6.5x55 vs 308
- Thread starter nrar15
- Start date
I've got to say, that was my view too on the question. It's not even as if it is exactly relevant these days as I don't think anybody anywhere uses the 6.5X55mm as a military cartridge.
I'd imagine the last time it was used in anger was when the Germans invaded Denmark and Norway in the opening months of 1940 and that was such a sneak attack, it was all over within days. That makes it exactly 70 years ago if my counting fingers, thumbs and toes adds up right.
Laurie
The sectional density of a .264 140 grainer is about the same as a 190 grainer in .308, the ballistic coefficient is higher and the bullet can be shot close to 3000fps in a 28" barrel provided the action is up to it... That makes the Swede the ballistic equivalent of a .300 WM firing a 190 VLD bullet... I have fired Lapua's 144 fmj's in a .260 Rem and they had a very impressive penetration on steel plates where most .308 bullets would fail to even leave a dent.
the 6.5 is an excellent hunting and target round, but so is the .308. I concur with 2644 about long range expectations out of the 6.5x55. I would love to be able to afford a custom build 6.5. I already have a couple of .308 targets, a .22-250, and a .243. Since I already have a couple of 6.5x55 with about 500-600 casings, I would love to get a target rifle in that caliber.
I have a Long Range/Tactical rifle that was originally chambered in .308, I have since rebarreled it to 6.5x55, I consider it about 50% better in all ways than the .308. It is about twice as easy to make long range hits, and if you don't hit the target terminal ballistics don't mean much.
I hunt with both the sweede and 308 in Europe
Including. Karelia and Finland and have many friends from Finland and if you ask the same question they will all say why bother to change
Their fathers and grandfather have hunted the same species with probably the same rifles probably in the same forest for generations
Don't forget the sweede have been around longer than the 3006 and I have dropped driven moose and brown bear with the sweede without backup shots
I have yet to encounter a moose or grizzly with kevlar skin in Europe and Russia
Why don't we turn the question around and ask an average American hunter if he or she will give up a 3006 for something else .......
Including. Karelia and Finland and have many friends from Finland and if you ask the same question they will all say why bother to change
Their fathers and grandfather have hunted the same species with probably the same rifles probably in the same forest for generations
Don't forget the sweede have been around longer than the 3006 and I have dropped driven moose and brown bear with the sweede without backup shots
I have yet to encounter a moose or grizzly with kevlar skin in Europe and Russia
Why don't we turn the question around and ask an average American hunter if he or she will give up a 3006 for something else .......
I have hunted deer and bear in Maine and Penn. for around 40years. I have a few over 100 kills for deer and have shot 5 bear. for the first seven or so years of my hunting I used a 20" barreled 6.5X55 customized mauser and appropriately light loads for it. The sweed killed like the hammer of Thor. All the books say it is a weak sister in the old 96 mauser but I have been impressed. For the last 20 or so years I have been useing a rem 7600 in 30-06. Even thought it shows about 1.5 times the energy I don't think it kills any better or faster than my old sweed.
I've got 30" std. Palma bbls. in both 6.5x55 & 308 for a Nesika LR prone rifle, and have shot both cartridges in a fair number of 1000yd. any/any & Palma matches. The 6.5 with S142MKs at 2920fps is predictably both easier to shoot (lighter recoil) and more effective in the wind than the 308 with either 155s or 175s. I'd expect Berger's new 185 LR BTs to narrow the performance gap a bit, but at the expense of even more recoil than the 6.5x55 produces. I'd pick the 6.5 if I had to make a choice in a situation where Palma rules don't apply.
Have shot deer with the 6.5x55 and the .308 Win. Same results.....bang, whop, find, clean, eat. Never seen any difference.
My first centerfire rifle was an old 96 Mauser in 6.5X55. I took tons of deer with it but then had to go buy a 700 in .308 when they came out.(Long time ago). Took a ton of deer with that but they weren't any deader than the 6.5 made them. When Remington made the Classic in 6.5x55 I bought one of those and have been shooting it ever since. I love it. Don't need nothing more.
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