Advice on new 6.5 x55

[tikkasuper]

Hi guys,looking for advice on my next purchase. It's gonna be a 6.5x55 for the purpose of deer stalking and varmit out to around 600yds. Funds won't cover a semi custom rifle, just a new rifle around £1200 mark. I am left handed but don't mind a righthand bolt,but would have to be ambidextrous stocked.i own a supervarmit in .243 which in my opinion is to heavy, so hopefully something lighter but shoots sub 1moa. Any advice would be great

[MJR]

A friend recently bought a T3 super varmint in 6.5x55. It shoots very well now he has loads worked up for it. He carried it on the hill for three days without problem. I think they are 3.7Kg/8.2lb un scoped so not too heavy.

[gbal]

tikasuper,only you can decide about weight,but on hill or serious carry,any excess is undesireable.As you like Tikkas,presumably,why not get one of their lighter models? True left hand might limit other choices quite a bit.

Just a word of advice though,if you intend to shoot 'varmits' to 600yards,you will need considerably better than 1moa accuracy-as any 1moa capable rifle at 600y is already at least a 6 inch 'group'-and that's before you addd in all the other factors that disperse shots-ammo,wind,shooter......

For smaller 'varmits' even a half moa rifle-even under ideal conditions-is on its limits at 600-3 inches misses most crows etc,and there are still all the other factors to make it worse than 3 inches.

 

I understand it's a compromise-a lighter 6.5x55 is an excellent UK carry deer rifle,but won't be as good at longer distances as a 'varmit' rifle-for example your 243 'supervarmint' should be better,though likewise a bit stretched at 600y.

Good luck.

 

gbal

[tikkasuper]

The weight of the supervarmit is manageable ,but it's not the most practical to be carrying all day. I'm a big fan of tikkas in general and was drawn to the lite model, not sure if it is capable of the accuracy I need 400 yds+ for corvids and bunnies. I'm probably after the impossible with this rifle

[tikkasuper]

Gbal you've made some very good points. I knew I was going to be up against it with budget and also the it being a practical stalking rifle. My supervarmit shoots amazing groups with factory sako rounds, any idea what I could expect with the tikka lite?

[gbal]

tikkasuper,nearly all 'dual purpose ' rifles have to compromise,a bit,often so much,it makes little sense...

Actually,so do most single dedicated rigs-price eg is a big restriction for most shooters (though price per se can't guarantee the very best in performance.) £1200 won't get a new decent rifle and a similar quality scope-double might not either!!....but do you actually NEED that? A 'tool for the job' analysis should clearly show satisfactory performance is not the same as top £whack.

 

You must have considered using the 243 Supervarmint for varmints (!),as yours is accurate.I had a Sako 243 Varmint likewise(for yeaers with a 6-18 duplex Redfield,way sub 1/2 moa,replaced by an 8-25 Leupold (varmint reticule)but for stalking ,or much carrying,all this was heavier than was comfortable,so I got a used but moa 7x57 for that use,and in due course,added a 22 cf for light varmint carry. Add a 22rf putter,and I'm ready for any course,given a caddy. :-)

 

What is the reason for your stalking 6.5x55 to ALSO be a varmit rifle? Often,the two uses are quite differnt,and banging off at a varmint will usually end any stalking prospects,even if the terain etc holds both quaries?

 

The superlight model in anything won't perform as well as a 'varmint' heavy barrel variant-even to a more reasonable 400yards- but it's an individual rifle issue,and you'd best be guided by what actual shooters of the 'superlite'/whatever actually find-and/or independent test/review results (again,individual rifles of course).

It's all do-able...

 

gbal

[MJR]

Why not use the 243 for varminting and the 55 for Deer? Exactly what I do.

 

My 243 Tikka 595 was originally a light barrel sporter, new and completely unmodified. It shot tiny groups when cold but the barrel would heat quickly and then the groups would open. If you are stalking for recreation then a T3 lite should be adequate for that purpose and I'd be very surprised if it was not accurate. Be aware that the throat for a 6.5 x55 may well be overly long for the lighter weight bullets if you do decide to varmint with it also.

[tikkasuper]

A lot of the ground I shoot over is very hilly and open approx 6-7thousand acres, normally with little cover to close the distance to those pesky corvids. It's more frustration with misses caused by wind error, that's where the thought of firing a heavier round comes in. I buy my deer stalking a few times a year and sometimes an invite to the Highlands. 95% of the shooting I do is vermin on some very testing ground, I've more or less answered my own question with this post.

[gbal]

tikkasuper-yes,your though 'heavier,less wind drift' is often suggested,but it's just not that simple-in a nutshell,even assuming equal accuracy,and that is a big assumption in itself,BC becomes a significant factor....

