6.5 x 55

RobP

RobP

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Hi - I've heard / read lots of comments about the Swedes, Finns, etc. using 6.5 x55 for moose. Does anybody on here have experience using this calibre on Canadian moose? What range would it be effective to ? 200-300 yards?

Thanks,
rob
 
I've carried my 6.5X55 for moose when it was the only rifle I had but didn't get a chance. Athough the Swedes use it on their smaller moose, I consider my 6.5X55 as deer rifle. My personal limits would be 150 yards, 200 at the very most.
 
Swede

I have shot two moose with the Swede using 140 grain Nosler partitions with excellent results. Longest shot was about 150 yards and he went right down. The 160 grain bullets should work great also but I have not used them. I usually use a .30-06 or .300 H&H now for the extra punch and also like carrying a .348 or .45-70 but I wouldn't hesitate to use the Swede with good bullets if that's all I had. This round really needs to be reloaded to reach its full potential.

Handloader or Rifle magazine had an interesting article a few years ago quoting average shots per moose and distance traveled from where they were shot to where they fell and the Swede was one of the best calibers listed. It is a really great round! It is my favorite cartridge actually so perhaps I am biased.

Regards,

Outdoors
 
I read somewhere that after about 100 yards the ballistics of a 6.5x55 was comparable to a 270-its a pretty efficient caliber,I';ve shot a lot of deer and a couple of black bear with mine-nothing went more than 30 yards
 
Shot a few with my Swede.140 grain factory Norma ammo.dead in their tracks.Nothing out past 100 though,but I think with a well placed shot 200 would not be a problem.
 
I've shot a couple of moose with the 6.5x55, one was quite close in, but the other was out close to 300 yards. Both were one shot kills. I use the 140 Partition a lot in this chambering. It's a match that is hard to beat. In my 700 Classic, I get close to 2800 with this bullet. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Yeah, those Scandanavian & Russian Moose must be pretty tiny ...
Not much bigger than a whitetail ya figure ????

The 6.5 has been used there for about a century quite effectively.
I'm dead certain it's just as effective here.
 
My dad has been shooting the 6.5X55 for about 45 years and swears by them , I have seen many moose dropped from 100-300yrds with out any troubles at all (140gr factory)I have taken about 3 deer and 5 Bears with a 6.5 also never lost any game when using the 6.5x55 awesome little caliber as long as you know the rifle and can place the shot it is a great all around hunting rifle.
 
Im taking mine out for Bull Moose this fall, I wasnt' sure what rifle I would take until the guy at the gun store (to remain nameless) in town here told me he doesnt' carry much 6.5x55 because its more of a deer gun and we dont' have any deer around. Of course he would love for me to buy a brand new 300wsm........ I will send him pics in November:D
 
I've used the 6.5x55 on moose, elk, deer and black bear. On moose, I've used both 160 and 140 grain (hornady interlocks), on the rest, only the 140 grain interlocks. The furthest moose 250+ yds was shot with the 140s, the closest, -25 yds with 160 grain. In both cases the animal went about 50yds and dropped dead by the time I got to them. The rifle was used by several others on those hunts to take other moose and a few elk. Not all of the animals were taken with one shot by the way and a few required several, the multi shot kills were all due to lack of experience and poor target aquisition for whatever reason. I would in no way feel undergunned with a 6.5x55 for moose out to 400yds (highly unlikely range). As always, you must know your rifle well and it's trajectory with any given bullet. Next you must be calm enough when you pull the trigger, tom put the bullet in the kill zone. It really depends on you and the lengths that you're willing to go to get that shot. Yes, the 6.5x55 is more than adequate for moose. bearhunter
 
Some of you may remember my hunting adventure in the fall of 2004. The story was so long that I had to post it in 3 parts over a number of weeks.

To refresh your memory, a tracker and I went into the swamps after I'd wounded a big bull by seriously underestimating range. I'd punched through his "tricep" and creased the brisket. I shambled and spalshed my way through that snowy swamp in a daze, suffering from a serious case of the flu.

The tracker who was with me was carrying a '96 with iron sights and he was using long round-nosed bullets, probably old 160s. When he finally caught up with that bull, he saw the big guy running up a clearcut hillside 300 yards away. The first shot actually went through and through, though it was a bit far back. The bull then turned straight away and ran up the hill. The next shot actually careened off the left ass cheek and deflected up and through the back of the neck, dropping him like he'd just met Madame Guillotine. Obviously, there were some serious horseshoes involved with that shot. Nevertheless, it more than sold me on the incredible power of that little Swede.

I'd been using a 6.5x55 in a target rifle for a number of years before this, but I'd never seen it used in hunting before. I'm confident that a good handload with a 130 to 140-grain premium bullet would be devastating on moose to any sane range. It would probably be my first choice as an all-around hunting cartridge for a younger shooter or anyone with a bit of recoil sensitivity.
 
the way old Joe Gibault explained it to me was this-the 6.5x55 was first of all a very efficient caliber with a high SD, but of equal importance,low recoil, which for most guys means they shoot better,making for more accurate shot placement.He doubted a lot of hunters could shoot their 338 magnums as well as they could 6.5X55 swede-and Joe was a very capable long range target shooter as well as a former CO,and hunter.His advice was to take a rest, put one shot behind the shoulders and sit down for half an hour before following up-unless of course you saw it go down
 
Other to add about the 6.5x55 and its popular use over seas, is only my own experience which has been all good, I have only killed 2 times with it on whitetail and niether required tracking and both shots went where aimed, Was using a Hornady SP 140 both Backed but 45.5g of Rl-22 out of a T-3 LSS. Excelent wound chanels just exiting the far sides in both cases. Very accurate and very comfortable shooting cartridge.
I would not be one bit afraid to Kill a moose with it under the right conditions and comfort shooting distance for my ability. It will do the job and very well.
 
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I can assure you with a 6.5x55 and a good 140gr bullet a Canadian bull moose will go down @450 yds. The key is good bullet placement. I gave up long ago thinking that the 6.5x55 or .260 is not adequate for big game in Canada. I bring out either every year with confidence. Happy hunting :)
 
I've used the 6.5X55mm Swede on several Moose down here on the Rock, along with a couple of Woodland Caribou Bulls, both big, heavy animals. I never had a problem shooting Nosler Partitions or Hornady Interlocks. Minimum weight I'd use is 140 grs.

My brother and I did have a problem about 6-7 years ago using Bell factory 140gr SP ammo on Caribou. The ammo was defeictive and the bullets were not expanding. Instead, they were acting like solids or FMJ and simply punching through the animal. One bull took several rounds through the heart and another couple through the lungs and didn't go down! Finally put him down with a spine shot. Tested the remaining ammo after the trip and found that they weren't expaning at all. Learned from other guys on other hunting boards that they'd had the same problem. Must've been a bad lot of Bell or something. Either way, it definitely soured us on BELL ammo and I won't use it for anything other than shooting paper or plinking. Its a moot point anyhow, since I reload for just about every caliber I'm shooting these days.

BTW: I plan on using my original M38 Swede on Black Bear and Caribou next year even though I have lots of modern rifles and calibers to choose from in my collection. Its a great round!
 
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