30-06 vs 6.5x55 versatility

I would also add that you can use any of a variety of Limb Savers under various names.

Some are strap on and some replace the butt pad

I never notice recoil when shooting during hunting, but its a factor on the bench or sighting in (depending on how many rounds are shot).

May even be a strip on pad of some kind.

Lots of options that don't limit you to caliber and allow the best caliber for the activity
 
I think the best answer isn't the caliber, either one is going to do what you intend to use it for just fine, which rifle do you like best?
If you're going to be a one rifle guy for awhile, IMO, is more important to choose the firearm you like best. I've never hunted w/ the 6.5x55, yet, but its my favorite rifle round and there's nothing I've hunted with my '06 or 308 that I wouldn't use a 6.5x55 on. The '06 and 308 just happen to be the only scoped rifles I have and the 3 6.5x55's are target rifles...that'll likely change soon.
If you're a good shot and a moderately experienced hunter, I see no reason not to use a 6.5x55. You've got two great choices regardless and I think you ought to pick the rifle you like best.
 
^^^^

I agree with this post. Sure 6.5x55 is less practical, but most gun lovers do things because they want to, not because it's the most practical.
 
BTW the European moose is smaller than ours.
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The Alaskan Moose is the largest subspecies; the Shiras Moose is the smallest and happens to be found in the Lower 48. An Eurasian Moose is still bigger than an Elk. Still shows that the 6.5 has offerings that have the necessary combination of Sectional Density (needed for penetration) and Kinetic Energy (needed to do the work) to get the job done.

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In Scandinavia they use the 6.5 for moose routinely. Moose have a reputation for being stupid tough animals.
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Tough yes, stuipid NO!
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"Stupid Tough"...... Bullet sponges. If you don't hit them right, you are going to be pulling it out of a lake.

It still comes down to the fact that the OP has two viable options on the table for his stated purpose.

To match a 6.5 140 gr. bullet in S.D. he will need a 30 cal. 190 gr. bullet. To match a 160 gr. 6.5 he will need a 30 cal. 220 gr. If he keeps the velocities the same and matches the SD in an equal weight gun, the 30-06 will have about 35% more recoil.
 
Rustle in the Bushes: I Shoot a SAKO 30-06 and I shoot 110gr V-MAX`S up to the REM 220gr COR-LOCK`S. I am a died in the wool 30-06 fan. I have tried the SABOT 55gr bullets from REM and even tried reloading them my self don`t seem to work for me yet but haven`t given up all tograther, The 110 gr and 125 gr works great fro me on Coyotes and Varmints. and the 130gr thru 220gr works for everything else I have ever hunted, Lhave never hunted any large bears or hunted where they were. As far as recoil I am getting more recoil senteativy all the time. To me 110gr`s recoil less than the 220gr bullets, but I am real leary of using squib loads and have never done it or even shot any of them. I use a good recoil pad and I am going to be getting a PAST RECOIL pad that you wear. You are going to love your SAKO in 30-06 other than a good 22 LR rifle, you won`t really need another rifle. You will have most everything you will hunt covered. I wish I had hunted your county when I was young, I am to old now and I truely regret not seeing your Moutains. GOOD LUCK TO YOU: ken
 
AGreed with the above. I think the 30-06 is probably the finest most verstile caliber of all time, but one needs to subtantiate that from his perspective.

The 6.5 will do a good job, though I think the 30-06 is better overall for state reasons (and if he is getting a Sako then that pushes it over my edge!)
Rustle in the Bushes: I Shoot a SAKO 30-06 and I shoot 110gr V-MAX`S up to the REM 220gr COR-LOCK`S. I am a died in the wool 30-06 fan. I have tried the SABOT 55gr bullets from REM and even tried reloading them my self don`t seem to work for me yet but haven`t given up all tograther, The 110 gr and 125 gr works great fro me on Coyotes and Varmints. and the 130gr thru 220gr works for everything else I have ever hunted, Lhave never hunted any large bears or hunted where they were. As far as recoil I am getting more recoil senteativy all the time. To me 110gr`s recoil less than the 220gr bullets, but I am real leary of using squib loads and have never done it or even shot any of them. I use a good recoil pad and I am going to be getting a PAST RECOIL pad that you wear. You are going to love your SAKO in 30-06 other than a good 22 LR rifle, you won`t really need another rifle. You will have most everything you will hunt covered. I wish I had hunted your county when I was young, I am to old now and I truely regret not seeing your Moutains. GOOD LUCK TO YOU: ken
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What Sako do you have? Mine is early enough it did not have import stamp on it. I think they had to do that in 1968 (mines about a 64). Don't hunt anymore but fits in with the target shooting. Just a great feeling handling gun.


