6.5x55 or .243 for hunter class

[OLd_Sarge]

I am looking for a good cal and gun combo for hunter silo

I have a sensitive shoulder and some fused vertebra in my neck, so even a .308 is to much for more than a few shots.

I am looking at a CZ in 6.5x55 or a savage (acura-stock) in .243.

Any ideas on these 2 options or am i missing something much better?

[Jerry G]

I would go with the Sweed. If you use a 243 you would have to put a 7 twist bbl on it so you could shoot the 107s or 115s.

[OLd_Sarge]

thanks,
I will have to go to the candy store
and see what the CZ weighs in at,
and i can ask on what the twist of the savage is also, I know it is the lighter rifle of the 2.

[Innocent]

Swede...a lot more knock down for the bullet weight.

Innocent

[xpilot]

6.5x55............ bullet selection WAY better than 6mm

[GabbyJs]

Old Sarge - I have a similar situation with recoil. I've been using a 6mmBR, 8 twist with good results. At my last two matches, I've hit 10 out of 20 rams, with no dingers. Some occasionally don't fall, just like hits with my shooting partners .260 and 142 MKs don't fall either. A minimum 8 twist barrel will be necessary for using the 115 DTAC bullets on rams. So you are up against a custom build. If you want to shoot in the hunter class, I think you will have to use the .243 to duplicate results. If you want to shoot the same weight rifle in open class, you could use 6mmBR, 6mm XC, or some of the others as well. If you want to stay with a factory built rifle, a .243 with 100 gr. bullets will be very marginal on rams. I've tried 6.5x55's as well, and my two barrels didn't deliver good accuracy with light loads for C,P,T. The .260 performed much better.

[ppkny]

I've got a Tikka T3 in 6.5 x 55 and out of the box it's a great performer.
ppkny

[OLd_Sarge]

Old Sarge - I have a similar situation with recoil. I've been using a 6mmBR, 8 twist with good results. At my last two matches, I've hit 10 out of 20 rams, with no dingers. Some occasionally don't fall, just like hits with my shooting partners .260 and 142 MKs don't fall either. A minimum 8 twist barrel will be necessary for using the 115 DTAC bullets on rams. So you are up against a custom build. If you want to shoot in the hunter class, I think you will have to use the .243 to duplicate results. If you want to shoot the same weight rifle in open class, you could use 6mmBR, 6mm XC, or some of the others as well. If you want to stay with a factory built rifle, a .243 with 100 gr. bullets will be very marginal on rams. I've tried 6.5x55's as well, and my two barrels didn't deliver good accuracy with light loads for C,P,T. The .260 performed much better.

Thanks for the info, all!

GabbyJs funny you should list 6mm XC, I am building one on a 788 rem action for 600yd VHA shoots.
I could use this gun in standard and was thinking about that option.

I do like the 6.5x55 and have a 1896 Mauser in that cal that I sporterized 25 years ago, it has been a dependable deer getter for decades.
I have not tried reduced loads in that cal so that is a valid consideration.
the CZ is likely out also @ 8 LB that is not much room for a scope and mounts, I will check one on the scales and verify that.

The .243 is out of the running however, I discovered all the current offerings in .243 from Savage seem to have 9.25 twist rates, so 100/105 bullet would be the top end most likely.

I will keep looking.

[Jerry G]

OLd_Sarge

"Don't be so open minded your brains fall out"

I like that one. Good call on ruling out the 243. The 100 gr won't do the trick and the 105 is marginal, at best.

[OLd_Sarge]

I picked up a .260 savage, in a synthetic stock, not my first choice, but it was available and cheap and if I don't like it for silhouette it will help me thin the deer heard on my land

Next I will lap the barrel lightly, steel bed the action, get some stuff loaded up and go shoot, if this sounds like work to you, your not me this is great fun for me.

I am looking (like everyone I think) for good and cheap match bullets.
Any suggestions guys?

[Jason]

Try that Savage out before you do a lot of work to it. The last two Savage rifles that I have bought would shoot well under MOA with everything I put through them and half MOA wasn't hard to achieve with some educated guesses on loads and measurements for bullet seating depth.

[Trent]

Try that Savage out before you do a lot of work to it. The last two Savage rifles that I have bought would shoot well under MOA with everything I put through them and half MOA wasn't hard to achieve with some educated guesses on loads and measurements for bullet seating depth.

I agree.

[OLd_Sarge]

I was going to buy a box of factory loads for my .260 just for some benchmark groups,
But when I looked at the price on box's of 20 29.99 for the cheap stuff and 34.95 for better!
So;
I loaded a random picked load with RE19 and some 140gr Hornaday spire points that I use in my 1896 6.5x55 Mauser.
Meh they ran about 1.5 to 1.75 (3 shots only, they opened up a bit more with 5) but that is a new gun so more shooting will help it I am sure.

I have some 120 gr match bullets to try next,
after the steel bedding cures fully, I had to do it!

[OLd_Sarge]

I just picked up a new in the box Hawk-Eye boar scope for a large fee;
this boar scope could be the most expensive gun related item i own!!!!!!

anyway I now see why the .260 is not shooting great, the new boar looks exactly like a wash boarded gravel road.
And i now need a new barrel for my savage .06 it has a lot of pitting no wonder it is not grouping like 30 years ago!

I am scared to look in any more rifles, too much information

anyway I am gong to lap the .260 a bit just to take the top of the bumps off

[Jerry G]

Old Sarge. You might want to look at some other barells before you turn yours into a jack handle. Check some good shooting guns and some you know are worn out. That bore scope makes everything look badddddd.