6.5x55 vs 8mm Mauser

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David L

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What would you choose and why?
Both rifle Will be new and used for modern loads, Hunting purpose, maybe reloading. 140g and up.
I like odd caliber and I'm not gonna use surplus.
The two rifle Will be either zastava fullstock 8mm or cz 550 fullstock\ Tikka Hunter
 
David L said:
What would you choose and why?
Both rifle Will be new and used for modern loads, Hunting purpose, maybe reloading. 140g and up.
I like odd caliber and I'm not gonna use surplus.
The two rifle Will be either zastava fullstock 8mm or cz 550 fullstock\ Tikka Hunter
Click to expand...
The 6.5x55 is probably more accurate. If your going to hunt something bigger like a moose, you can get some heavy grain rounds for the 8x57. (I'm pretty sure 200-220 grain). 6.5x55 would be good for coyotes and deer, even bear. But the 8x57 is basically a 30-06 for power.
 
I have owned several of both, hunted with both starting with the 8X57 about 1963 and hands down its the 8X57 all the way for me.
Sold my last 6.5X55 a few years ago ( a darn good one ! ) and never looked back.
This statement will no doubt cause a mixed response but I don't care because as far as I'm concerned its a matter of ' to each their own ' and I'm totally happy with my choice as long as I can hunt..
 
I'd be more inclined to go with the Swede due to the increased selection of bullets. But I've never owned the 8x57 and I wouldn't hesitate to use one, especially out here in the thick woods of Eastern Canada or BC. Probably wouldn't be my first choice for more open country but, like I've said, I've never used it so I don't have anything to base that on.
 
Kevan said:
I have owned several of both, hunted with both starting with the 8X57 about 1963 and hands down its the 8X57 all the way for me.
Sold my last 6.5X55 a few years ago ( a darn good one ! ) and never looked back.
This statement will no doubt cause a mixed response but I don't care because as far as I'm concerned its a matter of ' to each their own ' and I'm totally happy with my choice as long as I can hunt..
Click to expand...

Same here, I started with the 8x57 being my first hunting rifle, hunted and killed lots of game with it.The 170gr SST, 175Gr serria, 180 NBT, 180 GMX, 180 TSX, 200 NP, 200 Speer, 195 Interlock, and the 220gr serria are excellent medium to big game bullets with pretty good SD and BC. If you want a lighter bullet the 160Gr TTSX is another great bullet the X57 case is capable of getting 2900fts out of a 24inch barrel. I don't like using anything lighter than 170s in the 8MM.
I have tried out the Zastava m70 ( 22inch barrel) and I can get a 180gr Ballistic tip @ 2750fps shooting 1inch or better depending on me. I can also get the 220grs going at 2520fps for 1- 1.5 inch which is an excellent big game load.

If loaded properly the 8x57 is an easy 400 yard gun, especially with the new 180 gr GMX bullet having a BC of .460 at 2700-2800fps.

In saying that the 6.5x55 is also a great cartridge and I have used it to kill game with. It will kill moose just fine, using a good 140gr bullet or the 160 RN interlock.

Both are great rounds and have proven themselves just fine over the past 100 years. You wont go wrong choosing one or the other. The 8x57 is like the 30-06 and the 6.5x55 is like the 260Rem-270Win of Europe.


Tradex have Husquvarna 1600s in both calibers that you might want to consider too, which is also a great platform for choice.
 
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I can't weigh in 'cause I love them both. Classics that get the job done well, tried and true. If you're undecided, go middle ground and buy a 7x57 ! :)
 
BigUglyMan said:
I'd be more inclined to go with the Swede due to the increased selection of bullets. But I've never owned the 8x57 and I wouldn't hesitate to use one, especially out here in the thick woods of Eastern Canada or BC. Probably wouldn't be my first choice for more open country but, like I've said, I've never used it so I don't have anything to base that on.
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The 8X57 was my main hunting / knock around rifle during my farming years in Saskatchewan, it took my biggest Whitetail and my best Pronghorn.
It hasn't killed much here in BC, a couple Mulies, one Moose and one Bear.
I think for me its main attraction is that I've used it for so many years that its just plain comfortable to carry and use, not to mention the dependability factor.
If I knew how i'd post a picture of it..
By the way, there is an excellent variety of 8mm bullets also.
 
