6.5 x 55

W

WithoutWarning

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I'm going to put together a precision rig for myself.
I've alloted around $4000 - $4500 to do this so I
really want to make sure I have the best understanding of
everything that I choose going forward.
My question today is about the 6.5 x 55 round ?
how does this caliber stack-up or compare to say the
over popular .308?
The rifle I want, I have found in this chambering but haven't
heard anything really about it. Well, I've heard it's accurate,
but people can say that about any round.
Curious about the thots from this forum.
Thx. guys
 
WithoutWarning said:
I'm going to put together a precision rig for myself.
I've alloted around $4000 - $4500 to do this so I
really want to make sure I have the best understanding of
everything that I choose going forward.
My question today is about the 6.5 x 55 round ?
how does this caliber stack-up or compare to say the
over popular .308?
The rifle I want, I have found in this chambering but haven't
heard anything really about it. Well, I've heard it's accurate,
but people can say that about any round.
Curious about the thots from this forum.
Thx. guys
Click to expand...

It'll beat the 308 hands down. In a modern action, it can be loaded close the the ever popular 6.5X284. The latter is used by a lot of LR competition shooters :sniper: The 6.5X55 is a lot easier on barrels though and with fairly low recoil. So, yes, it's a great LR round and much under-appreciated unfortunately.
 
Thx. RD
But what do you mean; 'alot easier on barrels' ?
In what way, they're not barrel burners. . .
And I just thot of it,
what twist rate is best, what do you guys like to see for this round ?
 
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I own a 6.5X55 SE Tikka Heavy Barrel Varmint Synthetic and it shoot 12 shots in less than .400in.
For long range (1000m)0, the 6.5X55 Ackley Improved, the 6.5X55 VAIS and the 6.5-284 are better numbers.
The 6.5X55 SE is very good up to about 600 meters with a 24 in. barrel. It can reach further with good precision, but the other numbers with 30-32 inches barrels are better.
With a 140 gr bullet you can expect velocities around 2700fps with a 24 in. barrel, with standard copper jacketed bullets. If using moly-coated bullets, you can reach close to 2800 fps with the same bullet.
The accuracy velocity. with standard match bullets (uncoated), in most MODERN rifles (24 in barrel) seems to be around 2650 fps, though.
As for barrel life, if you keep velocities around 2650 / 2700 fps, it will last just a bit less than a .308 Win. If ever your choice goes to one of it's offspring you'll find them a litlle bit rougher on barrels, especially with the slower powders.
Hope this helps.
 
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WithoutWarning said:
Thx. RD
But what do you mean; 'alot easier on barrels' ?
In what way, they're not barrel burners. . .
And I just thot of it,
what twist rate is best, what do you guys like to see for this round ?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't start with a 6.5x55 Swede if I were you. Sure, it's a fine cartridge but I think your needs would be best met with either a high quality fast twist .223 Rem. or .308 Win. If you've done a small amount of research here or on other forums, these are going to be the most common chamberings mentioned. I'm sure neither of these (2) choices sound very "###y" but you're relatively novice at precision rifle shooting, correct? Either of these cartridges are excellent in getting a new shooter into the game.

If it were me, I'd opt for the .308 Win. Once you've outgrown or are simply bored of it, the .473" bolt face will allow you to re-chamber to any of the more exotic and specialized cartridges based on the .308 Win. case.

.308's will have accurate barrel life between 7,000-10,000 rounds. After you've wore a barrel out, you could switch over to any of the 6.5 or 7mm cartridges that offer flatter trajectories and less wind drift than a .308 Win.

You never did say if you plan to reload or shoot commercially available ammo. If going the stor bought route, you'll find absolutely nothing at all in 6.5x55mm Swede for match grade rounds. Match grade .223 Rem or .308 Win. is going to be far easier to locate and far less money to purchase.

$4,000-$4,500 would buy you just about everything you could possibly want to get you going. Your best bet would be to buy a top tier factory rifle and buy some very good high quality glass (rifle scope & spotting scope). I'm not convinced you're going to see the full benefit of a custom at this point in time if you're as novice as I am to assume.

Oh, and buy the way...stay the Hell away from anything that says Stevens or Savage... :p
 
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When I fist started "F" class shooting, I built myself a 6.5x55. It was very successful and shot as well as anything on the line. I won more than I lost. I have not used the 6.5 in recent years and my success has not continued. This should tell me something. If I decide to use a 6.5 in the future, it will be a 6.5x55.
Barrel life is noticably better with the 6.5x55 compared to the 6.5/284. To the point that the 6.5/284 might give up halfway through the second season while the 6.5x55 will not. Regards, Bill.
 
WW, you have a budget to cover anything but first things first.

Define precision rifle and how you intend to use it. There is a huge difference in 'better' mousetraps if shooting BR vs Tactical vs F class vs varminting/hunting vs high power vs ?????.

Start by defining how you intend to use the rifle and the solution is very easy. Right now, posts are being made based on what we ASSUME you want/mean.

The 6.5 Swede is a wonderful cartridge for a number of applications but would be too big OR too small in others.

