one of the best
Over the years, I have moved about 10 or so 6.5's through the cabinet. All shoot well enough to be keepers but someone always talked me out of them. Today, I have just two, a Sako AV that shoots almost anything accurately enough for me. The other is a Krag Jorgensen, military trim that was used to train high school students pre WW2. Its a safe queen now but has dropped more than its share of game.
My son has a newer Tikka which loves Nosler accubond loads.
The older 96's loved the 160 round nose.
I have always used the 6.5 to introduce new shooters to larger rifles, light recoil, accurate, easy to pack.
You can study the ballistics all you want but it is my suspicion that the numbers are actually better in the field. The caliber seems to hit harder and drop larger game than the stats suggest. I loaned one to a buddy for a moose hunt. One shot in the boiler room, three steps and the moose was tipped over. I can't count the number of one shot kills I have accomplished.
If someone asked 30-06 or 6.5 Swede, there is only one answer.
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