Heavy bullets in the 6.5x55 Swedish

[@ehud59]

Sako and 6.5x55 are an unbeatable combination. You can hunt any game with it.

[@NordicRifleman]

Agree 👍🏻

[@tikkasako6.5]

yes!, and ditto the Sauer Fieldshoot .

[@michaelhill6451]

I find it hilarious that people pretend like 6.5 Creedmoor is a new idea. 6.5x55 is basically the same thing, just in a long action. 6.5x55 is literally one of the first smokeless powder cartridges ever developed (~130 years old) and it has effectively identical external ballistics to 6.5 Creedmoor.

[@NordicRifleman]

Agree 😁👍🏻

[@michaelhill6451]

@@NordicRifleman For the record, I think both 6.5x55 and 6.5 Creedmoor are great cartridges. It's just funny to see someone reinvent the wheel and have the reinvented wheel catch on like crazy when the original one didn't (at least in North America).

[@NordicRifleman]

@@michaelhill6451 Yeah. Hornady did a good job in design and marketing - I’ll give them that 👍🏻

[@jti2007]

We Americans have been slow to adopt the Metric designations for cartridges. Now it’s all the rage with all the newer cartridges. The 6.5 versions of the 6.5x55 design and the others such as 6.8 Western are nothing more than rebranded models of older cartridges.

[@leoncolwin8645]

The 6.5 Skidrow is an excellent cartridge for ignorant people who do not know about the 6.5x55

[@dbx1233]

That is a very nice rifle, the wood looks excellent. And the 6.5 X .55 Swede has taken a lot of deer where I am from, in Southeast Texas.

[@eugenegress5896]

DBX Hunter..., were those Texan deer taken with Factory Loads or Hand Loads? What type of Bullets used? Thanks for any Responses and info!

[@dbx1233]

@@eugenegress5896 They were my dad's reloads. 120 gr. Sierra Spitzer bullets along with his Carl Gustave Swedish rifle.

[@eugenegress5896]

@dbx1233 VERY GOOD!, And a great High Speed Load. Thanks for the Info. That's nice, you can use a Rifle He probably really Loved to use.

[@johnolsen7073]

The 6.5 x 55 is a good all round choice for big game. Here in Canada I have harvested, moose, elk and deer with it. The ammunition I reload is usually Norma 140 gr partition or a Barnes tipped TSX. I use a Mauser 98 or 96 custom rifle or my Tikka T3, both rifles are very accurate.

[@NordicRifleman]

Sounds good! Thank you for this valuable feedback. I have not tried the 6,5x55 on anything larger than a small wildboar and a couple of roe deer bucks, so have yet to put it thru its paces.

[@andrewduis1881]

Yes it's a great caliber.... Mine was very accurate as well....Those 140 really penetrate...

[@eugenegress5896]

John, What Hand load , 140 grn Nosler Partion, did you find best in the Modern Tikka T3 Rifle? Type Powder used, Grains used. Thank you for any Info. I delivered to a Customer, who used old Mauser, 160 grn Hornady RN , Mule deer hunting out west. He said it Put them down quickly.

[@johnolsen7073]

@@eugenegress5896 Hi, I use H4831 short cut 47 grains a max load, and have used several other powder types. I would suggest trying a few out and see which one works best in your rifle. I always start with the mid range load and bullet seated to the recommended overall length. Hope it helps.

[@andrewduis1881]

I used to load my 6.5 x 55 with a Sierra 120 gr Bullet. Cannot remember the powder but I was pushing the bullet between 3000-3100 ft per sec. Killed a hog at over 400 yards and woodchucks at 250 yards with Sierra 85 gr at 3600 ft per sec. ( Winchester Featherweight Model 70 )

[@lukecarmichael1588]

That's awesome! What were tye pressures like? You have me interested

[@johnnorman7708]

The heavyweight bullets at such moderate speeds are very good for game heavier than deer. Bullets such as this at moderate speeds usually penetrate heavy game well. Some are possibly too strongly constructed for proper expansion on small deer at the velocity range shown here.

