Which bullet weight, in 6.5x55 Swede, 120 or 140?

[koger]

Ok, here goes. The rifle is a Savage long action, Krieger Barrel, 8 twist, 26" Varmint. Rifle is stupid accurate with either 120 Hornady ELD match at 3000fps or Hornady Eld 140 at a little over 2800fps, will shoot bugholes at 100yds. This rifle has very few rounds on it, and has only been shot with bullets that have been HBN coated. I will be shooting it this weekend in a local fun match, 300, 400 yds, groundhog target, 10 shots. I have only shot paper matches at 200yds, and was wondring about wind, which would be the best bullet, in say a 10-15mph crosswind. I have better rifles to shoot the match with 6XC that i built, but am letting a younger shooter shoot it. I have had a 30+year love affair with the 6.5 Swede, has been my main hunting round for deer, yotes and groundhogs here in KY. This round has made me look like a better shot than I really am, many, many times. The rifles recoil is smooth, and I am shooting the SE data which is some hotter than what you would shoot thru a Mauser 96 rifle. Just a stubborn old fart who wants to see how well he can do against some custom rifles/scopes, with rounds that are better suited to the job, maybe? The rifle will shoot in the high .2's at 200 yds, with either bullet, If I am having a good day.

 

[jr600yd]

As range increases BC’s become more important. I’d go with Berger 140‘s, Sierra 142’s

 

[Straightshooter1]

As range increases BC’s become more important. I’d go with Berger 140‘s, Sierra 142’s

+1 about this.

 

[mac86951]

The better bullet is the one that shoots better from your rifle /load with the higher BC. No worries about 400y; most of us are using 400y to test our 140+gr 6.5 loads before we go to 1000+. Theoretically, the 140 will drift less at 400, but between a 120 and 140; I'm guessing they're both 1/2 minute of groundhog at 400 and you'd best go with what you've practiced the most with.

-Mac

 

[David Milisock]

Ok, here goes. The rifle is a Savage long action, Krieger Barrel, 8 twist, 26" Varmint. Rifle is stupid accurate with either 120 Hornady ELD match at 3000fps or Hornady Eld 140 at a little over 2800fps, will shoot bugholes at 100yds. This rifle has very few rounds on it, and has only been shot with bullets that have been HBN coated. I will be shooting it this weekend in a local fun match, 300, 400 yds, groundhog target, 10 shots. I have only shot paper matches at 200yds, and was wondring about wind, which would be the best bullet, in say a 10-15mph crosswind. I have better rifles to shoot the match with 6XC that i built, but am letting a younger shooter shoot it. I have had a 30+year love affair with the 6.5 Swede, has been my main hunting round for deer, yotes and groundhogs here in KY. This round has made me look like a better shot than I really am, many, many times. The rifles recoil is smooth, and I am shooting the SE data which is some hotter than what you would shoot thru a Mauser 96 rifle. Just a stubborn old fart who wants to see how well he can do against some custom rifles/scopes, with rounds that are better suited to the job, maybe? The rifle will shoot in the high .2's at 200 yds, with either bullet, If I am having a good day.

At the listed ranges and on the range it's your pick, BUT if the wind gets working the 140's will do better at 300 and 400. However reduced time of flight for the 120's as well as reduced recoil may be the ticket in low winds.

 

[Zero333]

I would bring both to the match and if the wind is calm I'd use the 120's.
140's if wind is unpredictable.

Or just use both regardless of conditions and let the score settle which is better.

 

[1shot]

In my 6.5x55GWI I never ran anything other that 140 class bullets. With that said, let the barrel tell you what it likes best as well as having enough twist rate to stabilize the 140's.

Lloyd

 

[swd]

Take it out to the farthest distance you shoot and test it there and see if there's a difference. If they shoot about the same use the higher BC bullet for less wind drift.

 

[drano38]

I shot a 6.5x55 Savage with Pacnor barrel for a few years at 600 yard IBS. I only tested 140ish grain bullets because I wanted the BC. It liked 140 gr Hornady Amax, so that's what I shot.
But shoot the bullet the barrel likes best, and as mentioned above, develop loads at the distance of the matches if able.

 

[JASmith]

I know someone who is rather successful with the Swede. Her rifle has a 7.5 twist and it likes the Nosler 140 RDF for paper and the 140 Partitions for hunting.

She also indicated that the OP choice of 8-twist suggests that the Hornady 140 ELD might be happier with that rifle. Nonetheless, the golden rule remains: "Try a few different bullets to see what your rifle likes."