In 1891 the 6.5 x 55 was adopted as cartridge for the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway. The 6.5 Swedish round was far ahead of it's time. Small caliber and high velocity was not all that common in 1891. The 303 Brit and 8mm Mauser were still using much larger, heavier bullets.
This round as versatile and the much later 243 Winchester. There are lightweight bullets at 100 grs or less and higher weight rounds at 150 grs and more. Just about everything from squirrels to bear to moose have been taken with this round. While in the U.S. this is not considered a moose/elk round, it is in Europe.
This round is inherently accurate, even in surplus military rifles. In addition, it has fairly light recoil. This was the target round of choice, for many years in places like Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Not too long ago, surplus Swedish rifles and ammo had flooded the market and were extremely well prices. You could get an immaculate rifle for under 100 bucks. Cartridges are still made by many firms, including Norma, Hornady, Remington, S&B, and a myriad of European ammo makers. This cartridge is well worth checking out if you or someone you know is recoil sensitive and still wants a fine cartridge.
