Anyone hunt with 6.5 Swede?

I have not yet had a Swede, ive had a fair pile of 6.5s both smaller and larger than the Swede tho, and I can promise you'll enjoy the round If you already like the rifle its chambered In.

I can run data on QL for you to give you an idea of what sort of performance your likely to go, BUT it will simply be a projection not actual data.

i have quite a few 6.5x55,s, most are original swedish army rifles and two modern rifles, a CZ-550 and a remington 700 classic. my go to powders for them is imr 4350 and N-560 with 129gr and 140 gr bullets and while 6.5x55 cases can,t be found at every mom&pop store, they are not to hard to find on the internet. a modern 6.5x55 like my CZ-550-remington can be loaded to very good fps, 129gr bullet at close 3000fps and 140gr bullet at close 2900 fps with N-560. if the 6.5x55 is not your cup of tea, try the remington .260, i have a 260 remington 700 with a 24" barrel and a 1x8 twist that shoots very well and i use match .308 cases(very easy to get) necked to .260 and shoots very close to 6.5x55 fps.

I think the 6.5 X 55 Swede would have been an outstanding round to adopt as the US Army service round in 1903! The other would have been the 7.5 X 55 if the Army had to have a 30 caliber weapon. Instead the US Army created the 30-06, which from the beginning, had an air space, which made the weapons it was chambered in, longer than needed.

The 6.5 X 55 is a much milder recoiling round than either the 30-06 or 7.5 Swiss, and it takes 190 grain bullets in a 30 caliber to equal the ballistics of the 6.5 round at 2600 fps in a standard Swede service rifle. At the time of adoption, about the only armored thing on the battlefield were the shields on the front of horse artillery, so penetration against armor probably was not a consideration.

I have two modern 6.5 X 55 rifles and I decided to develop loads, and I think there are two powders for the 6.5 X 55 : 4350 and 4831. Pick IMR or H brands, though the Hodgdon powders have a real following with the F Class shooters. Those guys are shooting inside anything I can hold with a hunting weapon, so any accuracy advantage is wasted for me.

M1896 Infantry Rifle 29' barrel Carl Gustafs mfgr 1903
17-Aug-06 T = 85 °F

143 gr FMJ 1986 Swedish Ball

Ave Vel = 2610
Std Dev = 14.38
ES = 45.59
High = 2633
Low = 2587
N = 8




M38 Infantry Carbine 24" barrel
28-Oct-94 T ≈ 60 °F

143 gr 1986 Swedish Ball OAL 3.065" 47.4 grs powder average

Ave Vel = 2427
STD=22
ES = 62
Low = 2395
High = 2457
N = 10


As a comparison in one of my sporters

M700 22" Barrel

143 gr Swedish Ball 1986 headstamp
2 Feb 2008 T = 54 °F

Ave Vel =2470
Std Dev =18
ES =48
High =2491
Low =2443
N =5

In an 1950 American Rifleman article on the 6.5 X 55, Ludwig Olson claimed 43.0 grs IMR 4350 was an equivalent pressure load to the 140 grain Swedish service round. It was close, velocity wise. The original pressure of the 6.5 X 55 service round was 43,000 psia. And the level of pressure should not be exceeded in those vintage Swedish service rifles. Recently talked to a guy who is paid to conduct failure analysis for court cases. He mentioned one gruesome case where the shooter fired a modern 8mm Mauser round in a Turkish (German made) GEW 1888 rifle, which should not have been problem. Except this rifle was one of the rare ones that still had a 0.318 barrel. Most were converted over to the 0.323 barrel. And the bolt blew out of the rifle, though the shooter's jaw, and then went through his shoulder. Just as the GEW 1888 action, a M1896 does not have a safety lug that will keep the bolt in the rifle if the lugs shear. At least if you blow up a modern rifle, with insanely high pressure rounds, you may still lose your eye sockets from the receiver fragments, or lose a couple of fingers on your support hand, (he was involved in cases where that happened) but the bolt will stay in the rifle!

140 gr Hornady Spire Point 43.0 grs AA4350 R-P new brass CCI-200 OAL 2.990"
2 Feb 2008 T = 52 °F

Ave Vel = 2512
Std Dev = 27
ES = 72
High = 2547
Low = 2475
N = 5

different day, different temp, slightly more velocity.

