6.6x55 swede or 25/06?
- Thread starter tuffteddyb
- Start date
unstableryan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Beautiful Okanagan Valley
I went back and forth for a while between these two for my second rifle, after my 45/70. I chose the t3 lite and I did my research. After a while, I went with the 6.5x55 and I have no regrets. It’s a great deer hunting round. I’d say almost perfect. 8 more rifles later, it’s still my go to deer gun.
Purple shoulder
Regular
- Location
- Winnipeg MB
No it hasn't. Neither has the 33 wm
unstableryan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Beautiful Okanagan Valley
6.5 Swede has been around since 1891... what’s your point?
That is right...
6.6x55? You want your rifle to be accurate? OP Learn about precision first or the other way around!
I have always loved the 25-06. Just something about the mildly overbore quarterbore. I have dropped 2 nice moose over the years with one , so mulies and yotes dont stand a chance. I respect the swede and like its bullet weight vesatility.
Do you reload? What type of country do you typically hunt in? The .243 is kind of close to the 25-06 with max bullet weights being really close, but being able to sling 160gr bullets with the swede may prove more versatile with a 3-gun battery. I vote (reluctantly I guess) on the Swede just to have more bullet weight for your mid-power round. Although you wont be undergunned with the two-five!!!
Do you reload? What type of country do you typically hunt in? The .243 is kind of close to the 25-06 with max bullet weights being really close, but being able to sling 160gr bullets with the swede may prove more versatile with a 3-gun battery. I vote (reluctantly I guess) on the Swede just to have more bullet weight for your mid-power round. Although you wont be undergunned with the two-five!!!
My biggest regret is having three 6.5 x 55 surplus rifles, brand new in the grease, wrapped in wax paper; shot one, but stupidly sold them all.
Very popular in Europe all the best gun makers still chamber rifles for this round. Very popular for it's accuracy among target shooters in Europe as well. Good for anything from varmints to big deer.
Very popular in Europe all the best gun makers still chamber rifles for this round. Very popular for it's accuracy among target shooters in Europe as well. Good for anything from varmints to big deer.
Well some of us got the joke!
But that wasn’t his only mistake. He also misspelled the thread title, when he clearly meant to write “I’m going to buy a 308 because it’s superior to everything else under the sun”. Probably just auto-correct. Not his fault.
Seriously though OP, if coyotes are the primary target, I’d go with the flatter shooting 25-06.
Recognizing that recoil is not a factor for everyone, however it is a factor for some.
Chuckhawks lists the following recoil data.
25-06 Rem. 120gr. at 3000fps rifle weight 8.0lb.'s recoil energy 12.5 recoil velocity 10.0
6.5x55 140 gr at 2650fps weight 9.0 lb.'s recoil energy 10.6 recoil velocity 8.7
The 6.5x55 with 129 gr bullets provides the same data as the 25-06 except for fps which is slower.
One should really read the accompanying text with the tables on Chuckhawks to completely understand his point of view and data.
Just in case someone wishes to check it out.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm
Keeping in mind that recoil is highly subjective and data collection methods are sometimes variable, I think that the end story is all of the "talk" about the 6.5x55 having low comparative recoil is probably accurate. Plus the ability to load a heavier bullet adds to the 6.5x55 credit. The Swede's, Finn.'s and Norwegians have been shooting moose with 6.5's for a long time.
Personally I have only fired about 5 rounds from a friends 25-06 many years ago. They were fairly hot handloads so recoil was pretty much the same as my 270 Win. handloads at that time. I own a 6.5x55 and enjoy shooting factory loads out of it, more so than my 270 Win. My choice would be the 6.5x55 both for target shooting and for hunting.
Dave
Chuckhawks lists the following recoil data.
25-06 Rem. 120gr. at 3000fps rifle weight 8.0lb.'s recoil energy 12.5 recoil velocity 10.0
6.5x55 140 gr at 2650fps weight 9.0 lb.'s recoil energy 10.6 recoil velocity 8.7
The 6.5x55 with 129 gr bullets provides the same data as the 25-06 except for fps which is slower.
One should really read the accompanying text with the tables on Chuckhawks to completely understand his point of view and data.
Just in case someone wishes to check it out.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm
Keeping in mind that recoil is highly subjective and data collection methods are sometimes variable, I think that the end story is all of the "talk" about the 6.5x55 having low comparative recoil is probably accurate. Plus the ability to load a heavier bullet adds to the 6.5x55 credit. The Swede's, Finn.'s and Norwegians have been shooting moose with 6.5's for a long time.
Personally I have only fired about 5 rounds from a friends 25-06 many years ago. They were fairly hot handloads so recoil was pretty much the same as my 270 Win. handloads at that time. I own a 6.5x55 and enjoy shooting factory loads out of it, more so than my 270 Win. My choice would be the 6.5x55 both for target shooting and for hunting.
Dave
Even though there is only 7 thou difference in bullet diameter, they behave quite differently due to the rifling twist rates and bullet selections available.
This is one of the better threads for debate then most lol.
25-06 runs 75-120gr pills which will cover a lot of game. (There are lighter bullets but I would not bother with them).
6.5x55 runs 85-160gr pills which cover a lot of game as well.
I don't think the 25-06 is going to do anything on Varmints your 243 isn't already capable of, so you will need to look at the top end of the 2 cartridges capabilities.
The 6.5x55 can shoot very high BC & SD bullets for it's caliber compared to the 25's. It won't be as fast, but it will be accurate and effective farther out then the 25's despite being slower.
This is one of the better threads for debate then most lol.
25-06 runs 75-120gr pills which will cover a lot of game. (There are lighter bullets but I would not bother with them).
6.5x55 runs 85-160gr pills which cover a lot of game as well.
I don't think the 25-06 is going to do anything on Varmints your 243 isn't already capable of, so you will need to look at the top end of the 2 cartridges capabilities.
The 6.5x55 can shoot very high BC & SD bullets for it's caliber compared to the 25's. It won't be as fast, but it will be accurate and effective farther out then the 25's despite being slower.
I have had both and used them on your target animals. Like most middle level cartridges, what one will do the other will also do. That said I would get the 25-06 and not look back. Both cartridges need bullets suited to the game hunted. Too hard and they don’t open ( Norma 6.5 ) on deer but work on moose, too soft they come apart at speed( 117 HP 25s). Good luck and either way I think your golden.
I am going to suggest you buy a 6.5x55. While the 25/06 does hit above it's weight level, it is still somewhat hampered by
bullet weight when it comes to larger animals. The 6.5x55 has no such handicap, with heavier bullets from 140-160 grain
showing their effectiveness very well. Either will get the job done, though. Dave.
bullet weight when it comes to larger animals. The 6.5x55 has no such handicap, with heavier bullets from 140-160 grain
showing their effectiveness very well. Either will get the job done, though. Dave.
