Anybody Shoots 6.5x55?

[vodekz]

How do you like it? I am looking for perfect loads for 100 gr, 120 gr and 140gr.

Please share your experience
Wlodek 8)

 

[SJB358]

Don't shoot or load for the 6.5x55, but I imagine one of the shooters that does will be along shortly. I would think powders in the RL19 range would work well. If you have the Nosler manual, I would start with their most accurate powder and run with it. Scotty

 

[FOTIS]

Pending on the action it is identical to the 260 Remington and on the heels of the 6.5-06.
That is if you get it in a Rem, win, CZ etc.

100 grain partitions at 3250 fps is not bad antelope medicine. Neither is 140 PT's at 2750 fps+

 

[rjm158]

I have a Tikka T-3 in 6.5x55 and love it. The caliber is easy to load and far more effective on game than many ballistic tables would indicate.

I used a 100 gr BT to kill a medium sized whitetail buck at 230 yds. My wife and I have used the 120's in .260 rifles to kill several deer over the years.

For most of my loads I use Varget powder. I have not loaded any 140ish bullets for hunting but did load some for a metallic silhouette match. The impact on the ram targets at 500 meters was impressive.

Ron

 

[Polaris]

I've put some trigger time on M96 mil. rifles in this calibre. It is extraordinarily pleasant to shoot. "Kicks" like an AR 15. Excellent deer cartridge. The 140 grain weights will optimize performance with this round, especially in a modern commercial or mauser 98 action. For larger game such as bears or elk, you might consider keeping your range shorter and using one of the 160 gr. roundnose bullets available. keep in mind this round is at its best on deer or black bear.

The Lapua and Vihtavuori manuals have the most extensive load data for this round as it is extremely popular in Scandinavia.

 

[257 Ackley]

Don't shoot or load for the 6.5x55, but I imagine one of the shooters that does will be along shortly. I would think powders in the RL19 range would work well. If you have the Nosler manual, I would start with their most accurate powder and run with it. Scotty

R19 would be the first powder I would try for the 130 and 140 grain bullets. You might be better off with a little faster burn rate with the lighter bullets.

 

[1Shot]

I have used the 6.5X55 Swede for a number of years. I have 5 M-96 Mausers and a 96/38. I have
a 96 that is sported with a scope that I have killed a bunch of deer with. I use AA4350 with 120 and 140 gr bullets. These are max charges for the 96 actions according to Accurate Arms Powder ballistics people.
46 grs AA 4350, CCI BR2 primer, Rem case, 120 Nosler ballistic tip, OAL 3.050, 3000 fps.
45 grs AA 4350, CCI BR2 primer, Rem case, 140 Sierra or Hornady SP, OAL 3.050, 2800 fps.
These loads are very accurate and just hammer deer.The over all length is as long as will fit in the magazine of the M-96 mauser. For an all round load the 120 BT will take care of any deer size game.

It is not hard to find a load with most any medium to slow burning powder for the 6.5X55. It shoots accurately with almost anything you put in it.

 

[vodekz]

So far I have good luck with 120BT and H4350 and CCI BR2 with Lapua brass. Another load is 140 Berger VLD and RL-22 with WLR primer. 140 VLD will shoot the same hole and 100 yards with cold bore. I would like to load 130 TSX but so far I cant get it to shoot well. Anybody tried it?
I wonder about the load and OAL?

Wlodek

 

[baltz526]

120gr ballistic tips in the 6.5x55 are about perfect. H4350 gives me 2950fps out of a 23" 96. I wish my new rifles shot as well. It's a Deer killing combo and i have killed a pretty good pile of coyotes with the rifle. Most with open sights and the 140gr Partition. We used to set up the gong at 300yds and shoot open sights. The 6.5 was capable of 5" 5 shot groups with the military target sights.

 

[YoteSmoker]

I load for my dad but he just hunts deer so I loaded up 129 interlocks for his using IMR4350. I would like to have this caliber for myself someday and my thoughts are that a 130 AccuBond or tsx would be about perfect for coyote-elk or a 120 ballistic tip if only hunting coyote-deer. I'm just not convinced it will do anything better than the 7mm08 or even 260 will do.

 

[DrMike]

I'm just not convinced it will do anything better than the 7mm08 or even 260 will do.

I believe that is an accurate assessment. Whilst it is always fun to load for another cartridge or to work up loads in another rifle, there is considerable overlap when we speak of performance on game.

 

[Jimbeaux82]

I have a CZ 550 FS in 6.5X55. I have reloaded a little bit for it in 120 gr and 140 gr loads but I do not have all of my data with me right now. However, the load I did settle on is:

H4831 51.0 gr 140 gr Horn SST 3.100" OAL 2760 fps Rem LR Primers

I get about 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" groups with this load but I think it is the rifle not the load. The Mannlicher stock rifles are usually not tack drivers. BUt I have killed everything I have shot at out to 300 yards so no big complaints here.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

I shot my Sweed this last week.
130gr NAB
H4831sc
cci 200
Win brass

1" groups at 100 yards.

Not bad for iron sights.

 

[Kuula]

Here is a video that gives some picture about 6,5x55 accuracy potential:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgdwOUHFD8w

 

[gerry]

So far I have good luck with 120BT and H4350 and CCI BR2 with Lapua brass. Another load is 140 Berger VLD and RL-22 with WLR primer. 140 VLD will shoot the same hole and 100 yards with cold bore. I would like to load 130 TSX but so far I cant get it to shoot well. Anybody tried it?
I wonder about the load and OAL?

Wlodek

When I had a Ruger 77 6.5x55 (that I should never have sold) it wouldn't shoot well with either the old 130 X or newer TSX never could figure out why. I tried some 140 gr X and they keyholed even though the Ruger was supposed to have a 1 in 8 twist, this led me to believe that the 130 gr Barnes bullets were borderline stable and the reason they never did better than 2" groups. The gun grouped pretty much every other bullet well by the way and almost any powder I tried seemed to work well.

 

[DrMike]

Kuula,

I don't doubt the accuracy potential of the 6.5 X 55. I have witnessed some exceptional accuracy from 6.5 mm calibre cartridges over the years. I worked up a load for a man who was heading to Norway to hunt capercaillie. He was using a 260 Remington, and it shot wonderfully small groups. I never heard how he did on his hunt, but he wasn't hampered by his rifle.

 

[ACLakey]

I had a 6.5-06 built on a M98 action which I used to kill everything from squirrels to elk and it performed very well! Sadly the rifle was stolen and I have yet to replace it. Last year my uncle gave the kids a sporterized M96 in 6.5x55 and a life time of brass and ammo for it. It shots very well and it is easy to find loads that shoot in the 1"-1.5" range at 100yd and with little recoil. I am now looking for a modern 6.5x55 for myself to replace the 6.5-06 I loved so much.

 

[Gm weatherby man]

I load for one my dad aquired from a relative, poorly looked after, ruff barrel. I load 120 serr bttls as if they where 140's, only way to keep pressures down, but yah 1" groups with iron sights.it's duty is as a tractor gun, butchers helper on the farm these days.

 

[stalker07]

I load the 130 grain Swift Scirocco using Varget in my T/C Encore and have had spectacular performance on whitetails. Very modest recoil and all 6 whitetails have been fully penetrated with minimal meat damage and exit holes arond 1.5 inches. I'm currently away from home but I'll post the load data as soon as possible. I have some interesting loads using the 140 grain Partition as well. Good hunting!