140 gr Hornady Spire Point (0.264") 43.0 grs AA4350 new R-P cases CCI 200 OAL 2.990" loaded 2-5-2000

2 Nov 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel =2531
Std Dev =14
ES =33
High =2540
Low =2507
N=5


140 gr Hornady SP greased 45.0 grs IMR 4831 wtd lot 2-22-2014 new R-P cases CCI 200 OAL 3.065"
2 Nov 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel = 2548
Std Dev =11
ES =28
High =2566
Low =2538
N =5

140 gr Hornady SP greased 45.0 grs H4831 wtd lot 01-06-2014 new R-P cases CCI 200 OAL 3.065"
2 Nov 2017 T=72 °F

Ave Vel = 2419
Std Dev = 31
ES = 88
High = 2477
Low = 2389
N = 8



I really think the four shot group is a better indication of the accuracy potential of this load, but, the fifth shot went out of the ten ring.



This load is probably a little too hot for a Swedish service rifle, given the velocity is above what I received with a service load. However, IMR 4831 looks to be a real champ in this cartridge. This is at 300 yards, and I think a sub 5 inch ten shot group at 300 yards is pretty darn good for a sporter rifle.



I don't know the pressure limits of this cartridge, as I was not trying to magnumtize the round. I think it is a mistake trying to make a 6.5 cartridge the equal of a 300 Magnum, it is a very good round going slightly faster than the service round, or at service round velocities.

Everyone I have talked to, who used the 6.5 X 55 on deer, claims it is a very lethal round. I suspect the Moose hunter types will chime in, but I think for 700 pound animals, a larger cartridge would be more appropriate. (As the Gun Club President said about hunting Moose: "Don't shoot them in the water!")

There were early 6.5 rounds used heavy, 160 grain bullets, which were absolute killers at 2300-2400 fps velocities. A long bullet that expands consistently, and makes a wide, long hole, is a reliable killer on animals. The 30-40 Krag had a great reputation as a hunting round with 220 grain bullets at 2200 fps. The bullet reliably mushroomed and made a long, wide hole. I don't know why the 160 grain bullet went away, and the 140 seems to be the standard hunting bullet, but, there it is.

This penetration test of a 160 gr Hornady shows a long wound track.



Where to find components?: be lucky. The market is insane.

Back in the 90's I bought a Rem 700 Classic in Swede. Beautiful wood was the reason, but it didn't take long to realize that the real beauty was in the rounds performance. I had 2 loads that shined. One was a 120gr Speer HotCor and the other the 120gr Barnes X. Both shot MOA and to the same POA. I took most of my deer with the Barnes bullet including a 13 point that was one of my largest to date. He never took a step. If memory serves, the load was 47gr of IMR-4350 in Norma Brass and CCI primer. Never chronographed the load but the book shows around 2800fps.

Since then I have had a 260 and 4 Creedmoors. To be honest, there is no difference in performance. I can be happy with any of them.

I have both the 6.5 creed and the Swede I’ll never part with either of them!

A great round…probably should have bought my wife that vs the 257 AI….and myself vs the 257 Roberts…

My sweede is in progress still have work to do on it like refinishing the stock and fitting an operational safety. It's a new round, caliber for me so I have almost no components or tools to load for inhalant taken pics of the whole rifle as of yet but fo have a few of the bolt handle that I bent and sanded.



The rifle is a DWM 98 mauser with aew production 20 in barrel, mounted in a bishop Monte Carlo stock. Can't wait to go shoot it, then go bag a buck.

Will do that

Makoman said:

Lookin good. You’ve got to post pics when it’s done!

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I don't have a creedmoor. But I have a 260 and had a Swede. I gave the Swede to my niece because she wanted a deer rifle larger than 223.
My friend runs a 6.5 CM.
The only difference I see is the amount of powder and minimal velocity difference.

I have 4 6.5x55 rifles and love every one of them. My father in law got me interested in the round initially. My rifles are a 6.5x55 Norwegian Krag sporter, custom Argentine Mauser 6.5x55 1.250 heavy barrel Boyd’s stock and double set trigger with a vortex strike eagle (phenomenal rifle), type 38 arisaka re chambered for 6.5x55 scout rifle configuration, and most recently a sauer 100 classic xt. They have proven very lethal on 200lb+ Midwest bucks out past 250 yards for us with good shot placement it’ll stop them dead in their tracks.

My father in law also had a Noreen 30-06 at style rifle built for the round. The only one that I’ve ever seen chambered for it in a modern semi auto rifle. Pretty awesome if you ask me!

