made from a Carl Gustaf m96. I figured there would be a good chance it would digest the ammo I load for my all original Swede/Carl Gustaf m96. It's tempting, but he wants too much for the rifle. He's wrongly thinking it has a lot of value because it has Kimber written on it. I'd rather have a Tikka and take full advantage of the potential of the 6.5x55 cartridge, but then that ammo probably wouldn't be safe in my old military rifle... Kind of a catch22...

I like old school powder and new school bullets in the Swede. I settled on IMR-4831 long ago as my all-around powder for it, but after decades of relying on the Hornady 129 SP I know put my faith in 139 Scenars and 130 Berger Hunting VLD's (which could also help explain the ritual 1/2MOA accuracy I get). The M94 carbines religiously got fed 160 RN's out of tradition (stubbornness?) Can you even get 160 RN Hornady's anymore?

Not entirely germane to the discussion, but one thing I like about the 1A is that with no magazine to contend with I can seat bullets way to-hell-and-gone long to take advantage of the long throat in the rifle.

Old school is my school

Guys, I'm here to tell you that Swede handles like a magic wand.

That's a beautiful rifle. Thanks for sharing with us!

Damn good stuff buddy BSA, thanks for the history lesson, my little Swede varmint rifle using 147gr Horns at 2940 is a real nice longer range puncher, smoked a coyote at 588 and a buzzard pestering newborn calves at 355, the little Swede didn't disappoint ; ]

Thanks buddy. Your little swede is a bad azzed rifle. That 147gr Hornady running 2,940 is a stellar combination. Puts a whipping on my Creedmoor's for sure. The Swede has my respect.

Thanks my Friend, will put it to the real test this fall ranging an 800 yard fresh clearcut over in Arkansas for deer and pigs, we'll see what kind of smoke that little 147 Horn has then!

I’ve got a good little M70 Classic 6.5 Swede. Love it. 140 Accubonds at 2890 work like a charm. I need to put that one into the line up more.

That 147 is a SOB on bucks Gunner. I love it in my Creed.

I also have a Winchester M70.

Someone mentioned 160 grain Hornandy RN’s, I have an old faded box of them too. I think I shot a hand full.

Thanks Big B, the rib hit on the dog at 588 let him make the 22 yards or so under the fence up to the rockslide where he gave up the ghost, tells me the little bullet held together plenty well on him not grenading like the 55gr ballistic tips did from my Warp 10 243 Winchester, leaving at 4150 fps would melt those dogs as far as i could hit one before the wind got me. LOL

Oh yeah, you’ve got a little more speed than me, but a few deer we’ve hit at under 200 yards have been exits with great expansion and wounding. Haven’t grabbed one yet. They’re right at home at that speed.

Your buddy took an antelope with them too didn’t he?

Thanks for the real world, and yes, iirc either 4 or 6 antelope were taken with my rifle and load at that camp, taped a dope card to the stock and sent a nice range finder along, those dudes latched onto the little 'Swede and got those tags filled, they're not bullet guys, so all i could get from Bud was they dropped and all bullets exited, i'll have to take that as a win, those sobs invited me to hunt with them this year, hope 'lopes are good to eat.

I hope you have a good time. I’ve heard lopes are some of the best meat going.

Good to know, i asked those guys the same, they said delicious, but coming from a crew that eats a gallon of pickled eggs and keg beer at camp, holy damn!

Damn,, making me want to get a swede I can put a scope on and hunt. I'd love to get a Tikka or Win classic fwt, but the Kimber I was looking at makes more sense..

Sounds like my kinda camp!

Get on tooled up BSA, it's a hell of a cartridge.

LOL beretzs, those cheese cutting bastards damn near collapsed my lungs in the tent one night, hung my face out on a pillow, zipped the tent closed around my neck, about frostbit an ear but holy fugg the breathing was easy. ; ]

That's freeking funny. I can imagine that..

LOL, they damn near kilt me Buddy, because of this thread, i took the little Swede out of the safe yesterday and propped it up against the back door, guess what i head popped this morning at 302 no wind yards?

I cheated, used Wifes picnic table on back porch, checking Mils, she dead on, i'll give you another couple hours to make sure you're awake and fire you a couple pics.

You sure did a number on that yotes head buddy. That rifle is a shooter. Cant wait to see how it does on those antelopes.

LOL, Thanks Buddy, the bitch grew when i picked her up by the tail, a whopper mama she was, about two inches of neck and the head is all i could pull in with her sitting beside a bush, she didn't register the delivery ; ]

I think the little Swede with the 147 horns leaving at 2950 is going to do a bang up job on deer, pigs and maybe antelope in Wyo this season, was listening to the screeeeeeeee as the little bullet made it's way there, then the WHUMPPP! i knew she was toast.