[@tikkasako6.5]

As a 6.5SE addict (7 rifles), I loved the authenticity of the 1890's rounds, plus the coffee break (so Swedish). Btw, the Norma 143 grain Oryx HPBT absolutely loves my Sako S20 in 6.5 PRC. I use their cases almost exclusively for reloading. Thank you, please do more. My daughter lives in Kungsangen, north of Stockholm, so I might just come shoot with you one day. Des O'Neill, Sparta, Tennessee.

[@kenpickett9317]

That’s a lovely old SAKO you have there. One of the best rifles of their time.

[@NordicRifleman]

Agree. I used to have a single shot Sako Varmint in 22 PPC in mint condition from about the same era (1980’s). I sold it 😵🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

[@kenpickett9317]

@@NordicRifleman I have one of a similar age, an A1 in 222Rem. I’ll never sell it.

[@NordicRifleman]

@@kenpickett9317 I can certainly understand that 🙂 I also have an A1 222 but threaded it for suppressor due to super thin and finicky barrel. Now it shoots great with a small can on the end of the barrel. But I don't have the heart to do that with the 6.5x55 as it would destroy this beautiful rifle.

[@michaeld9731]

Very interesting and well-done video, IMHO. A classic cartridge to go with your classically beautiful rifle!

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you Michael and thanks for watching 🙂

[@nomansland4811]

3 shot groups have always been the norm for me. Good to know that there are heavier bullets to use in my gun. Kinda thought I was stuck with 140 max.

[@jmkhenka]

in the nordics, 156-160 are the most common weights for hunting. Its based on rules we have with minimum weight and impact energy for hunting the largest animals. 140 qualify, but loading it for 100m 2700J is difficult with shorter barrels safely in older rifles.

[@borkwoof696]

They give almost no information about accuracy but that’s still more than nothing.

[@NordicRifleman]

Yeah, the 6,5x55 is very versatile and the heavyweight blunt bullets such as the ones tested in the video should work just fine in all rifles unless you have a very weird custom twist rate. The twist in my Sako AV is 1:9" so definitely on the slow side as 1:8" and 1:8.66" are very common.

[@kencleg7721]

Norma 156 oryx is great stuff

[@kencleg7721]

Black bear

[@garyturner8898]

I may have commented before, but your rifle is classic looking with the high-gloss Leupold scope. A great combination to launch 6.5x55 Swedish rounds. Thank you for the review. Your weather looks identical to November weather here in Western Washington State. Cheers.

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you for your comment 🙂

[@hillbillyscholar8126]

Good looking rifle with an excellent cartridge! Glad to see you have open sights on it as well. Cheers!

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you for your comment and for watching 🙂

[@PapaRyans]

My hunting rifle is a Tikka Continental in 6,5x55 ...been using Norma cases , CCI large rifle ignition cap , Norma 204 powder and Lapua Mega bullets in 156 grains (10,1 gram).. Used this configuration for several years , with very good shooting groups , in most cases only one shot to get a moose to ground. So satisfied with this so my older brothers changed rifles to 6,5x55 and start using my own loaded ammo for their hunt... same result 😉👌 Now even my son use same ammo. For notitication: we all use Tikka Continental in 6,5x55 ...... this rifle shoots incredibly well.

[@DaveC_1950]

I found your video to be very interesting. I recently purchased a Tikka Hunter in 6.5x55 SE and have been developing loads for hunting. While various 140 grain bullets have shot very well from my Tikka, the best groups I have obtained are with the Hornady 160 grain bullets you tried. I am using Winchester StaBall 6.5 powder and the average velocity for my load is just over 2500 feet per second.

[@NordicRifleman]

Thanks for your feedback. What a delight to own a well shooting rifle in 6.5x55 🙂 Your velocity sounds very similar to what I got in the video 👍

[@ChollaJJ]

Very sensible and informative ! Thanks. 👍 I have a custom Husqvarna Mauser in the 6.5X55….a keeper.

