6.5x55 swedish?

joseph wolf · October 31, 2006, 12:17 AM

i have a swedish mauser... absolutely love the rifle and love the round.. flat shooting and long distance... but id like to make a better bolt action for the round... as i know it can get much tighter groups... and i see no one really puts time into it.. anyone have any plans or blueprints that could help? and whatre the chances of building an AR platform for it? or an m-14?? any and all help or comments or knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

DnPRK · October 31, 2006, 10:11 AM

There are a lot of rifles on the market chambered for 260 Remington, which is a modern equivalent of the 6.5 Swede.

Ruger4570 · October 31, 2006, 10:34 AM

Building guns is a fun project and I have done it several times. The downside is it will usually cost you more in the long run than just going out and buying a gun in the caliber you want. Years ago, when there were tons of surplus guns for as litle as $29.00 it was a viable option as you could in fact build a good gun for less. Guns that sold for 30 to 60 bucks now sell in the hundreds. I had an Enfield back in the 60's I got for $29.00 through the mail (when that was still legal) I saw one at a gun show and they wanted over $400.00 for one. I can buy a brand new Remington for about the same price. I still have one 98 Mauser in 7 Mag I got in the 60's for around $65.00. I hope to finally finish it this winter. I know I sure don't have much money in it so far.

FirstFreedom · October 31, 2006, 03:09 PM

I'd get a Remington or Savage action, or large-ring Mauser, then have a good barrel made, and add a good stock. Your barrel-maker will help you on the specs for your goals, but you want a 1 in 7.5 or 1 in 8" twist rate in the bbl (maybe even tighter) if you're going long range, to stabilize the very-heavies (160/162s). Like the man says, these days, a used Savage action (rifle) is less than a Mauser other platform in some cases. But not usually.

You could also just run with a factory Sako, Tikka, Howa, Winchester, or CZ chambered in 6.5x55, and it *may* shoot just as well as you want it to, without tinkering or new barrel, or only a minimal amount of tinkering, like glass bedding and/or pillar bedding. Maybe Steyr has one too.

Ask our resident flamboyant troll (JK

) WildAlaska about his Blaser rifle with custom 6.5x55 barrel - apparently it shoots itty bitty 1-hole groups. Expensive though.

DSA Arms will make you an FAL in .260 rem, which is approx. equiv. to the 6.5x55. You can also get AR10-type rifles in .260 rem - I want to say G.A. Precision will make you an upper in .260 rem, but I may be smoking dope. But you're better off NOT building a semi-auto, if you want to see what the round can do, so that you can load them long and hot. Turnbolt is the way to go, for safety & extraction reasons; and feeding reasons as well.

James K · October 31, 2006, 08:52 PM

"as i know it can get much tighter groups"

Maybe. I don't know what you are getting, but those Swedish rifles can shoot some darned good groups; some will consistently shoot MOA with the 139 grain match bullet. There is no guarantee that after you spend a lot of money you will really do any better.

Jim

T. O'Heir · November 2, 2006, 01:56 AM

Forget the AR or M1A. The round is too long. There are several commercial 6.5 rifles around though. Mind you, like Jim says, you'll have to spend a bundle of money to get any improvement over a Swedish Mauser. They well known tack drivers with good ammo. If you're not reloading, you should be. Working up a load that is tailored to your rifle is the way to go.

joseph wolf · November 2, 2006, 02:02 PM

well i know that the face probably hasnt been trued to todays standards.. so i wouldnt be surprised if the barrel could be mated to the action better... although the action is so smooth and trigger so crisp... (yes ive tinkered with it a little already) that i would feel bad if i messed up the rifle.. and yes i plan to use it long range.. so i figured building another rifle.. and i dont mind if its semi auto or just bolt... either way id like a tack driver.. id prefer semi auto... and i had known of someone with a mauser that just plunked on and trued the action with a bull barrel and even trued the bolt and bolt face... his groups were thousand yards easy.. so i know theres room for improvement.. but id rather start witha fresh rifle instead of tearing into a beautiful swede from 1924... which was a gift from my brother way back... and id want a rifle thats as good or better than what it is... i know itll cost a little.. but eh.. if ya want a good tack driver.. you need to spend the money.. so knowing that? what advice now?

GWPeck · November 3, 2006, 10:56 PM

I bought a CZ 550 American a couple of years ago chambered in 6.5mm Swede--and could not be happier.

I have two military Swede Mausers, and, while they are nice guns and shoot well, I wouldn't trade them, and in the field the CZ is what I'll carry.

With a 6X Nikon scope, and the factory rings, this gun shoots at least MOA with my guesstimate handloads, and a bit better with factory ammo. While the wood used in the stock won't give you goosebumps, the down-range performance will. I handed the thing to my California cousin (with no long-gun experience), and he was able to post MOA groups at 200 meters with no trouble off a Wichita rest.

joseph wolf · November 6, 2006, 04:01 PM

a friend just turned me onto a specific type.. anyone know of it? the cg80 in 6.5x55 swede? its said to be a biatholon match rifle... and im wondering if thats the rifle im wanting? anyone got any input?

joseph wolf · November 6, 2006, 04:04 PM

cz huh? ive seen their rifles... and i wasnt impressed by how they look... but they really shoot that well?? is this the off the shelf version? or a match grade version... because im wanting something matchgrade which is why i was going to take it upon myself to make it...

Eghad · November 6, 2006, 05:48 PM

I have a Swedish mauser in 6.5 x 55 and I am really impressed with it. One of the projects I think about is rebarreling a surplus action in 6.5x55.

