6.5x55 Swedish

there's no secret to why the 65X55 is such an efficient hunting weapon-the high SD means excellent penetration.The moderate velocity means it doesn't blow up .Ordinary ammunition works fine.The low recoil means most people can shoot it accurately.Being military surplus[sporterized or not] means its within the reach of anybody's budget.

When a cartridge has been around for a 100 years[and that means before gun writers promoting the latest whiz-bang], it means theres something right about it-like putting game on the deck very efficiently .
 
It's for a bullet company, but has some interesting info on SD and the 6.5.

h t t p://www.eabco.com/Reports/report05.htm
 
I bought the m38 carbines and the battle packs of ammo in plastic carry cases. It was one of the best buys to come along. Lots of new parts from SARCO INC to make them better shooters and service them.
 
I've had a bunch of 6.5 Swedes and really like the caliber. The first was a model 96/38 in pretty rough shape but eventually it was sporterized and restocked. Had a Remington 700 classic for a few years and while a great rifle I just didn't bond with it. Then a friend fitted a new model 38 barrel to a Turkish '98 action and bedded it into a B&C stock. It was a tough old crowbar of a rifle that was often carried on snowmobile. Next was a pretty Winchester classic featherweight, model 70. Then came my favorite, a Husky FN'98 action fitted with a Montana stainless/fluted barrel, Gentry 3 position safety, custom trigger, bedded in a McMillan Hunter lightweight stock, Tally bases and Leopold 2.5X8. It is my rifle and perfect in my eyes. Also have a full wood model 96 with target sights for pleasure.

I have yet to find a load that would not shoot well. I used to use IMR 4831 but switched to Reloader 22 quite a few years ago. Nosler Partitions and Hornady bullets have been used and all performed very well. I like to use lots of different rifles and rounds but have found nothing that worked or shot any better for deer, black bear, caribou, and moose than my Swedes. It is any easy round to shoot well and then get out the knife! While I suppose that factory rounds are ok, the Swede really needs good reloads in a modern rifle to be its best.

I have long considered building a target rifle Swede on another Husky '98 action and a surplus Canadian fiberglass sniper stock but that idea is still maturing until I pick up a barrel.

The Husky 1600 rifles are a great buy (to me) compared to a sporterized military rifle. Get one while you can and enjoy. If you find a clean military rifle, please enjoy it as is.

Regards.
 
can14 said:
I bought the m38 carbines and the battle packs of ammo in plastic carry cases. It was one of the best buys to come along. Lots of new parts from SARCO INC to make them better shooters and service them.
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Do they sell/ship to Canada?
 
The 6.5x55 is not that popular in the U.S. because no metric designated rounds are, no matter how good. The 7x57 is a .275 Rigby, it's just the Brits way of trying to look exclusive. As far as handloading goes, screw the .308, the 7x57 is equal to the .270 Winchester.
 
I believe the ballistics of 6.5x55 and a 270 are virtually identical after 100 yards,but it all comes down to holding it straight.I happen to think the reason the swede is not more well known is because it isn't popular in the US-and the gun writers haven't promoted it-but the swede does its own promoting by putting deer on the ground with very little fuss.Put one shot behind the shoulders and nothing walking in NorthAmerica is going too far
 
I have been a fan since I picked up my first one in 1993, still own it and still havent found a nicer shooting rifle.
 
Gun writers write about the cartridges/guns that are given to them by the manufacturers, there is nothing really new about the 6.5 Swede so why would any of the writers have something new to write about it?

That being said, I prefer the Swede to most if not all other cartridges, that and the 7X57. At one time, I had two matching Rugers, one 6.5X55 and the other in 7X57, same scopes, same actions, same everything. Had to be real careful which gun and ammo I grabbed! Killed a few coyotes with those guns, but no edible game animals.

Currently I have a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 6.5X55 Swede on loan from a fellow gunnut, and it might have found a new home Doug!

Personally I prefer something just a bit different than what is the craze, I don't care for magnums--unless it is the 300 H&H! And I am not real big on synthetics and stainless steel--although I have owned lots of them in the past too. The 6.5X55 Swede and the 7X57 Mauser will continue doing what they have always done...shoot accurately, and only kill on one end!
 
...I LOVE my 6.5x55.

To be fair, any of them I've had a chance to shoot were GREAT! My AG-42B is fun and accurate, the '96's I've had a chance to play with were right on too! Great for anything you wish to aim at: paper, meat and, even a gong out at several hundred meters. Consitantly great shooter!
 
Great calibre, just bought one for my 16 year old daughter to use on her first moose hunt. She shot a good sized cow at about 100 yards, one shot firing a 120 grain barnes bullet thru lower front shoulder and on thru the heart, only went less than 20 yd.
 
its really odd-some rifles and calibers just don't seem to catch on ,and some that do in Canada,don't in the States,and vice versa.I hear even the .260 which is a virtual clone of the 6.5x55 isn't all that popular in the US.but any cartridge that has been around for over 100 years doesn't need to prove anything-it already has.I wonder how many other ''flavour of the month''cartridges the swede has outlived?I can't find any flaw in it...it just does the job.
 
I have 2 - 6.5 Swedes. One is a 700 Classic on it's third barrel [Tells you how much I like this chambering, it gets shot plenty!] the other is a sporterized M96. This is a very fine chambering. I have shot Deer, Black Bear, Elk & Moose with the 6.5x55. No animal has gone any distance after being thumped with one of those High BC 140 and up bullets. Easy to load for, and very accurate with light recoil. What more could you ask for? Eagleye.
 
My ruger#1 in 7mil mag is sitting in the safe since my CZ550FS in 6.5X55 came a long. I think it is getting lonely. I wouldn't hesitate on shooting a moose or an elk with the 6.5X55.
 
Great round and there is nothing wrong with the 96 action. Throw it in a nice stock, drill and tap, put on a timney and you'll have a sporting rifle that will outlast you. You may need to bend the bolt handle as well but on most of the surplus rifles it's already been done.
 
sheetmetalglock said:
is the 6.5x55 easy to come by??
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Rifles or ammo?

Rifles are pretty easy to find, if you like european brands. Tika, Sako, etc. all offer models in 6.5x55. There are lots of sporterized Swedish Mausers floating around as well, for reasonable prices, too. Take a look at the Tradex site (site sponsor, located in the banners at the top of the page) for a solid selection of M96's at reasonable prices.

Ammo is not available at your local CT or Wal Mart, but is generally stocked at any gun stores I have visited. Not cheap, however, at around $31/box locally. Commercial ammo is somewhat soft, though, and the 6.5x55 responds very well to reloading.

Mark
 
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