Glock_Racer
New member
I'm looking to order me a nice bolt-action 6.5x55 caliber rifle. Choices right now are the Howa and the more expensive Sako 75. Any suggestions of a tack-driver rifle of this caliber?
6.5x55 tack driver
- Thread starter Glock_Racer
- Start date
[waxing eloquently] What a wonderful caliber! A natural shooter--High SD, high BC, reloads easy and mild recoil. A great round for fat Midwestern corn/soybean-fed whitetails or West Coast piggies. [wax off] I know, I know. It's you not the gun. Go to skul, but what gun nut cannot help but love this caliber.
GlockRacer, I highly recommend the Steyr. Put a 6x42 S&B scope on it, a solid sling and freeze the barrel and you'll be on your way. (Hint: if you get a Ruger, makes sure your smith recrowns the barrel. This helps Rugers immensely).
[edited because Kirk cannot talk on phone and type at same time (and I'm not too good with gum and walking either]
GlockRacer, I highly recommend the Steyr. Put a 6x42 S&B scope on it, a solid sling and freeze the barrel and you'll be on your way. (Hint: if you get a Ruger, makes sure your smith recrowns the barrel. This helps Rugers immensely).
[edited because Kirk cannot talk on phone and type at same time (and I'm not too good with gum and walking either]
Last edited:
The Howa is not a bad rifle but if tack driving is the objective, I don't think you will regret buying the Sako. I have a Model 75 in .223 and it puts 5 well constructed handloads in to .75 inches with boring regularity and .5" often enough to know any larger group is my fault not the rifle's.
The Howa might do as well and certainly would with a little tweaking but the added cost of the accurizing would bring you right up to the cost of the Sako.
The Howa might do as well and certainly would with a little tweaking but the added cost of the accurizing would bring you right up to the cost of the Sako.
6.5 Swede
I saw a shooter with a new Tikka in the $650 range which looked good.
I bought a Swedish Mauser from Samco Global- special select for $165. Sent the first one back but the second was O.K. Beautiful machining work and decent wood. The bolt is straight. I mounted a Lyman receiver sight on it. It can shoot a 1" group and all day within 6".
I saw a shooter with a new Tikka in the $650 range which looked good.
I bought a Swedish Mauser from Samco Global- special select for $165. Sent the first one back but the second was O.K. Beautiful machining work and decent wood. The bolt is straight. I mounted a Lyman receiver sight on it. It can shoot a 1" group and all day within 6".
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
HKLVR, I guess his wax melted. 
You're right about the Ballistic Coefficient; higher is indeed better.
, Art
You're right about the Ballistic Coefficient; higher is indeed better. , ArtFor what it is worth, both Ruger and Remington have made rifles in 6.5x55. Plus, the Remington .260 is nothing more than a 6.5x55 with a .308 case head.
Then again, I have a Swedish Mauser that will stay under an inch all day. After cutting back the military barrel and altering the bolt handle, it handles fine. I must admit that it is a bit heavy compare to the modern sporters but it does do the job.
Then again, I have a Swedish Mauser that will stay under an inch all day. After cutting back the military barrel and altering the bolt handle, it handles fine. I must admit that it is a bit heavy compare to the modern sporters but it does do the job.
Glock_Racer
New member
Is the CZ 550 any good, will it produce .5" with proper handloads?
For around $430, the price is decent...
For around $430, the price is decent...
boogerbawb
New member
I guess I just got lucky. Found a 1901 Gustav-made M-94 carbine at a gunshow for $125. Haven't even played with it that much, but me and my daughter both love it. First time she tried it, she got a 3-shot 1 MOA group at 100 yards. Three-quarter inch has beomc ecommon at that range. But now we have to fight over it; I get it for antelope season, she uses it for deer. I just hope she doesn't wanna keep it when she leaves the house.
riddleofsteel
New member
Buy yourself a 6.5 X 55 Swedish Mauser before the supply dries up. You can always put it up if you do not want it now. But these rifles are excellent bases for custom hunting rifles in 6.5 X 55. I gave one to my sister-in-law that I bought at a gun show for $125.00. Sporterizing the stock and barrel, low safety, scope mounts, and refinishing $150.00.
Another option is the fine line of Winchester bolt actions. They make a model chambered in 6.5 X 55 that is very accurate. If you can find one, the Remington Classic was chambered in 6.5 x 55 and is a fine rifle based on the tried and true 700 series. I finally found one NIB two years ago and snapped it up. We installed an aluminum siff arm rod in the fore end to prevent warpage, a full steel pillar bed system and tip to tang glass bedding. It is just as stable as any synthetic stock and a lot classier. It will regularly group 1.25 MOA with hunting loads. I am sure it could do better but it is held back by the fact I can not see or shoot like I did when I was 20. Plus my reloads out of this modern action nip at the heels of a hot 270 or 6.5-06. I have never regreted purchasing it.