[@NordicRifleman]

Thanks 🙂 Congrats on the Husqvarna 😀

[@thevoyageur2152]

My M94 and M96 both like the heavy bullets, Sellier and Bellot 156gr SP for the M96 and 160gr Hornady RN in the M94. Devastating on deer. Happy Huntin.

[@wadepederson8457]

The Creedmoor was a new idea, with a faster twist, higher pressure, and a shorter action, it was improved by new technology, and you also could do the same with the 6.5 ×55, so why have they not, the only one that was available at the time was the Creedmoor with out waiting weeks, but it works and so does the 6.5 ×55 Sweden.

[@NordicRifleman]

You can easily obtain 2900 fps with a ELD-X 143 in the 6.5 Swede if handloading and using a modern strong action. For a Swedish person there is very little point to get a Creedmoor.

[@bekkerbosbeer3453]

Hi just found your videos,great videos Tack!!

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you Bekker 😀

[@bekkerbosbeer3453]

@@NordicRifleman looking forward to seeing some hunting videos,as in South Africa very limited videos using 6.5x55 swede

[@PlayingWithFireOutdoors]

I use a CG63 myself. The round was developed at 160gn @ 2600fps

[@gerry6.8]

Beautiful Sako AV, thanks for sharing it with us! I bought my first 6.5x55 in the mid 1990's when I was pretty young still and have had several since. I'm in Canada so they weren't very common back then here. Currently have a Tikka T3 that my wife uses, very accurate with everything. With heavy bullets it has done very well with the 156 gr Norma Oryx and Lapua Mega 155 gr. I have a Tikka T3 260 Remington that is sighted in with the 156 gr Norma Vulkan right now, also very accurate at just over 2600 fps. The Norma bullets and Lapua Mega bullet are much better on game than the Hornady bullets.

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you for your feedback - this is very interesting. I actually have the Mega on the shelf also but got "lazy" and didn't include it in the test. It also looks less "cool" than the Hornady RN, but of course terminal performance on game is what matters. I shot my first and only wildboar with the Mega in 6,5x55 actually, but that was with a friend's rifle. I think I may need to load up some Mega's and head back to the range 🙂 Those bullets have a very solid reputation from what I've read and heard.

[@gerry6.8]

@@NordicRifleman In the year since I posted the earlier comment how did your season go and what bullet did you try? Thanks.

[@davewinter2688]

The real Swedish Mauser actions M94,96,38 built by Carl Gustaf and Husqvarna used a special high quality tough Swedish steel that was better than any German steel. Even the “Swedish” Mausers built in Germany were required to use that steel. Those actions were proof tested to almost 63,0000 psi. With those actions the hand loaded 6.5x55 will leave the 6.5 Creedmoor in the dust, especially with 140 grain and heavier bullets because the bullets can be seated farther out to take full advantage of Swede’s case capacity. I have one of the “Sporterized by Kimber of America Inc., Clackamas OR. USA.” Carl Gustafs Stads M96 built in 1914. Barrel cut to 22”, lathe turned down to a medium sporter contour to eliminate the old military mid-barrel hump. Mounted in a Ramline synthetic stock. Not as aesthetically pleasing as that SAKO but with classic form and very serviceable. It came with a Tasco 2-10x40, which I upgraded to a little bit better something else. All numbers match. Came to me with a bunch of ammunition about 5 or six years ago for $500.00 USC. Great 1MOA shooter even with inexpensive PPU ammunition. For those of you who don’t know the story about the Sporterized by Kimber Swedes you’ll have to look that up. Happy hunting boys and the!😊

[@Eggomania86]

You can definitely stoke that 6.5x55 up in a modern rifle using modern components and powders . Funny part is the 6.5x55 pre dates the 30-30! It does everything a 6.5 Creedmoor can do and then some. In my opinion Hornady more or less reinvented the wheel. In my opinion is that the developers of the 6.5x55 got it right the first time over 130 years ago.

