6.5x55 Win M70- Nosler ballistic tip and Hornady Interlok bullets

[scott fairchild]

I recently rebarreled my Win M70 to 6.5 x 55 Swede. I plan to use this next year in Africa for Plains game and would like to get your thoughts on the bullets which I have been able to acquire. I have both Nosler 140g Ballistics tips and 140g Hornaday Interloks which I am starting to develop loads using H4350. Has anyone used these bullets on African game? I expect the majority of my shots will be 100-150 yrds with the possibility of 300-400 yrds on springbok and worthogs. What about large game like Blue Wildebeest, Zebra and Eland?

 

[Joker12]

I recently rebarreled my Win M70 to 6.5 x 55 Swede. I plan to use this next year in Africa for Plains game and would like to get your thoughts on the bullets which I have been able to acquire. I have both Nosler 140g Ballistics tips and 140g Hornaday Interloks which I am starting to develop loads using H4350. Has anyone used these bullets on African game? I expect the majority of my shots will be 100-150 yrds with the possibility of 300-400 yrds on springbok and worthogs. What about large game like Blue Wildebeest, Zebra and Eland?

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello Scott,

I am very fond of the 6.5x55 cartridge.
Also, I like Model 70 Winchesters as well.
I’ve not shot anything larger than an average sized mule deer (between the body size of common reedbok and red hartebeest).
So, my opinion is not based on using this cartridge in Africa.
Although I would no doubt enjoy doing so.

My favorite bullet for this cartridge is the 160 gr round nose soft @ 2400 fps.
However, I would prefer to not use it on large animals, such as waterbok, zebra and especially eland, just to name 3 of the many.

Also, Norma makes a fine and tough 156 grain bonded bullet, called the “Oryx”.
That and the Woodleigh 160grain seem like they’d be real good for Africa.
Although it is a semi-spitzer, nonetheless the best of them all is the Swift A-Frame, IMO.

Cheers,
Paul (Velo Dog).

 

[Joker12]

I have only used nosler ballistic tips on white tail deer and didn't like them because they are quite explosive. Too much meat damage for me so I stopped using them. As to the Hornady interlocks I have used them extensively and like them very much. A friend was leaving for a plains game hunt in SA a few years ago and called me the day before his flight because the premium ammo that he had purchased for his '06 was very inaccurate in his rifle. We tried some of my handloads using 180gr interlocks in his rifle and it was shooting sub 1" groups with them. To shorten the story he took 14 animals with them with no problems at all. They are good bullets! I shoot 140gr interlocks in my Ruger 6.5x55, they are among my favorites. Good luck and good hunting!

 

[sgt_zim]

for lighter bullets, i'd be much more inclined to Swift, Barnes, and Nosler.

But as @Velo Dog mentioned, Norma makes a terrific 156 gr, Woodleigh makes a terrific 160, and Lapua makes a pretty good 155 gr. Norma and Oryx will probably open better at distance, as the book on Woodleigh impact velocity is 2K-3K. That'll get you to about 250 yards and still be north of 2K fps, though at that distance, energy will probably be in the 1500 ft# range. Probably not a big deal for a bullet with SD of .328.

I hunt with Woodleighs 160s myself, but have some Lapuas that I'm waiting to crack open as well.

 

[Shootist43]

The 6.5 X 55 Swede with a 140 gr. Nosler Partition is my go to rifle for all deer sized game. However after using Norma's 156 Gr. Oryx I'd recommend it for Wildebeest. IMHO Zebra and Eland warrant / deserve/ require a little more "horsepower." As much as I "love" the Swede a perfect broadside shot on a Kudu at under a hundred yards would give me pause, but I wouldn't rule out taking the shot.

 

[Joker12]

I too would prefer a bit tougher bullet but with todays problems of bullet availability thats not always possible. If what I had was interlocks I would use them without hesitation.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I recently rebarreled my Win M70 to 6.5 x 55 Swede. I plan to use this next year in Africa for Plains game and would like to get your thoughts on the bullets which I have been able to acquire. I have both Nosler 140g Ballistics tips and 140g Hornaday Interloks which I am starting to develop loads using H4350. Has anyone used these bullets on African game? I expect the majority of my shots will be 100-150 yrds with the possibility of 300-400 yrds on springbok and worthogs. What about large game like Blue Wildebeest, Zebra and Eland?

I am a big fan of using Ballistic Tips for load development. They will frequently tell me what powder my rifle likes and I'll work with that to develop loads in the same weight but with different bullets.

It is a great bullet too for use in lighter/smaller game such as springbok. But for Wildebeest, Zebra and especially Eland, absolutely NOT. The bullet expands very quickly and loses it's weight fast. Not good medicine for bigger beasts.

I have no experience with the Interlocks, so nothing to add there.

If you get a good group with the Ballistic Tips, I'd then move on and see if the Nosler Partitions in the same weight give you good results with the H4350. Overall my preference would an A-Frame however.

Regardless of what bullet you use, I'd give more thought to using the 6.5x55 on those larger beasts, that's .30 cal territory in my opinion.

 

[shark_za]

I have shot a lot with the 140gr Interlok and its a good solid working bullet.
I would rather load up a more premium bonded or partitioned bullet for a proper PG hunt when you are after trophy animals.

