Anyone shoot 6.5 Swede?

[David LaPell]

I ran across a real nice 6.5 Swede the other day and I see alot of potential in a gun for varmints / deer. Does anyone use this caliber or have used it in the past. This is a nice vintage military rifle but its not all original so if was sporterized it would be no large loss.

 

[ditrina]

Why would anybody want to shoot a 6.5 swede..??????

Heck I'd marry her.. or at least take her out... Oh WAIT..
I DID.. ( actually she's a 6.0 version )

 

[sheriffoconee]

I have one, nothing to be proud of to look at. An partner of mine "sporterized" a .mil Swede rifle and somehow another I ended up with it in one of the many dozens of gun trades we have made over the years...
Bought some cheap PMC ammo, about 100 rounds and took it to the range....stupid thing shot less than an inch with a cheap scope on it, so I used it for my "rain, sleet, snow" deer rifle....took the biggest deer I ever killed with it....a monster buck that of course ended up in the bottom of the deepest ravine n the woods....
I say all that to say this, I love that little rifle, it ain't for sale, and I still have 60 something of those rounds I bought 20 years ago....
If you need a deer rifle, you won't do any better

 

[Class III]

I've got a box stock "As Issued" M1896 that was made in 1906. Mine shoots about seven inches high at 100 yards as the ladder sight is regulated to a minimum range of 300 yards. Mine averages groups just over 1.5" using Winchester 140 gr factory loads shot over sand bags with open sights.

As far as hunting with the old war horse? Yes, I've used it successfully on whitetail deer. A buddy of mine has one that has been sporterized and used it this year to drop a 238 pound (on the butchers scale) 4x5 North Dakota mule deer.

As the good sheriff said "If you need a deer rifle, you won't do any better" is absolutely correct.

Class III

 

[mrerick]

A Swedish Mauser rifle in this caliber is my favorite bolt action...

Nice fast bullet... More gentle recoil... Remarkably accurate... Precision manufactured, with a very smooth action...

Mine was made in Sweden at the Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori government arsenal.

You may still be able to get surplus ammo from Samco in Miami.

 

[mkk41]

Deer - schmeer!

Them Scandinavian hunters are dedicated marksmen , and use their beloved 6.5x55 for BIG deer , elk & caribou , and at looong range. It is to them what our 30-06 is to us Yanks. That long streamlined freight train-like .264dia bullet has excellent penetration and terminal effect on big game with fine accuracy and mild recoil to boot.

I have a 1918 Carl Gustav long rifle and it's a great shooter.

Be aware that the 'battle zero' on those rifles is about 300 meters , so it will shoot high at 100yds. Samco has front sight blades of different heights.

 

[K.38]

I don't have a Swede rifle anymore but I still hunt and shoot the cartridge.

My "Swede" is a CZ 550 chambered in 6.5x55. The rifle shoots great has beautiful wood and is very pleasing to the eye and for glass I have a Leupold 3x9.

I didn't draw any hunting permits this year so I didn't get to go hunting but the last two years I got 2 nice mule deer bucks with one shot each. Neither buck went more than a few yards before falling over.

If I ever draw an Elk tag I'm going to use the 6.5x55.

For the deer I used a Hornady 140 SP bullet. Besides the .30-06 the 6.5x55 is my favorite caliber.

 

[Erich]

I've been a Swede guy since the '80s - like the .41 Mag. and the 28-ga., it's a real "gun guy" caliber.

 

[DeathGrip]

Don't shoot Qball,He didn't do it.

 

[Qball]

Don't shoot Qball,He didn't do it.

Well... actually....


I did


And by the way.... i'm only 5.5

 

[Stevie]

I own a 1904 'Carl Gustav' M96 longrifle...Really have not shot it all that much. Does work well..and is accurate and all that.

 

[boatbum101]

The 6.5 X 55 is a great cartridge . Will kill anything in North America with proper bullet selection . If shooting a 1896 or M38 military action don't get crazy with your handloads & they're long throated . Get a 98 Mauser or modern action if you want max loads . A 140gr 6.5 bullet has the same sectional density as a 30 cal 200gr . Needless to say those pencil thin bullets penetrate like no tomorrow . Great first caliber rifle for kids & ladies as recoil is quite managable . It's also a very accurate round & still holds 300 meter records in Europe .

 

[Deacon KC]

David, I often refer folks to this site and I am thrilled to be able to repay the debt. This link has a ton of info for you:
Surplusrifle Forum • View topic - References for Swede Mausers

 

[palmetto99]

I've had a 1908 Carl Gustav for almost 20 years. It sat around for about 10 years before I ever shot it. Accurate rifle for sure. They do shoot high at shorter ranges. Love mine.

 

[DeathGrip]

Well... actually....


I did


And by the way.... i'm only 5.5

You look much taller in pictures.

 

[USSR]

I shot a 6.5x55 in 1,000 yard F Class Competition for 5 years. Of course, it wasn't a M96 Mauser, but my loads (139gr Scenar at 2925fps) only required 25.5 MOA of up from a 100 yard zero to reach 1k.

Don

 

[Qball]

I actually have three m96
Two bone stock military version (correct numbers) and one modified with scoutmounted pistol scoop.
Shortend barrel and threded for a silencer.
Still have to make the silencer though.

