6.5×55 shooters let's hear from you!!

[tex92]

So I picked up a modified mauser in 6.5×55 some time a go and I have been doing some shooting with it. It shoots really well! So now i have been thinking of picking up something like a tikka in 6.5×55 for a deer hunting gun. Anyone here shoot a tikka in this caliber or another brand of rifle? What game have you taken with your 6.5×55? And what are the pros and cons of the caliber.

[6.5 shooter]

I have owned a Mauser 93 great rifle. Currently own a Tikka T3. One of the best rifles I own, compares very well with my Sako in .260 but about 3 lbs lighter.

Mine is stock except for a water dip camo package, wears a decent scope and I have shot it to 700 yards And rang the gong. Mine likes nearly any 140gr. bullet Woodleigh, Bergers and Hornady eldx, all work great. There are two styles of brass for the cartridge, small primer flash hole or regular size so if your reloading be sure to check. Not fuzzy on primers and I use IMR powders for the most part.

Is and always will be my cartridge of choice. I have shot the cartridge for years AND I love it. If I could justify another 6.5 rifle I would look really hard at the CZ as well.

[buck66]

have a stainless tikka in 6.5x55 love it shoots 125 grain partitions real nice with imr 4350 but im now using 140 grain accubonds behind rl22

[KegRiver]

I've owned and hunted with a couple of Carl Gustave Mausers in 6.5 x 55

I've take Moose Deer and Bear with these rifles.

Pros; they do the job as well as any rifle I've used.

Cons; they are not as cheap as they used to be.

If you want a hunting rifle, the caliber is capable of doing the job.
If you want to impress your buddies, a 50 cal may be a better choice.

They won't be impressed but they'll be jealous.

[huntingfamily]

Recently bought a Sako AIII in 6.5x55. Lots of fun to shoot!

[Bushleague]

I had a mauser 96 in 6.5x55, it shot so well it was almost boring, which seems fairly typical of the 96's that I've shot. That rifle had the barrel cut down to 20" and was nicely sporterized, carried and handled as nicely as any bolt gun I've handled. After hunting with it a few seasons I've come to feel that the 6.5x55 is one of the best deer cartridges ever invented, it has just that perfect little amount of overkill while remaining very easy to shoot.

Between me and my wife we killed quite a few deer and one moose with that rifle, using factory Fusion ammo. Killed everything we ever shot with it very quickly and was a pleasure to shoot, almost made a guy wonder why he even bothered more powerful rifles at times.

I ended up selling that rifle to a co-worker and despite making a standing offer to buy it back shortly after I never did get it back. I've decided that if I could ever find a Husqvarna 1900 carbine chambered in 6.5x55 I will be making room for it in my safe. But really, if you can learn to love the little Mauser 96 quirks, I don't think all that much is gained from going to a more modern rifle.

[Maxwell78]

I built one off a Sako action in a mcmillan stock. It just shoots every type of bullet. Its one of my favorites

[JD848]

I started using a 6.5x55 some 35 years ago,i bought 2 around that time so my wife and I used the same cartridge to hunt with.She took 5 moose with hers and I shot my share with mine.Sold them both about ten years ago and bought a new tikka in 6.5 x55 and it is smack on,there's not many bullets it doesn't like.

For a cartridge that came out in 1894 it sure has seems to be holding up with anything new,infact there's guys looking for tikka's in this cartridge all the time.

[Chewbacca]

TC Encore with laminate thumhole fitted with an E.Arthur Brown Acurracy barrel and a 3x9x40 Leupold. Worked up load for the Accubond 140. This one won’t be going anywhere.
First one I had was a Tikka T3. A really nice gun but the length of pull ended up being to short even with a limbsaver pad on it. So traded to a member here and it sounds like he still has it and really liking it. 😃

[tex92]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

I had a mauser 96 in 6.5x55, it shot so well it was almost boring, which seems fairly typical of the 96's that I've shot. That rifle had the barrel cut down to 20" and was nicely sporterized, carried and handled as nicely as any bolt gun I've handled. After hunting with it a few seasons I've come to feel that the 6.5x55 is one of the best deer cartridges ever invented, it has just that perfect little amount of overkill while remaining very easy to shoot.

Between me and my wife we killed quite a few deer and one moose with that rifle, using factory Fusion ammo. Killed everything we ever shot with it very quickly and was a pleasure to shoot, almost made a guy wonder why he even bothered more powerful rifles at times.

I ended up selling that rifle to a co-worker and despite making a standing offer to buy it back shortly after I never did get it back. I've decided that if I could ever find a Husqvarna 1900 carbine chambered in 6.5x55 I will be making room for it in my safe. But really, if you can learn to love the little Mauser 96 quirks, I don't think all that much is gained from going to a more modern rifle.

