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Old July 18, 2009, 12:02 AM   #1
mpstan
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6.5 Swede bullet for muledeer or whitetail

I am planning my first hunt this Fall. It's in Eastern Washington in an area where whitetail and Muleys are together. I'll probably take my .270 and my son will take his 6.5x55 Swede. I'm set for bullets for my .270; I have lots of 130 grain Gamekings, Pro-Hunters, and Hornady Interbonds to find an accurate load.

My boy's Swede prefers 140 grain bullets and all we've shot with it since Christmas has been Matchkings and Corelokts (140g). My question is, do I go with 140gr due to its inherent accuracy or do I drop down to 120 or 130gr to avoid "overkill"? My shortlist of bullets are the premium ones: Barnes TSX, Hornady Interbonds, Nosler Accubonds. Never hunted before and I have no affinity for any particular bullet company. I have plenty of N-160 and RL-22 and have Lapua brass.

Thoughts on size and type?

Thanks

Last edited by mpstan; July 18, 2009 at 12:03 AM. Reason: detail
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Old July 18, 2009, 12:17 AM   #2
Wildalaska
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Try some 130 accubonds.

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Old July 18, 2009, 12:41 AM   #3
LongRifle
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Dear Sir,

I, hunt with the 6.5X55 Swedish for Mule Deer, Whitetail, Elk, and Moose. I feel that I know what I am talking about when it comes to the 6.5X55 Swedish.

I can only speak from my experience:

120gr. Sierra SBT Bullet with 49.6 grains of Reloader 19 this will give you a velocity of 3000 fps and energy of 2398. But only use this load if your son's rifle is strong enough to take the pressure. I, have a custom M96 Swedish Mauser.

If you want to use 140gr bullet use this:

140gr. Sierra SBT with 45.7 grains of Reloader 22 this will give you a velocity of 2700 fps and energy of 2266. This will work on mule deer great, but your rang is going to be less shooting the 140's.

I, also use a 26" barrel if your is longer it will get better velocity.
I also like Sierra loading data, other will also work good.
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Old July 18, 2009, 12:43 AM   #4
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"...boy's Swede prefers 140 grain bullets..." 140 grain Core-Lokt's do nicely for moose. A deer will drop, 'bang, thud' too. There's no need for premium bullets if the rifle is giving good accuracy with Core-Lokt's.
No Matchkings for hunting anything but varmints. Match grade bullets aren't made to expand.
Varmint hunting with your deer load isn't a bad thing either. Fabulous practice.
"...to find an accurate load..." Pick a bullet and work up a load. Any of the bullets you have will do. If you're new to reloading, doesn't sound like it though, do this.
Beginning with the starting load given in your manual, load 5 rounds only. Go up by half a grain of powder, loading 5 of each keeping them separate until you get to the max load in your manual.
Then go shooting. Shoot at 100 yards, for group only, slowly and deliberately off a bench.
Change targets between strings of 5 and allow time for the barrel to cool.
When you find the best group, sight in.
Both you and your son will have to sight in, your respective rifles, with the ammo you intend using. You cannot sight in for him any more than he can sight in for you. I'd be thinking 5" high at 100 for his rifle. Put him on target out to 200 yards and close enough at 250. About 6" low at 300.
Your rifle should be 1.5" high at 100 to be 2.8" low at 250 and about 4" low at 300.
Both drop like a brick past 300.
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Old July 18, 2009, 01:13 AM   #5
handlerer
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I own and reload for the 6.5x55. I believe that all the bullet weights mentioned would serve fine. I use and recommend the Barnes bullets you mentioned. I shot a medium sized mule deer last year with a 300WBY, loaded with 180 triple shock and was impressed with how little meat damage there was. Actually less meat damage than a white tail I shot years ago with a 7mag, using 150gr sp. The 6.5x55 is an excellent round for almost any game animal in the lower 48. Recoil is, by my criterion minimal and the sectional density of 6.5's makes more effective than you might imagine. Good luck and good hunting.
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Old July 18, 2009, 01:39 AM   #6
mpstan
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Thank you all; I appreciate the help. I know I've got to just make some picks, then load and get shooting.

This is a Tikka T3 Hunter with an 8" twist, which is the reason it likes heavier bullets. My N-160 powder appears to be versatile enough for most bullets wheras I'm guessing RL-22 is getting to be a bit slow for the 130g or smaller? WildAlaska any experience with N-160 and the 130 Accubonds?

Wish me luck this Fall
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Old July 18, 2009, 01:50 AM   #7
Wildalaska
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I've run 48 grains of 560 with the 130 AB in Norma cases with 210s loaded to 3.100 for velocity of about 2700 fps, but I think when i try that again I will switch to lapua cases and rework up.

5 shots in .908 on that one out of my Blaser LRS

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PS Start at 46 please

PPS Be careful...Tikkas are not very strong actions and do not handle gas well
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Old August 20, 2009, 12:07 AM   #8
mpstan
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WildAlaska

I'm just getting around to looking at my Accubonds...... I have both 130g and 140g. With the 130g I am .019" off the lands if I load to max recommended COAL of 3.150". Do you know how far off of the lands you are when you are loading your 130 ABs at 3.100"?

