The 6.5 of the Future

[Gunplummer]

I had two .257 Roberts rifles and hunted deer with one for quite a few years. I never really thought about why I got into them, but now I know. The .257 feeds through medium actions easily when you build on a military rifle. The short, fat, .308 based case can really try your patience when it comes to reliable feeding some times. I think back and that point influenced a lot of my rifles cartridges.

[kraigwy]

My only problem with the 6.5 CM is I don't have one in a Model 70 (that may change, I still have a M70 action not being used).

I bought my wife a RPR in 6.5 after she used the 6.5 while attending a long range shooting school.

The 6.5 impressed me when playing with her rifle so on a whim, I bought a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 CM. I was really impress with that rifle, at 6 1/2 lbs. it shot way better then the $400 would indicate.

Shot some outstanding groups for a light hunting rifle so this season I decided to give it a shot, left my Winchesters home. 4 shots 4 critters, two antelope and two deer. Closest shot was yesterday ending my hunting season taking a forked horn at a bit over 350. Longest was about 6 and a quarter at an antelope.

For the price its really hard to beat the Ruger American Predator, but I just have to have a 6.5 CM Model 70.

[BoogieMan]

I went with the 6,5x55. The performance from factory ammo is very close to any of the 6.5 cartridges. On the reloading bench guys are pushing them way past published data in modern rifles. I also ended up building a rifle. 700 with a 26" criterion bull barrel, jewel trigger, and a bedded stocky stocks laminate. I wish I could tell you first hand how great it is. Haven't been to the range since completes. At any point, the cartridge has plenty of room for Powder and has a great history. That was enough for me.

[Kachok]

I went with the old 6.5x55, that is not to say there is anything wrong with the 260 or 6.5 CM but I have been a fan of the 6.5x55 since I was a little kid and that is never going to change. Plus in modern actions the little extra case capacity of the Swede can push 142gr bullets to 2900fps something that the 260 and CM cannot quite do. As far as accuracy goes the 6.5x55 is absolutely the most accurate cartridge I handload for, and that is a long list of cartridges. RL19 for 120-130gr and RL22 for anything heavier, working up new loads is crazy simple with the 6.5x55.

[340 Weatherby]

None of this stuff really must make sense. If you want it, build or buy it I've had a .264 Wsm completed for over a year now. I'm in the middle of moving to Wyoming right now so the gun has had to take a back seat for awhile as all my loading equipment has been packed up. That doesn't mean it isn't driving me nuts though.

[Spikie]

JackStrawIII - My money (literally) is on the 6.5x55.

First, as far as standing the test of time, this was developed in 1894 - it's been around for what now... 112 years?

The round HAS stood the test of time. The creedmore is 9 years old... an infant cartridge, developed from the 300 Savage and the 30 TC by Hornady.

I've no problem with the creedmore but it is a very high intensity cartridge, running in the area of 60-62000 psi. The 6.5x55 is a handloader's delight, having enough capacity to propel a 120-140 anywhere from 2700 to @3000 fps at reasonable pressures (@55-58K) per the information I have seen. In the Tikka rifle, this will put shot after shot into a very small geographical area with minimal recoil and muzzle blast. Likely do the same in the Beretta rifles. Don't know about the other makes b/c I don't shoot them.

My Tikka T3 will consistently group CHEAP PPU ammunition in 1" at 100 yards with my limited skills and a 3x9 Vortex scope. The Nosler ammunition will do as well, plus a bit, and do it at a somewhat higher velocity (around 2700 fps average out of my rifle) than the PPU. I haven't tried my first attempts at reloads using 120 and 140 grain Sierras yet, as my range shut down for maintenance for the next four months. I expect the Sierras will do substantially better.

I've shot Nosler BT 120's from my earlier M1896 Swedish RIFLE (not a carbine) that I've reloaded and gotten astounding accuracy from them - i.e. groups measuring less than 0.850" c/c at 200 yards... I expect the Tikka will be as good.

I know the thing that most people want is the newest and the greatest and the fastest. If you want fast, bite the bullet and buy a .26 Nosler in their proprietary rifle and enjoy. That is one astounding cartridge. But if speed isn't quite that important but still more desired than the 6.5x55 would give, consider the 6.5x55 AI - It adds another 100-200 fps over the standard and won't stretch brass much if any. I really wouldn't go with anything else.

BTW, if 6.5x55 is your choice, I would use Nosler or PPU brass exclusively - it is good brass and fits the chamber properly. The Swede has a nominal 0.4805 max chamber and a properly chambered rifle will have a chamber slightly larger (another 1/2 thou or so). Some domestic ammunition will not handle that difference well (measure the head of a sample round - should be about 0.478" or so. If it's around .473, it's likely to swell the case head a lot when fired. Looks ugly and doesn't do anything for the life of the brass.

[mete]

The 6.5x55always had a reputation for accuracy. Today there's a problem. We have TWO sets of dimensions !!! Originally ammo was made to the European standard , CIP , .479"dia. When the USA made it they used the SAAMI specs , .473 " dia. Use the .308 head dimensions it's cheaper !!
If you want the accuracy it's famous for then match ammo to chamber .If you rifle is made to SAAMI dimensions then use USA SAAMI ammo dimensions !
My rifle is a custom M98 , chamber cut to CIF standards so I always use CIP ammo Norma, sellier & bellot , lapua, RWS. And perhaps others use CIP.

[Spikie]

Nosler ammunition and PPU also make the brass to European standards - 0.478-0.479 to fit in the 0.4805 chamber. My Nosler and PPU show no appreciable expansion at the head. Federals on the other hand show a marked amount of head expansion because the brass is a nominal 0.4728" diameter. I returned the Federals for refund b/c I was not willing to stress the brass that much.

I don't have the S&B or Norma available to me here. The PPU I have shot is slower than the Nosler (139 grain sp) at around 2500 but groups well (@ 1" at 100 yards from my Tikka). The Nosler is considerably faster - 140 grain bonded bullet at about 2700 fps - and groups about the same but with an (expected) higher POI than the PPU.

I bought the PPU for brass, then found a source of Nosler and PPU brass at Graf & Sons and purchased 200. The Nosler is great looking brass and I've used the PPU before - nothing flashy but decent brass.

I'm trying Hornady 129 grain, 140 grain Hornady, Sierra and Nosler, and 120 Grain Nosler and Sierra bullets with Federal and CCI primers and Alliant RL19 and RL22 to start. If I don't find a satisfactory load with them, I will go on to some of the newer Dupont powders, plus my old standby for this IMR4320. As I mentioned in an earlier post, IMR4320 and Nosler 120 BT's out of my 1896 RIFLE (yes - @28" barrel with original crown) group @.530" at 200 yards from the bench using a 20x scope. I don't have any more of the original handloads, and as I have a new toy in my Tikka and wanted to try some different things, I've gotten several components I've not used before to try - I want to make this one a real tackdriver.

[Gunplummer]

Head size on various manufactured cases really has nothing to do with the different specs. It has to do with cheap. A lot of it has to do with the difference between military and civilian ammo. Of the big three, Winchester generally has the smallest dimension brass, be it a foreign caliber, or a US caliber. If the brass is in spec, what is the big deal? If you reload, the size can pretty much be adjusted after the first firing.

[Pilot]

My next rifle will be a CZ 550 in 6.5x55. It will take any game in North America except maybe a Griz, and I don't plan on hunting any of them. It is proven, accurate, and since I reload, and excellent, versatile cartridge.