 

[bshepherd]

I have an 1899 Mauser Oberndorf Swede, A 1900 CG and a 1943 M38 Husqvarna. Wonderful rifles to shoot. I need a M94, anyone have one for cheap. I already have a bayonet for it.

 

[mkk41]

I actually have three m96
Two bone stock military version (correct numbers) and one modified with scoutmounted pistol scoop.
Shortend barrel and threded for a silencer.
Still have to make the silencer though.

The rifles that had threaded muzzles weren't threaded for a silencer. They were threaded for an attachment that shredded the wooden 'bullet' on blanks. You'll need a mighty big 'can' to suppress the blast of a 6.5.

Samco and Sarco each sell a 'flash hider' that threads on.

I made a brass 'false muzzle' for mine.

 

[Stevie]

I've seen M38 and M96 rifles that came with a threaded cap to cover the muzzle threads.

I looked and looked at my M96...no cap..no threads...I guess all of the cool Swedish rifles didn't get threaded.

The Swedish bayonet..another nice piece of hardware..

 

[Qball]

The rifles that had threaded muzzles weren't threaded for a silencer. They were threaded for an attachment that shredded the wooden 'bullet' on blanks. You'll need a mighty big 'can' to suppress the blast of a 6.5.

Samco and Sarco each sell a 'flash hider' that threads on.

I made a brass 'false muzzle' for mine.

Well.. this one is for a silencer.
It was made in a lathe at my work at the same time the barrel was shortend.

The rifle was a parts gun so no damage done.

 

[Cyrano]

I don't think a military 6.5 would make a good varmint gun; the rifling twist is too fast for light bullets.

 

[Freischütz]

I've shot caribou with the 6.5x55. Results were excellent. 140 gr bullets exited the animals on broadside shots.

 

[Combat]

I do have a couple of 6.5's I shoot every now and then. Great rifles, both dates 1903. But then again I have several Swedish guns in different calibers. I like them all.

 

[Sven]

Before he died, my dad gave each of us boys (my brothers and two cousins) a M38, saying every good Swede needs a 6.5. I ended up with his personal 6.5 and I gave it to my son. They were all Husqvarnas, so I really should pick up a Carl Gustaf. Saw one at a local gun auction a couple of years ago -- a carbine with a beautiful mannlicher stock and receiver sight. I told myself I'd go $325 on it, and finally stopped at $450. Wish I would have kept going!

 

[DGNY]

Mine are well made and accurate - around 1.7" 5 shots @ 100. I picked them when that was easy to do. Found accuracy with 85, 100, 120, 129 and 140 gr bullets. Mine especially liked 100 gr Noslers with surplus H4831 [now all gone] and Sierra 140s with RL22. I neck sized for each individual rifle. Prefer Lapua brass to avoid slight case bulge from US spec ammo having case base a few thousandths small. Fiddled with OAL, tho 100 gr Noslers always had a jump to rifling.

Have scout scope on 38/96. Tried scope on 96 also. Never bothered on fine Husky 38, which I shot little to keep cherry.

Always thought a CZ would be fun, but much pricier than the affordable Swedes from mid 90s. Have fun.

Regards,

Dyson

 

[Cricker]

I have 2 6.5X55's. A Model 94 swedish carbine that was my dad's deer rifle for many years and a 12" Encore handgun I bought from Virgin Valley Custom Guns. Both are excellent shooters. As I grew up around the 6.5 bore, I find the .260 Remington in a Model 7 to be almost the perfect Adirondack Whitetail rifle.

 

[JohnK]

I've been loading with a friend, for his CZ Full Stock in 6.5 X 55.

Fantastic rifle. Beautiful wood, clean lines, and the best trigger I've ever pulled.

With IMR 4350, the relatively short barrel gives a 3,000 fps average, with a 120 grain Nosler BT. Shoots in one hole.

Think I'll get one just like it.

 

[Texas Star]

Is Winchester still making the M-70 Fwt. in 6.5mm? Does Ruger chamber it in the M-77?

The 6.5X55 in modern loads is noticeably hotter than the old 6.5X54mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer that killed so much game in Africa in the early 20th Century.

Peter Hortberger, who owns Fallkniven Knives in Sweden, uses a 6.5mm on moose (alg), but bought a 9.3X62mm because he sees bears where he hunts.

His knives are exceptional, BTW. Not cheap, but superb. His Northern Lights line looks a lot like Randalls, but have modern laminated steel blades, with VG-10 cores. www.fallkniven.com He has a few US dealers. Prices on the site are in Swedish kroner.

What concerns me about using lighter bullets in 6.5mm is that the leap to the rifling is farther than with 140 grainers, and Jack O'Connor said that using 139 grainers in a 7X57mm throated for 175 grainers caused excessive bore erosion. That's a big reason why he switched to the .270, which he championed so heavily through most of his gun-writing career. Still he got one of the last pre-'64 M-70's chambered in 7mm and one was also his wife's primary hunting rifle. I'm guessing that the old Swedish military rifles would be more affected by using lighter bullets, due to softer steels and the throating being for heavier bullets. The Mannlicher was known for deep penetration with 160 grain bullets, so I guess they can be used in 6.5X55, too. But I think I'd sight-in with 140 grainers, probably Noslers, if they're available in factory ammo in that caliber.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

I just checked and the Featherweight Model 70 isnt available in 6.5x55. The CZ550 is available.