With the 140 ABs COAL isn't an issue; I have to cram the bullet down to an OAL of 3.065 to achieve 0.009" off the lands. At that length the base of the bullet is flush or just below the level of the beginning of the shoulder.

Thanks
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Old August 20, 2009, 08:27 AM   #9
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Go with what you have, 140 gr core loct is not overkill, dead is dead and accurate is always good. Don't overthink the problem.
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Old August 20, 2009, 08:39 AM   #10
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If the 140 works use it. In my 96 Swede, it prefers, for accuracy, the Sierra 120 and 3031. I wouldn't hesitate to use either for mulies.
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Old August 20, 2009, 08:49 AM   #11
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A 140gr overkill for deer? You're kidding right? No rocket science to use a Rem CL or Win PP in 140gr. unless you like to complicate things for fun. I've cleanly, one shot, downed mule deer with Privi Partisan 139gr SPBT. But I guess that's just too simple. Most 96 Swede's love 140gr. If yours does, use it. My all around hunting rifle is still a 30-06.
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Old August 20, 2009, 10:10 AM   #12
Wildalaska
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Quote:
I'm just getting around to looking at my Accubonds...... I have both 130g and 140g. With the 130g I am .019" off the lands if I load to max recommended COAL of 3.150". Do you know how far off of the lands you are when you are loading your 130 ABs at 3.100"?

With the 140 ABs COAL isn't an issue; I have to cram the bullet down to an OAL of 3.065 to achieve 0.009" off the lands. At that length the base of the bullet is flush or just below the level of the beginning of the shoulder.
On the lands, off the lands, the Swede wont care.

I dont think I have measure the 130ABs, all I do is measure to book leghtn since its just a development load

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Old August 20, 2009, 10:30 AM   #13
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Quote:
My boy's Swede prefers 140 grain bullets and all we've shot with it since Christmas has been Matchkings and Corelokts (140g).
Seems like you answered your own question, if the gun like 140s by all means stick with the 140s. I'm not a fan of Matchkings for hunting, (but thats not the question) but I've used corelocks in differant calibers. They have worked for me.

Your gun likes them so there you go, you dont have to change anything.
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Old August 20, 2009, 10:51 AM   #14
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I use 140gr Gamekings and 36gr of Varget in my Winchester Featherweight 6.5x55. Kills deer dead, but I haven't had a shot over 50yds on game yet (last one was 15yds!). Accuracy off a bench has been sub 1" with groups getting as small as .75" for 3 shots (when I'm capable of shooting that well).

Chris
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Old August 20, 2009, 11:38 AM   #15
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You won't quite get the velocity some are reporting, due to the short barrel on the Tikka T3. Mine gets ~2450 fps with 45 grains of RE-22 and 140 gr. Sierra Gamekings. Sighted in 3" high at 100 yards, my rifle is dead on at 200. I use a Nikon scope with the BDC reticle, and the last aiming point (longest range) gets me out to 475 yards. It has got a LOT of drop out at that range. The wind doesn't affect it too bad though. I wouldn't shoot past 350 or so, personally.
-Dan
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Old August 20, 2009, 02:22 PM   #16
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Like others have said if it likes 140's go with them. Always let your rifle tell you what is best. As far as the bullet selection is there a reason you will only use "premium" bullets? I have never found the need for premium bullets in a deer rifle.

I have used them in the past when I bought into the whole weight retention band wagon but noticed that my deer, if not dropped on spot, ran further than when shot with conventional bullets. I have since gone back to conventional bullets for all of my deer hunting.

If you need extreme penetration they (controlled expansion premium bullets) are great but in a deer rifle you simply do not need that. If that’s what you want that’s fine but I have found bullets of conventional design work better on deer sized game (in my experience).

J.
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Old August 21, 2009, 05:57 AM   #17
mpd61
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Relax and use the coreloks!!!

I also believe you answered your own question. Stick with the 140 grain Remington load!

BTW my M96 swede mauser shoots those darn same Corelokts noticibly tighter than nice clean ball surplus! Go figure!
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Old August 21, 2009, 02:25 PM   #18
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The old yellow and green box Remington corelock is a great way to go . it's been killing deer with no problem for decades .and the price is right.
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Last edited by GONIF; August 21, 2009 at 07:02 PM.
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Old August 21, 2009, 06:56 PM   #19
kron
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I always figure you can't really go wrong with the green/yellow remington boxes if you are happy with the performance they deliver from your particular rifle.

With regards to the Noslers, I shoot the 120BT in my 96 Swede, and have yet to have a whitetail take more than a step after the hit. Haven't tried the 140s yet, as they aren't needed for the animals I've harvested, and the 120s have given great performance. But overall, I'm sold on the Noslers. Shoot them in every rifle I've got.

Hope you/he enjoys the caliber. Love my 6.5

Regards,
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