Let’s discuss the 6.5x55 SE

[stealthgoat]

.... I have some 120 gr Nosler BTs currently that I'm going to test out with a lighter charge. Hoping to get it so mild that my kids can shoot it eventually....

Not sure of your kid's ages, but when my daughter was very young she transitioned: BB -> 22RF -> 223 -> 6.5x55

Initial swede range load to make her transition easier:
- 100gr SP + 10.0gr Trail Boss
- low recoil & muzzle blast, so great to acclimate

She uses 100gr NBT/Partition + 42.0 Varget for whitetail.
- range of 36-42gr Varget seems fine at shorter ranges

* usual reloading safety caveats

 

[NinjaVanish]

Not sure of your kid's ages, but when my daughter was very young she transitioned: BB -> 22RF -> 223 -> 6.5x55

Initial swede range load to make her transition easier:
- 100gr SP + 10.0gr Trail Boss
- low recoil & muzzle blast, so great to acclimate

She uses 100gr NBT/Partition + 42.0 Varget for whitetail.
- range of 36-42gr Varget seems fine at shorter ranges

* usual reloading safety caveats

Great intel there. I have a 6 year old boy who weighs 50 lbs and a 4 year old that is much madder at critters who is right behind him. Gonna be a fun journey watching them grow.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

We load 85 grain Sierra bullets for paper, steel, and prairie dogs. Recoil is negligible (even for my 65-75 lb kids)with a light load of H4895.

 

[Yarbs003]

6.5x55 is amazing little cartridge and popular among my hunting group. I have a semi custom tikka with a 25” Prefferred Barrel Blank prefit. Shooting 127 LRX Barnes, Lupua Brass, 44.8 grains of H4350, and fed 210 primer right at 3000fps. No pressure signs but stopped there with ES in single digits over 5 shots. My go to deer and lope round. Really manageable recoil and with the XLR a rifle I can adjust to my wife or any youth we are mentoring. Wife shot this buck at 385yds. I also shoot a target load with a 140 match burner over 45 grains of RL22 shooting right at 2750fps. Could definitely push it harder but a good mild load for shooting steel with accuracy.

 

[NinjaVanish]

6.5x55 is amazing little cartridge and popular among my hunting group. I have a semi custom tikka with a 25” Prefferred Barrel Blank prefit. Shooting 127 LRX Barnes, Lupua Brass, 44.8 grains of H4350, and fed 210 primer right at 3000fps. No pressure signs but stopped there with ES in single digits over 5 shots. My go to deer and lope round. Really manageable recoil and with the XLR a rifle I can adjust to my wife or any youth we are mentoring. Wife shot this buck at 385yds. I also shoot a target load with a 140 match burner over 45 grains of RL22 shooting right at 2750fps. Could definitely push it harder but a good mild load for shooting steel with accuracy.

Hell yeah. Love it. Great trophies from an incredibly underrated caliber.

 

[NinjaVanish]

Bump for update

Loaded up some 95 gr Vmax in front of 47.2 grains of IMR 4350. 100 yard five shot group below. That’ll do lol.