Preferences in 140 grain 6.5x55 ammunition

Hi all quick query.
I have a 6.5x55 with a 1 in 8 twist Barrell and I am looking for recommedations for a good 140gr factory loaded Hunting round from the 6.5 users.
Has anybody tried the new Hornady Super Performance in 6.5x55 ?



regards


Kildevil
 
I only use Remmington 140gn Core lokt. seem to do the job ok but only limited experiance with them. Certainly dont 'smash' things when you hit them.
 
I have found federal very accurate on paper with all shots touching if I do my bit and has done the necessary on a couple of deer with obvious expansion. I have tried privi but for me it doesn't group well enough on paper.
 
I think its hard to say which ammo is the most accurate as it differs from gun to gun. However some makes are more consistant in all guns than others. Privi is ok in my Sako, especially for cheap practice. 'On game performace' is probably a better way to evaluate a useful bullet.
 
I have also tried the privi €16 for a box dirt cheap, but I couldn't for the life of me get it to group and I think that seems to be the general rule of thumb your rifle either likes it or not. With regard to ''on game Performance '' absolutely correct, but was trying to cut down on the number of different rounds to be tested by getting a bit of feed back from the members here Keep the info flowing .

Thanks .
 
I've stuck with Norma 140gr Nosler Partition.

Good with Roe & Red in the UK and Kudu, Gemsbok & Wildebeest in Africa.

Stan
 
Yes, @ £25.00+ per box it bwould be handy if they were all as good as each other! Dont think you'd go wrong with either remmington or federal soft points to start, winchester sp's are supposed to be ok 2
 
Last edited:
my 6.5 x 55 Thrives on 120 grn Norma, expensive but my rifle shoots well with these rounds, next best were the Norma 140grn, didn't like hornady or the S&B cheapies
 
Hi kildevil,
Why are you so focused on 140 grain? Have you looked at any of the 120 grn especially Norma bts.
Cheers
Bibio
 
Last edited:
Hi. Fairly new to 6.5x55 myself but have tried a number of different rounds. As for factory I have only tried privi which to be honest as others say don't group well through my sauer 202. 1in9 24" barrel. Far to many fliers which have proved to be embarrassing on a pre stalk test. The privi 156 grn were pretty good and surprisingly better than the 139 on long range. On fallow the 139 did the job with little meat damage but a decent exit wound. I have however tried a number of bullets in my re-loads, berger vld shot nice groups and very good at long range but only have paper kills for evidence. Hornady 140gn SP shoot well set 10 thou of lands, but the best so far are the hornady 140gn sst. Which have yet to be testes on live target but I'm told although ballistic tip are a hunting round not varmint and do not expand to excess any more so than SP have the benefit of more accurate plus protected tip. I should be out on Saturday courtesy of Wayne and hope to bag a munty so I may have better idea then. So far they have shot the best groups at all distances. I haven't tries the 120gn yet so will look out on this thread myself for info. Hope this helps.
 
you could do a lot worse than have your RDF order you a few boxes of Norma Vulcan's in 156g for the 6.5x55. My father's shot the Tikka in this setup for almost all his life, and I don't think I've seen him have to track more than a few deer,,,,,and there's literally moving boxes of trophies in the attic,,which are just the bucks of course...that's ignoring the sika, the reds, etc.
 
Hi kildevil,
Why are you so focused on 140 grain? Have you looked at any of the 120 grn especially Norma bts.
Cheers
Bibio

I have seen 139 and 140 grain bullets do such a sterling job on mule and white tail deer at all different ranges that I'm pretty much sold on them. From 20 to 250 yards they all dropped within a few yards of where they were hit.~Muir
 
Preferances In 140 grain 6.5x55 ammunition

Muir .I have also tried a few 139-140 grain rounds but not in this rifle .These have all been US Manufactured ,Remington,Federal,ect they performed ok but what I was trying to see if their was a general consensus from a few of the members that X round worked well in their rifles .We in Ireland unlike most of you guys do not have the Luxury of being able to load our own Rounds. So we are stuck with Factory rounds and trying to get the one that performs the best . I suspect the Euro loaded factory rounds will perform better as they are loaded faster thus my original querys re the Hornady Super Performance ,Please keep the info flowing on this .


regards


Kildevil
 
6.5/55 rounds

I have used 140 grain in two 6.5 a sako 75 syn/st and now a sauer 202 outback, if your shooting sika id would suggest the 120 grain bt, they were by far the best factory ammo i have used, they expand a lot better than the 140 grain and will give you a better blood trail.

Below is a pic of a sika hind shot with the 120 bt the hole on the right is the entry.With the bt you get a bit more damage than the 140 but still acceptable.
 

Attachments

  • Image0054.jpg
    Image0054.jpg
    305.3 KB · Views: 93
I have used 140 grain in two 6.5 a sako 75 syn/st and now a sauer 202 outback, if your shooting sika id would suggest the 120 grain bt, they were by far the best factory ammo i have used, they expand a lot better than the 140 grain and will give you a better blood trail.

Below is a pic of a sika hind shot with the 120 bt the hole on the right is the entry.With the bt you get a bit more damage than the 140 but still acceptable.

and unless its my eye's the BT has broke up before the exit eg looking like shrapenal splatted Rib's
 
I have started to use RWS DK 9.1G/140gr ammo in my R8 with 1:8.7 twist - is grouping tightly at 100m and has been very effect on Roe so far...
 
I used Federal Powershoks exclusively in my Sako 75 6.5x55 until I found the Fusions by mistake. They group extremely well (5 rounds 3/4" @ 100yds) and can consistently hit v-bulls out to 600yds. Ammo is £28 per 20 from Emmett & Stone in Marlow, Bucks.

I decided to reduce the cost of ammo by using HPS-TR to reload my brass for me at circa £18 per 20, however the 140gr SP bullets they use (Sierra GameKing) were horrible in my rifle, grouping at 3-4" @ 100yds, so there was no way I was taking them into the field!

I've now got HPS reloading with Hornaday 140gr SSTs. Price will be higher, but close enough to SP price not to worry too much. I put 15 through the rifle at The BSRC at Bisley last week, and they grouped very nicely (<1") but 2" high on my 140gr SP 100 yd zero, so I'm expecting this to equate to a 200yd zero. I need to get back onto Century to calibrate the data first.

I still have plenty of the Fusions to keep me going until I'm absolutely comfortable with the reload SSTs, so they are heading up to Cumbria with me next month when I get onto some Reds.

iain.
 
Back
Top