[quote]ORIGINAL: 48thguns
ORIGINAL: James B
For all around big game, the 140 grain bullet is all you need. I shot a bunch of deer with the 140 grain Hornady's. Mine has taken moose and Black Bear as well. Also with the 140 grain bullets. I have loaded the 160 grain Hornady RN for short range moose and Bear. It will take down about anything that you will find in NA and gives up little or nothing to the 270 and 30-06.
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Gives up little or nothing to a 30'06? Sir, Please post some numbers to substanciate this claim. The 6.5x55 is a great deer cartridge and fine Elk/Moose round too.... at short range. However, the last I checked, the 6.5X 55 fired a 160gr bullet at around 2400'/sec. The '06 fires a 220gr bullet at 2600'/sec. At 200-300 yards, this conversation is ludicrous as the '06 bullet has 800'/lbs more energy. As much as I like the Swede, and I own 2 of them, my choice for a cross canyon Elk caliber would be the '06 without a second thought. Regards, Rick.
2 Words!!
Sectional Density!!
The "Freight Train" effect of the 6.5 makes it Long for weight compared to similar weights in larger diameter bullets. Thus you'll find that a 160 grain bullet in 6.5 has a sectional density of .328 while a .308 bullet of 165 grains has a sectional density of .248
Noboby will argue that both cartridges are fantasticly effective on a large variety of game. The beauty of the 6.5 X 55 though is it's efficiency of effectiveness given it's mild recoil during the job. In tests for penetration where a 140 grain Sierra boattail bulllet was compared to t a .308 bullets of 180 grains ( it was a Remington Core-Lokt, a known quantity), the "little" 140 grainer out penetrated the 180 every time on the stacks of wet and dry magazines used for the test.
That doesn't prove much though. What does prove a lot is real experience in the field, and the owners of both the 6.5 X 55 and the 30/06 are NOT complaining.