Caliber Comparison: The Swede vs. The King

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Shawnee

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Deerhunter's thread prompted me to take a wee closer look at the comparison between the .243 Winchester and the 6.55x55 Swede (both of which I am a 110% fan of).

Now I know the bullets and fps. etc. I chose can be argued but I tried to get to a fair comparison between loads that would be typical in the deer fields.

The . 243 load - Hornady 95gr. SST, BC = .355.... at 3100fps.

The Swede load - Hornady 129gr. SST, BC = .485.... at 2600fps.

Bullets are +/- the same price. Powder charge is 3grs. less for the .243,
Recoil is 2lbs. less for the .243 (in 7.5lb. rifles)

Sight-in distance is 275 yds (figuring most shots will be 350yds. or less).

So..... let's talk ft.lbs. of energy...

At 100yds. 1697 for the .243 - 1686 for the Swede
200yds. 1413 " 1462 "
300yds 1168 " 1261 "
400yds 957 " 1083 "
500yds 778 " 926 "

The Swede has a little more energy after 250yds. (but also has a larger bullet which requires more energy to function correctly)

How about trajectory...

At 100yds. the .243 is 3" high and the Swede is 4.4" high
200yds. " 3.2" high " 4.4" high
300yds. " 1.8" low " 2.4" low
400yds. " 13.1" low " 17.1" low
500yds. " 32" low " 41" low

Mostly this tells us either one could be held on the same spot on a deer's body and a lethal hit would be likely out to about 350yds. and a 400yd. shot with either would require holding just slightly above a deer's topline.

Though the .243 shoots a wee dram flatter, this isn't to say the Swede is "bad", or, in the field, "appreciably less".... because it really isn't. Mostly it just shows what truly excellent calibers both of them are for the typical deer hunter. Either one will flatten any deer born on this continent since the Ice Age IF the shooter does their part.

But when you look at them - neither one of them asks much of the shooter. If ever there were two calibers that can make a so-so shooter look good, these two have to be the top candidates.

:cool:
 
Go with a .260 Rem, the best of both worlds.

You get the bigger diameter projectile with the more standard case geometry.

There is a mystique and charisma to the 6.5mm x 55mm however and I understand why, Id never trade my 7mm Mauser for a 7mm-08 even thought they are the same thing.

Everytime I pick up my 7mm Mauser I see Boer commandos, Spaniards picking off Rough Riders, and I smell elephants.

I pick up the 7-08 and see salesmen.
 
I pretty much agree with all of that, except that the comparison to a 120 gr. 6.5 would probably be a 75-80 gr .243, not 95 gr, just in terms of where along the scale of "light-for-caliber / heavy-for-caliber" it lies.
 
If you reload, all of these calibers get very flexible. I like the 7MM-08 or 7MM Mauser for most game I hunt. There are a lot of 7MM bullet selections. The .260 Remington is another good cartridge.
 
What about terminal ballistics?

I suspect that the higher velocity .243 will cause more tissue damage. Also, will the Swede allow you to take shots that you might be inclined to pass if you had the .243?
 
Hi "Sauce"... I used the 95gr. .243 and the 129gr. 6.5.


Hi "Colt46"... Speaking personally... I would take any shot with a .243 that I would with the Swede simply because I have a ton of experience and confidence in the .243. Of course it would probably work the other way around too - which is why I think so highly of both calibers.:)


:cool:
 
Colt46 said:
I suspect that the higher velocity .243 will cause more tissue damage. Also, will the Swede allow you to take shots that you might be inclined to pass if you had the .243?
Click to expand...

With bullets appropriate to the game, I don't think the .243 will hold much advantage over the Swede in terminal performance. Looking at the data in my most dog-eared issue of Handloader (June 2007), I see a load for the 6.5x55 with an 85gr Sierra hollowpoint @ 3346 fps that will be plenty explosive on varmints. And then there are loads for 156gr Norma Oryx bullets that run around 2600 fps that will probably be perfectly acceptable on elk and moose (I doubt you'll find many .243 loads in that category).
 
Hi "Jesse"


I was addressing the deer/antelope type hunting but you're right about the .243 not being a sound choice as an Elk rifle.
Will offer that the .243 87gr. BTHP can be launched at over 3300fps and the highly-frangible 58-gr. V-max at 3750 (if you believe the numbers) and that is certainly an edge over the 6.5x55 in the Varmint fields. Not a lot, but it's there.