Before asking what is the best tool, tell us what job you want to accomplish. Precision rifle is very ambiguous.

Jerry
 
I have a custom long range rig built on a Remington action, chambered in 6.5x55 Ackley Improved. It is about everything you could ask for for my purposes. [1000 yds] I like the AI case because, being straighter walled, it responds to neck sizing a bit better than the tapered parent case. It is good for from 100-150 fps more than the standard case with very little extra powder burned. You might also consider the 260 Ackley, which gives very close ballistics in a shorter case. Regards, Eagleye.
 
K guys, good point made buy all. I should have known better.
No, to start I'm not new to rifle shooting, I've been doing it
since I was a wee feller. And I've been shooting 'long range'/
'precision' style for the last 5 - 6 years or so.
All of my shooting consists of paper targets, varments and
everything in between. I haven't shot compitition yet,
however I plan on try'n my luck at that in the up comming year.
At the moment I have a Swiss Arms SHR 970 Match with a
3.5 - 15 x 56 NF sitting on top chambered in .308
But like anyone one in this sport I'm (once again) begining to
evolve and at this time the 6.5 x 55 has caught my attention.
That being the reason for inquiring more specifically to the round itself.
Thx. for all the reply's here guys, they're appreciated.
 
Assuming you have the best of components (as with any rifle) the 6.5X55 remains one of the best all-round cartridges ever made. It is capable of being loaded across a broad continuum of loads; with Lapua Brass, it is capable of pressures that will give you both high velocity and outstanding long-range accuracy.

It is a cartridge of European ancestry and as such has not had the following it so richly deserves in North America. I defy anyone to find a legitimate criticism of the 6.5X55.

Be aware that the specs on the 6.5X55 call for s lightly larger case base than the 308. (.480" vs. .473 for the "308 bolt face") I have seen some Remington actions have intermittent problems ejecting the Swede case.
 
Obtunded said:
It is a cartridge of European ancestry and as such has not had the following it so richly deserves in North America. I defy anyone to find a legitimate criticism of the 6.5X55.

Be aware that the specs on the 6.5X55 call for s lightly larger case base than the 308. (.480" vs. .473 for the "308 bolt face") I have seen some Remington actions have intermittent problems ejecting the Swede case.
Click to expand...

I have two Remington 700's chambered for the 6.5x55, and they both function flawlessly, but some may give problems, I just haven;t experienced it. Eagleye.
 
Please note that Lapua brass is .480" as it should be and American brass is .274" which is not "spec".
Loaded amo is 46000 CUP as specified by CIP-SAAMI due to the old rifles, but this can be safely loaded to higher pressure with Lapua brass.
Nice round!
Regards,

Peter
 
Obtunded said:
.

It is a cartridge of European ancestry and as such has not had the following it so richly deserves in North America. I defy anyone to find a legitimate criticism of the 6.5X55.

Be aware that the specs on the 6.5X55 call for s lightly larger case base than the 308. (.480" vs. .473 for the "308 bolt face") I have seen some Remington actions have intermittent problems ejecting the Swede case.
Click to expand...

No argument that the 6.5X55 is a fine round. The case does have a slightly larger base and a little more taper than the 308 case, as you mention. I think one can anticipate fewer problems when switching if one chambers for a 308 case (260). I don't feel this is a trivial concern, as chambering can be very important in some applications. It isn't a criticism of the 6.5X55 itself, as you say. The 6.5 I'm starting to build is going to be based on a 308 case. Right now I'm leaning toward the Mystic, as I have the advantage of some direct experience with it (not taking anything away from other improved cases here). fred
 
I remember reading a good article from a 2004 dated Shooting Times magazine about using a vintage CG63 target rifle for the NRA High Power Match competition. With handloads the author was able to achieve higher precision "easily outperforming .223 and .308 match loads". The best load was using hornady 140gr A-max bullets and Reloader 22 powder for a grouping of .50", 5 shots at 100 yards with diopter sights.
The article also states that the 1999 British Long Range Benchrest Championship was won by a Tikka Continental in 6.5X55, grouping 4.4" from 10 rounds at 1000 yards. Incredible.
 
Swiend, I remember reading that article aslo.
A friend of mine has every Shooting Times mag since
the cave man days. There's alot of reads now on the
6.5 x 284 which seems to be breaking new ground.

But I'm still curious about twist rates. What are the various
options of different twists, and which ones seem to perform
the best with different bullet weights ?
I am leaning towards shooting a 120gr. match projectile. Is there
a, lets say 'all arounder' twist ? Like in the .223, a 1 in 9 allows
you to shoot just about any weight up to 75gr. being the heaviest.
1 in 7 is better but not as easy to find.
 
The article states that the CG63 has a twist rate of 1:8.66 inches "perfect for heavy match bullets". I've heard 1:8 is the way to go for bullet weights from 140 to 160gr.
 
1:8 is definitely the way to go in 6.5X55. Remember, it is not the weight, but the length of a bullet that determines optimal twist rate...

Twist = 150 X D2/L

150 (Constant factor) times the bullet diameter(in inches) squared divided by its length (in inches)
 
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