The only 6.5 I need

[Mnt monkey]

I had the opportunity to buy back a 6.5 Ackley improved from a friend of mine I sold the rifle to about 6 years ago, when I was in my rifle building days me and a couple of friends of mine built a lot of 65x55 swedes, as well as 6.5-06 and even some 260 Remington's before it fell out of popularity, when the 6.5 creedmoor came along of course we jumped on that band and wagon for a while , chambered five six different rifles in the creedmoor shot it a lot too. Out of all the 6.5 rifles I've shot my favorite is the sweed, I find the cartridge a lot more balanced much easier for me to get to shoot, don't want to get to 6.5 creedmoor boys all wound up it's a great cartridge. When I was young we used the cheapest materials we could find because we were poor mausers 98 military actions and Adams and Bennett barrels,, all of those rifles shot half inch or less, I remember one particular barrel Adams and Bennett 6'5x55 the rifling in the barrel look like you cut it with a screwdriver when you look down at I really have no words to describe how rough and what the board look like and you could never get it clean you could clean on that barrel all day long and never get it clean and it absolutely shot one hole with all factory ammo it was insane how accurate it was, I would show other friends of mine what the bore look like and they would just scratch their head it was a testament to the 6.5x55se.. this is five shots of factory Lapua 123 grain shot as fire forming ammo out of the 65x55 actually improved first shot is the one that's above the four that are in a hole will any of you 6.5 creedmoor guys guns do that with factory ammo?

 

[Jitterbug]

My buddy is the most obsessed shooter/handloader/tinkerer I know.

He’s the only guy I know who makes his own shot…

Anyway, he’s a HUGE booster of the 6.5 Swedish.

I told him to tell all the Tactical Tim types that it’s a new cartridge, the
“6.5 Swedemore!”

 

[Mnt monkey]

I've shot more five shot one whole groups with the Swede then I ever have with the creedmoor . The 65 creedmoor is accurate but to me the swed is much more,,as someone who has sent a gazillion rounds down range behind different 65 cases I say the winner is the 6.5x55se,, and I'm partial to the AI version don't have to trim brass.

 

[GM54-120]

I want a 260Rem or a Grendel in a micro action. I would love a Swede in a Barret Fieldcraft but they stopped making them.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I've had four of the howa mini 6.5 Grendel,, I find the grendel to be finicky,, when the cartridge was real popular years ago I built a couple of benchrest rifles it was a struggle to get consistency. The current howa mini I'm shooting is very very accurate I'm hanging on to it not rebuilding it into a muzzleloader. I really love that little action I think a lot of other shooters across the country have fell in love with it too I get past that magazine issue real quick. I had a lot of success with the 65-06 years ago it started me down to 6.5 path we were shooting 9 twists barrels in 120 grain ballistic tips, made the mistake of letting a prairie dog shooter borrow the rifle once he shot it he had to have it it was one of them I don't want to sell it but there's a price for everything situations. We ended up building 4 6.5-06 is that year.

 

[GM54-120]

All the Grendel would be used for is sub 200yd deer hunting. Just for a light low recoil rifle that shoots really flat. Only reason i dont own a bolt action Swede it isnt offered in a short action. Other than maybe a custom, all the mass produced rifles in the USA were in long actions if im not mistaken. Ive got a Ljungman in pristine condition.

Love that Fieldcraft though. Its not as nice as a NULA but its not terribly far off.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Most of my 55s I put in Mauser 98 actions,, although I do still have a couple of Remington long actions I'm shooting the AI version in, I'm not sure in a short action you would be able to seat your bullets out far enough, I know you would have trouble probably with some of the factory 140 grain loads fitting in a short action magazine. I really like the Grendel for just as you described 200 yd and in and I like it as a truck gun and just to walk about, the little mini fits that perfectly. I'm waiting on a 6 Arc barrel from preferred it's going on a mini.