:cool:
 
I like the way Shawnee starts out handicapping the Swede, and he knows it. You can safely get 2800 fps with that 129gr. SST and a lot more in a modern firearm. And when you start talking serious bullet weights like the 140's in the 6.5 it's not even close. The 140 can easily start at 2600fps.
That short little neck of the 243 is its downfall and it cannot muster the powder capacity to be as efficient with the heavier bullets without resorting to 10,000psi more pressure. The same can be said of the 260 Rem. also.
I'll give you that the 243 is a splendid, flat shooting varmint rig with its 65gr. V-Max. :D

NCsmitty
 
Hi NCSmitty...

:D

Now NC, no need to pee in your corn flakes :rolleyes:.... I didn't intentionally "handicap" the Swede.

2600fps. was the quickest I found for the 129-grainers (and 2500 for the 140s) - and the .243 can be stoked a bit more too, but, like I said, I knew someone would want to fuss about the loads I used no matter which I chose.:rolleyes:

The premise is still the same Oh Forlorn One - they're both most splendid deersticks.:D

:cool:
 
I didn't intentionally "handicap" the Swede.
Click to expand...
:rolleyes:

You know that you chose "girly" loads for the Swede! ;)
How did you know that I like my cornflakes soggy?

Ya, they are both great rounds, you just got mixed up. :)

NCsmitty
 
the highly-frangible 58-gr. V-max at 3750 (if you believe the numbers)
Click to expand...
Well, my chronograph clocks my favorite 65 gn. V-max load out of my 26" bbl Savage model 12BVSS at 3784 fps average. Assuming the 58 gn v-max out of a 22' or 24" sporter barrel, it probably is close to 3750 fps.

JM2C

Poper
 
You can push a 140 gr bullet to 2600fps out of the swede with no problems. 2600 for a 129gr SST might the best you can find for a factory load, though most people shooting the 6.5x55 aren't going to even consider factory loads.
 
I wouldnt shoot a moose with a .243 :uhoh:

They shoot many moose every season in Sweden with the 6.5mm x 55mm ;)
 
.243...I have always been told this caliber is for Ladies and children...

Please do not take offense...I actually say that with all sencerity. And do not mean to offend. It guess it is from my southern roots...remember we HAVE to be He-men down here!

I must say as I have read many posts here that present very good info on the .243 as a solid deer rifle and if any of you want to give one away I am sure I would be willing to give it a try in the field! :D

I just purchased a 6.5 CZ this past weekend and I took it to the range Sunday evening. It shot amazingly well! I am very impressed with the accuracy so far.

You all keep the data coming on the 243! Perhaps I will consider it in the future!
 
What are the common twist rates for each? Reading that the Swede can use 158 gr. bullets makes me think that it has a faster twist rate, which might be too fast for someone leaning towards exclusively varminting.
 
Hi Deerhunter...

When the .243 first came out the major gunwriters were still of the .270, 30/06, 300 Savage era and some of the even older writers from the bigger bore days were still scribbling a little.
Jack O'Conner himself (whom I thoroughly admire) was still writing the "brushbuster for the East and long-range rifle for the West" and the ".243 is great for women and kids" kinda stuff.
But since then, the .243 has proven itself a million times over as a stellar deer rifle and a great varmint rifle.

However - the old "lore" dies hard and legions of hunters - most of whom haven't used a .243 much (or at all) still think it is somehow underpowered and keep repeating the old apple sauce about "good for small deer" and "ladies and kids rifle" and "within 250yds or so" - essentially "damning it with faint praise" as the saying goes. And of course there are always the people whose egos are wedded to the .30 calibers and they have to pooh-pooh the smaller calibers and excellent calibers like the 30/30. The "macho" silliness isn't confined to the South by any means.:rolleyes:


Folks who have used the .243 a lot in different covers and places know it's a top-flight deerstick that can do commendable double-duty on anything that isn't as big as an Elk. ;)

Ya done good with your new 6.5x55. Enjoy it !

:cool:
 
Hi USSR...

If you say you shoot the 129-grainer at 2950fps., fine, I'll take your word for it.

My response is: "So what do you gain of any real value?"

The 129-grainer at the 2600 fps. I quoted already has a trajectory that is excellent and more than enough energy to kill any deer in tThe Republic. You can bump the velocity up your 300fps. but the deer won't be any easier to hit or any deader.

As for extending range - Hooey! Most cleanly-killed deer are shot at 300yds. or less and, in fact, usually 200yds. or less. If someone can't get within 300yds. of a deer they don't need a faster bullet, they need to learn to hunt.
I was at a Hunter Safety exposition in Colorado once and some of the local wardens told me they were certain the average range of antelope brought to bag was probably less than 300yds.

:cool:
 
If we're talking "hardcore" ballistics?, the 6mm Rem & .264 Win fit in.(no,they're a notch above)
They did seem to "miss the boat" eh?
 
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