Modern 6.5X55 Swede rifle performance

[eaglemike]

I know there's other fans of this fine old cartridge.
People have been saying (for a long time) the reason for the Swede's "lower" performance was the weakness of the original pre-'98 Mauser action, right?
How about loading it for a modern action? Is there any factory ammunition spec'd for current actions? I know there are custom chamberings like 6.5X55 AI.
Anyone have a modern favorite rifle in this chambering?

[yoteassasin]

6.5x55 Is a hotrod . But you are probably still better off with a 6.5 creed

[jwfire25]

6.5x55 Is a hotrod . But you are probably still better off with a 6.5 creed

How? Just curious. To a hand loader anyways.

Obviously creedmoor has more factory ammo offerings.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[mmlook]

probably better to choose a bullet and velocity goal first

if you want to run the long heavy bullets, it might push you into a medium/long action.

or you will be stuck, pushing the bullet way into the case, and then end up with .260 rem or 6.5 Creedmoor case capacity

[LynnJr]

With a modern reamer gunsmith Rick Beginski from either Oregon or Washington state always did well with his 6.5X55 at the 1000 yard Benchrest ,matches.
With a round that old the original military reamer specs are too loose for the utmost in accuracy the same as the 300 win mag.
With a proper new reamer it's a shooter.

[Imageview]

[Gunsrruss]

6.5 X 55

It is one of my precision rifles. I posted that build on this site. I'm loading a 140 gr Nosler to 43.5 of IMR 4350. As soon as my stash of that is exhausted I will load the 140 with 44.5 gr of 4350 which I have already used and is fantastic I'm running a Lothar- Walther barrel 1 X 8 twist.

[MongooseV8]

I think the biggest reason you wont see many people shooting target 6.5x55 is they need a long action to shoot the long skinny bullets. And at that point you can shoot any cartridge, many of which far out performs the swede.

[Fjold]

People have been saying (for a long time) the reason for the Swede's "lower" performance was the weakness of the original pre-'98 Mauser action, right?

Yes, the original Swedes were chambered in the Krag-Jorgensen 1894 and the Mauser 1896. Modern 6.5 Swedes will run faster than the 6.5 Creedmoor since the Swede has about 5% more case capacity.

[RNE228]

Maybe for ammo availability. But for handloading there would be lots of 6.5x55 options.

And if not the 6.5x55, the 6.5-284 is the cats meow...

6.5x55 Is a hotrod . But you are probably still better off with a 6.5 creed

[plumbum]

Anyone load 160gr round nose into the Grendel? Somehow the Swede just cries out for 140gr+ projectiles.

How’s still chambers 6.5x55 and Tikka too.

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK, I'll add my .02 here as I am a M 96 Shooter and Handloader.

First you don't compare the 6.5 x 55 to the 6.5 Creedmore. You compare the 6.5 C to the 6.5 x 55 since one is 130 years old, and the new one won't do anything better than the old one .

They both shoot exactly the same bullets at the same velocity. So I ask you what is the major difference? Well my gun was made in 1899! and it shoots <MOA.

Barrel making has come along way so it would seem that a barrel made lately by someone who was good should shoot about the same with either round.

Also newly made bullets will work better than those made 100 years ago.

The cases are not that much different?

So where is the difference?

The point is there is no difference.

But there is a major difference in the guys that shoot them. And that is why the new round does so well. It's new.

Did you know that ammo companies actually invent new cartridges to sell?

There hasn't been a significant cartridge invented since about 1963 .300 Win Mag. Everything else had or has been done before.

Go have a look at "Cartridges of the World" You should see right away what I am talking about.

Randy

[mmlook]

I think the biggest reason you wont see many people shooting target 6.5x55 is they need a long action to shoot the long skinny bullets. And at that point you can shoot any cartridge, many of which far out performs the swede.

this

if running in a short action, the Creedmoor has more room for the longer bullets and stay within mag length


if you dont mind running a medium or long action, or a Tikka
then the 6.5x55 or the 6.5-284 can push the heavier 144-153gr bullets about 100-150fps faster than the creedmoor

to me its all about case capacity vs. mag length

really depends what bullet you want to shoot

[eaglemike]

One nice thing, Lapua 6.5X55 brass has been available, sometimes on sale for a really good price. Remember when 6.5cm brass wasn't available other than big Hornady?

Brass lasts a reasonable time at the lower pressures. No one will usually try to poach your brass at the range, haha.
It runs nice in really cool older rifles at normal pressures.
Recoil isn't bad, decent bullets are available for reasonable prices.
I think I talked myself into this.....
Thanks for the input!

[Gunsrruss]

1,000 yards

With a modern reamer gunsmith Rick Beginski from either Oregon or Washington state always did well with his 6.5X55 at the 1000 yard Benchrest ,matches.
With a round that old the original military reamer specs are too loose for the utmost in accuracy the same as the 300 win mag.
With a proper new reamer it's a shooter.

I took mine to be sighted in out to 1,000 at Yuma Arizona. The guys pulled targets for me and I set it to 200-300-400-600-800-900 and 1,000. Each time I had to be in the "X" ring to move on. Fantastic rifle Lynn