Hmmmm... spendy stuff, but excellent performers. Once you've sighted it in, of course, you'll only need a half-dozen per year, so cost isn't really that much of a factor.
I never understood hunters who'll happily drop a couple of grand on a rifle/scope combination, and then try to save pennies on hunting (as opposed to practice) ammo.
Makes no sense.
I, on the other hand, used to be a Cheap Bastard in both categories. Back in the Old Country, an old Israeli Mauser, a Pentax scope and Remington Green Box .308 was what I used, but then again, distances seldom exceeded 200 yards.
Forgive this question, but are you limited in the amount of ammo you can purchase at any one time in Britian? Seems to me I heard that somewhere.
I once (once) got a fishy look from a checker when purchasing a case of 1000 9MM rounds. She was stunnded that I "needed" that much ammo. I told her that I shot (at the time) about 100 rounds a day, so this was under two weeks worth. She sniffed that "No one needs to shoot that much."
This was several years ago at Burger Brothers. I stopped shopping there, and switched to mail order. Nowadays, I wonder what lists I get one when I order half a case of .30 Carbine..
Nice i just got myself some 120grn Sierra's to try instead of my usual 140grn,the nice thing about 6.5x55 is the great spread in bullet weight from around 75grn up to 160grn.
I'm with KdT here, Cheap Bastard all the way, 1940 SMLE, 4x32 russian scope that set me back all of $65 and I hand load using a lee loader and a hammer, with obsolete powder made in the 70's I bought bulk from an estate sale. Thats when I'm not using cheap surplus FMJ Tracer ammo.
The animals don't seem to mind, they drop just as dead with that combo as being hit with a Blaser + Norma combo kills them.
From everything I've read, the 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser is outstanding in accuracy and penetration; ballisticly, ahead of its time compared to many rounds of its era.
I've three rifles in this chambering, Swedes all, that I really need to get out at some point.
Didn't say it was bad ammo ... just damned expensive.
I do get stuck buying it once and a while, for odd calibers. I did buy a couple boxes for the M-38 Mosin-Nagant I keep in the Suburban. If it's going to be used to shoot things that might shoot back, I'll eat the expense.
I'm still shooting those SA army .308 battle packs through my FAL ... cheap ammo at a good price. I heard that the SA government started quietly selling them to US civilian wholesalers again. Their political correctness melted in the face of budget probs ... heh.
Comments
That Norma shit is expensive ....
Posted by: Kristopher | October 10, 2009 4:58 PM
Hmmmm... spendy stuff, but excellent performers. Once you've sighted it in, of course, you'll only need a half-dozen per year, so cost isn't really that much of a factor.
I never understood hunters who'll happily drop a couple of grand on a rifle/scope combination, and then try to save pennies on hunting (as opposed to practice) ammo.
Makes no sense.
I, on the other hand, used to be a Cheap Bastard in both categories. Back in the Old Country, an old Israeli Mauser, a Pentax scope and Remington Green Box .308 was what I used, but then again, distances seldom exceeded 200 yards.
Posted by: Kim du Toit | October 10, 2009 5:01 PM
Norma Brass is very good brass and will reload very nicely,V Max what weight 120grn or 140grn.
Posted by: ajdshootist | October 10, 2009 6:31 PM
AJDS - they are 120 grain BTs
Posted by: Mr Free Market | October 10, 2009 9:41 PM
Forgive this question, but are you limited in the amount of ammo you can purchase at any one time in Britian? Seems to me I heard that somewhere.
I once (once) got a fishy look from a checker when purchasing a case of 1000 9MM rounds. She was stunnded that I "needed" that much ammo. I told her that I shot (at the time) about 100 rounds a day, so this was under two weeks worth. She sniffed that "No one needs to shoot that much."
This was several years ago at Burger Brothers. I stopped shopping there, and switched to mail order. Nowadays, I wonder what lists I get one when I order half a case of .30 Carbine..
Larry in Rochester
Posted by: Larry Anderson | October 10, 2009 11:01 PM
Nice i just got myself some 120grn Sierra's to try instead of my usual 140grn,the nice thing about 6.5x55 is the great spread in bullet weight from around 75grn up to 160grn.
Posted by: ajdshootist | October 10, 2009 11:05 PM
Larry - there are loads of restrictions & I shall be doing a couple of posts next week about it
Posted by: Mr Free Market | October 11, 2009 12:29 AM
I'm with KdT here, Cheap Bastard all the way, 1940 SMLE, 4x32 russian scope that set me back all of $65 and I hand load using a lee loader and a hammer, with obsolete powder made in the 70's I bought bulk from an estate sale. Thats when I'm not using cheap surplus FMJ Tracer ammo.
The animals don't seem to mind, they drop just as dead with that combo as being hit with a Blaser + Norma combo kills them.
Posted by: Rhys F | October 11, 2009 1:20 AM
From everything I've read, the 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser is outstanding in accuracy and penetration; ballisticly, ahead of its time compared to many rounds of its era.
I've three rifles in this chambering, Swedes all, that I really need to get out at some point.
Posted by: MauserMedic | October 11, 2009 3:55 AM
Didn't say it was bad ammo ... just damned expensive.
I do get stuck buying it once and a while, for odd calibers. I did buy a couple boxes for the M-38 Mosin-Nagant I keep in the Suburban. If it's going to be used to shoot things that might shoot back, I'll eat the expense.
I'm still shooting those SA army .308 battle packs through my FAL ... cheap ammo at a good price. I heard that the SA government started quietly selling them to US civilian wholesalers again. Their political correctness melted in the face of budget probs ... heh.
Posted by: Kristopher | October 11, 2009 5:09 PM