Thread: 6.5x55

Originally Posted by Lucky

I was just going to Post a new thread regarding a good hunting bullet for 6.5 x 55 so very interested in this thread , new caliber for me , was looking at the 130 grain swift scirocco as I had good results with this bullet out of my 3006 in 165gr .
How does the 143 Eldx perform on animals up close to say 250 yards ? Which I figured might be the max range I would like to go to with this caliber

The ELDX is a decent projectile in the 6.5’s but I have only limited experience sub 10 animals recently using 260 and x55. No bad experience at all and nothing over 250m, very big red deer in this area so I’ve always relied on accuracy and penetration. Obviously.
My experience also differs from the above as far as Sirroco accuracies. They were the best I ever did see accuracy wise in my two 6.5’s ...

I have bought 130 grain game changers ad they were the only decent, cheap bullet in stock.

Have you to do load development and shoot anything though

ive got 3 x55s 2xmil ones and a t3 my t3 shoots the best with 120gr game kings so far and it shoots that well i dont feel the need to try anything else my mil ones one sporter and 1 full mil spec prefer the 140gr pills i use 2209 in all of them the mill ones you can seat the bullet out as far as you can get it and it still wont touch the lands i just have the length of the neckholding the bullet and it seems to work in my mil x55s

Sorry for jumping into your thread @widerange , think I will give the 130 scirocco’s a go first , they have a wicked B.C. and I have had great results on animals with them in the past if they don’t fly well , I might try those Eld’x .

The 143 gr ELD X is a very good bullet in the 6.5 cal . Here are a few that we have recovered.

This one out of my biggest Sambar stag shot at about 40 yards, also pic of heart and lungs from same stag

The bullet penetrated about 18 to 20 inches, I hit him lowish in the chest and the bullet angled back and I found it on the opposite side at the back of the rib cage.

My brother in law uses a 260 Rem and these bullets are from his rifle. First is from a Rusa stag shot at about 120 yards, the next out of a Red Stag at 528 yards. Both very good performance for the great variation in ranges.

Thanks @ mooseman , that’s better data than small groups on paper , The 55 is probably not going to go quite as quick as the 260 but won’t be far behind

They are a great pill have shot deer from 50 yards to 500 yards.

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this is what the military ones were desighned to shoot although the early ammunition was heavier round nose as far as ive been able to figure out

What not to do.......



I forgot how far out the die needs to be to seat 140gn AMAXs (this was a unprimed, case - just trying to get it right, so it did its job I guess )

The brew for me is lapua brass trimmed to 54.75mm, CCI200 primer, 2209h 43.5gns, 140gn AMAX, OAL 81.1mm (a bit longer than the pic above ), doing 2600fps, and groups around 0.298moa if I do my part. In a tikka T3 with MDT chassis.

some kind of 6.5 wildcat

Originally Posted by Lucky

Thanks @ mooseman , that’s better data than small groups on paper , The 55 is probably not going to go quite as quick as the 260 but won’t be far behind

I have my x55 running at 2754 fps my brother in laws 260 is running at 2772 fps both with the same bullet, my x55 shot this enlarged one holer at 100yards.

The 6.5 bullet especially the high BC ELDX retains it energy well from memory a 1000 ft pounds out to 800 odd yards, more than enough for most of us.

Originally Posted by Mooseman

I have my x55 running at 2754 fps my brother in laws 260 is running at 2772 fps both with the same bullet, my x55 shot this enlarged one holer at 100yards. Attachment 135883

The 6.5 bullet especially the high BC ELDX retains it energy well from memory a 1000 ft pounds out to 800 odd yards, more than enough for most of us.

I have shot deer and goats out past 800 in perfect conditions with validated loads and the kestrel for full information.
Same old story when you hit them in the right spot they die.
If you dont they die slowly.
My eldx are running at 2720 and group better than I can.

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Modern action sako, tikka, howa etc or is it military m38 or m96.
Modern actions and the m38 are quite a bit stronger than the 98s most of which celebrated their 100th birthday quite a few years ago.
Having said that I believe factory ammunition is still geared to m98 pressure requirements as there are still so many of the out there.

Are you sure you are not confusing a M96 Carl Gustav and Mauser 98?

A M98 will soak up loads that will grenade Tikka/Sako/Remington actions.

A M96 is unsafe with 8X57 IS for example

Thanks for all advice so far.
All projectile suggestions and so on all good stuff.
But,back to my original question.
Are there any overpressure signs that are specific to the M96 that I can look out for?