6.5 Swede -- good long-range?
SMi1032465
I have a Mauser 96 in a Manlicher style configuration that shoots 1/2 MOA out
to 200 yds, haven't tried past that as I don't have access to a range out past
200. I have found that my 96 will shoot accurately any bullet from 85grs. to
160 grs. This rifle is probably the most versatile that I own. I am very
interested in shooting it out to 600 yds or so, but alass I don't have access
to that kind of range. Let us know how it goes if and when you decide to try
it.
Try the Sierra 140 gr HPBTs in it over 42 grs. of IMR 4320, it has become my
pet load.
Stu
Harold Leahy
Grant Cunningham wrote in message <6m7647$o...@xring.cs.umd.edu>...
#The idea of long-range shooting appeals to me (say, up to about 600
yards -- I can
#barely see the targets there, let alone at 1,000!), but I don't have a
suitable rifle.
#
#I've been thinking about a good Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55. Would
#it be suitable for this task?
#
#If not, can you recommend an *affordable* gun that would be?
Cartridges of the World 8th edition has this to say about the 6.5 x 55.
"This caliber is quite popular throughout Scandinavia for hunting all types
of game including moose. It is also a popular choice for 300-meter target
shooting and other forms of rifle competion." page 38.
Both the Speer reloading manual (page 196) and the Hornady (page 236) warn
against using high-pressure loads in the military surplus Krag and Mauser
actions. If you want to go with this cartridge you might want to consider
the Winchester, Ruger or Remington rifles, which are safe with high-pressure
loads. Another alternative would be the new 260 Remington which is almost
ballistically equivalent to the 6.5 x 55 Swedish.
IMHO - if you are interested in 600 + yard competition, I think you are in
the territory of the 300 magnums. The 300 H&H Magnum made its reputation as
a 1,000 yard target round.
Hal
Bellygunr
Although the 6.5 Swede Mauser rifle has a good reputation for accuracy, that's
only at the shorter ranges. If you were to buy 10 of them, three might be
accurate enough to keep factory or arsenal ammo on the paper at 1000 yards.
The cartridge itself in a modern, high quality rifle is something else; it will
perform pretty good.
A bullet's high sectional density does not mean good downrange performance for
target shooting. It only means a high diameter to weight ratio. Good
downrange performance for target shooting requires high-quality bullets fired
from good barrels.
In USA highpower target shooting, 600 yards is considered mid range; 800
through 1000 is called long range.
Regarding an "affordable" rifle, that's hard to do as I don't know what you
mean by affordable. Nor do I know what your primary objective is. If your
objective is to just shoot at 600 or 1000 yard targets without regard to how
well you do, then by all means get the cheapest rifle and ammo you can find.
You'll then readily accept the shots that strike a long ways from where you aim
and fire the shot. If your objective is to see how well you can do, then
you'll have to invest some bucks, like about 2,500 of them to get the best of
what's available. If your objective is inbetween someplace, then you decide
what it is and what compromises you're willing to make to acheive your
objective.
I suggest you visit the range, then talk with and watch the folks shoot. Ask
questions, get answers, and find out what's really happening. Then decide what
you need to do to meet your objectives.
BG
S. Podleski
Grant Cunningham wrote:
#
# I'm not much of a rifle shooter, but we have a 1,000 yard range and an
# established high-power match program available to us.
# I've been thinking about a good Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55.
The cartridge itself is certainly good enough for 1000yd if loaded with
the Sierra 140 or 142MK bullet. I used the M96 Swedish Mauser for
1000yd competition and got ok scores for my NRA Classification. You
will need to mount the scope in the conventional manner as those
no-drill/tap scope mounts do not work. Target irons sights can be
installed also.
--
steve podleski
Everett, WA
Richard
On 17 Jun 1998 22:45:20 -0400, "Harold Leahy"
<hle...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
<snip>
#
#IMHO - if you are interested in 600 + yard competition, I think you are in
#the territory of the 300 magnums. The 300 H&H Magnum made its reputation as
#a 1,000 yard target round.