[@corporalpunish6089]

I love the high BC bullets. It's why I prefer the 6.5x55 over the 6.5 creedmoor. Unfortunately, I think Norma discontinued a number of these in the US in favor of just pushing the whitetail and evostrikes. Cant get the Alaskans or Oryx anywhere. I did get a number of boxes of the 140gr partitions, which they also discontinued. Those are lights out. Shoots cloverleaf for me. The only high BC factory loads I can find are the Federal 156gr and the Lapua 155gr Megas. The Megas are awesome.

[@NordicRifleman]

What about Norma Bondstrike 143? Is that available at all? Funny that they are pushing the Norma Whitetail - that must be the cheapest bullet they have ever produced. Accubond 140 seem quite popular here in Sweden. Also SST 140.

[@corporalpunish6089]

@@NordicRifleman Norma built a plant here in the State of Georgia. I am guessing they are focusing on these whitetail cup and core bullets along with their premium evostrike and bond strike and moving away from other manufacturers bullets.

[@NordicRifleman]

@@corporalpunish6089 Ok, I see. Back in 2001 I lived in Colorado and went to a customer in Lawrenceville, GA ten times that year 🙂

[@WillHenrysWorkshop-gunsmith]

The 6.5x55 has always been one of my favorites, and I particularly like the performance with the heavy bullets. With 156 to 160 grain bullets at about 2500 fps, bullet performance is always predictable. Penetration is excellent and damage to meat is minimal. The heavy bullets, with long bearing surface, always seem to shoot very well too. Sierra made a semi-pointed 160 which was an excellent bullet. WH

[@NordicRifleman]

Sounds good 😀👍🏻

[@StumpkillerCP]

I have a Norma Oryx load I like worked up for my .260 Remington (1:8" twist, 22" barrel Savage). If I ever get a chance at a moose I'm all set. In 1953 Ken Waters opened up a .243 cartridge to 6.5mm and that is exactly what Remington introduced in 1997 and fell flat, with the wrong twist and too short of a barrel. Typical Remington. But, for whitetail, I shoot a 130 gr Swift Scirocco II at 2,860 fps. Optimal weight for the bore according to Charles Newton.

[@johannesvanhoek9080]

Very interesting and informative video, greetings from Florida And you have a new subscriber

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you for your kind comment 🙂 We were in Miami and also drove down to Key West in 2016 - really cool place! Also visited Hemingway house. 😀

[@johannesvanhoek9080]

@@NordicRifleman I’m glad you had an opportunity and hope that you had a great time 👍

[@masonraley4585]

I'm in FL too!

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

As usual a very interesting and enjoyed video. Thank you for sharing. Dennis

[@NordicRifleman]

Thank you Dennis. I am having a hard time catching up with everything on my ever growing "Watch later list". So much to watch - so little time 😐

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@NordicRifleman I did manage to get a couple of pretty good bucks with that special Ruger No 1. The videos of those hunts are up coming. I hope you find time to watch them. I have used that rifle virtually the whole season out of love for my friend who just passed away. Keep your videos coming.

[@viking1ur]

I loaded the 9,1 gram Nosler in my 6,5x55 Finnbear for the use over 100 meter and the 160 grain Hornady roundnose for the use under 100 meter. The load was adjusted so the projectile for the Nosler hit the center at 200 meter and the Hornady hit the center at 100 meter with the same aime. I loaded the magasine with the Hornady because the range was normally allways about 50 meter. No dear took more than one step after the meeting with the 160 grain. The Nostler was only fired one time at the hunting. My Sako finnbear is my dream rifle. Using the 6,5x55 is just fantastic to shoot with and hitting everything i aime at. The recoil of the 6,5x55 is long - like the 30-06 but milder and it is one of the best choice at close range up to 50 -150 meter for animals up to 200 kilo in my opinion. The Hornady 160g RN make a open shot canal to bleed out quick and the projecktile hold high rest % at a reasonable speed.

[@NordicRifleman]

That sounds really smart! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your philosophy and experience 👍🏻

[@THLR]

Rene og fine bilder, emn fryd å se!

[@NordicRifleman]

Tack Thomas 🙂 Långt kvar upp till din nivå men detta får duga så länge.

