happy,happy, Tikka 6.5x55

[timbertoes]

Short story made long..

I used to have a CZ550 in the sweet Swede, and sold it. bad idea!
left me without a rifle for feral hogs.

Decided I needed to fix that, so I bought a stevens model 200, new for $200 in 7mm-08. 3 boxes of 2 brands of ammo later, (1 box with a loose scope!) and some reloads.. I realized that a 4" "wherever group" wasnt any fun...

So I knew what had to be done, there was only one true answer, and her name is 6.5x55 - ok I might have gotten a 7mm-08, but when I saw the Swede was available for a date...

Sooo..I just returned from a cold and windy 'lunchtime sight in" at the range with the Tikka Light in stainless. Did not buy factory ammo, went straight to reloads I have seen here. 140gr Sierra gamekings, IMR4350.

after a 50 yd sight in 3 rounds, 2 more scope adjusments rounds at 100,

then 3 rounds in about an inch, two touching.
And picked up a box of Sierra varminters 100gr. Cause I am also a Coyote calling fool

Kittos, Tikka!

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

If it makes you happy . . . no amount of birds in the bush is worth a good rifle in hand.

 

[viking499]

Next, you will have to buy a CZ 6.5x55 to keep the Tikka company. That is what I did, and they both shoot better when they are happy......

 

[timbertoes]

Those CZ's can be a bit hard to find sometimes

 

[viking499]

But worth looking for......

 

[lopezni]

I have a beautiful 550 American chambered for 6.5x55 in my shop. New stock design, beautiful checkering, stripping in the walnut. I would have bought it if I did not get a TC encore chambered in 6.5x55.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I can identify with you on both fronts, I got a Stevens 200 for a truck gun in 7-08, with a 3x9x50 Nikon I shoot DIME groups, shut up my friends shooting high dollar guns. I guess I got a good one, I also got a Tikka T3 lite stainless in 6.5 Swede, I am 55 and have gotten away from larger caliber guns even my 30-06, here in Texas as you well know, a .308 is probably the largest caliber you may need unless you dont mind bruised shoulders or getting called a wuss by your buddies that hunt with magnums etc. those 2 rifles are at the front of my safe when I pull one out to got hunt hogs (we are overrun with them here in Central Texas), as you can see by my username I am a .308 nut and I love them also. The Swede seems to have become a favorite of mine. only drawback to the Tikkas is the price of magazines, way too expensive so dont lose one.

 

[Tuckerp229]

Tikka in 6.5x55 Swede.... good, make man very happy.

 

[CTW]

I just bought a T3 hunter in .308 winchester today. Gonna work up some loads for it tomorow. 6.5 sweede is a neat little round. Congrats and enjoy!

 

[Float Pilot]

Timbertoes:


What is the rifling twist in the Tikka 6.5x55mm and are they long throated like the Swede Mausers?

I have 5 or 6 swede Mausers in 6.5x55mm, but every now and they I think about getting a Tikka or a CZ. As if I really need one...

 

[Will Fennell]

1/8

Tikka's are 1/8 twist. I've not had a Swede mauser, but the Tikka's allow you to seat the bullets waaay long. They are on a long action, using the same detachable mags as the 30/06 family cartridges, so you have room to seat the bullets out in the mag also.....and they have GREAT triggers.

 

[timbertoes]

what Will said. me, I just look at a gun makers specs.

that 7mm-08, I just got a bad one, there was no reason for it to shoot the way it did without some sort of QC problem. it was literally a 4" spread with factory.
with handloads a little better, but just walked horizontally real bad as the barrel warmed up.
I just considerd myself fortunate to have extra to spend on the Tikka .

 

[sumpnz]

CZ's run a 1:9 twist, and are long throated. I can't get the 120gr and 129gr bullets into the lands. The 140gr bullets though can be seated into the lands and still have enough in the case neck to hold them properly. I have not tried the 160gr bullets in my CZ, but the 140's will do under an inch at 100 yards with a cool barrel. Had to crank up the load to pressures more in line with modern sporters though to get that accuracy with Varget. IMR4831 doesn't seem to require such a hot load for good accuracy though. Most load manuals cut the 6.5x55 off around 50-53ksi. A CZ or Tikka can easilly handle 58-60ksi without a blink. Their .30-06 rifles can take those higher pressures and there's no difference between the 6.5x55 and .30-06 rifles to require a pressure reduction. The Lee manual includes pressure scaling factors for some powder/bullet combos.

 

[cz85cmbt]

Timber, I know you haven't had much time with the new tikka but which do you like better the old cz or the tikka? I'm gonna go check it out on tikka's website.

 

[Float Pilot]

The reason I asked about the rifling twist is because some of the longer bullets, like the 140 grain Berger VLDs need a 1 in 8 or tighter twist.

I have a Swede CG-63 which for some reason or another was re barreled with a Danish Schultz and Larson barrel with a 1 in 9 twist (1 in 228.6mm). The stock CG-63s had a 1 in 220 mm (8.66 inches) twist as compared to the 1 in 200mm (7.87 inch) twist of the Swede military Mausers.

So my CG-63 will not stabilize some of the longer bullets like the 142 grain Sierra Match Kings or the 140 grain Bergers.

However the Tikka twist sounds just right for all sorts of long bullets.

Here are some of the bullets I have been experimenting with, along with the bullet lengths... While goofing with various 6.5x55mm loads.