One thing you may want to consider is a custom rifle in a fine 6.5 wildcat like 6.5-.284 or 6.5-06. Both have nearly identical capacity but which ever you choose get a long action to allow you to seat your bullets out far enough to take full advantage of the case capacity. This is why a modern rifle in 6.5 x 55 beats a .260 Remington, velocity wise if both are handloaded. The empty 6.5 x 55 case has almost exactly the same capacity as an empty .260 Rem. But the .260 is chambered in a short action while the 6.5 x 55 is always chambered in a long action. This forces the .260 reloader to deep seat his long 6.5 bullets robbing case capacity. While the 6.5 x 55 reloader can usually seat his bullets futher out taking advantage of the full case capacity.
REMINGTON CLASSIC IN 6.5 X 55
CUSTOM MODEL 7 IN 6.5 X.284
Another option is the fine line of Winchester bolt actions. They make a model chambered in 6.5 X 55 that is very accurate. If you can find one, the Remington Classic was chambered in 6.5 x 55 and is a fine rifle based on the tried and true 700 series. I finally found one NIB two years ago and snapped it up. We installed an aluminum siff arm rod in the fore end to prevent warpage, a full steel pillar bed system and tip to tang glass bedding. It is just as stable as any synthetic stock and a lot classier. It will regularly group 1.25 MOA with hunting loads. I am sure it could do better but it is held back by the fact I can not see or shoot like I did when I was 20. Plus my reloads out of this modern action nip at the heels of a hot 270 or 6.5-06. I have never regreted purchasing it.
One thing you may want to consider is a custom rifle in a fine 6.5 wildcat like 6.5-.284 or 6.5-06. Both have nearly identical capacity but which ever you choose get a long action to allow you to seat your bullets out far enough to take full advantage of the case capacity. This is why a modern rifle in 6.5 x 55 beats a .260 Remington, velocity wise if both are handloaded. The empty 6.5 x 55 case has almost exactly the same capacity as an empty .260 Rem. But the .260 is chambered in a short action while the 6.5 x 55 is always chambered in a long action. This forces the .260 reloader to deep seat his long 6.5 bullets robbing case capacity. While the 6.5 x 55 reloader can usually seat his bullets futher out taking advantage of the full case capacity.
REMINGTON CLASSIC IN 6.5 X 55
CUSTOM MODEL 7 IN 6.5 X.284
Last edited:
kalibear45
New member
I own a CZ 550 Lux in 6.5x55, scoped it, adjusted the trigger to a crisp 2lbs. It shoots 1MOA consistently. Just the other day, I got a nice 1/2" group (4 shots in one hole and one next to it) after doing the shoot 5 shots and clean method. I liked this round so much that I bought a M96 too, what the 6.5x55 was meant for...
A lot of happy 6.5 owners - include me.
See thread by Cain R on his 6.5 Tikka.
I am still working on load development for my Tikka 6.5. Have yet to test repeatedly, but have obtained two sets of five shot one hole groups with H4831 SC and A max 140 grain and Hornady 129 grain respectively.
Had a 6.5 Browning A bolt beforehand - feel was a better built and finished rifle, but complete disinterest from Browning UK led to my selling it on - couldn't get trigger parts etc etc.
A lot of posters swear by their M94/ 96 originals. No hands on experience - however a friend came awfully close to purchasing the sporterised version done by Kimber - that seemed a good compromise.
.260 Remington is growing slowly here. The feeling is that it will be a 7mm-08 - POTENTIALLY more than the sum of the parts. But there is just something about the '55'.
See thread by Cain R on his 6.5 Tikka.
I am still working on load development for my Tikka 6.5. Have yet to test repeatedly, but have obtained two sets of five shot one hole groups with H4831 SC and A max 140 grain and Hornady 129 grain respectively.
Had a 6.5 Browning A bolt beforehand - feel was a better built and finished rifle, but complete disinterest from Browning UK led to my selling it on - couldn't get trigger parts etc etc.
A lot of posters swear by their M94/ 96 originals. No hands on experience - however a friend came awfully close to purchasing the sporterised version done by Kimber - that seemed a good compromise.
.260 Remington is growing slowly here. The feeling is that it will be a 7mm-08 - POTENTIALLY more than the sum of the parts. But there is just something about the '55'.