Who owns one and how do they do on game? I understand they are the caliber of choice in the Nordic countries for Moose but who has used them on other game? Thanks
__________________
"Banning guns is an idea whose time has come."
- Joseph Biden
Associated Press 11/18/93
"Be thankful that we're not getting all the government we are paying for." Will Rogers
I have one and have owned 2 . Traded one in on another gun. Both are Mod 96 which have been customized by cutting the barrel to 22" recrowning the muzzle,bending the bolt, and a new saftey put on and a buttler creek stock. I have used them for varment hunting and deer hunting, I have worked up a moose load but only as a back up to my back up gun.
For varmints I use a 85 gr HP bullet @ 3200 fps, for deer 120 gr Nosler Ballistic tips at 2900 gets the job done. The one I have kept is a real tack driver .75" 3 shot groups are common with the 85 gr load, sub 1" for the deer loads also. Not bad for a gun that cost me $60.00 and about $100 for the other work. The one I traded wouldn't accuratly shoot the 85 gr bullets but was good with 100 gr and up. I attribute this to a slightly larger bore not getting enough grip on the short bearing surface of the 85 gr. bullets to stabalize them.
I was at the range yesterday with my new toy.....a 6.5X55 built on a '98 Mauser and a Douglas premium #1 contour that I cut to 21". It's a 1 in 8 twist and stocked in a corelite stock. It has a timney trigger and a Dakota 3-position safety.
This thing is among the most pleasant shooting rifles I've ever owned. I used S & B 131 grain bullets for starters and was very pleased with the accuracy.
I'll start handloading soon and will try the Nosler 125 partician for a deer load. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that this bullet will exit the muzzle at about 2,800 feet/sec and will drop deer as well as any cartridge on the planet.
A buddy of mine and I bought about two dozen of them for 60.00 each and sporterized them and sold them. I kept two plus I have a 700 Remington Classic in that caliber. Up to Moose there really is not a better caliber for fast humane kills on big game. Its very gentle in the recoil department and nothing in its class has the penetration of the long 6.5 bullet. There would be many good bullets but I have shot almost nothing but the 140 grain Hornady Spire Point. I get aroun 2700 fps safley in the old mausers and deer drop like a bag of rocks. I have killed deer mostly with one shot out to 300 yards. A very pleasant to shoot and very effective cartridge and one that I would never be without. I will soon purchase a 26 inch barrel for the Encore in the old swede 6.5. You can't go wrong.
I've got a customized M96 with 22" barrel, synthetic stock & adjustable trigger. It's accurate and an absolute pleasure to shoot. I've been using off the shelf Remington 140gr CoreLokts and am getting about 1 1/4" groups at 100yds. Best shot with it to date was a nice 8Pt I took a couple of years ago at 220Yds.
Just got set up with new reloading equipment and started reloading for my 30-06. I'm still working up loads for the 06, but can't wait to do some reloading for the 6.5x55.
Any recommendations for best dies / bullets / powders for 6.5x55?
6.5x55 Who owns one ?
