6.5 x 55 Swede for African plains game

[PerH]

140 Swift or 156 Oryx is 2 good ones in the 6,5 .

 

[Red Devil]

If anyone has used the Sako 140 grain 6.5x55 Super Hammerhead on game I'd like to know how they did. I have 7 boxes for my son but we have not been able to use them on a hunt, all the adds and YouTube videos look good but firsthand reviews on actual game are always the best.

Looks like a... hammer.

Bonded core, and an even thicker jacket than my current production cup-n-core Speer Grand Slams... which generally flatten most things.

Should be a nice round for big game.




Red

 

[Hedge774]

Awesome discussion! It's also a plus that I acquired an M38 today. It has been "mutilated" aka sporterized, but I have wanted a 6.5 Swede mauser to hunt with for a decade or more. I'll keep you posted!

 

[Hedge774]

I hunt extensively with a heavily modified Ruger M77 MkII. (As much as possible I have tried to make it feel, look and function like an english sporting rifle). The 6.5x55 is my FAVORITE rifle cartridge even though I use my medium bores to hunt with more. The 6.5 swede will penetrate very, very well and although its diameter is pretty small, I would put it up against a .30-06 on anything Kudu or smaller. For Eland, I would likely take my .375 H&H but only for insurance purposes. Keep the velocity around 2,600-2,650 and your pressures will be low and accuracy should be around 1-1.5MOA or better. This is more than enough for a 300-350 yard shot on deer sized game. I am lucky that once I glass bedded mine it prints a whole bunch of 140 grain Nosler Partitions right on top of each other. These are the bullets I would load if I were taking mine to Africa for Plainsgame

For the heavier variety of antelope or smaller (Kudu/Zebra Sized):

Woodleigh's 160 grain PP - If the twist in your rifle is fast enough
Norma Oryx 156 grain
Swift A-Frame - 140 Grain

These two if my safari were for game that is typically on the lighter side (Wildebeest sized):

Nosler Partition 140 grain
Swift Scirocco 130 grain

These are just my opinions but I like to always make sure my round will make it to the vitals from any conceivable angle I could ethically shoot at.

Have you heard anything on the Norma 140 gr Tip Strike? Basically cup and core, but intriguing.