6.5x55 or the 6.5 swede?

GunGrey

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So im looking at a LA savage for pretty cheap money. It's chambered in 270win right now and i dont really care for the round personally id rather have a .30-06 instead.

So from what ive seen the swede is a decent cartridge and it's ok for hunting very dependent on bullet factors to get good penetration and expansion. I hear alot about how it's popular in northern Europe and hunters routinely take moose with it.

What's the opinion of the NES on it?

ive been looking at the 6.5 due to their inherent accuracy, their BC and how they can be loaded to high # fps's.
 
From what I've heard ammo is next to impossible to find so I'm guessing it'll be hard to find brass if you plan on loading your own.

Its a very accurate and flat shooting round and fine for hunting. There's a reason why Sweden stuck with it for so long.
 
From what I've heard ammo is next to impossible to find so I'm guessing it'll be hard to find brass if you plan on loading your own.

Its a very accurate and flat shooting round and fine for hunting. There's a reason why Sweden stuck with it for so long.

I know hornady and federal offer commercial loads for it, finding them is a whole nother story.

i might just go .06 and run 208 Amax's like everyone else [sad2]
 
I'm a big fan of the 6.5x55mm, mostly because it's the softest shooting of the common Mauser rounds. A lot easier on my shoulder than 8mm and the Swedish Mausers are among the nicest.

For a hunting rifle, I don't see how it offers anything that more common calibers like 270 offer. Ammo isn't that hard to find, but it's pricey f you don't reload.
 
6.5 Swede and 6.5x55 are the same thing. My CZ is marked 6.5SW.
That's my pet caliber for hunting and playing around with. 6.5x55 ammo is all over the place up here, mostly because there are really no semi-auto rifles that shoot it (yes, I know about the Jungman).
I don't think there is a better cartridge for deer. It's a killer.
deer.jpg


I've been using it a few times at 600yds with a CG63. Nice round.
 
If you need ammo for 6.5 Swede, there are a couple of places that had some in stock as of 2 weeks ago and I bet they still have some. Pete's Gun and Tackle in Hudson, NH. Riley's in Hookset. Merrimack Firearms. I can't remember who had cheaper old stuff, and who had more modern performance type ammo.

My buddy has an old Swedish Mauser so we always take note of who has it in stock so when he needs more brass for reloading we can get it. We just bought a bunch of boxes of Federal American Eagle that looks like it was on the shelf since the 1980s (maybe older!) from Pete's, but I think there was more left.
 
Doing a little searching on the net, 6.5x55 is one of the calibers that I can actually find loaded ammo and brass for.
 
So the gun im looking at is a .270 already and my whole idea was to shoot it for a while then rebarrel it in 6.5 swede.

Should i just stay with the .270. I know it's been around a while and couple of family members have it in their hunting rifles.

mostly i want a range gun and a hunting gun second.
 
Being practical, a .270 is kind of between the 30-06 and the 6.5 Swede.

You already have the ultimate average of your two desired guns. The best part of all, is .270 is pretty commonly available, and especially available right now where the 6.5 is pretty rare all the time, and 30-06 is pretty slim right now.

I say stick with what you have, upgrade the optics if you feel you need to spend some money, and practice a lot with it. Nothing wrong with a .270 as a range gun.
 
Yea you're right coyote


Well while just putzin round the net I a bullet company that is saying their .277 bullets have like .6 and .7 BC's . Granted these are like 165 and 175grn bullets its pretty good to know I have options like these.

Then again I like the idea of having a rifle in something not many people have. Does that make me a gun hipster ?
 
In my kid days my first rifle was a norwigen Krag in 6.5/55 and at that time military ammo was all I could afford :) but the gunsmith I bought the rifle from set me up on how to deprime bredan primers an he had them in stock to lol .I think it's a mite better than a .243 and for deer what could be better go my first deer with mine. So you'll have nice rifles and loads of fun what could be better.
 
6.5x55 is also a blast with reduced cast loads for economical target plinking. 700 rounds per pound of powder...what a deal.
Of course, you could do similarly with your .270 or 7x57 or even your 30 caliber or 8x57...
 
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