6.5 x 55 ammunition options.
 

My son has a 6.5 x 55.

Until recently we had been exclusively shooting Nosler ammunition but I can no longer find it.

I can find Sako and Winchester. Not likely to start hand loading any time soon. Any thoughts or preferences when it comes to these two?

SAKO is better ammo, but usually much more expensive. PPU is also available and usually both cheaper and better than Winchester.

PPU or S&B or Lapua, or Norma, stuff made in North America, is sometimes quite funky for case dimensions.

Dick can you elaborate on funky dimensions. I am not familiar with PPU. I used to by Norma years ago for my old husqvarna 6.5 but cannot seem to find it anywhere either.

x2 on the PPU. You can get their FMJ (138gr??) and SP (140gr) rounds in Calgary at Things Military for $30/box. This is excellent ammo for the price. The brass is very good, should you decide to reload.


Mike

Most 6.5x55 loads are pretty anemic, because they are made to be safe in older military rifles. The Hornady Superformance load pretty much duplicates my handloads, for my Tikka and Sako rifles.

Some lots of North American made 6.5x55 have been known to have .473”(30-06/308) case head dimensions instead of the correct .479”

Buy European ammo in this cartridge is all I’m saying.
Privi Partisan (PPU) is reasonably priced and of decent quality.

https://www.prvipartizan.com/

Where are you buying Hornady Superperformance, I don't recall seeing that and I've checked Cabela's, P&D, and Prophet.

I have an 1940's husqvarna from when I was a teenager, fell in love with the caliber, so now my son's first gun is a Tikka 6.5. Why in the heck did Nosler stop? I can't see how sales could have gone down. I know Creeedmor rules the roost, but have people stopped shooting x 55's?

I have seen it advertised, but I have never purchased factory 6.5x55 loads loads myself. I know several people that hunt with the 6.5x55, so it is still being used, but everyone that I know, loads their own.

Apparently the North American factory ammo (and likely brass) are made with brass destined for the 30-06 and therefore, slightly undersized. Some people make handloads for 6.5 x 55 SM using 30-06 brass, but other sources say that this is not a good idea as the brass has to stretch to fill the chamber.
Also, as stated, the North American factory ammo is loaded-down but the European stuff would generally be loaded hotter.
That said, my guess is that the Hornady Superperformance would be loaded more like the European stuff.
If you have an old Mauser, the North American stuff (except the Hornady) or modest handloads would be appropriate but if you have a newer rifle, the European ammo, Hornady or appropriately loaded hand loads would be well suited

if you reload 6.5x55
 

RE#22 is your best friend followed by IMR 4350

I would try Calgary Shooting Ctr or Wolverine Supplies in MB, they may have PPU or RWS, Norma, S&B. Another would be Tradexx in Ont or Elwood Epps. Nowadays, ammo is getting to a where you find it, just grab it situation.

https://www.nordicmarksman.com/RWS-65x55-DK-91g.html

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/conten...i-139gr-sbpt--

Tradex also carries Sellier and Bellot. I have used a lot of the ammo in 7x57 and 7x57R. If is excellent brass, the bullets kill well and in the guns I shot it out of it was hard to make hand loads that were more accurate. At $28 a box, hand loading also isn't all that much cheaper. Buy 20 boxes at once and the shipping is free.


https://www.tradeexcanada.com/conten...ion-140gr-sp--

The only issue is that if the load doesn't shoot well in the rifle, you are stuck with 20 boxes.

No kidding, I kind of thought he would probably buy one box each of Pivi, S&B etc figure out which one shoots good in his gun them get a large order.

A good idea if he can find them locally, and avoid shipping.

I don't know of anywhere local that carries this ammo. When you figure a box of Lapua is over $100 and Norma is close to that price,, even with shipping it is cheap. There is a guy on the AO buy and sell, selling some Privi and some Hornady for a good price. Doesn't say where he is located though.



http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=385665

Either my brain is addled or that wasn't there the last time I checked. Likely my brain.

Thank you for all the info. I'll stick with Nosler until I have to switch. We've sited the rifle in with it and shot nothing but Nosler since we bough the gun a few years ago.

I've got all the other options you guys have put out there stored in my addled brain for when the time comes.

Thank you.

https://customhandloader.ca/rifle-ammunition

Could always give this company a try. I reload My own for my eldest daughters Husky.

Recently picked up an unfired Ruger 77 Mk 2 in 6.5x55 and was wanting to find 100 or so brass to get started with. I will check into the Privi Partisan stuff as it seems to have a strong following. D.H.

Backcountry supplies carries PPU 139 grain sp and Federal Fusion 140 grain ammo, although they are out of stock of the PPU right now.

My 6.5x55 loves PPU ammo...and it is good brass for when and if you decide to reload.

If you want to buy 6.5 x 55 local to Edmonton, CX Shooters in Morinville has the PPU, and Swamp Donkey has the Sellier and Bellot. Both places are very reasonably priced.

That is great info, thanks. I never think of CX even though they are fairly close to me. PPU ammo is very good stuff, used a lot of it hunting in Europe.