I may drive 40 miles to look at the sporterized carl gustav Kimber of oregon rifle tomorrow. I was pretty impressed with the old girl today. She did great in the shoot. I had 4 matches. 4 off the bench and 4 off hand with combined scores for each. Of course I knew the bench scores would be good (97-1x) (98-3x) (96-1x) (97-3x), but my offhand was lacking and brought my scores down. Shot against some high power shooters that run the circuit around here. One guy shoots 4 times per week at different clubs. He wanted to buy my old swedish mauser. I told him NO!!! Its funny, he and his buddy from Vancouver, who also shoot service rifle matches and high power, were both watching through their spotters behind me. I think I made them nervous. Both of those guys shot damn well, one of them almost matched my bench score once, but dropped one point behind me on the match I shot the 98-3x on. That group measured 1 1/2" for 10 shots, but was a hair high. I was using 3 different loads, but not by choice. I ran out of the 140gr Sierra's and then went to the 15 Barnes match burners I had loaded up, Then in the offhand events, I was using the 143 Hornady ELDX loads. Combined scores were not great, since I dropped some points in the offhand events. Just haven't been practicing for the offhand events this year. Fun to watch the high power guys in their jackets and big gloves though.. Or should I say funny... I was wearing my Sea Bees jacket today and said to one of my club members that I wanted a fancy shooting jacket like the ones those guys have and the old retired Marine told me the jacket I was wearing means a whole hell of a lot more than their "fancy" jackets do. He's right.

, shooting sports reveals all kinds of folk and their quirks, did you bring that CG-K home with you?

Not yet buddy. I've been tossing around trade bait ideas in my head. Boils down to a Ruger m77 30-06 stainless boat paddle I only have $175.00 in to. I haven't shot that one much at all though:


My more recent purchase a Ruger 10-22 that I've been playing with. Shoots like this though:


Or my old Wingmaster I bought a year ago. Made in '79, so it's a good one. Paid $285.00 for it, but we know its worth much more that what I have into it:



What I've been asking myself is, Is the old Kimber of Oregon worth it? He wants $699 for it, but I think its a $450.00 rifle. Even though it looks like a new penny. They weren't open today, or I probably would have made some kind of a trade for it. If he's open tomorrow, I may run over and talk to him. As good as my old iron sight rifle shoots, I'm thinking the sporter would be phenomenal with a modern scope on top.

LOL, damnit man, i'll have to borrow my line from another thread, so damn much to do, so little time to do it in, we have a hell of a sport, one that can NEVER be completely mastered in all disciplines, and will certainly never cause an ounce of boredom, no wonder antis are angry little self centered self loathing people, they dont shoot GUNS!

Ha ha. Isn't that the truth...

Yessir, now i have to get back to work on an even older cartridge, the 50-70 govt, need to file the front sight down and get sight correlations on the ladder barrel rear sight for hits out to 300 yards, all the 3F Old Eyensford black powder i can get in that stubby case to sling 530gr greasers to 1250 fps!

very nice stock on that one Lawrence...

Thanks buddy.

One of my biggest regrets is parting with a mint Kimber of Oregon Model 82 (.22lr).

The 6.5 Swede could be the only big game rifle needed.

Pal, those 82's are very nice. A couple members at my gun club use those for our rimfire matches. They shoot damn well.

Most Kimber sporters were blue but I also found a nickel one. Ramline isn't my favorite stock, but in my opinion that makes a nice all-weather rifle in a great caliber...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/164006.jpg

Edit note - note sure what happened to my picture ?

Here you go

thanks!

In Scandinavia, there are some 3-400.000 active competition shooters, 99% of them shooting 6,5x55 for 130 years.
Hundreds of millions of rounds each year.

Used Krag or M98 until the 90s when Sauer 200 STR took over.
Military is shooting AG-3 in 308.

Main competition in Norway is shown on television each year..
This is one part of the comp, split in two parts.. this part goes back to 1912.

Torso size target between 220-270 yards
Head size target between 140-190 yards




Old Krag:

Way cool video on speed shooting a krag
Mb

last fall 2020 i did a small tribute for Charles Newton i shot a deer with a 256 NEWTON rifle i purchased off 24 Campfire that was made in 1917 and rifle was all original with my handloads used to hunt with . this year part of my fall deer season 2021 i will carry a 1953 pre-64 30-06 Winchester , all original that was willed to me by my dear old friend Harold B. a very good gunsmith and machinist .

I lOVE THAT OLD SCHOOL!

Nice rifle. Looks exactly like the one I was looking at.