note: The 1922 era 1903 I have belonged to my Step Dads father. He took 4 or 5 grizzlies with it. Not small ones, huge. I have seen the pictures. I would not wanted to deal with any of them with anything short of a 50 caliber. Scary huge.
No idea what round he used but they were all one shot kills from what my Step Dad can remember. Not your first choice these days, but its what they had and used effectively in those days (he had a wife and kid and could not afford to have a grizzly prowling around when he was up on the mining claim).
Now considered the minimum is one of the 375 magnums and 458s are not uncommon.
 
"Stupid Tough"...... Bullet sponges. If you don't hit them right, you are going to be pulling it out of a lake.
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Not sure what stupid tough is. Most went down with a good shot. Up here they are extremely wiley and considered very smart.

And I did pull one out of a creek after a bad shot followed up by trying to hit one running full speed at 400+ yards. One shot took out a rear leg at the joint and he ran 3/4 of a mile through the woods. No idea how he kept going as massive blood loss (none inside when we skinned him out).

Last gasp was to jump up from the bank of the creek and jump into it. Made for a fun night.
 
I am a bit contrary on this. FMJ was used by the military since ? And we can kill people but not animals with it?
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The Hunting regulations are written with the intent of humane quick kills. The military uses FMJ for exactly that reason, they are least likely to provide a humane quick kill. The Hague accords (often incorrectly identified as the Geneva Convention) prohibited soft nose (Dum Dum) type bullets for war. The intent was to reduce the suffering of the soldier when shot.

If you are using an 06 on 80lb animals, using FMJ is an option (where legal) but a better opotion is to use less gun for the game.
 
20 to 25 grains of 2400 behind most any bullet in an '06 makes a good plinking load to work on eye-trigger finger coordination. I used to use 20 grains with a 169-grain lead gas check bullet.

A double-ought buck ball ahead of five grains of most any pistol powder or shotgun powder makes a great squirrel load. :)

Or an 80-grain pistol bullet ahead of gobs and gobs of 3031 makes for near-4,000 ft/sec if you're mad at coyotes. :D
 
I am a bit contrary on this. FMJ was used by the military since ? And we can kill people but not animals with it?
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What 44AMP said. The military uses FMJ because international agreements decided that it was more humane for use on humans because people are less likely to be outright killed or disfigured when using FMJ's, and thus keep the body count lower than it would be otherwise. In other words, they're used precisely because they are ineffective. There's also a theory floating around that states that a wounded soldier is better than a dead soldier, because they tie up medics and possibly other soldiers who would otherwise be shooting back at you.

On the other hand, when we're shooting game, we want a quick, humane kill because the kill itself is the objective. We don't want the game to suffer, because we aren't going to fix it up and send it back home, it's destined for the grill. So something that maximizes quick lethality is far more appropriate.
 
If you load your 30-06 down to 30-30 ballsitics, you'll have trouble with bullets mushrooming properly. Typical 150-180 grain bullet jackets are too thick. But if you load a "varmint" bullet such as 125 grain Sierra, you'll be happy with this performance plus sigficantly lowered recoil.

Jack
 
"But if you load a "varmint" bullet such as 125 grain Sierra..."

The 125g SPT .308" bullet is NOT a varmint bullet.

T.
 
I shoot a reduced load from the '06 just for target work, use a 200gr gas cked cast bullet, and 13gr of unique (be careful to look at each and DO NOT double charge)1600fps and super accurate at 100 yds.
 
If you're gonna load 30-30 loads in a 30-06 case use 170grFP 30-30 bullets. I load them quite a bit for close range deer - 30gr of IMR 3031.

George
 
The 6.5 Swede

The .30-06 has a lot more to offer(ammunition, availability, muzzle energy, velocity, case capacity-I could go on all day), but the Swede is easier to shoot well and more than enough for American Game.
 
What the barrel twist? The effectiveness of going heavy/light for a particular caliber is mostly about what the particular rifle can/will stabilize per it's twist rate.

The Sectional Density of the 6.5x55 makes it capable of penetration that rivals the 30-06, though with less punishment of the shooter and with much longer reach for smaller/thin skinned game.

The only down-side of the 6.5x55 is in comparison with the .260. They're so close ballistically that one must consider the .260 and when doing so.. the shorter action, barrel and lower weight of a nearly identical shooting .260 gives the .308-based cartridge a huge advantage in my book.
 
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