Favorite 6.5mm?

What is your favorite 6.5mm?

  • Total voters
    97
  • Poll closed .
Old Dog said:
I know a lot of guys in a couple European countries, including family in Finland, who would dispute that.
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You could know every gun owner Finland and you'd still only know HALF as many gun owners as exist in the state of Kansas... That's the point of the statistics I elaborated above... To say a particular model is the most popular triathlon bike at fat camp might be true, but the context isn't pertinent relative to 1) the majority market, or 2) the leading performance market for the product... So the whole "6.5x55 swede is still popular in Europe" is really an irrelevant argument...
 
InTheSwamp said:
Probably, by a margin (me included), but the poll is confined to this forum.
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Moreover, I'd venture to say a large group of new shooters heard about the Swede, because of the CM (me included, and I have gray hair). For most American shooters of yonder, it was always about the 30's, 270, 25-06 and the like. The Swede was a curiosity from across the pond, a place far removed from American Exceptionalism. Purist knew it, but you don't often see old movies where the main character says "When I load my Swede, you'll sing a different tune"
 
Varminterror said:
A LOT of folks, even high performing folks within the shooting sports and competition industries have never held a 6.5x55 swede rifle or cartridge.

I’d venture that we’ve reached a point in time that more living Americans have held a 6.5 Creed than have a Swede. If we haven’t reached it already, I’d almost guarantee that parity occurs in the next decade.
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I've never held anything that said "Creedmoor" on it. I have no interest in it, not because its a bad cartridge, but because of folks who try and convince me its better than X,Y,Z. To each their own.
 
1948CJ2A said:
I've never held anything that said "Creedmoor" on it. I have no interest in it, not because its a bad cartridge, but because of folks who try and convince me its better than X,Y,Z. To each their own.
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Why go by what some folks try to tell you?
CM is no "better" than anything; it's just a great, effective modern cartridge. Give a try to one of the many (22, 6, 6.5), then check the target and ask your shoulder for input.
 
InTheSwamp said:
Why go by what some folks try to tell you?
CM is no "better" than anything; it's just a great, effective modern cartridge. Give a try to one of the many (22, 6, 6.5), then check the target and ask your shoulder for input.
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It's like hearing a song on the radio that you might have liked but it got played so much that you became completely disinterested in it... for me anyways.
 
almost old guy who appreciates turn of the last century cartridges but also likes new case/throat and twist rates of new designs. make mine 6.5 grendel in a bolt gun. dont like bending over to chases cases.
...light recoil, less noise, excellent accuracy is why. without needing a big dollar custom helps my back pocket besides....
 
1948CJ2A said:
It's like hearing a song on the radio that you might have liked but it got played so much that you became completely disinterested in it... for me anyways.
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I can be certain in the last 40yrs, I have heard “it’s like the 30-06 for Europe,” and “in Europe they use it to hunt elk” about the Swede far more than I have ever hear anyone say “the 6.5 creed is the be all, end all” in the last 14yrs.
 
I picked Creedmoor simply because of ammo and components that are available. I have owned a Rem 700 Classic in 6.5 Swede and a Ruger 77 Compact in 260. There is very little difference in performance between the two of them and the Creedmoor until you start loading heavy bullets.
 
Varminterror said:
I can be certain in the last 40yrs, I have heard “it’s like the 30-06 for Europe,” and “in Europe they use it to hunt elk” about the Swede far more than I have ever hear anyone say “the 6.5 creed is the be all, end all” in the last 14yrs.
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never heard that song... but I have a hunch we don't listen to the same "music" ;)
 
Another 6.5mm is the. .264 Win Mag. I was a youngster when it was announced and completely captivated it's ballistics and the racy profile of Winchester's Model-70 Westerner. I eagerly read about everything I could find about guns back in those days and most gunwriters proclaimed it to be an arch barrel burner. Which was the first time I had heard that description, which seemed to imply that after a shot or two the barrel would wilt in a puff of smoke. I think many potential buyers must have been influenced by the barrel burning stigma, and sales were not what Winchester had hoped. More recently the .264 has become a go-to caliber in the beanfield, but the barrel burning curse is still echoed with mentions of the .264 Mag, despite it being almost middle of the road compared to some of the more modern hotshots. This Pre-64 M-70 .264 was stocked by the late Al Biesen with a pretty piece of wood and one of his fantastic checkering patterns. Biesen also made the steel buttplate and grip cap. It is one of my favorites for pronghorn and I'm still waiting for the barrel to melt and droop. 21A_2782 (2).JPG 21A_2786 (2).JPG 21A_2790 (3).JPG 21A_2802 (3).JPG 21A_2805.JPG
 
