for the love of 6.5x55

J

jogforfun

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When I was in my early twenties I got my pal, It was a time in my life like most 20year olds out on their own when I would skip lunch so I could throw in for a pitcher of beer. Funds were limited to say the least. I found a ad in the local buy, sell, trade for a "great hunting rifle" for $300. I went to the house the old guy showed me a old husqvarna 96 in 6.5x55, now I had never heard that husqavarna made rifles let alone heard of the swede. I had zero hunting experience but What I did have was $250 of $9.43hr worth of sweat and tears and a old guy with a room full of mounts to prove the guns worth who was willing to barter. he even put some cheap bases and a old tasco 4 power scope on it then filled my pocket with ammo and wished me many years of good hunting.

I took that gun straight to a gravel pit set up a pallet with a piece of paper with a black dot somewhere near the middle and counted off 40 paces then pulled the trigger and hit nothing but air. I moved on to twenty paces and again hit nothing but air. I went home and phoned the guy I got the gun from and told him his gun was broken that it couldn't hit paper at 20ish yards he calmly asked me if I had bore sighted the rifle. "bore sighted?" he gave me the number of the local gunsmith "john pullen"

I took the rifle in the next weekend. John shaking his head at my ignorance looked over my new rifle, told me I should replace the bases and re-crown the barrel but otherwise the gun seemed to be good working order. He re crowned the rifle, put new bases on and sighted the rifle for 40 bucks and I picked it up next payday.

On my next trip to the gravel pit and I was shooting about a four inch group at 100yrds, well I was pretty much a sniper at that point. when I came up with enough money I joined the local range and in a few weeks I was shooting MOA @ 100yrds and could even hit the 400yrd gong! I was set to go. Just before fall I found out my mom had somehow put me in for the Vancover island elk draw and I had won! After days of hunting I took my first and only bull elk so far with one 139gr nosler bullet at 120 yards . I never made it in to B&C that year but I took the rack to my mothers house with pride.

I took many animals with that old husqavarna including a moose, 2 black bear and many deer. I also learned you can buy the best gun in the store and still have to eat tag soup and in the age of huge magnum rounds all you really need is a well placed shot and your 6.5x55. I have had many rifles since then. 243,270,308 and have always found my way back to the 6.5x55. I am a lucky man and recently got a sako 85 hunter in 6.5x55 for my birthday from my beautiful wife and took my first deer with it this fall.
I want to hear other peoples stories about their swedes and if everyone who shoots one is in love with them the way I have.
 
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I purchased my first 6.5 X 55 in the early 1980's. An 1899-vintage, Oberndorf Mauser. Still have it today....unaltered and complete. Just like the day I bought it. A short time later, I bought a surplus Husqvarna (they were cheap in those days), had my gunsmith restock and rework it into a sporting rifle. Still have that rifle, today,too. The blueing is pretty much worn off most of the barrel and floor plate. The stock has acquired its fair share of dings and scratches. Plus endured being banged and jolted, dropped and whacked. Being soaked in torrential downpours and baked in the sun. No "safe queen", this one. A tough old gal who'se gone everywhere. Done everything. Bears all the marks of a hard life and looks ridden hard and put away wet . Far, far too often. But that old rifle still shoots where I point it...as long as I do my part. Still knocks 'em down with predictable enthusiasm. And will certainly be going strong, long after I've shuffled off this mortal world.

Along the way, it has counted for more heads of game than I care remember. I never keep track of that sort of thing....can't be bothered. For I'm a practical guy, who values the trophy on the plate, rather than the stuffed head on the wall. But every time I pick up the old girl, I am reminded of all those miles. All those adventures. All the great friends...new and old. Some long parted; and some still with me.... I shared those times with. I too have owned many rifles over the years. But still come back to my Swede.
 
Never killed anything with one. I've had several over the years, and I have one bubba'd sporter in the gun rack. When my grandkids get old enough to start hunting with centerfire, I think it's either going to be a 6.5 in a youth rifle, or a little Savage/Stevens 30-30 bolt gun. There's just something graceful about that cartridge.
 
My first rifle I bought was a Swedish Mauser. A carbine no less. Bought it out of Regina. Got a few shells with it and away I went.
Love that little rifle. So easy to carry. A few years later put a smile 4 x scope on it and have been having fun with it ever since.
Both my boys learned to,shoot with it. And they love it as well.

I want to get another one. A newer one with a longer barrel and see what I can do with it at range.
 
