Views on the 6.5 x 55

[AzMaN 0]

Hi fellow shooters hope your haveing a good season so far.

 

Now i wish to pick your brains a bit, ive decided that when my full membership comes up at the local shooting club im going to put in for a variation, i decided on a .223 for vermin fox and target but then for deer and long range target i was looking at the 6.5x55 but id like your opinions on what its like as both a stalking tool and a long-range target tool (talking 600 - 1000 yards).

[SNAP SHOT 194]

its a very capable deer round, and has excellent accuracy, the hornady 129g sst is an excellent bullet for deer,

it also an excellent long range round too so a good comprimise of both target and hunting calibre....

 

 

Snap.

[langouroux 14]

i am currently learning to stalk with my friends a sauer 202 6.5x55 - what a fantastic rifle and caliber! it shoots so flat, i have shot fox at 20 yards and deer at 140 off sticks with this gun, and right out to 200 yards the allowance you have to make is negligible.

 

i personally have .308 on my ticket but i am putting in for a variation to 6.5x55 - although i don't know if the 6.5x55 is boar legal so this is something i will personally have to consider.

[Yokel Matt 918]

I've just got a Sauer 202 in 6.5x55 and had a CZ 550 in the same caliber prior to that. Its a hard hitting, accurate cartridge although I wouldn't call the factory line of ammo flat shooting as its quite slow (well it is in Federal 140gr @ 2450 fps) but i agree at typical stalking ranges its flat enough For target at those range's you'll need to get the bullet moving, as it a prefers a slow burn powder i guess you'd need quite a long barrel which may make a combination rifle a bit impractical - especially if you have a moderator on the end (they are bloody noisey).

 

Home loading would be the way to go.

[flytie 1]

I have a sako 75 in 6.5x55 and am thrilled with it. I have not done any long range target shooting and do not expect to, I use mine purely for stalking along with some gratuitous zeroing/plinking. As has been said, a long barrel is best for target shooting and my finnlight has a 21" barrel. With a moderator fitted you can watch the bullet strike the beast there is so little recoil.

 

I have had red hinds, fallow bucks/does, roe bucks/does and a muntjac. I have as yet not had a runner, but I am sure this is just good fortune. I have been using federal 140gn powershoks but have just started reloading with a mentor and we are using Hornady 129gn SST's. We did try Nosler 120gn ballistic (deer not vermin) but my I prefer the Hornady.

 

The 6.5 is not within the Defra guidelines for Boar as they recommend .270 (minimum) or above. But they do stop boar, the 156gn Oryx in 6.5 is what I witnessed being used. At about 80yds the boar just jumped, ran for 20yds and dropped stone dead.

 

If the Home Office had said that you are allowed to take foxes with your deer rifle when I applied, and had not limited us to centrefire rifles of 6.5x55 or below I would probably have gone to a 7mm round, either the 7mm-08 or the 7x57. Possibly even a .308. But now having used the little swede, I don't think I will ever sell my 6.5x55! Even though you have to reload to get the ballistic best out of it. It is nearly perfect for my needs. But I will at some time have a boar legal rifle as well.

 

Atb, ft

Edited July 28, 2009 by flytie

[leadpig 0]

i am currently learning to stalk with my friends a sauer 202 6.5x55 - what a fantastic rifle and caliber! it shoots so flat, i have shot fox at 20 yards and deer at 140 off sticks with this gun, and right out to 200 yards the allowance you have to make is negligible.

 

i personally have .308 on my ticket but i am putting in for a variation to 6.5x55 - although i don't know if the 6.5x55 is boar legal so this is something i will personally have to consider.

its also a ex military calibre,so you wont be able to use it in some countries

[langouroux 14]

i am currently learning to stalk with my friends a sauer 202 6.5x55 - what a fantastic rifle and caliber! it shoots so flat, i have shot fox at 20 yards and deer at 140 off sticks with this gun, and right out to 200 yards the allowance you have to make is negligible.

 

i personally have .308 on my ticket but i am putting in for a variation to 6.5x55 - although i don't know if the 6.5x55 is boar legal so this is something i will personally have to consider.

its also a ex military calibre,so you wont be able to use it in some countries

 

 

im only likely to take it to South Africa - think it is fine for out there as most of the PH's were saying about what a good round it is.....