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6.5x55 Swede for youth????

BlueTicBlueTic Member Posts: 4,072
edited February 2004 in General Discussion
Got a friend who has a couple of Winchester model 70s and I'm lookin for a rifle for my boy (age 13). 2 choices -
1. pre 64 .243, heavy barrel but has been cut down to 20" - he want's $650.00. My concern would be the amount of twist or would that matter???? Heavy for a field gun???
2. post 64 Featherweight in 6.5x55 he has it scoped and is going to call me back on price - I will be reloading anyway so that is not a major concern, but there are not a lot of choices in bullet weight 120 or 130 - Still it is a good flat shooting caliber and light enough on recoil. Trajectories are a close match to my .280 out to 500 yrds... What do you guys think - I kinda sound like I've already convinced myself, but value your opinions[:)][:)]

IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)
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Comments

  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Get the newer Model 70. A short heavy barrel will be a terrible thing to shoot, no balance. The 6.5 Swede is a nice cartridge to start a youngster on.

    Clouder..
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  • Gibbs505Gibbs505 Member Posts: 3,175
    edited November -1
    I have two swedes, great round and very accurate as well![:)][:D][8D]
    Use 125 Hornadys or 125 noslers.

    Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If your son is ready for a medium power cartridge such as the 6.5x55, then do it. This is a caliber which will be accurate and useful for his entire life - I've shot a lot of the Mausers over the years and for my money the 6.5 Swede is the best caliber they ever produced. I've never seen or heard a negative comment about this cartridge.

    The .243 is a great cartridge, as well, but of less utility. Frankly $650 for a cut heavy barrel version seems steep and I'd be inclined to agree with clouder on it's handling, as well. If you have a thing about the pre-64 action and are willing to re-barrel it, it would serve admirably for the basis of almost anything, although the stock would need to have work as well to accept the (probably) different contour of the new barrel. Now, if you were to re-barrel it to the Swede, likely your boy would have to fight you to have a turn at shooting it. [:D]

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    $650 for a pre-64 maybe,..but one that has been altered,...nope!!

    The 20" heavy barreled 243 would be EXTREMELY rigid,..and I would venture a guess that it would post groups that were 1/3 of the size of the pencil barreled 6.5x55. That being said,..if he isn't gonna be shooting off a bench or bags,...the 6.5x55 is the way to go considering it's carry-ability. Steve Shelp shoots a 6.5x55imp in the 1000yd light gun class,..so there is no doubt as to it's capabilities. I say go for the 6.5.

    why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
    Got Balistics?
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  • ATFATF Member Posts: 11,683 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'd say go for the 6.5 .The loading manual Modern Reloading by Richard Lee shows bullet choices from 70 grs Jacketed to 170 gr Jacketed.

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    It's my cat's world. I'm just here to open cans.

    We got rid of the kids. The cat was allergic.


    ATF,Eagle Guns
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  • HUNT WALKERSHUNT WALKERS Member Posts: 362 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 6.5 Swede would make a nice kids gun. There is a nice selection of bullets for reloading, it's lightweight, and has mild recoil. Heck it would make a nice dads gun also!
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,509 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 6.5 is a great cartridge. Over in Scandanavia lots of polar bears get killed by this little cartridge, believe it or not.
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Polar bears in Scandanavia? Got my doubts.

    Alaska and Canada.

    Clouder..
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  • ClairClair Member Posts: 679 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Rem 700 classic in 6.5 x 55
    It would be a great caliber for a beginner.

    <P> To each his own
    Craig Brosius
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  • Gibbs505Gibbs505 Member Posts: 3,175
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by whiteclouder
    Polar bears in Scandanavia? Got my doubts.

    Alaska and Canada.

    Clouder..


    Not here, Bell in africia shot Elephants with thw wimpy 6.5 x 54 manlicher. He used 160 fmj's.

    Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
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  • BlueTicBlueTic Member Posts: 4,072
    edited November -1
    Thanks for all the replies - I'm waiting for him to call back with a price, if it's not way out there I'll get it this week. After a little more research - I see there is a larger range of bullet sizes than I got from my speer book. I'll have to get some load data and dies at the local shop - then you gotta love the next stage - working up loads and sighting in - he might actually get to shoot it[:D][:D]

    IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Gibbs505
    quote:Originally posted by whiteclouder
    Polar bears in Scandanavia? Got my doubts.
    Alaska and Canada.
    Clouder..

    Not here, Bell in africia shot Elephants with thw wimpy 6.5 x 54 manlicher. He used 160 fmj's.

    Not my point. I don't think Scandanavia has them bears.

    Clouder..
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Clouder is correct, Scandanavia is not considered a normal home range for polar bears. However, there have been some very rare PB sightings in Scandanavia. Did a little checking and found this map. Its kind of cool, the information available on the web always amazes me.

    http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/map.php

    Even though 6.5 Swede is a good/great round, it would not be my first, second, or even third choice for PB.

    Boomer

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed"

    NRA Life Member
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  • pablopablo Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 6.5 is a much more usable round. I took a nice buck 2 years ago with mine and its just a old sporter Swede, one shot 1 kill. 120 grain hand loads. I paid $125. minus the scope about 6 years ago, and it looks nice. The only reason I took it was for variety. I can asure you My 2 sons will use it when they get big enough. Its accurate and a hell of alot more safe than the old 30-30 my old man sent me out with.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,509 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I went to boomerang's links. Hard to get a fix on just where all the bears are, they are hard to census.
    Any way, 60 per cent are in Canada, but Norway is listed as one of five countries that has polar bear populations.
    Anyway, I was reading a report on the Swede Mauser a few years back on Chuckhawks that said Scandanavians were killing polar bears with it. I just went back to chuckhawks and that story is no longer there, but there is a story about the Scandanavians killing moose with the little cartridge.
    Maybe they meant moose all along.
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  • PinheadPinhead Member Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 6.5 X 55mm is one of the best cartridges available. Load with light 120 grain bullets around 2600 fps and it should be real light in recoil. You can load it with 129 grains bullets for deer and go to 140 grains for heavier stuff. It will do anyting the .243 will do and do it a little better, and there's not much difference in recoil, with comparable bullet weights. Pinhead
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  • Gibbs505Gibbs505 Member Posts: 3,175
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by whiteclouder
    quote:Originally posted by Gibbs505
    quote:Originally posted by whiteclouder
    Polar bears in Scandanavia? Got my doubts.
    Alaska and Canada.
    Clouder..

    Not here, Bell in africia shot Elephants with thw wimpy 6.5 x 54 manlicher. He used 160 fmj's.

    Not my point. I don't think Scandanavia has them bears.

    Clouder..


    If you inculde norway as part of scandanavia, maybe? Also north finland? Norway used the 6.5 x 55 as well. I am not sure of the range of the Polar bear however Swedes have been known to travel and inuits here in canada have used the 222 mag and the 223 to take polar bears. Not that I recomend iy!!

    Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
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