It was about 13 year's ago I was looking for a second hand hunting rifle for my 12 year old son. I answered an add and after talking with the owner who had dozens of guns and was a competitive shooter I purchased ghetto husky Swedish 6.5X 55 with timiny trigger, synthetic stock and bushnell 3x9. Didn't really now how good a deal that rifle was at $400 and how great this caliber is.It didn't take long too realize what a gem of a rifle it is.Almost no recoil, surplus 139 grain Balkan ammo for $13 a box. Gun is a lazer especially after the former owner had it sighted in.In 13 year's it's brought down about 10 bucks 1 moose. I have made 2 of my personal best long distance shoots at bucks with it.Both in the 250-300 yds range. I even shot a grouse out of a tree from 75-100 yds, poof just feathers. The 6.5X 55 now wears a new 4-16x50 Vortex HS.Love the gun and my son would never give it up.Best $400 I ever spent.
 
I have a CZ 550 Lux in 6.5x55SE and I absolutely love it...I can shoot sub MOA with handloads at 100 yds...Haven't shot further yet...It is a gorgeous rifle...I have a Sightron scope on it that is gorgeous as well. This rifle is a keeper for me.
 
Ok...
My first 6.5x55 was from a gunshop in Vancouver - I forget which one. That was after winning a "military shoot" at Coast Marksmen (now closed) with a friend's 6.5x55 and surplus ammo.
The one I bought ended up moving to Ottawa with me, and I ended up turning a LOT of Sweet's 7.62 blue, getting out all the built up copper from previous owners. Eventually the rifle found its way to Saskatchewan with me. With the iron sights, it was still capable of putting "minute of heart muscle" shots into food out at 200 m. I gave that rifle to a friend when I moved to NZ. Bought one there, shot a whole bunch of feral goats and a bit of deer with it - but the chamber was warped and the brass couldn't be reloaded. So I traded it on a "new" sporter-ized (scope, synthetic stock, shortened and crowned barrel) Gustafs 6.5 swede. That wouldnt's shoot well, even after bedding, so I tried sticking it on a used milsurp wood stock, without any bedding or anything - and now it's a tack driver. It's taken a few deer, but I don't get out much these days... (I've also added a Timney trigger and a "#### on opening" bolt modification kit.)
 
Just bought a 1900 Obendorf made Swede off a bud last week. Its in pretty good shape, almost all numbers matching(except for a Swede follower plate and cleaning rod) and in its original German walnut stock. Cant wait to go Chris Kyle with her :)
 
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polskiogorki said:
I have a tikka, a few mausers and a semi in that caliber, probably my favorite!
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Are you using Lupua, Nosler or Hornady Brass? Are you cranking up the load a tad, how do you like your Tikka?

I own 4 Swede Mausers, a Long M96, a cut down M96 sporter, 2 M38's. Love the round! What's your favourite load....assuming you reload.
 
Didn't know too much about the "swede" when I bought mine. I was just getting into firearms and a co-worker offered to sell me one. He had 2 enfields and 2 Carl-Gustav Swedish Mausers. I had no idea if they were any good, but the name sounded cool, so I purchased one of the 6.5x55 mausers for $100.

After many, many rounds through that rifle, it became apparent to me that I would rather shoot this firearm than any other military surplus rifles that I have in my safe.

My only regret is that I didn't buy both
 
Anyone who owns and hunts the swede, is there any round that you think out performs it as a hunting/target round? I have taken game as small as a rabbit and as large moose. With my sako 85 I can shoot .5 moa I will argue that it is the most versatile caliber available.


so I purchased one of the 6.5x55 mausers for $100.
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I want coworkers like yours.
 
I've had a few 6.5's over the years and was more than happy with all of them. Mostly Gustav's. Unfortunately people kept offering me more than I paid for them and they went down the trail. I shot a 4 point buck last year with a M38 and Sellier and Bellot 139 gn ammo. Was very impressed with the performance. I have wanted a T3 Tikka for a while and couldn't decide between 243, 6.5x55 and 270. I finally settled on the 6.5x55 when one came available. There doesn't seem to be a lot of 6.5 Tikka's available for some reason. I threw a Redfield Revolution 3-9x50 scope on it but haven't had a chance to get it out and try it yet. I wanted the Tikka because they are a light gun to carry and I do a fair bit of doggin so a lighter rifle is a bonus.
Like someone said earlier, it is a very versatile cartridge. You can load down to 90 gn for varmints and up to 160 gn for the larger game. Can't wait until deer season again.
Scott....
 
