257 or 6.5x55

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mike Crawford

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kingston Ontario
I have read through dual purpose varmint -deer and 6.5x55 versus 30-06 .
Here is the question .. Two M38's One in 257 Roberts and One in 6.5x55 .
Both of equal value as far as price goes ..
I am going to use this gun for deer and deer only ..
I have varmint rifles ... And moose rifles .. and rifled slug guns for bait hunting bears
I want one for deer under 250 yards in open fields .. That is a long a field around here
Both these guns would be using factory loads .
 
I have had several really good 6.5X55s come and go, all good shooters and I like the cartridge.
However, after having a couple 257 Roberts I am convinced that is all I will ever need for my kind of deer hunting... it works for me....
 
It is exactly 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.............7-08 vs 308..........280 vs 30-06 or 270.........257 Wby vs 264 WM.....
I have both and for deer just blindfold me and give me one or the other ......don't matter.....dead deer !!






 
I'm thinking factory ammo in 257 is going to be more expensive. I have a box of Federal loaded with 120gr Partition I think it was $47 for 20 and they didn't group worth a chit. FS
 
I really SHOULD reload but with the amount of shells I shoot a year it is hard to justify doing something I KNOW NOTHING about.
I hunt mostly old hay fields so the long shots of 400 yards are rare... It does not require a 20 pound precision rifle with handloads to shoot a deer at 100-150 yards so I think most people just buy some higher end factory loads .. And save and give the brass to some one that does reload LOL
And if you are playing with old guns there is the "how much should or can I bump up the under loaded ammo thingy ""
I am looking at a pair of M38 Mausers .. So I would ""ASSUME "" should never assume LOL;; they are good for a bit more than Factory ammo.
So I guess a person would have to have them checked by a gun smith before using anything past factory loads to start with .
Hope that makes a bit of sense...
But with both calibers I am looking at I believe I COULD reload and do a bit better than factory anyway ..
If it was not illegal to buy a few handloads .... It would make life a bit easier .
Anyway thanks for the advise
 
I have used both to shoot deer. I currently have two 257's and no 6.5's FWIW I handload a 110 grain nosler accubond and have never needed anything heavier than that. Wood doesn't kill deer but you have to carry it, if you are going to buy a pretty rifle the 257 is ###ier than the swede
 
6.5 x55 hands down get a 1-8 twist 24 inch barrel load it up with 140s
and kill away deer moose elk . You can buy a ###y 6.5 and at the end you will have some really high BC bullet to play with
 
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