Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
6.5x55 Swedish
An established 6.5mm rifle cartridge with a long case and a distinctive historical military family. Sporting and target ammunition remain available from multiple makers.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.755–2.955 in
69.977–75.057 mm - Case length · max
- 2.165 in
54.991 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.2642 in
6.711 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.4803 in
12.200 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.2642 in / 6.711 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 5 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 130–156 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
6.5x55 Swedish is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 6.5 × 55 Swedish. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
Older military actions and modern sporting rifles may have different ammunition restrictions. Follow their manuals and the ammunition maker's guidance.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The 6.5×55 belongs to the late-nineteenth-century generation of small-bore military rifle cartridges. Its Swedish and Norwegian service history preceded the modern sporting enthusiasm for 6.5 mm bullets by many decades. Scandinavian hunters and match shooters continued using the cartridge after its original military role had changed.
Its international civilian history was shaped partly by surplus rifles. Inexpensive military arms introduced many American shooters to the cartridge’s combination of accuracy and manageable recoil, while later factory sporting rifles gave it a separate modern market. Remington, Winchester, Ruger, CZ and Tikka are among the makers Sierra identifies as having offered sporting rifles in the chambering. This long overlap of military rifles, Scandinavian competition and modern hunting arms is the essential background to the name. It also explains why the cartridge’s historical specifications and a particular modern rifle’s ammunition recommendations deserve to be identified separately.
Historical sources: Sierra: 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited 6.5x55 Swedish examples, bullet weights are 130, 140, 156 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
130 grains
2,550 fps
BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK
140 grains
2,650 fps
SP
156 grains
2,500 fps
FUSION
Compare all 5 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FederalP6555WTSX | 130 gr 8.42 g | BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | 2,550 fps 777 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Federal6555B | 140 gr 9.07 g | SP | 2,650 fps 808 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalF6555FS1 | 140 gr 9.07 g | FUSION | 2,530 fps 771 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady85507 | 140 gr 9.07 g | SST® | 2,735 fps 834 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| FederalF6555FS2 | 156 gr 10.11 g | FUSION | 2,500 fps 762 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
6.5x55 Swedish: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 130 gr Federal BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | Federal | 0: 2550; 100: 2316; 200: 2094; 300: 1884; 400: 1691; 500: 1512 |
| 140 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 2650; 100: 2450; 200: 2258; 300: 2075; 400: 1900; 500: 1736 |
| 156 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2500; 100: 2326; 200: 2159; 300: 1999; 400: 1845; 500: 1702 |
| 140 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2530; 100: 2336; 200: 2150; 300: 1973; 400: 1804; 500: 1648 |
| 140 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2735; 100: 2563; 200: 2397; 300: 2237; 400: 2084; 500: 1937 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is 6.5x55 Swedish?
An established 6.5mm rifle cartridge with a long case and a distinctive historical military family. Sporting and target ammunition remain available from multiple makers.
What diameter does 6.5x55 Swedish use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2642 inches (6.711 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
Older military actions and modern sporting rifles may have different ammunition restrictions. Follow their manuals and the ammunition maker's guidance.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 54 ↗
- Sierra: 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge background ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.