6.5x55 or 7x57 or 7mm-08 (Tikka, Ruger, CZ, Winchester)

[Red Devil]

Don't discount the Ruger African In 6.5x55. It shoots lights out, has perfect balance and way more class than the Tikka. They only made 250 so it should hold it's value. Can still be found on Gunbroker for around 1,100 bucks.

Just watch one go this last wknd on a Gunbroker regular RA-6.5x55 bi-weekly auction for $855.

Got a very good deal on mine not too long ago.

May be a buyer's market 'till they're gone.




Red

 

[Albert GRANT]

Don't have either, but have 6.5 creedmoor and had 7mag and the 6.5 out performs the 7. On paper the 7 is better but real results go to the 6.5. There is just something unexplainable about the punch of a 6.5 bullet

 

[Mike Van Horn]

6.5x55 in a sako rifle

 

[CBH Australia]

Lots of feedback on the subject so far, thanks guys!! So I think I've narrowed it down to the 6.5 Swede or the 7x57... or both

I hope you ended up with both

 

[sgt_zim]

Wow, what a resurrection!

Anyway, I brought my Tikka T3X in 6.5x55 to South Africa with me recently. It performed flawlessly on blesbok, impala, and warthog.

160 gr Woodleigh PPSN, Nosler brass, and H4350 at about 2400 fps. I am one of those unfortunate creatures whom God decided to bless into being left-handed, so my rifle options are kind of limited. I'd have preferred a small ring Mauser, but I'm pretty happy with the Tikka.

 

[ZG47]

A sinister success @sgt_zim! My mother is naturally left-handed but was forced to write right-handed at school. She never forced any of her pupils to change writing hands. I naturally do a couple of things left-handed and have learnt to use some of my hand/power tools left-handed for reasons of practicality.

 

[sgt_zim]

A sinister success @sgt_zim! My mother is naturally left-handed but was forced to write right-handed at school. She never forced any of her pupils to change writing hands. I naturally do a couple of things left-handed and have learnt to use some of my hand/power tools left-handed for reasons of practicality.

I'm mixed dominance. I eat and shoot rifles and handguns lefty, but am a RH thrower and batter.

I'm more comfortable writing RH, by quite a lot. But it doesn't really matter, my hand-writing is illegible RH or LH.

 

[Tam Dl]

I like the 6.5x55. If one has absorbed the reputation/romance of the 6.5 and 7, then it would seem to come down to slightly more carry, vs. slightly more oomph. But if one considers the bullets available today, the 6.5 probably hits like the 7 of yore. It may even carry very slightly better than it's previous self, due again to better bullets with slightly lighter weight allowing either higher velocity for the same dimension, or slightly longer bullets.

(I am looking at it with a classic performance envelope, not trying to make it into a Creedmore, for which we have... the Creedmore.)

(Romance? It's obvious with the Swede, and the 7x57 has that double life that includes the word "Rigby")