I love the 6.5 so don't take me the wrong way but for myself here in BC it is the 8x57...52gr of IMR 4350 driving a 200gr Partition pill @ 2698 from Nosler reloading manual seals the deal for me.

D.K.
 
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All depends on the purpose.
I own both and for anything bigger than deer, the 8x57 hands down.
Not sure about the disputing accuracy, but I still have a two hundred yard
target when shooting when I was a kid and it will keep up to the 6.5x55 any
day of the week.
Hard to argue the greatness of them Brno 21H's.......... :wave:

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/Brno%2021H/DSC08111_zpsd026a1c7.jpg.html][/URL]

I can post pictures..........nah nah frahh lahh lalalala.......

Kevan's gartzs me awn eegnor, so's I can pester'im.
 
kamlooky said:
All depends on the purpose.
I own both and for anything bigger than deer, the 8x57 hands down.
Not sure about the disputing accuracy, but I still have a two hundred yard
target when shooting when I was a kid and it will keep up to the 6.5x55 any
day of the week.
Hard to argue the greatness of them Brno 21H's.......... :wave:

[URL=http://s614.photobucket.com/user/kamlooky/media/Brno%2021H/DSC08111_zpsd026a1c7.jpg.html][/URL]

I can post pictures..........nah nah frahh lahh lalalala......

Kevan's gartzs me awn eegnor, so's I can pester'im.
Click to expand...


No, no you can't :) Here's my "dicked up" 7x57, but I'd be just as happy with an 8x57 or 6.5x55. :)

19205791689_8376105ddf_b.jpg
 
Dgradinaru thats a very nice Bear, actually a really nice picture !
By the looks of your velocity I'm pushing the same bullet at or about the same speed with a whole bunch of N 150.
Thanks for sharing with us Sir !
 
David L said:
What would you choose and why?
Both rifle Will be new and used for modern loads, Hunting purpose, maybe reloading. 140g and up.
I like odd caliber and I'm not gonna use surplus.
The two rifle Will be either zastava fullstock 8mm or cz 550 fullstock\ Tikka Hunter
Click to expand...

I love both those rounds, but if you are buying a new rifle, I don't know why you would choose those calibers.
 
Kevan said:
Dgradinaru thats a very nice Bear, actually a really nice picture !
By the looks of your velocity I'm pushing the same bullet at or about the same speed with a whole bunch of N 150.
Thanks for sharing with us Sir !
Click to expand...

Im pushing the bullet with H4895. I also use imr 4064 and 3031 and produce great velocity and accuracy with these powders. I also tried 4350 but I didn't get the best velocity.
 
I really like my 6.5x55 simply for the high BC, and I like shooting long, long range. In saying that though, you can get an 8mm bullet with .500+ ballistic coefficient, so it will also perform quite well at range. My biggest thing is that I'm a wimp, so I like my low recoil rifles like my 6.5, and my 9mm handguns :)
 
No significant difference between the two cartridges on any game that I have hunted in Western Canada within my personal limit of 250 yards.
For me, the 6.5x55 has more allure because it was less common in my youth. 8x57 surplus rifles were common as dirt and therefor "plain vanilla".
The prettiest rifle that I ever owned was a spotless Brno full-stock 22F in 8x57, which will tell you something about my taste in rifles.
Choose the one that makes you happy and then shoot it enough to be deadly with it.
 
I like them both, and the good thing is they are far enough apart in bullet size to justify having both. Personally I shoot 140's and 220's in mine.

Not sure about the accuracy comments made by some...both my 8x57's are sub-MOA shooters with basement gunplumber accurising jobs...
 
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