October 31, 2006, 12:17 AM	#1
joseph wolf Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2006 Posts: 5	6.5x55 swedish? i have a swedish mauser... absolutely love the rifle and love the round.. flat shooting and long distance... but id like to make a better bolt action for the round... as i know it can get much tighter groups... and i see no one really puts time into it.. anyone have any plans or blueprints that could help? and whatre the chances of building an AR platform for it? or an m-14?? any and all help or comments or knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

November 2, 2006, 02:02 PM	#7
joseph wolf Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2006 Posts: 5	ok well i know that the face probably hasnt been trued to todays standards.. so i wouldnt be surprised if the barrel could be mated to the action better... although the action is so smooth and trigger so crisp... (yes ive tinkered with it a little already) that i would feel bad if i messed up the rifle.. and yes i plan to use it long range.. so i figured building another rifle.. and i dont mind if its semi auto or just bolt... either way id like a tack driver.. id prefer semi auto... and i had known of someone with a mauser that just plunked on and trued the action with a bull barrel and even trued the bolt and bolt face... his groups were thousand yards easy.. so i know theres room for improvement.. but id rather start witha fresh rifle instead of tearing into a beautiful swede from 1924... which was a gift from my brother way back... and id want a rifle thats as good or better than what it is... i know itll cost a little.. but eh.. if ya want a good tack driver.. you need to spend the money.. so knowing that? what advice now?

November 3, 2006, 10:56 PM	#8
GWPeck Junior Member Join Date: November 3, 2006 Posts: 3	6.5 Swede from CZ I bought a CZ 550 American a couple of years ago chambered in 6.5mm Swede--and could not be happier. I have two military Swede Mausers, and, while they are nice guns and shoot well, I wouldn't trade them, and in the field the CZ is what I'll carry. With a 6X Nikon scope, and the factory rings, this gun shoots at least MOA with my guesstimate handloads, and a bit better with factory ammo. While the wood used in the stock won't give you goosebumps, the down-range performance will. I handed the thing to my California cousin (with no long-gun experience), and he was able to post MOA groups at 200 meters with no trouble off a Wichita rest.

November 6, 2006, 05:48 PM	#11
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	I have a Swedish mauser in 6.5 x 55 and I am really impressed with it. One of the projects I think about is rebarreling a surplus action in 6.5x55. __________________ Have a nice day at the range NRA Life Member

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October 31, 2006, 10:11 AM	#2
DnPRK Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2001 Location: LC, Ca Posts: 1,917	There are a lot of rifles on the market chambered for 260 Remington, which is a modern equivalent of the 6.5 Swede.

October 31, 2006, 10:34 AM	#3
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	Building guns is a fun project and I have done it several times. The downside is it will usually cost you more in the long run than just going out and buying a gun in the caliber you want. Years ago, when there were tons of surplus guns for as litle as $29.00 it was a viable option as you could in fact build a good gun for less. Guns that sold for 30 to 60 bucks now sell in the hundreds. I had an Enfield back in the 60's I got for $29.00 through the mail (when that was still legal) I saw one at a gun show and they wanted over $400.00 for one. I can buy a brand new Remington for about the same price. I still have one 98 Mauser in 7 Mag I got in the 60's for around $65.00. I hope to finally finish it this winter. I know I sure don't have much money in it so far.

October 31, 2006, 03:09 PM	#4
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	I'd get a Remington or Savage action, or large-ring Mauser, then have a good barrel made, and add a good stock. Your barrel-maker will help you on the specs for your goals, but you want a 1 in 7.5 or 1 in 8" twist rate in the bbl (maybe even tighter) if you're going long range, to stabilize the very-heavies (160/162s). Like the man says, these days, a used Savage action (rifle) is less than a Mauser other platform in some cases. But not usually. You could also just run with a factory Sako, Tikka, Howa, Winchester, or CZ chambered in 6.5x55, and it may shoot just as well as you want it to, without tinkering or new barrel, or only a minimal amount of tinkering, like glass bedding and/or pillar bedding. Maybe Steyr has one too. Ask our resident flamboyant troll (JK ) WildAlaska about his Blaser rifle with custom 6.5x55 barrel - apparently it shoots itty bitty 1-hole groups. Expensive though. DSA Arms will make you an FAL in .260 rem, which is approx. equiv. to the 6.5x55. You can also get AR10-type rifles in .260 rem - I want to say G.A. Precision will make you an upper in .260 rem, but I may be smoking dope. But you're better off NOT building a semi-auto, if you want to see what the round can do, so that you can load them long and hot. Turnbolt is the way to go, for safety & extraction reasons; and feeding reasons as well.

October 31, 2006, 08:52 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	"as i know it can get much tighter groups" Maybe. I don't know what you are getting, but those Swedish rifles can shoot some darned good groups; some will consistently shoot MOA with the 139 grain match bullet. There is no guarantee that after you spend a lot of money you will really do any better. Jim

November 2, 2006, 01:56 AM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Forget the AR or M1A. The round is too long. There are several commercial 6.5 rifles around though. Mind you, like Jim says, you'll have to spend a bundle of money to get any improvement over a Swedish Mauser. They well known tack drivers with good ammo. If you're not reloading, you should be. Working up a load that is tailored to your rifle is the way to go.

November 6, 2006, 04:01 PM	#9
joseph wolf Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2006 Posts: 5	a friend just turned me onto a specific type.. anyone know of it? the cg80 in 6.5x55 swede? its said to be a biatholon match rifle... and im wondering if thats the rifle im wanting? anyone got any input?

November 6, 2006, 04:04 PM	#10
joseph wolf Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2006 Posts: 5	cz huh? ive seen their rifles... and i wasnt impressed by how they look... but they really shoot that well?? is this the off the shelf version? or a match grade version... because im wanting something matchgrade which is why i was going to take it upon myself to make it...