MFE25-06 said:

My rifles are a 6.5x55 Norwegian Krag sporter,

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That is one rare bird! Never was able to handle an original 6.5 X 55 Norwegian Krag. I assume they are as slick as an American Krag, but they have to be made of better materials.

Slamfire said:

That is one rare bird! Never was able to handle an original 6.5 X 55 Norwegian Krag. I assume they are as slick as an American Krag, but they have to be made of better materials.

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It is one of the smoothest actions I’ve got honestly. Considering it’s age. It’s as smooth as my sauer 100. I lucked into the rifle while I was searching armslist. I’ve got some hand loads for it somewhere around 2300fps. It’s still a tack driver at 250 yards on a 10 inch steel plate with the original iron sights. I only wish that I could find an original unsporterized stock for it since it’s been cut down.

@MFE25-06 welcome to the forum,post some pics of your collection we'd love to see them.

Below is an elk and a pronghorn taken here in NM with a 6.5x55 Sako Finnlight with Zeiss Conquest scope, have also taken a good number of hogs and two barbary sheep with it. I do not reload, the elk was shot with Norma 156 grain Oryx factory ammo. You can see where the round entered the shoulder, the insides were mush.

The pronghorn and a barbary sheep were basically disembowled with this round, something my guides had never seen.

Slamfire said:

I think the 6.5 X 55 Swede would have been an outstanding round to adopt as the US Army service round in 1903! The other would have been the 7.5 X 55 if the Army had to have a 30 caliber weapon. Instead the US Army created the 30-06, which from the beginning, had an air space, which made the weapons it was chambered in, longer than needed.

The 6.5 X 55 is a much milder recoiling round than either the 30-06 or 7.5 Swiss, and it takes 190 grain bullets in a 30 caliber to equal the ballistics of the 6.5 round at 2600 fps in a standard Swede service rifle. At the time of adoption, about the only armored thing on the battlefield were the shields on the front of horse artillery, so penetration against armor probably was not a consideration.

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Agreed. As far as I know the only time the 6.5x55 was used in combat was by Swedish volunteers fighting the Russians in Finland during the Winter War.

I own a mint M96 Swede with no nicks on it and a M96 Target rifle. I shot a group the size of a dime at 200 yard twice. I think of the 6.5CM the same as the 7mm-08. If I were to choose a different round, it would be a 6.5 Arisaka. which has a 100 fps difference in mv. Both cartridges look similar.

I’ve had a few. I’ve always had an affinity for the round that I can’t really explain. The only x55 that I still own is a Ruger No. 1 and it kills deer just fine.

Despite my sweede not being finished. I took it to a friend's 2 hours, or so to rest function and maybe get it zeroed. I started out by trying to bore sight it through the barrel and adjusting scope to where the barrel pointed, but the scope wouldn't change position, but proceeded to test its function, rifle functioned perfectly although it shot about a foot low and left., think there is either an optic issue or a mount issue, will figure out and retry it.

Paul7 said:

Agreed. As far as I know the only time the 6.5x55 was used in combat was by Swedish volunteers fighting the Russians in Finland during the Winter War.

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When the Germans invaded Norway, there were a few 6.5 X 55 rounds shot at the Nazi's before the Home Forces were over whelmed. Both Norway and Swede adopted the same round before the Kingdoms separated. The pre WW2 American Rifleman had an article about the marksmanship of the Norwegians and their Krags against the Germans. It made for great stories, as I recall, Norwegian riflemen killing Germans at 1200 yards. The Germans learned not to to be silhouetted at those distances, as the Norwegians could plink them. Unfortunately, the Germans cheated, instead of fair fights, heroic mano e mano combat, or dueling small arms, the Germans used their Stuka's, Panzers, and artillery and took over the country.

Bastards!

Anyone hunt with 6.5 Swede?

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Yes.

stillquietvoice said:

@MFE25-06 welcome to the forum,post some pics of your collection we'd love to see them.

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My favorite of my 6.5x55’s is by far the Norwegian Krag. But the most practical is the Sauer 100 Classic Xt. They’re all well loved though!

I have a Howa in 6.5x55. It is a tack driver. I've never used it on game or deer, because my current hunting situation is in heavy brush and my longest shot might be 60-70 yards (the last three deer have been 20-30 yards). I pretty much limit my deer hunting to 30-30.