I bought a swedish mauser about 4 months ago from a local gun store, it also cost me $250, and it isn't anything special collector wise, but it's a great gun. It's a carl gustav made in 1903, the previous owner turned down the bolt (did a pretty nice job though), and it's not all numbers matching. I was anxious to shoot it and bought some ammo, it hurt to buy it at $40 a box but I wanted to shoot it right away. About 3 weeks passed and I still hadn't had a chance to shoot it, and while I was at a gun show I figure I might try to find some cheap ammo, so I could save the expensive rds for hunting or something. Eventually, after talking to almost every guy selling ammo, I came across a guy who claimed to have some. The guy kept asking me to repeat myself and I had to pretty much yell that I wanted to buy ammo for a 6.5x55 swedish mauser, and finally he handed me a box that had 6.5 Dominion in large bold print, I paid him his $25(which I thought was a steal) and went home. I finally got a chance to shoot it a few days later and I brought my new box of cheap ammo, I thought it was pretty lucky that for some reason it had 22rds instead of 20rds in the box. I load 5 rds in the magazine, and the bolt smoothly pushes a rd in the chamber. I have a target I set up about 50yrds away, and I take aim and fire. I thought the shot seemed a bit strange, and glanced down at the receiver and the bolt was smoking. I knew something was up, and tried to eject the cartridge, it wouldn't budge. Finally I managed to get the bolt free, and the cartridge flung out. I looked at the gun and everything seemed alright it didn't look like anything broke. I got up and picked up the cartridge and examined it, it was cracked and bulged down the length. I thought holy crap that could have gone a lot worse, and then decided since the gun looked alright, I should check the ammo. I picked up the box and examined it reading everything, and I noticed that in smaller print next to the 6.5 it said mann schoen. I asked a friend what mann schoen meant, and he said it was a completely different 6.5 ammo, it was actually 6.5x54. I realize that was a pretty dumb thing to do, but I was so anxious to shoot the gun when I finally found ammo I didn't even check to make sure it was right, the guy said it was and that was good enough for me.

Note: No mausers were harmed in the making of this story
 
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a few years ago I tried some federal fusion they are 139 or 140 grain can't remember off the top off my head they group sub moa and are only $27 a box its all I shoot now.
 
samsplacci71 said:
Are you using Lupua, Nosler or Hornady Brass? Are you cranking up the load a tad, how do you like your Tikka?

I own 4 Swede Mausers, a Long M96, a cut down M96 sporter, 2 M38's. Love the round! What's your favourite load....assuming you reload.
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I stopped reloading once i found factory lapua :)
 


My oversized bolt handle and bolt shroud and bottom metal are sitting at the post office from atlasworxs in Australia as we speak! Cant wait to pick it up tomorrow
 
In the early 90's I was walking around a flea market and spotted an old mauser on a table . At first glance the gun looked a little rough and then I spoke to the older gentleman that had it and he went on to tell me that it was a 6.5x55 .I inspected the gun a little closer and it was all numbers matching 1899 orbendorf and despite the appearance of the stock the bore was very good and the gun was sound condition jso I purchased the rifle for the sum of $75.00. Brought it to the range some time later to discover that it is a tack driver.
The barrel got turned down and re-crowned with the iron sights removed,bolt handle got bent down, timney trigger,mk2 safety,#### on opening kit,drilled and tapped , all meltal parts got Teflon coated and glass bed in a custom stock. Now wearing a Bushnell 2.5-10x42 elite . Many many rounds down range and many hunting trips all over Canada she shows a little ware but is still one of the most accurate rifles I have ever shot,one of my personal favorites and continues to fill the freezer every season.
She's taken moose,black bear,mule deer,prong horn,many whitetail along countless bunnies and grouse (head shots of course).And when she is shot out I'll get her re barreled.Definitely one of the most versatile inherently accurate cartridges ever made.
you guessed it. ..I love my 6.5x55 she'll be with me forever
 
Well reading these stories makes me tear up a little........I too have the same fascination with the 6.5x55, after owning several original military rifles, I bought a Schultz and Larsen barreled action target rifle on a Mauser 98 BYF action. This rifle is just terrible, 27 inch barrel, 12 pounds and none too pretty, but it is crazy accurate. 85 and 100 grain hollow points group in a quarter inch, and the 140 or 156 grain handload group under an inch with ease. I have a few friends that don't like to talk about the 6.5x55, because the have spent thousands of dollars to have the latest and greatest to find that this old rifle and cartridge is still the standard which others shall be judged.

6.5x55iswonderful
 
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