[@michaellacy8510]

I’ve gotten great results with H4831 and the Hornady 160 in my 6.5x55 Ruger M77. Less than one MOA at just over 2500 fps. Very impressive!

[@NordicRifleman]

That sounds great! 😀

[@madewithscraps]

Thanks for the Splendid Video! I have recently built my 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser from an old surplus Karl Gustav laying around that I have had for many years, without firing. I chose to build on a Boyd's At-1 stock, which I made pillars for in my lathe, glass bedded, and free floated the barrel, and had the original bolt professionally bent down, due to my not having a heat sink for this application. I left the original 29" barrel length, hopefully to gain a bit of velocity in my challenges at the range from the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. My concern is the original 1-18.6 twist rate being a bit slow, but maybe compensated for by the barrel length? I chose a caliber specific scope from Cabela's for the 6.5 Creedmoor, lapped in the steel scope rings and have laser initially bore sighted. I also have 50 original Swedish, Berdan primed 160 gr rounds that I pulled the bullets from to obtain the brass for loading my 140 gr choices of bullets, to be converted to boxer style primers after initial firing. I have always admired the high quality and attention of proper function of all Swedish products, so figure my Gustav will keep me very pleased, especially on my retirement low dollar budget. I am surprised of the accuracy for the non ballistic style round nose bullets. You rifle is absolutely beautiful also, as the smooth action is far superior to my surplus, military unit. This video now has me anxious to try my newest addition and see how it compares to the so trendy Creedmoor that all say I should have, but built a 7mm-08 for another rifle to compete with those specifications. I'm too old to care about trends, just appreciative of 5/8" groups at 300 yards with all of my rifle calibers so far, including a 270. Hoping you hunting ventures serve you well.

[@NordicRifleman]

Thanks for your comment 👍🏻 3/8” at 300 yards is fantastic! My personal record at 300 meters is 38 mm with 5 shots out of a Tikka T3 Super Varmint 308. I have also had good luck with a Sako TRG-22 (that actually shot better but I never measured 5 shots groups) and a Sako Varmint single shot in 22 PPC that was absolutely ridiculous when it came to accuracy. But unfortunately I can’t hold on to “keepers” just keep selling them 🤦🏼‍♂️ ELD-X 143 shot really well out of my Blaser R8 6,5x55 with 1:8,66” twist so I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you 👍🏻

[@albertlorenzen3048]

The twist rate, in a Carl Gustave rifle is 1 in 7.9

[@PlayingWithFireOutdoors]

check out a CG63 it's a 93 swede mauser action with factory rebuild into a competition tackdriver

[@NordicRifleman]

@@PlayingWithFireOutdoors I used to shoot one of those back in 1994-1998 👍🏻

[@OldManMontgomery]

I've had a rifle (rifles) in 6.5x55mm for around forty-five years. I've wanted one even longer. They have an excellent reputation for hunting. 6.5x55mm cartridge was originally designed with a 10 gram bullet. In Imperial terms, this is 154 grains, but using 160 grain bullets - as in U. S. ammunition is not that much different. The twist rate of the barrel is chosen on that basis. Bullets should be chosen with purpose in mind. 10 gram bullets are a bit 'over' for squirrels or bunnies, and 120 grain bullets are rather 'under' for elk or large bear. Typically heavier bullets are used for long range accuracy, requiring a faster twist than lighter bullets. One notes several of the factory heavy cartridges provide groups the size - roughly - of the four pasters of the aiming point. Consider the target or 'kill zone' of the target. Also consider the distance of the expected shot. One does not require a group of impacts under 0.25 inches at 1000 yards (or metric equivalent) to properly, humanely take a deer.

