6.5x55 Swede for Moose?

I use the 160 Hornady RN ,shoots flat enough to 200 meters and is very very accurate in my T3X and Ruger #1, If I was looking for long range I would use the Hornady 140, more expensive projectiles are unnecessary.
 
Any modern controlled expansion or bonded bullet ammo will do. I’d learn towards heavy for caliber and perhaps look at Norma or Lapua ammo, they each load 156 grain ammo.
 
What gun are you using? ROT will make deciding easier.Never was a moose or elk that could take a 140gr Partition placed in the heart or lungs.RE#22 is the powder...........failing that IMR4350.In Swedish mausers 42gr of either IMR4350 or N204 and their no longer made 160gr RN.
 
140gr Nosler Partition or a Barnes TSX/TTSX if you want to go copper. I have have some Lapua Naturalis but haven’t loaded the
Up and shot them through my Swede yet. If I did that would be another option. I got drawn for Moose (Antlerless) this fall in an area for archery/muzzleloader/shotgun so I haven’t messed around with my Swede this year. Best of luck!!!! :)
 
I'm pretty sure that there are a few out there but at the moment my two favorites are Noslers partitions and Nosler Accubonds in 140 grs pushed by IMR 7828, good enough for any Moose in the world.
 
I have shot 3 moose with the 6.5x55, using the 140 Partition.
2 were shot inside 120M, and one at 340M. All were 1 shot
kills. All were heart/lung placements.

My pet load with the 140 is 47 grains of Norma MRP, but that
is in a modern bolt action rifle. I would approach cautiously
from below. No flys on the 6.5x55. Effective and mild-mannered.
Dave.
 
Okay. Thanks to all. I acquired a very nicely built Frankenmauser M98 at a show this past summer and it functions and shoots extremely well indeed. I do reload and have a box of 140 Hornady SST on hand, but was looking for advice from those who have used this round on moose. Based on a good friend's experience (not a moose hunter), it would appear that H-4831 will be the go to powder in Hornady brass with CCI primers. I like monolithic bullets actually, and now use only TSX/TTSX for deer, but I see the heaviest 6.5 Barnes bullet is 120 grain (on their website) and that seems on the light side for moose. It would certainly shoot flat though.

I plan to give the gun to my son-in-law once we load up some custom rounds and do a final sighting in here in Central ON. I do like all the suggestions above and am leaning toward either the 140 SST I have on hand or the 160 grain RN. The only wrinkle with the 160s is that there may indeed be some longer shots where they hunt. Perhaps a shot longer than 200 yards would be passed on by the lad, not because he is not a good shot, but because I think he would want to get closer before trying...

Thanks again guys. :)
 
woodlotowner said:
Okay. Thanks to all. I acquired a very nicely built Frankenmauser M98 at a show this past summer and it functions and shoots extremely well indeed. I do reload and have a box of 140 Hornady SST on hand, but was looking for advice from those who have used this round on moose. Based on a good friend's experience (not a moose hunter), it would appear that H-4831 will be the go to powder in Hornady brass with CCI primers. I like monolithic bullets actually, and now use only TSX/TTSX for deer, but I see the heaviest 6.5 Barnes bullet is 120 grain (on their website) and that seems on the light side for moose. It would certainly shoot flat though.

I plan to give the gun to my son-in-law once we load up some custom rounds and do a final sighting in here in Central ON. I do like all the suggestions above and am leaning toward either the 140 SST I have on hand or the 160 grain RN. The only wrinkle with the 160s is that there may indeed be some longer shots where they hunt. Perhaps a shot longer than 200 yards would be passed on by the lad, not because he is not a good shot, but because I think he would want to get closer before trying...

Thanks again guys. :)
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Your concerns with regards to a light monolithic bullet's performance are misplaced in my opinion. I'd be happy with a 120 after seeing a 120 from a few 7mm cartridges wreck the important plumbing in a moose's chest multiple times.
After some early experiences I had with SST's I am very leery of them and would need to drive a bunch into wet paper or similar test media before I completely accept that they have been toughened up to behave more like an interlock. While a partition or accubond of 125 to 140 grains would be at the top of my list I wouldn't sweat using an interlock, Hotcore, or any number of 130-160grain soft points
 
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woodlotowner said:
Okay. Thanks to all. I acquired a very nicely built Frankenmauser M98 at a show this past summer and it functions and shoots extremely well indeed. I do reload and have a box of 140 Hornady SST on hand, but was looking for advice from those who have used this round on moose. Based on a good friend's experience (not a moose hunter), it would appear that H-4831 will be the go to powder in Hornady brass with CCI primers. I like monolithic bullets actually, and now use only TSX/TTSX for deer, but I see the heaviest 6.5 Barnes bullet is 120 grain (on their website) and that seems on the light side for moose. It would certainly shoot flat though.

I plan to give the gun to my son-in-law once we load up some custom rounds and do a final sighting in here in Central ON. I do like all the suggestions above and am leaning toward either the 140 SST I have on hand or the 160 grain RN. The only wrinkle with the 160s is that there may indeed be some longer shots where they hunt. Perhaps a shot longer than 200 yards would be passed on by the lad, not because he is not a good shot, but because I think he would want to get closer before trying...

Thanks again guys. :)
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Barnes makes two 130gr TSX, a flat base and a new boat tail. When I did my large 6.5 bullet test, the 130 gr TSX penetrated deeper than any other bullets, 140 and 160 gr included. It would be my choice for moose.
 
woodlotowner said:
Please recommend a good bullet/weight for moose in the Swede. Thanks.
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The 140 gr options (personal choice has been Barnes XLC, the old blue pill before TSX) and heavier would be your best bet. Not that some of the lighter 120 gr choices would not work.

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Barnes140-XLC-1.jpg
 
The load I will be carrying this year for moose is a 120gr TTSX trucking along at 2900fps. I figure that should do the trick!
 
Shot a young moose with the 140 gr X Bullet at approx 100 yards over 20 years ago; only took a few steps before tipping over. Harvested many other big game with the 140 gr Partition. As stated above, can't go wrong with either the 140 gr Partition or AccuBond. Wouldn't hesitate with the 130 gr AccuBond either.
Max loads as listed in both the Barnes and Nosler manuals with IMR4350 gave the best results with Fed 210 primers in Norma brass. Would shoot 500-700 rounds per year through my first Rem 700 Classic, and gave 5 rounds into 1" @ 200 yards.That rifle showed a slight preference for the Barnes, while the next rifle preferred the Nosler.
 
My hunting partner shot a moose a few years back with the 120 ttsx @2900 fps out of his browning 6.5x55 and he was not impressed with the penetration. He used to hunt with a 7x57 with 175gr bullets @2600fps, so his standard was pretty high for penetration. I personally would use the 140 partitions or 160 gr woodleighs.
 
dgradinaru said:
My hunting partner shot a moose a few years back with the 120 ttsx @2900 fps out of his browning 6.5x55 and he was not impressed with the penetration. He used to hunt with a 7x57 with 175gr bullets @2600fps, so his standard was pretty high for penetration. I personally would use the 140 partitions or 160 gr woodleighs.
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What are the details on the lack of penetration? I went with this particular load because I have heard otherwise.
 
Excellent. I have made a list of every bullet suggested so far in the thread and tomorrow I venture forth to Epps to see what, if any of them, they have in stock. I will also look for other options I'm not currently aware of. They usually have a pretty good selection of bullets so fingers crossed...
 
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