although I've hunted with the 6.5x55 for years-shot a lot of deer with them,it was just last spring when I got my first 9,3x57-mainly for moose hunting.The 6.5x55 mainly uses 140 gr bullets-my 9,3 is loaded with 286 gr privipartizans-twice the weight.The main complaint about the 9,3x57 is it is considered to be a ''short range'-under 200 yard rifle-but the truth is most of our moose hunting is well under that-calling bulls in to within 50 or 100 yards so I don't see that as a detriment.Its old technology-big ,heavy soft nosed bullets moving around 2000 -2200fps-but hits like the hammer of Thor.
I figure a guy could have a 6.5x55 and a 9,3x57-and pretty well be covered for anything on North America from coyotes,deer, moose,black bear through to grizzly.Tradex prices are good- you can get a rifle in excellent shape for between $250 and $300,about the best value around in a hunting rifle as far as I can see.Ammunition is readiy available in the 6.5x55, 8x57, and 9,3x62-but I had to reload for my 9,3x57-not as hard as I thought-Hornady sells the dies and you can make the brass by necking up the 8x57 .
ps-did you know we can't even bring a black powder percussion gun kit across the border anymore?.....deemed a potential ''threat''