[@NordicRifleman]

Right. My Sako AV has a 1:9” twist and stabilizes these heavy bullets without any problem as they are quite blunt/short. It’s when they become pointy and long that the problems arise with stability. E.g. a Hornady ELD-M 147 would probably not work in this rifle, but that’s fine by me 🙂 Btw - I am 47 years old 😁😬

[@OldManMontgomery]

@@NordicRifleman 6.5x55mm was for years my favorite rifle cartridge. One of them is a sporterized - and not real pretty - M94. I call it my 'everything rifle'. I load the Hornady 160 in it almost exclusively. I have noted many of the 'modern' loadings are faster than the 1894 loading. Upon reflection, I think improved powders are slower and will allow the same maximum pressure for a longer period of time. On the order of milliseconds or perhaps microseconds. Any way one examines the rifle and cartridge, it comes out good.

[@NordicRifleman]

@@OldManMontgomery I am sure you are correct. I have loaded the ELD-X 143 to 2880 fps in a 24" Blaser R8 without pressure signs. There is definetely some lee way in the ballistics given the fairly low working pressure for the older rifles (m/94). In a modern rifle you can really push the throttle if you want. But I like the idea of 156-160 grains at around 2500 to 2560 fps.

[@alahovi66]

Norma Oryx 160gr factory load is super accurate in my Blaser R8, it groups 1/2 MOA easily. The Oryx is a bonded premium bullet for the heavier game. Superior choice than the Norma alaska or the Norma Vulcan.

[@NordicRifleman]

Well, “superior” is a loose term 😉 It depends on the criteria. But if you mean weight retention then yes I agree. But the other bullets have killed thousands and thousands of game with excellent results.

[@alahovi66]

@@NordicRifleman muskets with lead ball ammo have also killed a lot of game but it is still not better or not even a credible choice anymore 😉

[@NordicRifleman]

You have a point 😁 But shouldn’t you ditch the ancient lead bullets all together then and go “all in” with lead free such as Barnes TSX or similar? 😉

[@3000waterman]

My only remaining rifle is a Sako Classic 6.5x55SE. A tack driver with tiny recoil. You'd need something fruitier for elephant and cape buffalo, otherwise it'll do any job. That shooters chose anything that barks like a 270, or kicks like a 30-06 just amazes the pants off me. Try a 6.5x55SE in a modern rifle, and you wonder what the heck you've been doing with anything else. Of course, it won't suit anyone whose masculinity is defined by the recoil of his magnum firestick. The 6.5x55SE is for grown-ups with brains.

[@andrewmacaulay1585]

Nice rifle and calibre.. Kind regards 🇨🇦 New Brunswick

[@NordicRifleman]

Thanks for your kind words Andrew 🙂

[@mrjohnx3923]

Hello from Sweden 🇸🇪

[@NordicRifleman]

Tjenare 😀

[@kevinthorrington2131]

I wish I could find brass in 6.5 x 55 for reloading. Here in America 6.5 x 55 has been scarce to impossible to find for over two years.

[@NordicRifleman]

Maybe the wide popularity of the 6,5 Creedmoor make case manufacturers less inclined to produce 6,5x55 ?

[@kevinthorrington2131]

@@NordicRifleman Steve Hornady is a marketing genius, a ballistics genius he's not. I don't think the 6.5 CM is anything special.

[@NordicRifleman]

@@kevinthorrington2131 After having watched the Hornady podcast with the story of the 6.5 CM it was more "sophisticated" than I had originally thought. But for my personal needs there is no point in going for anything but the 6,5x55 and especially since it is our "national caliber". I can find tons of once-fired Norma SE brass at the 300 meter range here. The brass barrel is kept behind a locked door so it doesn't become contaminated by weather and such.

[@DaveC_1950]

Midway has Prvi Partizan, Norma, and Nosler 6.5x55 brass in stock.

