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8mm/06

I know that you can expect great accuracy with bullets as light as 120 grains....but I've no experience with anything lighter than that. There are more than a few 6.5 x 55 owners out there, but the owners of .260's should be able to give you relable info that will transfer to the 6.5 x 55 adequately. I guess if you have some of the lighter bullets on your bench I'd suggest filling 20 or so cases with a medium speed load and just try them at the range. I know that the latest LEE reloading book gives loads for 70, 77, 80 and 85 grain bullets, Sierra gives loads for a 85 grain bullet, the NRA publication titled "Handloading" gives loads for 77, 85, and 87 grain loads
However, my (old) Speer starts with 120 grainers and my (old) Hornady manual starts with 100 grainers. Good luck......My guess is that you'll get acceptable accuracy down to even the 87 grain balls unless you crank the speed up to the upper end of the suggested loads.

Mr. 16 gauge

I don't know the rate of twist in my 6.5x55 surplus mauser (sporterized), but it doesnt like the 120 grain bullets with any of the powders I have tried. I have found a good load using the Sierra 100 grain HP; I load it over 42.5 grains of IMR 4064 and a CCI 200 primer. Not sure of the velocity, but it shoots sub MOA at 100 yards. Haven't had a chance to try it on game yet, though. My rifle seems to prefer the 100 grain Sierra, the 129 grain Hornady, and is so-so about any bullet in 140 grains. Good luck and good hunting.

halcon

The sierra manual give a accuracy load for the 85gr bullet @ 3000fps with 42.1 gr of Imr 3031 .this was the best out of what they tested .this is one load off of max .

8mm/06

I'm the first shooter to agree that no-one should rely on a "all-purpose" rifle. I don't think there is such a rifle. To truly be an "all purpose" rifle the weapon would have to bring down everything from cape buffalo to ground squirrels and do it effortlessly without undue work and industry on the part of the shooter. I would submit that the best anyone can do is find several calibers they like that are "multi-purpose" rather than "ALL-purpose". Many claim the .243 and the .270 and the 30/06 and the .300 win mag (and others) to be magic calibers that are "all-purpose". If I had to pick one caliber that could really fit the widest range of "multi-pupose" [in the middle range of hunting purposes] it would probably be something in the neighborhood of the 6.5 x 55 or the .260 (really first known as the .263Waters Express and proposed sometime before 1960 by Kenneth Waters). I'm not sure I'd call the penetration from the .264 calibers to be "magic" but the penetration is way out of proportion for the bore diameter.
' "Deep penetrating bullets of good sectional density are propelled at comparitively modest velocities.' " (Finn Aagard on Hunting Rifles and Cartridges).
I hunt deer (mostly) and have aspirations of smaller game and (someday) larger game(Elk, Bear.....??) And although I would have a larger firearm with me for the larger game and a smaller firearm for the smaller game, ...I would be ultimately comfortable with the 6.5 x 55 as a back up rifle in applications from prairie dog to moose and elk. Mind you, I consider those extremes to be the outer edge of the 6.5's application, and perfoect conditions would have to exist before I'd take the shot with the back-up rifle.
I have had a love affair with the 6.5 caliber for over 30 years now, and while I don't believe it to be an "all-purpose" round,....it is MY favorite "Multi-purpose" round.
Those who regulary hunt the beasts larger than the whitetail would, understandably, prefer a larger "multi-purpose" caliber. This is just one man's opinion of his own favorite. Opinions......everybody's got one.