I'm thinking about purchasing a used ruger mark vii?? in 6.5 x 55 swede with a redfield lo-pro scope. I think the scope is a 4x. The dealer is asking $450 for the combo. The gun looks clean, but my question is this enough gun for hunting deer and hogs. I want the gun for my 11 year old son so I was looking for a gun he could handle. The dealer said the gun won't sell because of the caliber, but I haven't had a problem finding reasonably price ammo on the internet. Any feedback?

It will be a great gun for deer and hogs for a young boy. if the dealer dont think the gun will sell you might get a better deal on it.

Well if I don't buy the 6.5, I'll set my sights on buying another Winchester lever action or a 25/243 WSSM. I was shocked to see that there is about a $200 price difference between the Winchester featherweight(wood) and the Super Shadow(synthetic)on the WallyWorld website.

Welcome to The Forum.

The 6.5x55 is more than enough gun for deer and hogs. In the Scandanavian countries in Europe it is quite popular and is used regularly to kill Elk, the same animal we call Moose. Also it was used in Africa by William Maitland Bell during the days when the Ivory trade was going strong, to take elephants.

The 6.5 is a great caliber, actually better than a 243 or 257 Roberts, because you can get heavier bullets than either of those.

UUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

That hurt. I'll have to take my Rem Classic .257 Roberts out of the safe tonight and baby her for awhile. I think I can hear her crying now.

Me thinks the .257's bullet range from 75 grains to 120 grains is adequate for just about anything. I'm up to three .25-caliber rifles at the moment and wouldn't turn down a good deal for another!!!

But there's definitely no flies on the 6.5 Swede! CHC - is that round a reloading proposition similar to the Roberts, or are there plenty of commercially-loaded rounds out there?????

Since I handload/reload everything I shoot, I am not real sure what factory rounds are avaiable. Lora uses a 257 Roberts and I like it well enough. Don't like the 243 at all. As for handloading/reloading, you can go up to 140 grain bullets in the 6.5 and I believe loads are listed for a 160 grain bullet. From what I have read about the 6.5/264 caliber, they are not far off of the 7mm./284 rounds, ballistically. JMO.

Just one thing I would check, atomicpunk - if you're not a reloader - are what kind of factory loads are available for the 6.5x55.

Just a thought.

As several others have said, the 6.5X55 Swede is a terrific round for deer and hogs. The 160 grain bullet has great sectional density and gives tremendous penetration. A very good load for hogs. The lighter bullets offer flatter trajectory and are more than adequate for Texas deer. It's a great old round, and even better if you handload.

While the $450 price for a used Ruger MkII with no more scope than the Redfield 4x seems a tad high to me...the caliber is superb especially for anything anybody will find to shoot at in Texas. Yes the factory ammo is a little soft performance wise because of so many of the older guns around but there is ammo available...and for your young shooter perfectly adequate and a gun that should/could last for a lifetime. What a great choice for a first gun ...and light years better a choice than the 243/25WSSM's IMO
Ron