#
#Hal
#
#
Just an FYI, the current world record for a 5 shot group at 1K yards
was shot with a .243 Super Rockchucker using 95 grain Berger VLD
bullets. I predict that the .30 caliber users will soon go the way of
the dodo, with the .22, 6mm and 6.5mm calibers becoming much more
popular due to, among other things, reduced recoil.
My next long range target-varmint rifle will be in the 6.5 Swede
Improved. It is capable of driving the 140 grain Sierra at 3000 fps
from a 28 inch barrel, and the barrel life is much better than that of
the overbore magnum cartridges. Now all I need is the money to build
it...It's a vicious cycle, to get the cash to build the rifle, I have
to work overtime. If I work overtime, I don't have time to shoot.
Damn, it's always something!
Richard
Brian Wood
Grant,
I shoot a 6.5x55mm as well as a .300 Win Mag. I would not use my 6.5x55
past 300 yds. The drop on the 6.5 is pretty substantial. I have NO Problem
using my .300 Win Mag out to 1000 yds though. I have a Remington Model 700,
with a heavy fluted bull barrel on mine....scope is a Leupold Vari X MKIII
4.5 to 14 power. Crystal clear.
Good luck with the 6.5 round...it is my absolute favorite!
Woody
Grant Cunningham wrote in message <6m7647$o...@xring.cs.umd.edu>...
#I'm not much of a rifle shooter, but we have a 1,000 yard range and an
#established high-power match program available to us. The idea of
#long-range shooting appeals to me (say, up to about 600 yards -- I can
#barely see the targets there, let alone at 1,000!), but I don't have a
#suitable rifle.
#
#It needs to be affordable, able to have a scope mounted, and accurate.
#I've been thinking about a good Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55. It seems to
#fill the bill: reputation for great accuracy, high sectional density
#translating to good downrange performance, and very affordable. Would
#it be suitable for this task?
#
#If not, can you recommend an *affordable* gun that would be?
#
#Thanks in advance!
#--
#-=[ grant ]=-
#Reply-to: gra...@hevanet.com
#"Where there are no men, strive to be a man" - Pirke Avot
#
Christopher Morton
#IMHO - if you are interested in 600 + yard competition, I think you are in
#the territory of the 300 magnums. The 300 H&H Magnum made its reputation as
#a 1,000 yard target round.
Plenty of people shoot 1000 yard matches with non-magnum rounds. You
can't shoot the Palma with anything BUT .308.
6.5x55 and .260 Rem. should be excellent 1000 yard cartridges, with
the added advantage of pleasant recoil and much longer barrel life.
---
Gun control, the theory that Black people will be
better off when only Mark Fuhrman has a gun.
Check out:
http://extra.newsguy.com/~cmorton
http://www.firstnethou.com/gunsite/moore.html
Gunner
#6.5x55 and .260 Rem. should be excellent 1000 yard cartridges, with
#the added advantage of pleasant recoil and much longer barrel life.
#
I regularily shoot a stock 96 at 600yds. My target is a 6" steel gong.
Its getting rather boring now. Bang-smak, bank-smak. etc
It shoots as well as my heavy barreled Ruger 77v in ..308
Enjoy
gunner
budd magnuson
hey, this caliber works great for 800 yards.
we were shooting one last sat am. used 155gr hpbt going out at 2600fps.
i had never shot long range before but my friend has built a gun based on
the swedish mauser action and ammo using a old 20X lyman scope. i shot
97/100 3 x and 98/100 3 x rested and my friend has shot 100/100 5x with this
gun.
only problem i had with it was trying to watch the bullets fly though the
spotting scope; the bigger .30 caliber bullets were easier to see-- they
looked like little football tossed by troy aikman or john elway.
what i want to know is if i can get my AR-15 to shoot that far-- anybody
know if this is realistic?