6.5 X 55....Ur Thoughts?

[muzzleblast525]

Just wanted to check and see if anybody had any thoughts on the 6.5 X 55.  Good or bad, I'm all ears...... :?

[sgtt]

Good round..........won't do anything you can't do with a 260 Rem.

[James B]

One of my all time favorites. If there is a better deer rifle around, I have not found it in 48 years of looking. It hits hard the recoil is NIL and its so accurate its scarry. I have three of them. All Military(sporterized). I can't began to quess how many deer I have taken with this great old gun. From mice to moose its a gentle giant killer.

[muzzleblast525]

$130 dollars for 26" BBL a good deal for this TC Encore barrel?

[leverfan]

$130 dollars for 26" BBL a good deal for this TC Encore barrel?

If it's in good condition, that's a very good price on the barrel.  I'd snap that puppy up.  The 6.5mm/.264" is an overlooked family in the USA, but they will do darn near any job you ask.

[Steve E]

Whats not to like, it's been getting things done very well for something like 100 years or so before the 260 Rem. came along to do almost the same thing. The 260 does have it's place though and that is in a short action. I have the 6.5 in an Encore  rifle barrel and it shoots great.

                                             Steve E............

[cricman]

I'd jump on the barrel.  Decent import ammo is available at fair prices.  If you reload, you've got it whooped, as brass and bullets are readily available also.  I have a Swedish Mauser that I put a 2x pistol scope/B-Square mount on.  It shoots like a dream, and very little recoil.  The only quirk with my military 6.5 is that it won't shoot the light (85gr-90gr) bullets.  They do really cool gymnastics as they erupt out of the 1:7.5" twist barrel!  Most times they don't even hit an 18"x18" target!  When they do, they keyhole.  My Mauser shoots 120gr-140gr bullets like dream.  After I get my buck, I may use my 6.5x55 to take one of my doe tags.  I'd love to have a single shot in 6.5x55 with a 1:10" or 1:9" twist rate barrel.

cricman

[Thebear_78]

The 6.5x55 is one of the all time great deer cartridges.  I got a swede mauser for $75 dollars when I was in high school.  I used it as my loan out deer rifle.  Whenever a freind needed to borrow a rifle the swede was always there.  I know 4 guys that shot thier first deer with that rifle, I finally sold it to one of them. The 140gr factory loads did a real number on whitetails out to 200 yards.  I also had the bsquare scout mount on it with a 3x pistol scope.  I would regularly shoot into 1.5" for 3 shots at 100 yards.   I thought long and hard about getting a 22" custom encore barrel I found up here as a great blacktail,sheep, and carabou barrel, but I already had a 30/06 barrel that fit the bill quite nicely.

[DesertRam]

$130 dollars for 26" BBL a good deal for this TC Encore barrel?

If you don't buy it, send me the contact info and I will!  I've been very pleased with my Sako chambered in 6.5X55.  It's a very effective cartridge on deer-sized game, and I wouldn't worry about using it on elk in a pinch.

[toecutter]

I think It's a terrible idea!! :eek:  I'm ashamed that anyone here would even recommend such a deal. Just to prove that my intentions are good, I will bite the bullet (pun intended) and buy this obvious dog of a barrel for $140!!! This will be my good deed for the year, so don't expect any other kindness from me for a while. :roll:  

[steve_77]

I posted a simillar question just before i came across this post. lot of good info here. Was hoping though to clarify the differences between the swede 6.5x55 the 260Rem,  and the 6.5JDJ. - Steve

[Buffalogun]

Steve,

As to the 6.5 JDJ! It is made from the .225 Winchester case.

The case holds about ten grains less powder than the 6.5x55 and from a 14" barrel can send 120g bullets out at around 2,400 fps. and 140g bullets at around 2,200 fps.

I don't think there are any advantages over the .260 Rem or 6.5x55, with regard to performance.

Buffalogun

[Skyhook]

One of my all time favorites. If there is a better deer rifle around, I have not found it in 48 years of looking. It hits hard the recoil is NIL and its so accurate its scarry. I have three of them. All Military(sporterized). I can't began to quess how many deer I have taken with this great old gun. From mice to moose its a gentle giant killer.

Exactly my experience. 'Ceptin' the part about bagging lots of deer, that is.

[james]

I have a 6.5 x 55 encore (24"). It is presently my favorite rifle.  I reload 95, 129, and 140 gr. Hornadys with IMR-4895 or Varget because that is what I had on hand.  I think my all original  model 96 Swedish Mauser is a little more accurate but the scoped Encore barrel is more usable.  So far I have just been punching paper.  My best groups are about 1" at 100 yd. I deer hunted here in AR last weekend but didn't pull the trigger.  Its too early in the year to fill my doe tag.   I might need a live decoy during the rut.  I have spent my 50 years shooting and reading about sporting guns but I only discovered the 6.5 X 55 this past year.  I think it is the best kept secret I never knew about.  If anyone has a Swede with a turned down bolt handle they don't need,  I would be glad to take it off their hands.
James

[Runs with Scissors]

I have to agree with everyone else about the accuracy and effectiveness of the 6.5X55 cartridge.
My original deer rifle was an 'as issued' M38 Swede.
It served me well taking Mule Deer and an occasional Elk in the Rocky Mountains.
I currently own two more milsurp Swedes. A M96 and a M41B sniper rifle.
Both outshoot my Encore 270.
The Encore is fine here in Oklahoma where the average deer shot is 75-80 yards. But if I ever get a chance to hunt in Colorado again, I'm taking the M41B. It easily does 3" groups at 300 yards.
The M96 shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yards with iron sights.
I get about the same with my scoped Encore.

Bill