 

eg lets have a look at some better 243 and 6.5x55 loads......drop /drift inches in 10 mph wind:

 

243 58gVmax @3750fps 300y 5/9 400y 15/17 500y 33/29 600y 60/45

85gSGK @ 3300 300y 6/8 400y 18/15 500 38/26 600 67/39

 

6.5x55 120gNos @ 2820 300y 8/8 400 23/14 500 46/22 600 80/33

140Nos @ 2690 300y 9/7 400 25/13 500 50/21 600 85/32 (Both Norma)

 

Fairly clearly,as before,shots beyond 400 are pretty iffy-would need perfect wind judgement (5-600 yards away.....unrealistic

 

and that the heavier 6.5 at 120g or 140g has very little edge over the 85 g 243 at 400-an inch or two wind and 5/6 inches more drop.

 

These are really small differnces-especially with ranged dialling ,and typical errors of wind judgement.

 

^.5x55 is superior for (all) larger deer,but as a 'varmit' cartridge....neither is impressive at 400y....in wind (10 mph isn't a hoolie)-get closer (how?) or another day! Crows maybe don't do ballistics,but the survivors have learned something !! :-)

 

( even a 264 Win Mag 120g @ 3200 is "only" 16/10 at 400y but it's a terror at 300y 5.5/5.6 while the barrel lasts.....

 

g

[tikkasuper]

Seeing the ballistics like that has convinced me, I'll stick with the .243 for varmit and buy a dedicated deer stalking rifle. Feel a bit stupid now, my logic was heavy bullet at a reasonable velocity would give better results down range with regards to wind. Thanks for the advice and saving me a costly mistake.

[Boydy47]

I think the swede is being short changed here as its capable of pushing a 123 gr a-max up to 3000 fps and a 140 gr Eld at 2850 fps, but the .243 was designed as a predator and varmint cartridge as far as I'm aware so is well suited too.

 

If you get a 6.5x55 for your deer rifle and sort loads for both purposes then you ave a back up either way! Not everybody's cup of tea but my Cz550 is capable of .4 moa groups and cost me £600 new!

[gbal]

Boydy,than you for your comment re Swede loadings. I always quote SAAMI/CIP commercial loadings,and from those the 'best'/fastest for purpose (eg varmint/deer/target as applies). The swede is a special 'case' in that some loadings afre explicitly not the new SKAN ones.and defer to the older Swede military conversion/actions-always milder.

The ones given are Norma current hunting,and not underloaded.

Of course,almost any cartridge can have MV increased-but there is no real control over pressure;the same is true for the 243w-given as SAAMI loads. The Mv in both cartridges could be increased-probably about the same,though we have no doubt all seen some eyebrow raising claimed fps sometimes.

So,relative similarities will remain-and does it matter for purpose: well,let's see drop/drift for 300y and 400y on a few more:

 

243 55g Fed Bal tip@3850 300y 4.4/7.9 400y 13.6/14.8 This 100fps more trims up the 243 by under an inch at 300y;and barely 2" at 400

 

6.5x55 the only 123 bullet commercial is a Lapua Scenar,but lets see:

 

123 scenar @ 2920 300y 7.2/6.8 400y 21/13 which is pretty much close to the given 120@2820 300 7.8/7.3 400 22.7/13.5;

despite a 100fps increase and a slightly heavier bullet.

 

How about 140g-there are no commercial 140 loads at 2850,but what advantage does fps give-lets see

 

Norma 140 Nos @2690 300 8.5/7.1 400 24.6/13

Horn 140 InterL @2525 300 10/7.8 400 29/14.5 so here 165 more fps are again about an inch,maybe 2" by 400y.

 

Absolutely agree,as does MJR that the two rifle strategy makes sense-and your 'back up' is a good point-with appropriate loads,either will do either job.

 

gbal

[gbal]

tikkasuper,we can all be seduced by 'differences' without real significance in field shooting conditions.

Better BC,heavier in the wind,more fps..,really flat shooting...just to name a few. Usually there is an differnece in the figures, often any such advantage is very small (and has some price,too).

 

Sometimes too,the advice comes from a specialised kind of shooting,where it may well have some validity,but not effectively generalise to other shooting scenarios.

Much as I like precision and accuracy, .1 g powder,or .2 moa better at 200y ,or 40x mag, etc is not going to transform a hunting rifles performance (just as energy transfer is irrelevant to target shooters).

 

The figures (I give) are strictly descriptive,not prescriptive.It's always your decision,though usually better to ponder and ask-there is a lot of sound data and constructive experience available on this forum.

We all learn from good questions.

Hope the crows are not listening in . Good shooting.

gbal

[tikkasuper]

Cheers for all the advice and knowledge.I'm gonna stick with the .243 for varmit and look for a 6.5 factory deer rifle, gonna do a bit of research and try and find something accurate and practical so I can play on the steel as well as stalk.