[@RagingOatmeal]

Ive had good luck with the 160gr hornady interlocks. Not the best when loaded to cbto in terms of cycling in my zastava. I believe i was 44.5gr of h4831 going around 2400fps. Open sights on my zastava I had 1" groups and that thing drops bear moose and deer like a tonne of bricks

[@NordicRifleman]

That sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Hornady RN 🙂👍🏻

[@adamwright4969]

I like the roundnose bullets

[@NordicRifleman]

They are really cool and make the rounds look very special 😀

[@oldredcoonhound2182]

Very nice rifle

[@fjb4932]

The Hornady 160 grain Round Nose is / was such a great bullet ( one shot / one kill ) that a box could last a hunter a decade. So sales were slow and Hornady took that to mean a slow seller / no one liked them, so they discontinued making them. I managed to get a box of bullets, so i'm set for life. But others... Pity. ☆

[@NordicRifleman]

Right. The high bc hysteria these days is having consequences perhaps 😵

[@Lure-Benson]

I built my AR 10 using a 26 inch Pac Nor super match barrel I chambered in 6.5-284 Norma so I only hunt large game with it using reloads of the 156 grain Norma Oryx and Vulkan bullets. Both of these bullets go clean through deer and don't explode like Hornaday bullets and all of the other U.S bullets with lead cores turn into lead bombs.

[@NordicRifleman]

Sounds good. Thank you for this feedback 🙂👍🏻

[@WalterWild2]

Is competition big in Sweden? Is the 6.5 more popular than the 7.5??

[@NordicRifleman]

You mean the 7,5 Swiss? It is non-existent in Sweden. 6,5x55 is very popular but the most common caliber overall is 308 Win.

[@kfelix2934]

I used the Norma Vulcan on TX WT-deer, it way capable probably over kill. You do not need heavy bullets on WT deer or mulies IMHO and experiences Berger and Norma both use to have bullets in 6.5mm that was way heavier than 160grain. I belive 180/190grains respectively. They will go very slower and they look liken small pencil ;). The heaviest bullet that I have now are berger 144grain and I have yet to load them

[@NordicRifleman]

Sounds good - thank you for sharing your experiences 🙂👍🏻

[@happyhome41]

Did you mention the twist rate of the barrel in your firearm ? I think that matters for heavier bullets.

[@NordicRifleman]

Maybe I didn’t. Think it’s 1:9” in these half old Sakos according to the pdf instruction booklet. But that should be good enough as these heavy bullets are quite blunt and stubby. It would not work though if their shape was like a modern match bullet. It’s more shape rather than weight itself which dictates if it will stabilize or not.

[@FranciscoSanchez-rg3ux]

Fantastic rifle and caliber. If you don't mind I would like to ask you a question open to anyone who is willing to contribute. I have been offered a "New in Box", unfired, Sako AV in 30-06 Springfield. I have other sako rifles (not AV's but 85 and L61r) and I am not particularly interested in the caliber, but since it is NIB it caught my attention. The price is about what I paid for my sako 85 in 2016. It it were a L61r (the old model) or a 7mm rem mag I would grab it quickly but since I am not particularly interested in the caliber, I am hesitant as to buying it or just pass. I know it is a very personal question but ... any advice for or against the AV models ? Thx

[@ulfmakitalo6487]

Been hunting and got +10 moose’s with a Carl Gustav 1900 6.5 and Normas Alaska

[@NordicRifleman]

That sounds really nice 😀

[@buddy22801012]

I always laugh when people state a 3 shot group isn’t proof of an accurate rifle. I’ve been hunting for 40 years and have never fired more than 3 rounds in a row. A five shot group would be necessary in a target rifle because during a match you’re definitely going to fire at least 5 rounds so you will need to know how that rifle reacts when the barrel heats up.

[@Adrian-sr7by]

I also shoot 3 shot groups. Have been reloading for my rifles for 34 years, never bought a factory cartridge. Works for me. I am a farmer and our rifles work a lot, extra 2 shots on a target would of added up to many extra rounds through the years. If 2 shots print well, off we go.

[@Leopard_8119]

Can I ask you the barrel length on that rifle? 570 mm?

[@OleChristianStrmberg]

Om du ønsker tettere samlinger, ville jeg ha satt på et kikkertsikte med høyere forstørrelse, kanskje opp mot 24x

[@GTMGunTotinMinnesotan]

cool!

[@koa818]

Nice Design Porinco SM12N.A MNDAA TNLA AA

[@PeterLindmark-w2n]

I have had peculiar groups with the Vulkan, and almost keyholes. Going for the Alaska (or the Hornady 160 gr when I find it…). Bondstrike… naaah. Not even legal for red deer in Sweden.

