6.5x55 Swede Tikka, Bergara or something else?

[603Country]

Everybody seems to use the heavier 6.5 bullets, except me. I use 120 gr Nosler BTS, and for a few years used the 100 gr BTs. Both worked great on deer and hogs, but neither exited the hogs. If I was gonna hunt moose, I would step up the bullet weight.

The lighter bullets give me a flatter trajectory. Sort of like a ‘270 Light’, with a 120 gr bullet near 3000 fps instead of the 270’s 130 gr bullet at 3000 fps.

 

[MTSLW]

Tikka! I would make sure that any other bolt faces are slightly larger to accommodate the larger Swede brass case size.
Also worth looking at an improved variant, I’ve got a half dozen 6.5 Addiction (6.5x55 Imp 37*) barrels and love them. Takes the Swede to the next level!

 

[Flycaster1977]

I have a t3 swede and i love it. I shoot 120 barnes ttsx or 120 ballistic tips for whitetail. Its a joy to carry and shoot.

 

[Webphut]

I have not shot the 6.5x55SE. I have owned and shot different brands of bolt action rifles though in caliber ranging from 22 to 37 calibers. Having gone through an estate inheritance ordeal with my siblings and my father's rifles after he passed over, I learned that I wished to not leave our children with that experience when I pass over. I sold everything and I bought one rifle that was in 30-06 Springfield and funny thing is out of all my rifles, its my favorite. It reminds me a lot of what the old Remington 700's were once were like in the 1980's. More fun than all the Sakos I had too. Its the Bergara B-14 Ridge chambered in 30-06 Springfield. While I have found a decent load for it, I am still hunting for a tighter shooting load, but so far I can shoot 5/8" 3 shot groups at 100 yards with W-760 powder, Swift Scirocco 150 grn bullets, Remington brass and WLR primers. The energy at 300 yards is over 1,800 ft. lbs. of energy. That is Elk Hunting energy should I ever have the chance to go Elk hunting. Happy Happy Happy and I absolutely love the rifle. A lot of fun to handload for and shoot. Seems like everyone is in a rush to replace factory rifle stocks in 2020's, but I really like the stock it comes with. It is nice to hold and feels good and the rifle with the Leupold scope balances well in my hand if I carry it by the scope tube or under the floor plate. Scoped it comes in around 8.5 to 9 pounds. I like a little fat on my rifles to help with felt recoil. As far as accuracy goes, honestly, I just might be spoiled, but there has not been a rifle yet that I have not been able to find a hand load for. Like I said though, might be my dumb luck. I have yet to find factory ammunition that shoots a group size at 100 yards that I am content with, but that is me. I do not see why I cannot handload until I get a quarter or nickel size group. Dumb luck I guess. Well let me change that a wee bit, there were these 375 h&h rifle we used in Afrika in 1988 and they shot a 1-1/2" group at 100 yards. But for calibers from 30 and down, decent groups seam to be found if i do my handload legwork. 6.5x55SE is one of the ones that got away, LOL. I always wanted to try my hand with that. All these new rifle cartridges that have been coming out, I read alot of the wiki on them and most are not new. A lot of them are old obsolete wildcats that never took off. The new 25 Creedmoor ( i just learned of it this past week). Why not rebarrel the 25-06 in 25-06 AI with 7 twist? You get more powder, a new barrel for every Christmas there on after. No brainer if I say so.