6.5x55 Hunting Question for the Experts

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Paul7

Paul7

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When hog hunting with my Sako Finnlight 6.5x55, at ranges of 75 yards and under have been getting completely fragmented bullets on hog kills with 140 gr. bullets, no matter the brand or hog size. I don't reload. To the point where with my last one, probably every third sausage package from the freezer had one or more bullet fragments in it. Not fun risking a broken tooth or ingested lead. Does anyone have a suggestion, maybe moving up to a 156 gr. bullet? I'm not aware of factory copper bullets being available in this caliber. I haven't noticed this happening with hogs shot with 150 gr. .30-'06.
 
Shoot them in the head?
Buy some solids so there is no fragmentation?

What ammo have you been using and where have your shots been hitting?
 
CarJunkieLS1 said:
Get the 6.5x55 Federal Fusion. That bullet will not fragment and expands nicely. Of course if you did reload your options are pretty much endless.
Click to expand...

I was using Federal but don't think it was Fusion. So that's a pretty good bet not to fragment?

The shot where I got the fragmentation hit where the neck joins the shoulder.
 
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Soft bullets that impact too fast over expand. Going to a heavier bullet creates more mass that helps improve penetration, and it slows down impact speeds. Or you need a tougher bullet that expands slower. Either approach should work. The Fusion is a bonded bullet and tougher than standard bullet which might make enough difference. Softer bullets are usually better at longer ranges where they have slowed down some.
 
Agree with the fusion, after a quick search to verify, (hand loading makes me forget which lines are available in which chambers) sako made a bonded ammo line, after that is the 156 Norma oryx (also bonded) I'd start with fusion.
 
Based on recent articles in Handloader, what you are experiencing is not unexpected. Cup and core bullets optimally expand between 2000 and 2500 fps. Also, and I found this to be important, is that cup and core bullets don't expand below 1500 fps. Based on a combination of distance, and cartridge, it is obvious that your cartridge/bullet combination was designed for those uber long range types who want to blast at animals 500, 600, 700, 800 yards, and not 75 yards. And because uber long range is all the craze, I doubt you are going to find anything on the market that caters to a 75 yard crowd.

Either reload, shoot Swedish FMJ, or how about a nice 30-30?

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It will put all shots within seven inches at 200 yards. That is not bad for a lever action. The 170's I am shooting are all going just around 2150 fps, and there are plenty of hunters who have had excellent performance out of their bullets, within reasonable range.

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Or, how about a nice 44 Magnum lever action?

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I have pushed 240 lead bullets at 1750 fps, buds tell me a 44 Magnum out of a rifle really hammers game at 100 yards. I am sure either of these is a great choice for animals out to 150 yards
 
I'd look into Barnes solid copper TSX bullets. They sure work for me in .223 and .308, though I really don't find it necessary to shoot expensive bullets in .308. I load a Nosler BT 150 grain over WW748 and it works great in THAT caliber. I've not looked at 6.5mms for bullet availability, but surely Barnes can fix ya up. That way you'll be good to go at contact range to 500 yards if you can shoot that far.

If you're not handloading, you should be.
 
Thanks, guys, think I will try the Fusion, then 156 gr. Oryx if needed. Too much on my plate to reload, not really interested in doing that, I only shoot about 50 rounds a year from that rifle. Here it is with the hog I was talking about. IMG_1276.JPG
 
Not those exactly, I reload.

I have used Barnes in multiple calibers with great success. They are light for caliber as copper is not as dense as lead but hold together well.

Good hunting!
 
Many good options for the non handloader.
1) Swift Big Game Scirocco 6.5x55 130 Grain Scirocco II Bonded Polymer Tip
2) HSM Trophy 6.5x55 Swedish 130 Grain VLD
3) Nosler Trophy 6.5x55 AccuBond 140 Gr

 
Paul7 the Federal Fusion line has stellar on game performance. I have tried with many different calibers and bullet weights to get a Fusion bullet to fail and I just can't get one to fail and fragment. It just don't happen. I'm a reloader so I get to choose any bullet i want to use. But if I only shot factory ammo I'd buy Fusion for every rifle I own and then go hunting.
 
Thanks for all the good responses, looks like I just need to use a better bullet. I once had a Prvi Partisan bullet (dumb, I know) completely fragment on a 35 lb. hog.
 
I use Norma Oryx in my 7x57R and hand load 165grn Oryx in my .308 If i shot a 6.5x55 i would be feeding it Oryx as well. I have 4 bullets recovered from moose and fallow deer and all have over 90% weight retention.
 
Skoghund said:
I use Norma Oryx in my 7x57R and hand load 165grn Oryx in my .308 If i shot a 6.5x55 i would be feeding it Oryx as well. I have 4 bullets recovered from moose and fallow deer and all have over 90% weight retention.
Click to expand...

I used a Norma Oryx 156 gr. out of my 6.5x55 on this cow elk, it worked perfectly.

071.JPG
 
The Swift Scirocco II bullet mentioned above has been the best in my .270 for hogs. Excellent weight retention and fantastic kills.
 
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