[@lizchatfield692]

And best loads were the start loads.

[@tsclly2377]

It would be cool if these bullet companies would put a plastic ballistic tip in these bullets .. Nice 'scope... looks to be a fixed power ('old school'). The real velocity is best taken at 100m (if you dare).

[@robertodebeers2551]

I know 6.5x55 is popular in Europe, but I've just never seen why.

[@NordicRifleman]

Effective on a wide variety of game. Low recoil. High sectional density on 140-156 grain bullets. Low cost. Good for practice.

[@robertodebeers2551]

I think I'm prejudiced because I got a black eye from a Swedish Mauser carbine while shooting woodchucks at the family ranch in Montana. I was about 12 years old. My thumb came back from recoil and punched my right eye. Cheers. @@NordicRifleman

[@NordicRifleman]

@@robertodebeers2551 That kind of experience usually gives some mental scars yes 😁😬

[@merlemorrison482]

I'm pretty sure 160 gr was the original bullet weight....

[@NordicRifleman]

If you believe Wikipedia, you will actually find this information: "The initial service projectile introduced for the 6.5 mm m/94 cartridge in 1894 was a long round-nosed ball projectile, in Swedish described either as an "ogive bullet" (Swedish: ogivalkula)[24] or "blunt bullet" (Swedish: trubbkula).[26] The projectile weighed 10.1 grams (156 gr) and reached a muzzle velocity of 725 m/s (2,379 ft/s) with 2,654 J (1,957 ft⋅lbf) muzzle energy when fired from a 739 mm (29.1 in) long barrel."

[@davidwagstaff2720]

The 160gr bullets appear to be keyholing. Meaning they are starting to tumble. Good grouping though.

[@NordicRifleman]

Turns out though it’s just the paper being ripped and creating that illusion, as there was an air pocket between the paper and the backing cardboard material. If you look at around 5:36 in the video there is a text describing that.

[@bigtrev761]

🇦🇺😎👍🏁

[@randywelsh2692]

IMO you're giving away a lot of penetration, accuracy and flatness of trajectory with those loadings. Try 120 gr. TTSX, RL-19 and a COAL of 2.80". Seems like crazy talk from some kook on the internet I know but give it a try.

[@NordicRifleman]

I just want to enjoy myself with heavy classic bullets at the moment 🙂 Have half a box of TTSX 120 on the shelf but haven’t tried it in this rifle yet. May happen some day 👍🏻

[@michomicho7668]

WHAT WAS THIS LOOK LIKE 100 METERS // ON END YOU TALK ABOUT TREES AND LIKE 300 OR A BIT LESS METER OR MORE TO TARGET / SO WHAT WAS DISTANCE YOU FIRED AT TARGETS

[@NordicRifleman]

First I fired at 100 meters to adjust the new scope. Then I drove back to 300 meters and fired the 5-shot group that I show at the end.

[@happywiener1690]

useless test

[@NordicRifleman]

@@happywiener1690 Best comment ever 😂

[@PhilHewkin]

i get small 3 shot groups with rem 140 gr corlok 2550 fps out of a 1901 mfg carl gustafstads bork bork bork. (that's swedish chef muppet speak, for 3/8" at 100 yd). reduce your load one grain and you will see similar, i suspect. the old CG has 1-8" rot, maybe stabilizes the long ones better.

[@NordicRifleman]

Ok. My Sako AV has 1:9” I believe. “Swedish chef muppet” 😁

[@mdog1615]

I have the same rifle in 6.5x55 , I hunt with it every year and use both lapua mega and Sako Gamehead 156g ammunition. My rifle shoots those about as good as yours shot the oryx. I’ve had good accuracy with Sellier and Bellot 156g soft points as well but haven’t been as impressed by it on game as the other two mentioned. I’m in Canada and primarily hunt whitetail deer.

[@NordicRifleman]

Sounds good! Thank you for your feedback from the field 🙂