6.5x55 barrel lenght: varmint/target

[bow shot]

Looking for advice on barrel length and twist for 6.5x55 in varmint or similar heavy contour. I'm shooting 'chucks and paper, occasional big game.

Is there a "magic" (self-mockery there...) barrel length/twist should I be seeking in order to maximize efficiency/accuracy?

I see some offereings in 6.5 swedish (Howa, CZ, old Ruger mk II's) but they are light countour, and short-sh barrels, 22" or so.

I'd like to keep this stuck @ 6.5x55 because I have quite an investment in the Swede handloading harware, and have handed of my "heritage" 6.5x55 rifle to my son.

In the end however, I may just give up and buy a 65.x284, or Creedmore, or .308 (Ruger mk II target, Savage LPRV) and "re tool" if I have to.

 

[Onewolf]

26" and 1:8 seems quite popular amongst the 6.5 crowd.

 

[Exercion]

It depends: are you carrying it around? I shoot the Swede in F-Class, and use 30" tubes because that case stoked with slow powder and heavy bullets can really use the length well.

 

[pburr]

This is the 55 Swede I had built by Tactical Operations out of Hollywood. It's a little heavy to be carrying around, but not as heavy as a bench or F-Class rig. 22" Krieger barrel in heavy target profile with 8 twist and threaded on the end for use with a suppressor. The action is a blue printed Remington 700 Long Action. All the metal was coated by Birdsongs and then topped off with a Nightforce NXS. I can shoot 3/8" groupings fairly easy at the 200 yard zero with factory Lapua ammunition mind you! I have not, as of yet, loaded for it myself. I guess it is a cross between a bench gun and tactical/hunting gun. The group shown is actually a 5 shot group with Lapua 123gr factory ammunition.

 

[Shynloco]

Bow Shot,
If I might suggest that given your range of use including "big game" (not sure how big you mean), and having all those calibers you mentioned (I shoot strictly paper anymore as hunting days are long gone), the most versatile (in terms of use) of all those rifles is the .308. The others simply eat barrels much more quickly because of the pressures involved. And in today's manufacturing market, again having Rugers, Savages and a few others, IMHO the best "across the counter" rifle for accuracy and dependability is the Savage. However, it all depends on how much you intend to be shooting and which rifle is the most comfortable for you. But I'd be buying a Savage without any hesitation and in .308. Good luck and have fun whichever way you go.

Alex

 

[flatlander]

My 1st 6.5x55 was a 30" Krieger med Palma bbl for the Nesika action of my 308 Palma rifle. Never regretted investing in the 6.5 bbl - can easily get a little over 2900fps with S142s or any of the other 139-140gr 6.5 bullets, and with very good accuracy at 1000yds. Recoil is fairly mild in a 14.25lb prone rifle, especially since it's usually shot while I'm wearing a heavy cordura shooting coat 'n sling.

More recently, I used a 26" 6.5bbl in sendero contour on a LA M700 in a McM A5 stock, and chambered it for 6.5x55 AI. Recoil seems sharper, especially when shooting off the bench, but then this one weighs a couple pounds less, and is using a few more grains of powder than what I was shooting in the Nesika.

If I were building a 6.5x55 rifle for an equal mix of hunting & varmint/target use, I'd not go lighter than a Krieger #5 sporter contour at 26". That's no lightweight profile, but depending on the stock & scope you use, it should weigh between 10 - 11lbs. Heavier than most hunters would want to carry, yet still manageable off the bench. If your intended us is more varmint/target than hunting, then by all means, go with nothing lighter than a sendero contour. I've had a Vais brake on the above-mentioned 6.5x55 AI, and it's still a handful off the bench. I know 28" bbls get ungainly when you're trying to maneuver them in & out of a vehicle or in cover, but if you want good velocity with the 6.5, that's what you're going to need. The 26" bbl on my 6.5x55 AI may be a 'slow one'; I'm getting velocities less than 100fps faster than what I get out of 28" & 30" bbls chambered for 6.5x47 Lapua.

 

[bow shot]

Studying the advice carefully...

Big game defined here is whitetail, and maybe once in my life, elk or pronghorn. Even for varmints, I'll likely be carrying, and looking for the one woodchuck that will be spied all evening. But when I launch my one and only shot, I'm expecting connection.

That's why I'm not too firm on the heavy/lighter contour decision (evening walks, or tree stand sits). Concerning barrel length: Though I can expect 0.3" (long dwell between shots) with my current rifle, I'm thinking that I got lucky (ie. blessed) and would like to approach that issue with knowledge this time.. and leave the rest to God, of course...

I'm not a competitive shooter so there is usually a long dwell between shots when I do punch paper I generally shoot 1x, walk to and mark the target, walk back, and shoot again. Usually on the order fo 10-15 minutes between shots... It like golf with a gun.

 

[bow shot]

'Went with a Savage LRH in 6.5x284. Can very close to .308, and don't have a good reason for sticking to 6.5mm other than I have a good supy of 142 SMKs, and '284 brass was available.

I saw several 6.5x55's on the gun sale web sites, but most would require a barrel immediately (on 2 variables: all light contour, and all unknown round count with "good" bore, which to me was too much of a gamble).

The closest I came to buying used was finding an old Savage 110/11 or Stevens 200 action that I could re-barrel, but figuring in the cost of the tools (vise, wrench, etc.), I was nearing cost of the new rifle.

I figured with the Savage, I'll have a decent (accu-) stock and trigger off the bat, and work with it till I'm satisfied.

Now for dies. thanks for the help folks!