Jackie -- 6.5x55 thread closed?

C

Charles E

curmudgeon
For some reason, the thread was closed. Last post was:

Charles, I have a 6.5x55 Ackley Reamer, I built Ed Bernabeo a long range Live Varmint Rifle on it a few years ago. Big 20 pound barrel Block Rifle. He shoots the 140 grn Bergers right at 3000 fps, accuracy is in the 1/2 inch range.

I am wanting to build a Hot Rod 6.5 for the 721 I built. That was kind ofd my plan all along, get the 30-06 shooting, (darn sure does that), then build a switch barrel on the same Remington Varmint Taper Profile, fluted by Krieger, so the Rifle will look identicle as it does with the '06 barrel.
Click to expand...
Jackie, you may want to consider using the 6.5x57 case. IIRC, Steve had to open up the bolface (Panda w/ a 308 boltface) to take the Swede case. Another long-range shooter, Charles Bailey, made an Ackely version of the 6.5x57 case, which shot quite well, and was about the same capacity. RWS makes brass, I don't know if the Lapua 6.5x57 is imported into the States. The 6.5 is a necked down 8x57, not 7x57, BTW.

Or maybe the old Remington boltface is big enough for the 6.5x55 Swede.
 
Charles,

You think Jackie might have arcane powers he doesn't know about?

That's two of his threads that closed after he posted on them!

John
 
Jackie, Next weekend at the club match, talk to Scott Deal about the 6.5 x 55 he is shooting. I think it is called a 6.5 GW. He used it to whip us badly at the last clays match at Huntsville.

joe
 
I will, Joe. I think this is the round I heard about, just could not remember who had a build based on it.

Strange about my other thread getting closed, Maybe 6.5x55 is too "European". Wibur stated that the thread closure on my 721 build was simply a mistake.

We will see if this one gets closed as well. .........jackie
 
Jackie , back in the 90's Chad Turner developed a series of ctgs. from 6mm to 30 cal based on the 6.5 x 55 Swede with a 30* shoulder....they were called 6mm-6.5-7mm-30 TNT (Turner-N-Turner) ....most were 6mm's and 6.5mm's.....they shot very competitively ....contact him about details or Dave Kiff who made his reamers and resize reamer....Roger
PS,,,what about a 6.5-06..!!??,,and ...if you wana get the facts about the Swede chamberings Chad is chad6tnt on here...it gives his contact info....he is a bona-fide competitor and gunsmith here in the east..
 
Last edited:
Piper, the 6.5-06 looks good on paper, same ballistics there abouts as a 6.5-284. But I am a avid Lapua Brass man, and the thought of making 6.5 cases from Lapua 30-66 is not that appealing. 280 cases would be the best choice, but Lapua does not make 280 brass.

Also, most of the barrels I see are either 8 or 8.5 twist. I think a 8.5 looks good, heck, Bruno list that he has a Rem Varmint Taper Krieger in 8.5 in stock.
 
Jackie, this is going to be one of those rambling responses. Read it only if you've nothing better to do.

The 6.5 has always had a small but steady following in the States. Oddly enough, even with all the Arisaka's that came back from Japan, the better military 6.5s came from Europe -- the 6.5x4 M-S and the 6.5 Swede. With the heavier bullets like the 140, even the 6.5x54 M-S was workable for any North American game. With the 160 solids, W.D. M. Bell it used for elephant, of all things.

OK, the modern equivalent would be either the 260 Remington or the 6.5x47 Lapua. For a dual-purpose varmint/deer rifle, the smaller 6.5s seem excellent. All the virtues of the 6mms with a better rifle for Texas deer hunting. Personally, I'd rather neck down the .308 Lapua brass than ream the primer pockets of the 6.5x47 . . .

I've always thought of the Swede as an all-purpose cartridge The Europeans used very successfully for the ultra competitive 300 meter matches. The thing is, you've already got a .30/06. What can the 6.5x55 do the '06 can't do just as well?

Have you given any thought to a .25? Neck down that excellent .308 Lapua brass to one of the old 25-caliber wildcats on the .308 case, get some of Randy's excellent .25 bullets, and have an All-American rifle.

BTW, I used to make my 6.5/06 AI cases from Lapua .30/06 brass. It took 200 pieces to get 50 that had wall runout less than .004. I switched to RWS .270 brass. For some reason, '06 brass has always been sloppy.
 
If you plan to magazine feed, wouldn't a calibre based on the /06 case be the best choice - or will the Swede case feed OK?
 
sdean, this is a magazine fed Rifle, (if so chosen to be), I don't think the 284 case will feed out of the '06 magazine. I may be wrong.

John, there is just a few thousanths difference in the Swede and a standard '06, I assumed it would present no feeding problems.
 
sdean, I did not know if the magazine well had to be modified to accept and feed the fatter case.

If not, that sure is the logical choice, since every thing is available right off the shelf..........jackie
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top