6.5x55 for all deer

[John Gryphon]

Videoing this stag and hind had me changing cameras. Movement caught his eye and he was onto my 'shape'. If want the correct procedure imo is to hold the stags eye all the time SLOWLY lifting the rifle and as soon as the hairs cross the desired impact point let the **** have it. Throwing the rifle up for that quick shot will have him (them) turn in a flash. Btw I didn't lift my rifle as I left him for others. In that shitty creek bottom surrounded by as thick as it gets bush oomph is desired.

 

[tackb]

well tbf to the 270, it can within its limites go quite a bit faster, whilst that sounds pretty fast for a 6.5 creed.

However if the 6,5 creed just wanted to match a 130 grn 270 bullet of the same type sd and bc wise, it could likely go down to about 115 grn, and then it might suddenly indeed not be that far behind in terms of speed. However in doing so it would loose its advantage over distance, and it would of course carry less mass and surface area too.

But again, in all this talk of speed, and one cartridge being superior vs another, i think we tend to forget just how quickly speed is lost and energy shed.
View attachment 448527
this is a 308 and 3006 shooting the same projectile. The 06 starts out faster and more powerful, of course, but going by the numbers is does exactly what the 308 does, physically, just 45 to 50 meter further down the line. Nothing more than that. And it's a bit the same with the other 06 case capacity family cartridges vs the 08s, x55s or x57s, - using the same bullet they do pretty much the same, physically, just with 25-45 meters difference or so. So even if one subscribes to the "speed is king " theory for terminal ballistics, that extra speed that a lot of the often called "quick cartridges" has, is only really carried for a further 30 or 40 meters, vs the "slower or normal" cartridges of the same caliber.

i just picked factory loads.

 

[tackb]

A Toyota truck traveling at 100kph V a mini minor at 100kph ...which one hits hardest lol.

two identical trucks , one travelling 3.2% faster but one truck is more streamlined than the other so at 200m the difference is less

 

[cooperjb1308]

I’ve never felt undergunned with the swede, albeit my main quarry is roe and munty but I have shot a fair few others.
I usually homeload a 130gr sierra game changer but have used 123 fox and 160gr ppu. I have retired my 308 and I saw no appreciable difference in the shot animal reaction and across the board.
I also have a 30-06 which I love, it is emphatic but quite frankly probably more than I would need for day to day stalking around Shropshire/Hereford but if I was only shooting reds and sika everyday then I would probably want something more available and with a bit more punch but why would you put yourself through more recoil for marginal gains on fallow deer on down to CWD?
At the end of the day if you shoot the 6.5 better as it’s more comfortable then that’s the better calibre.

 

[huntsman]

I think the swede is a great round and it will probably do everything you need once you’ve figured it out. I had one many years ago in an T3 and loved it.. But decided to switched to 0.308 win which I never really enjoyed . If you can get the 30-06 barrel for handy money and it’s in good condition you might as well go for it. R93 bits are getting tricky to find. I switched my 308 barrel for a 270 win, best thing I ever did and would buy a 6.5x55 barrel in the morning ,if I could find a good one.
The 30-06 might be handy if you do a lot of stag hunting , ( esp sika) . If not the 6.5 will more than suffice.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Your all thinking too much

It’s all down to bullet placement not what’s fastest/hits hardest, they all do the same job. You’ve just gotta put it in the right place!

 

[John Gryphon]

they all do the same job.

No they definitely do not!

 

[tackb]

Your all thinking too much

It’s all down to bullet placement not what’s fastest/hits hardest, they all do the same job. You’ve just gotta put it in the right place!

chatting with an old scottish head stalker years ago on an estate i was hind culling on and he said they used to hind cull with a .222 , i said oh , head and neck i presume ? he said nope , just pump one in the usual H/L area and they fall over dead !

he also went on to tell me horrific stories about guests he'd taken out over the years with mighty cannons that simply could not shoot and he always reckoned the bigger the calibre the more likely he was going to have trouble.....

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

chatting with an old scottish head stalker years ago on an estate i was hind culling on and he said they used to hind cull with a .222 , i said oh , head and neck i presume ? he said nope , just pump one in the usual H/L area and they fall over dead !

he also went on to tell me horrific stories about guests he'd taken out over the years with mighty cannons that simply could not shoot and he always reckoned the bigger the calibre the more likely he was going to have trouble.....

that is 100% fact

 

[Mungo]

A 45/70 is a slower round and affects the distance they run, not substantially a very long distance.

