To All: As some may know, I had neck surgery a few years ago. Harry Snippe suggested 6.5x55. I started w/ military rifles (M96 & 38's) and bought a Husqvarna 1600 about 8 months ago. I have tried to shoot my big bore rifles on numerous occasions, but after 30 or so rounds I am all done without a forgiving butt pad. I pay for days. I topped the 1600 w/ a Pentax 4x32mm ballistic plex scope. It is like shooting a .223! The accuracy is outstanding, it hits the target like a 30.06. The energy transfer, velocity is outstanding. I never in my wildest dreams would have believed it possible. I'm 46 years old, been in the nastiest places on earth that I could imagine, and wish I had a 6.5 back then. I think I will hold on to my 8's, 7.62's, 7's, and 9.3's, but they will go to my sons. The dream of an African safari and a 375 H&H is now gone, but I found a new love. The 6.5x55 is the balls. Thank you Happy! Respectfully, Jim

Can't beat the 6.5 x 55 for accuracy and down range punch. Not a whole lot of recoil either. My grand-daughter loves hers, and has taken six deer with it and one Elk. She still hunts like my grandfather taught me. "After getting close enough, Get closer." (60 yards for the Elk.)

Enjoy your 6.5 and get over that surgery ASAP.

Lee, Thanks! But I will never heal up. I do owe the members here an awful lot. Titanium does not move or flex. The 6.5x55 gives me something I thought I lost. With the scope I have, even at 4x it will do the job out to 300 yards on deer, and I was hoping for 100yd.s on elk. 140 and 160rn reloads are great. Jim

Lee, Thanks! But I will never heal up. I do owe the members here an awful lot. Titanium does not move or flex. The 6.5x55 gives me something I thought I lost. With the scope I have, even at 4x it will do the job out to 300 yards on deer, and I was hoping for 100yd.s on elk. 140 and 160rn reloads are great. Jim

I find the 160 RN to be quite effective on Elk, so far I've never had to chase one after hitting him in the sholder. The last two years all my hunting has been from a converted golf cart. (Covered with Camo netting.) due to bad knee injury, looks like Elk are out of the question due to the terrain.

To All: As some may know, I had neck surgery a few years ago. Harry Snippe suggested 6.5x55. I started w/ military rifles (M96 & 38's) and bought a Husqvarna 1600 about 8 months ago. I have tried to shoot my big bore rifles on numerous occasions, but after 30 or so rounds I am all done without a forgiving butt pad. I pay for days. I topped the 1600 w/ a Pentax 4x32mm ballistic plex scope. It is like shooting a .223! The accuracy is outstanding, it hits the target like a 30.06. The energy transfer, velocity is outstanding. I never in my wildest dreams would have believed it possible. I'm 46 years old, been in the nastiest places on earth that I could imagine, and wish I had a 6.5 back then. I think I will hold on to my 8's, 7.62's, 7's, and 9.3's, but they will go to my sons. The dream of an African safari and a 375 H&H is now gone, but I found a new love. The 6.5x55 is the balls. Thank you Happy! Respectfully, Jim
Ditto on the 6.5x55.
It is a joy to shoot. My 129 SST loads will almost touch
at 100 yards. The 120 BT's, 125 Nosler and 140 grain SP are all accurate and all deadly.
I would have never owned one if someone on this forum didn't insist on everyone using the Swede on all their hunts.
Some guy from Arizona.
Now I own a Model 70, Tikka, and an old Mauser.
I'll probably try it out this fall on deer and hogs.
Hope you have success with it!

I believe there was an aferican ph by the name of Bell who was successful using a 6.5 on elephants. I myself wonder why we need such cannons for game like cape buffalo and lion.
http://www.cybertorpedo.com/africanhunter/classcart/65x54_mannlicher-schoenauer_01.htm

Bell wasn't a PH, he was an ivory hunter. Hunting was different then, much different. For an elephant to run off and die to be found a few days later was okay, though Bell did his best to follow-up. A paying client today cannot be afforded those luxuries. He has to stop the elephant, or put it down in short order.

There were no boundaries that Bell could not cross, no National Parks and he made his peace with the Villages. Today's hunter has specific areas he can hunt and cannot venture outside those areas. To lose an elephant across those lines will cost him tens of thousands of dollars. For Bell, it would not cost anything, other than a few days of toil and food. Even during Bell's day, he was the exception. Very few used rifles smaller than 375 caliber to hunt elephants and many stuck to the larger 45's and 50's.

