6.5x55 on red deer

hank .308

Yes lads was thinkin on changing from .308 to 6.5x55 after this season. Have any of you made that change. Ive been using my .308 on reds only this past 8 years and feel like a change but only if it hits the mark (excuse the pun). I only shoot reds so i need to be certain this round is good enough. Any help would be welcome but id prefer real life experience not technical jargon on ballistics and energy which is valuable but dosnt take into account real world situations

Cheers all

Grizzly 45

The Swedes have been using this caliber to drop moose for the last 100 years or so.A much tougher critter than a red .Like anything the shot placement is vital,but it will certainly do the job for you on reds.

Cass

I never made the change down, but have used a 6.5x55 for years (before i had a .308) and also while i had a .308.

I have always loved the 6.555 as a round and caliber. You said you did no want ballistics but it's hard to say why it's such a good round without talking about the superior ballistics of the caliber. Anyway i only sold on my 6.5 after a couple of years of joint ownership of a .308. The reasons included ammo selection, suitable rounds, etc.

Towards the end the only round i could get for the gun that performed well in it was the Fusion 140gr SP. I did not like how the round mushroomed and at times continued on through the animal even at longer distances. On occasion i had to use a second/follow up shot on a deer, but i never had a runner in terms of something i had to track because it ran off after being shot. However that was down to shot placement more than the ability of the bullet to give a quick clean kill.

From a target perspective the 6.5x55 was excellent. In my 24" barreled Sauer it was lovely and flat and out to 600 yards was as good as any 308. After this though the factory ammo died a death. When reloading became available i concentrated on the 308 as i went the FTR route and the 6.5x55 would have put me into the F-Open category. Against a 6.5x284 the 55 just won't cut it.

Lastly, i was usingg Lapua 139 Scenar for target shooting. I was having terrible trouble with groupings for months so bought a chrono. I got a spread of 200+ fps between rounds in the same box. So to me, and based on the readings i got & impact on the target, the ammo was far to inconsistent.

I eventually sold the rifle on, but if money was not an issue would most definitely have a 6.5x55 back in the safe.

hank .308

Cheers lads. Gonna be a hard decision to be honest. Its gona be for deer, no target so "what ta do, ive a steyr scout in .308 and with a 20 inch barrell and was gonna change to a sako 85 hunter in either .308 or 6.5 and go for a 22 or 24 inch barrell so please keep the advice coming. Really like the .308 though

Grizzly 45

Maybe re barrel the Scout to somthing heavier than the" knitting needle barrel" and abit longer version?The Steyr is a damn good little rifle and could do with a lheavier barrel.FWIW I'd stick with .308 because of the fact you can pretty much get ammo for it in some shape or form here or worldwide if need be.It is pretty much an all rounder caliber too and will do the job on anything we have in Europe in game.Decisions,decisions....:)

cookimonster

Can't comment on 6.5 but I've shot 6 reds in the last two seasons (Meath area) with my .243. I've mostly neck shot them but have dropped two of them on the spot with heart and lung shots at approximately 120 and 170 yards. Neither took a step after the impact, 100gr anchored them to the spot.
So as far as killing power the smaller choice calibre is sufficient, weather or not the 6.5 will suit your stalking style will as you know be dependent on ranges, weather conditions etc.
Best of luck in your choices

hank .308

Id say im 60% stayin wit .308 at this point but gonna try and get some time using the 6.5 this season to make a proper decision. Thanks lads. Ill keep yas posted

meathstevie

In the real world of woods and fields anything the likes of .30-06, 6.5 Swedish, .308, .303, 8x57Mauser, .243, .270 and all will do the job.

They're all sharing the same background as either the offspring or direct civilian load modifications of very late 19th or 20th century battle rifle calibers that were all designed to achieve the same and have been developed a good bit since.

Use any of those with a reasonable quality rifle, scope and fairly straight shot and the discussion will be rendered quite academical.

tac foley

The only elk I've ever taken never moved from its footprints after a 3/4 chest shot from around 75m with an open-sighted m/38 that had been doing the job for years.

It weighed out at just under 1250 pounds, BTW.

6.5x55 Swedish - doing the job since 1896.

tac

staghunter

I've been shooting with a lad for years and all he's ever had is the 6.5+55 using fusion 140 grain and all we shoot is reds.I've seen him shoot young calf's without any excessive meat damage, and the biggest of stags and they never moved more than ten yards.the only runner we ever had was poor shoot placement clipped the top of lungs and went maybe two hundred metres and lied down.super round as far as I'm concerned.it has stood the test of time.I use a 7+64 173 grain myself.