I use the 156gr Oryx and dont tell anyone but would shoot an Eland given the perfect circumstances.
You may not have that perfect scenario and be forced to take more risky shots.

Go for a good 140gr load like the Swift A Frame as an all rounder.

I load the 125gr Partition for plains and the 156gr Oryx for Bush.

 

[austrianhunter]

For 140s you really should get N560, MRP or 4831 Powder. Use a FED 215 Primer and let it sing between 47.5grs and a bit north of 50, if you know how to watch for pressure.

My goto Load with 140 Interlock is 49.5grs N560 (not the top…) and 140 SST with 50grs of MRP

 

[leslie hetrick]

i have two modern rifles and several swedish army rifles in 6.5x55, i use N-560 in the CZ-550 and remington.

 

[Frederik]

Scott,

I have taken the following with my 6.5 x 55 its only species list not numbers impalas have the highest number around 20 I think.

Warthog
Impala
Kudu bull x 1
blesbuck
springbuck
steenbuck
Eland Cow only x 1

Depending on where you are hunting and the twist rate of your barrel if longer shots are needed avg of 200 meter and longer the 140gr bullet would work you could also even go 120gr monolithic.
If your barrel twist will handle the longer 160gr bullet and shots are all avg below 200 meters use the heavier bonded bullet at 2500fps.

Make sure of shot placement especially with bigger game kudu, wildebeest and eland.

 

[scott fairchild]

First off, thank you to everyone that has responded.
I’ve completed the load work on the 140 Ballistic tips, getting about 2825 FPS and 1/2 moa. This is not my first choice for hunting , just what I had to start with. Next round will be with 140 interlok.
I will continue to look for better bullets. Next trip is planned for end of May 2022.

 

[scott fairchild]

 

[Frederik]

With my experience on the Interlocks on the following calibres 6.5, 303 and 375 if your Impact speed on the animal is above 2400fps you can expect bullet failure this is for the normal hornady interlock.
So if you are going to shoot in the speeds you are mentioning above get a bonded bullet please.

 

[Desperatezulu]

First off, thank you to everyone that has responded.
I’ve completed the load work on the 140 Ballistic tips, getting about 2825 FPS and 1/2 moa. This is not my first choice for hunting , just what I had to start with. Next round will be with 140 interlok.
I will continue to look for better bullets. Next trip is planned for end of May 2022.

I have used 140gr Accubonds very extensively with the 6.5x55 (shooting them at or just under 2800ft/s).
About a year ago I added 140gr BT's because the AB's are now hard to get and expensive when available - I wanted to test if they would shoot to the same POI. Which they do in my gun.

Yes I have hunted with the BTs and they tear up a springbok on exit. A direct comparison with an AB (shot another animal out of the same herd at the same range) and the AB has an exit wound of 1/4 the size, and the shot placement was pretty much identical.
On medium game, even at longer ranges when I'd expect expansion to be a little less, the BTs do not exit. I shot a sub-adult gemsbok bull at about 265m just behind the humerus and the BT did not exit - it did drop the gems DRT though. Chest contents were soup but the biggest bone encountered on the way in was a rib. With the AB on gemsbok, I have always had exits, except on one large bull on a frontal shot. Same story with hartebeest, kudu cows and black WB.

For the hunting you want to do, I would say that the BT may do the job but probably cannot be relied upon on medium sized game. For Springbok, blesbok and impala, I would endorse the BT but meat damage is to be expected.
For bigger animals (i.e. medium PG) I would suggest a premium bullet such as the AB or a mono. A-Frames are great but the BC isn't that hot if you anticipate shots of more than 300m. For what it's worth, I have found that the AB out-penetrates the A-Frame in 140gr 6.5.

I think Blue WB and zebra are at the upper end of what 'should' be attempted with a 6.5 and then only with a premium and you want to pick your shot carefully. Realistically eland are outside of the 6.5 envelope and I believe some provinces in RSA require a minimum of .30 to take on eland.

Regarding powders, I use Norma MRP behind the 140gr bullets but will switch to RL-26 when I finish the Norma. IMO RL-26 is the lowest pressure powder for a given velocity in the 6.5x55/140gr bullet combo.

 

[scott fairchild]

Thanks for the feedback, the best I have been able to find so far is 160gr Woodleigh.
If you have a line on some bonded 140Gr please let me know.

 

[fourfive8]

I’d do whatever it takes to find better bullets. I would not use either bullet mentioned- Interlock nor Ballistic Tip. Go on Gunbroker and poke around with different search words. Pay attention to feedback ratings. Same for basic google searches.

Also since it’s a re-barrel, likely an unknown throat length. Throat length will affect type of bullets that work best in that chamber.

 

[scott fairchild]

Thanks for the advise, I have been searching all around including GB. Gun was custom barreled for me, reamer was made by Dave Manson of Manson Reamers. Dave and I went back and forth on the final reamer design throated for 140gr.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

I have taken a number of animals with the Hornaday Interlock, up to & including our Elk. I've had great results. I think if you stay in the velocity design limits, I don't run them over 2800fps, you will have good results.