I've been in the wilds of Zimbabwe and been bluff charged by a few elephants while holding a 300 Magnum in my hands. I felt it was entirely too small for the task of stopping the charge.

Other than that, there isn't a single African nation that will allow a sporting hunting client to hunt elephants today with anything less than 9.3 caliber rifle. You can look up their game regulations on-line if you would like.

Yes, I do understand that it is a regulated that you use .375 or bigger on dangerous game, I just don't feel that they are necessary. Having personally put down 2,500 pound semi wild angus and limmo cattle with a .22lr makes me wonder why a .375 is necessary. We use 30-06's on alaskan bears why would it not put a lion down?

Sombody delete this thread quick, If kdub sees it, his head will be so big he won't be able to get to the range on account of the door frames :D

the 6.5X55 is truly great. it would most likely be "the one" if i could only have one cartridge. lets not think that way tho!!!

I've got a 6.5 x 55 Ruger M77 that always seem to be in the car/truck on the way to the hunt, even with safe full of guns at home.

With Norma Nosler BT 120's from Able Ammo at around $31 per box, I'm good to go :)

Btw - I WAS able to sell the brass on E-Bay and get a few bucks back, but not anymore :(

mudhen - CA

Just got back from a morning at the range with the grandson (age 8). He shot his .22 Romanian military training rifle and the customized 6.5 Swede I made for him, shooting full power 129 gr SST's, 46.5 gr H4831SC and BR2 primers. Little squirt got knocked around a bit, but he gamely stuck with it and was proud of the nice grouping at 100 yds.

His granpa shot the Rem Mod 7 in .308 and the customized Swede in 6.5x257 Rob'ts AI.

A good time was had by all! :D

I've got a 6.5 x 55 Ruger M77 that always seem to be in the car/truck on the way to the hunt, even with safe full of guns at home.

With Norma Nosler BT 120's from Able Ammo at around $31 per box, I'm good to go :)

Btw - I WAS able to sell the brass on E-Bay and get a few bucks back, but not anymore :(

mudhen - CA


Sounds like you should start reloading! or sell your brass here. ;) Jim

To All: As some may know, I had neck surgery a few years ago. Harry Snippe suggested 6.5x55. I started w/ military rifles (M96 & 38's) and bought a Husqvarna 1600 about 8 months ago. I have tried to shoot my big bore rifles on numerous occasions, but after 30 or so rounds I am all done without a forgiving butt pad. I pay for days. I topped the 1600 w/ a Pentax 4x32mm ballistic plex scope. It is like shooting a .223! The accuracy is outstanding, it hits the target like a 30.06. The energy transfer, velocity is outstanding. I never in my wildest dreams would have believed it possible. I'm 46 years old, been in the nastiest places on earth that I could imagine, and wish I had a 6.5 back then. I think I will hold on to my 8's, 7.62's, 7's, and 9.3's, but they will go to my sons. The dream of an African safari and a 375 H&H is now gone, but I found a new love. The 6.5x55 is the balls. Thank you Happy! Respectfully, Jim
I shoot an as issued M-38 Husky. I do love this ctg.! I have been searching the used gun shelves and pawn shops for some time looking for a factory sporter. I may just have to lay out the cash for a new one. Jeff.

I thought that W.D.M. Bell used the 7x57 with 175 grain FMJ bullets for elephants (.275 Rigby as he called the 7x57). I did the easy thing and have one of each! If only I could get my 7mm Ruger to group well, I would be all set. Take care, Peter.

If I were somehow restricted to only one rifle, it would be a .30-06 -- unless, for some reason, I couldn't get one. My second choice would be the 6.5X55, truly a "Little Giant".

Yes, I do understand that it is a regulated that you use .375 or bigger on dangerous game, I just don't feel that they are necessary. Having personally put down 2,500 pound semi wild angus and limmo cattle with a .22lr makes me wonder why a .375 is necessary. We use 30-06's on alaskan bears why would it not put a lion down?
Just a note, in Zimbabwe, for lion a 7mm Mag is the minimum required for lion so you can use your 30-06 if you wish...