I plan on hunting this year with my mauser, it is also sportrized, it will be the first year hunting with this gun if all goes well I might buy a new cz in 6.5×55

[stob]

I have a rem 700 original classic 1:9 twist that i shot out and rebarreled with a jury 1:8 twist barrel... I am really fond of the 156gr Vulcan bullet and 160 gr woodleighs and H-interlocks, but the 140 gr any brand works very well too ... i use mag primers and slow slow powders

[1100winger]

Over the years, I have moved about 10 or so 6.5's through the cabinet. All shoot well enough to be keepers but someone always talked me out of them. Today, I have just two, a Sako AV that shoots almost anything accurately enough for me. The other is a Krag Jorgensen, military trim that was used to train high school students pre WW2. Its a safe queen now but has dropped more than its share of game.
My son has a newer Tikka which loves Nosler accubond loads.
The older 96's loved the 160 round nose.
I have always used the 6.5 to introduce new shooters to larger rifles, light recoil, accurate, easy to pack.
You can study the ballistics all you want but it is my suspicion that the numbers are actually better in the field. The caliber seems to hit harder and drop larger game than the stats suggest. I loaned one to a buddy for a moose hunt. One shot in the boiler room, three steps and the moose was tipped over. I can't count the number of one shot kills I have accomplished.
If someone asked 30-06 or 6.5 Swede, there is only one answer.

[260 Rem]

Haven’t shot a ‘55 for many years but still have 50 pcs of (fired 1 time) Rem brass left over from the last one ... most FL sized and primed ... free to anybody that wants to pick up at SPFGA. PM me if you want it.

[Quest206]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

Haven’t shot a ‘55 for many years but still have 50 pcs of (fired 1 time) Rem brass left over from the last one ... most FL sized and primed ... free to anybody that wants to pick up at SPFGA. PM me if you want it.

Maybe you should keep the brass and find a rifle to use it in.😁

[topgenorth]

I revived an M96 action that I bought from TradeEx. In was surprised with how well this old rifle shoots. I haven't taken it hunting, but I definitely don't regret getting one of these.

[badbrass]

Just got back from the range! Bought the Tikka 695 off the EE on this site! Love the rifle! I think I'v found a load it likes!

[beauvalkid]

Nice group and l bet your velocity if checking with a chrony is right around 2700 fps. Zediker in his book 'handloading for competition' claims that all bullets have a speed level that they are best at and that level is usually not as fast as they will go. For the 264 he claims that the best accuracy is reached at about 2700. Excellent shooting and congrats.

[badbrass]

Thanks! and yes I think it would be close to 2700fps. Happy with the results!

Originally Posted by beauvalkid

Nice group and l bet your velocity if checking with a chrony is right around 2700 fps. Zediker in his book 'handloading for competition' claims that all bullets have a speed level that they are best at and that level is usually not as fast as they will go. For the 264 he claims that the best accuracy is reached at about 2700. Excellent shooting and congrats.

[catnthehat]

My FAIR express rifle.
I used 160's in it for the most part but also shot some 140 grain bullets
The 160's ran about 2,350 FPS
Cat

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by badbrass

Just got back from the range! Bought the Tikka 695 off the EE on this site! Love the rifle! I think I'v found a load it likes!

Nicely done sir !!

.......... and yes, I have seller's regret ......... lol

[badbrass]

Originally Posted by lone wolf

Nicely done sir !!

.......... and yes, I have seller's regret ......... lol

Thanks Again for the deal!

[EtronX]

From Saturday’s shooting with the Blaser R8 in 6.5x55. 200 meters on electronic target. This shooting was part of verifying the trajectory with reference to clicks on the scope and the ABMobile app.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Knotter]

...for a nice m96 in 6.5x55 on tradex. It will belong to a first time hunter once I have it set up. I will top it with a little vx2 1x4 20mm. I plan to teach her to shoot left handed on it as she's got quite a difference in her eyes and the support side off a rest will play to that strength.

It's a surprise for when she completes her course.

[hermn8r]

Have had many of them but never got a chance to fire any of them. After reading some of these reviews I'm starting to think I should get out and try a few of them out. Sounds like a great caliber.

[weedcatcher]

I first bought a 6.5x55 in a Tikka T3 Hunter. I shot many deer with it. Then I had it rechambered to 6.5-06. It's taken a few deer like that as well.
I then bought a 6.5x55 in a Husqvarna 1640 lightweight. I have it sighted in with 120 gr Speer Hot Cor and H380. Groups 0.75" to 1.2". Going 2900 fps. Planning on taking a deer or two with it this season.

[Pioneer2]

Did the barrel need set back as the base/web is .480 on the 6.5x55 and .470 on the 6.5x06 ?