I’d be really interested to compare 100 roe deer shot with a 45/70 and 100 with a 22-250!

If I was forced to bet, I’d put my money on the .22-250 having fewer runners.

 

[John Gryphon]

that is 100% fact

What is? I`ve heard all the stories as well you know. They don`t have to be cannons as most of us know that there are heaps of shooters that cant handle the smaller ones also

on the .22-250 having fewer runners.

.and more meat too lol.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

People who rely on big guns to do a small guns job tells me there is a lot of people out there not putting bullets in the right places!

Me and the other hand I use a middle for diddle 7 x 57 just perfect best calibre I’ve ever shot!

 

[Ratel]

I’d be really interested to compare 100 roe deer shot with a 45/70 and 100 with a 22-250!

If I was forced to bet, I’d put my money on the .22-250 having fewer runners.

You provide the 200 Roe, I'll arrange the rifles.
We'll arrange the amount of the bet etc beforehand. Deal?

 

[ca11um]

I use my sako 75 6.5x55 for everything from roe to red as well as sika and fallow. Shot placement is key and I use a 120gr bullet. Never let me down yet

 

[John Gryphon]

Never let me down yet

It will one day,it happens with every hunter and with every calibre.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

What is? I`ve heard all the stories as well you know. They don`t have to be cannons as most of us know that there are heaps of shooters that cant handle the smaller ones also

That is also fact!

But in my experience, a lot of people who shoot big guns create more **** ups than clean carcasses!

I’ve seen a lot, experienced a lot, and shot a lot, I’ve seen excellent carcasses and have seen carcasses that have been fed hand grenades!

when people rock up at my doorstep to come stalking. I do not believe a word they tell me until I see evidence for myself then I know if they’re any good or not!

But luckily 99% of who come stalking with me now are women and cast-iron good shots from what I have seen over the last five years!

Jury still out on the men

Seen a lot of good men shoot well and then again I’ve seen a lot of bad

 

[25 Sharps]

This is my thought I shot two roe does on Saturday perfect lung shots an they ran on for at least 100 yards before they fell some of the places where the reds are are only small areas and I can’t have them to run on so far.

Double lung shot is never going to be a stopping shot. To be fair I shot a roe doe with my 300 PRC, 225 gr at 2860 fps, 4000+ ft-lb at the muzzle, top of the heart and both lungs. She still ran 50-60 yards!

If you want to guarantee they’ll drop on the spot, changing chambering isn’t the answer, changing shot placement is. Break both front shoulders or disrupt the CNS.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Double lung shot is never going to be a stopping shot. To be fair I shot a roe doe with my 300 PRC, 225 gr at 2860 fps, 4000+ ft-lb at the muzzle, top of the heart and both lungs. She still ran 50-60 yards!

If you want to guarantee they’ll drop on the spot, changing chambering isn’t the answer, changing shot placement is. Break both front shoulders or disrupt the CNS.

Exactly that you want to drop **** on the deck every shop bust shoulders end of!

Or what I would call front end bullet bang

 

[Tim.243]

This is my thought I shot two roe does on Saturday perfect lung shots an they ran on for at least 100 yards before they fell some of the places where the reds are are only small areas and I can’t have them to run on so far.

Owen, .95gn .243 160yds double lung dressed out to 80kg ran 20/25 yds
When you start reading peoples post about the details of their rifle speed load devolvement twist rate then they are telling you what they want you to hear lol
It went 80.3 but I had a laugh with the game dealer saying "you can have the .3kg lol)

 

[devon deer stalker]

For what's it's worth, I only bought my 30-06 because many moons ago boar were around, glad I did, never shot a boar but it proved to be the go to calibre for hunting elk in Montana, perfect for long shots with retained energy.
I would not have taken the 6.5

I now have only 2 rifles, my old .243 and my 6.5x55, the latter in 120grain Barnes TTSX, I keep my shots below 200m double lung, on roe up to huge Devon red stags, rarely get an issue, .243 just gathering dust these days.

So my conclusion, don't push it beyond it's and the shooters own capabilities.