 

[GM54-120]

My under standing is the Swede being 55mm long is too long for a SA when anything 120gr or larger is used. What really stinks is when Rem brought out the Rem600/660/673 they didnt come out with a 260Rem instead of that damn Rem Mag. What were they thinking putting a 260 Rem Mag in that little rifle?....I would never have sold my Rem600 if it would have been a 260Rem. Mine was a 308Win.

Several 6.5s...
264WM/6.5x55/6.5x52/260Rem/6.5Creed/6.5Grendel

 

[Mnt monkey]

I'm most confess I like all of them,, only shot the 264 win mag in two rifles I gave up on it it just seemed like a little too much on the velocity I don't think the barrels would last long enough,, still in a hunting rifle that's fine. I have never messed with the other 6.5 by 57 or the 6.5 Remington mag,, I'm a big fan of the 7x57 so hopefully before I'm old and cannot build a rifle anymore I'm going to put together a six five by 57 maybe Turkish Mauser or something

 

[whislpig]

I have the grendel in an AR platform. At 100 yards I can almost put 5 rounds in a nickel. Its a precision firearms. Heavy barrel. I'm older now, not something I went to tote around all day. Suppressed it is a dream to shoot. 123 grain whatever shoots great. 100 grains for groundhogs... Not so much. Haven't really started reloading for it YET. Have everything I need to do so. Just haven't needed to. I hunt with 120 grain nosler bt. It does the job. That's the exit. Saw her drop and kick... I love it for a moderate range round. 300 yard max for me. Like others, I cant wait for the 6mm arc. Just my .02...

 

[GM54-120]

I will probably keep an eye out for a CZ 527 since they quit offering them. Pretty sure they made them in a Grendel with a barrel length/profile i like.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I think the Grendel is an excellent whitetail rifle,, waiting on my six arc barrel now hope to be shooting it within a month.

 

[GM54-120]

6.5s in general are about the perfect whitetail caliber. I used a 25-06 for a few years and never really fell i love with it. It worked fine too. For me a 6.5 Grendel mini action with a 22" light varmint or slightly thinner would be ideal. Next best choice would be a Swedish Mauser action as the base for a 6.5x55 custom build....Just for the nostalgia.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I used to be a big fan of the 25-06 too that was almost 30 years ago the problem back then was there was not any, far as I'm concerned good factory loads for 25-06,, I had one pet handload which was 52 grains of h4350 and 100 grain Sierra game King it was my pet load and every 25-06, the three rifles that I had would shoot four and five inch groups with factory but with that pet handload they would shoot a quarter of an inch all day. As far as I'm concerned in that era the same issues were with the 243 all of the barrels that came on factory rifles had slower twist barrels basically for varmint bullets if you tried a 85 grain and above or one of the 100 grain offerings your gun would not shoot it,,, I think the only reason 25-06 isn't roaring today was because of the ammo issues for years or lack of.

 

[Ballshooter]

I love the 6.5 cal. This is my pimped out 6.5 LBC

 

[Asahi1234]

I have the same gun. I get 1/4 groups at 100yrds. Sometimes less that a quarter. It is diffently a tac driver. I reload my own.

 

[Ballshooter]

I have the same gun. I get 1/4 groups at 100yrds. Sometimes less that a quarter. It is diffently a tac driver. I reload my own.

Yep, I reload my own as well Leverevelotion powder has been the best in my gun. I have taken a few black bear with the little 6.5 and 120gr BTHPs.

 

[Sandhillshunter]

Huge 6.5x55 Swede fan! Not sure of the yardage anymore on this goat, as it's been a few years now, but it was out there. When loaded to modern velocities, the Swede is a great long rang option. Rifle is a Tikka T3 with a Sightron SII Big Sky 4.5-14x42 I wish Sightron would have never discontinued that line.

The 6.5x55 is a very versatile round that doesn't get much respect these days.

 

[MrTom]

That's a dandy pronghorn and a great looking group of happy hunters!

 

[Sandhillshunter]

That's a dandy pronghorn and a great looking group of happy hunters!

Thank you for the kind words MrTom!