30-06 vs 6.5-55

One can NEVER go wrong with any 6.5... They have put meat in freezers for many years and will out shoot our 'North American' .30 calibers all day long. (6.5x.284) ??!!! Overlooked because of North American Marketing. Period. Its all you'll ever need. Any .264 will shoot and kill beyond what we can do as our part.
 
Either will do the job that the OP is looking for very well, 6.5-55 is an easy shooting and accurate cartridge, but 30-06 holds a place close to my heart.

30-06 can take much heavier bullets that are better on game at longer range than 6.5, although the 6.5 usually has the accuracy advantage in my experience.
 
kennymo said:
Both excellent for game up to moose size and beyond. Have you seen the one dropped in the Yukon this fall with an iron sighted Lee Enfield 303? Both yours are a little bit more gun than that and the old 303 did just fine.
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Link to said Moose ? I love a good .303 + Moose story.
 
"...Either would do, the AWT 6 would just do better..." Yep and nonsense. Neither Yogi nor Bullwinkle will notice the difference, as dead is dead.
I'd lean towards the '06 because I have one and don't have a 6.5. A .308 will do as well as either too. Mind you, a 6.5 will let you hunt small game et al with it in those daft municipalities here in Ontario with calibre restrictions.
 
hoytcanon said:
The .30/06 can handle larger bullets for moose and bear and still shoot lighter for deer and coyotes... Having said that a lot of moose have been shot with 6.5X55... Either would do, the AWT 6 would just do better...
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Although I wasn't exactly sure what AWT stood for, I believe you were trying to say the AUGHT 6, where the "old-school" pronunciation of zero was aught. Am I right?
 
Well, I don't own a 6.5mm anything so I really can't offer comparison, but it have 3 '06s and I KNOW what they can do. I have 2 .308s. I have 8 .303s. I have a.30-30. I have a .243. I have 2 8x57mm. I have 5 SKSs and a 799. All are capable of taking any NA game, but anything with a chance of over a 100yd shot, and I always grab an '06 first. I may feel bad, put it back, and grab another for the day, but I ALWAYS grab an '06 first. Many of the rest become loaners or only come out on family and annual father/son shoots.
 
The Swede gets my vote: super accurate, no kick and has never failed me. It is my go-to gun. Works fine on bears too. Even the commercial 140 grain by federal works. I have no hesitation if I were to pull a moose draw with it when I get a chance. My tikka's placement, and the bullet's performance of bear has left me no interest in acquiring a 30-06 in anything less than a milsurp.
 
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rookie wildcat said:
Although I wasn't exactly sure what AWT stood for, I believe you were trying to say the AUGHT 6, where the "old-school" pronunciation of zero was aught. Am I right?
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No you are not right... If I wanted to say "ought" or "aught" I would have... But rather I took liberties with an internet conjunction that was as simple as it was phonetic... Can't fathom how that was difficult to understand... I guess you can't make "head nor tails" of Kamlooky's posts... "A-W-T 6" , seems pretty straight forward in a thread about the .30/06 and 6.5...

"Old School" pronunciation? I have never heard anyone say; "thirty-"zero" six" whether they were 80 years old or 8 years old...
 
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Two new shooters/hunters that I helped get into the sport are shooting Tikka T-3s in 6.5x55, and are doing very well with them, each having taken big game animals. I also own a T-3 Varmint in 6.5x55, that serves as my informal target rifle. However, I have absolutely no use for a 30-06, so my vote is for the 6.5x55.
 
I own 5 6.5 swedes, and would not hesitate to use them on moose or bear, excellent cartridge, but for moose or bear I would take the 06 if I had a pick, a bit more punch if I make an error on my part! The 6.5 will do the job with good placement, the 06 will do it with marginal placement IMHO.
 
hoytcanon said:
No you are not right... If I wanted to say "ought" or "aught" I would have... But rather I took liberties with an internet conjunction that was as simple as it was phonetic... Can't fathom how that was difficult to understand... I guess you can't make "head nor tails" of Kamlooky's posts... "A-W-T 6" , seems pretty straight forward in a thread about the .30/06 and 6.5...

"Old School" pronunciation? I have never heard anyone say; "thirty-"zero" six" whether they were 80 years old or 8 years old...
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As a matter of fact, I DO have a good deal of trouble with Kamlooky's posts. I just don't read them. Same as dirt mcgirt. And to use the word "ought" would be severely incorrect since "ought" implies an obligation to perform a task or duty and was never used to indicate a zero or null value.
 
huntersmith said:
I have both Cal. Rifles and have taken deer and coyotos with both guns. Just wanted to hear your guys thoughts on these 2 Cals on bigger game Bear and Moose. Maybe even which you guys perfer for all around hunting....Thanks
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30-06 for sure over the 6.5 x 55 for the bigger animals ! :) But i like the 375 H&H Even better then those two ! JMO :D RJ
 
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