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Litetrigger said:
Another 6.5mm is the. .264 Win Mag. I was a youngster when it was announced and completely captivated it's ballistics and the racy profile of Winchester's Model-70 Westerner. I eagerly read about everything I could find about guns back in those days and most gunwriters proclaimed it to be an arch barrel burner. Which was the first time I had heard that description, which seemed to imply that after a shot or two the barrel would wilt in a puff of smoke. I think many potential buyers must have been influenced by the barrel burning stigma, and sales were not what Winchester had hoped. More recently the .264 has become a go-to caliber in the beanfield, but the barrel burning curse is still echoed with mentions of the .264 Mag, despite it being almost middle of the road compared to some of the more modern hotshots. This Pre-64 M-70 .264 was stocked by the late Al Biesen with a pretty piece of wood and one of his fantastic checkering patterns. Biesen also made the steel buttplate and grip cap. It is one of my favorites for pronghorn and I'm still waiting for the barrel to melt and droop.View attachment 1190530View attachment 1190531View attachment 1190532View attachment 1190533View attachment 1190534
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While I am definitely one of those that fall under the “I like anything that goes boom” category, the old classic model 70 is still one of those that can almost make me weak in the knees…. I can appreciate well functioning, and the utility of, plastic,aluminum, polymer, etc., but walnut and good blue… Aaaaaaah….
 
The Swede, the elder statesman of 6.5’s.

The 6.5x55 was used militarily in the ‘94 Mauser, the ‘96 Mauser, the Krag, the Swedish M38, the Ljungman, Swedish versions of the BAR and Browning machine guns, and is also used in numerous current sporting arms.

The first 6.5 cartridge, it has endured on its merits.
 
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1948CJ2A said:
I like my Swede and I like my 260 Rem (both similar ballistics) but for different reasons. The Swede can't fit in a short action without limiting the COAL and the 6.5x55 really shines with those bullets seating out longer IMO. The 260 Rem is a short action cartridge and does well with light-medium weight 6.5 projectiles in my experiences with my Remington model 7. I hand-load pretty much all of my centerfire bolt and lever rifles. I think I'm using 140gr in my Swede and 120gr in my 260.

My model 7 is lightweight and works great as a little carry rifle in the field. My Swede is a heavier, but prettier rig in a CZ 550 FS (Mannlicher stock).
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This thread has given me some wicked thoughts, I admit. A few months ago, I picked up a Ruger American Predator carbine in 308 for a good deal. It fits the bill for my deer hunting use, but after reading everything here, I'm seriously thinking of rebarreling it to 260. I don't think it'd take much work, either. Am I wrong in thinking it'd just be a simple barrel swap? It's already light and short, two of my favorite qualities in a rifle. An 18 or 20 inch 260 would be the very thing for southern whitetails out to 400 yards, I think.

Mac
 
MacAR said:
This thread has given me some wicked thoughts, I admit. A few months ago, I picked up a Ruger American Predator carbine in 308 for a good deal. It fits the bill for my deer hunting use, but after reading everything here, I'm seriously thinking of rebarreling it to 260. I don't think it'd take much work, either. Am I wrong in thinking it'd just be a simple barrel swap? It's already light and short, two of my favorite qualities in a rifle. An 18 or 20 inch 260 would be the very thing for southern whitetails out to 400 yards, I think.

Mac
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I would sell it and buy the RAP in 6.5 CM.
 
MacAR said:
This thread has given me some wicked thoughts, I admit. A few months ago, I picked up a Ruger American Predator carbine in 308 for a good deal. It fits the bill for my deer hunting use, but after reading everything here, I'm seriously thinking of rebarreling it to 260. I don't think it'd take much work, either. Am I wrong in thinking it'd just be a simple barrel swap? It's already light and short, two of my favorite qualities in a rifle. An 18 or 20 inch 260 would be the very thing for southern whitetails out to 400 yards, I think.

Mac
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I would definitely recommend a 260 Rem. It's a sweet spot in the 6.5 short action family. I think with the 120-130 gr size bullets, it's perfect. I have a few 308s, and never thought about retrofitting them but that is definitely a thought worth considering.
 
InTheSwamp said:
I would sell it and buy the RAP in 6.5 CM.
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No thank you. I am not a fan of the Creedmoor on principle alone. Is it just as good? Probably. But I want a 260 not a 6.5 Creedmoor.
1948CJ2A said:
I would definitely recommend a 260 Rem. It's a sweet spot in the 6.5 short action family. I think with the 120-130 gr size bullets, it's perfect. I have a few 308s, and never thought about retrofitting them but that is definitely a thought worth considering.
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I mean, if it's nothing more than a barrel swap, it couldn't hurt to try it. Just gotta figure out what hoops I'd have to jump through to make it work. At some point I'll try it out, may not be any time soon though.

Mac
 
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