What is 6.5x55 used for?
6.5x55, also designated 6.5x55 SE, has a long Scandinavian target-shooting and hunting tradition. The exact load determines its use. A target load and an expanding hunting load are not interchangeable for hunting purposes.
Calibre guide
6.5x55 SE rifles, ammunition and equipment
6.5x55 SE is a classic Scandinavian hunting calibre. Read about ammunition requirements, rifle variants and mounting, and find participating retailers.
Find products →Rules and hunting use
Jaktklar →A traditional choice for range and hunting use. The exact load must be checked against the rules for the species.
No active participating-retailer listings are currently available for this calibre. The guide and sources below remain available.
About 6.5x55 SE
Which 6.5x55 load meets the moose ammunition requirements?
The Norwegian directorate specifies an expanding bullet, minimum 6.5 mm calibre, at least 9 g for jacketed lead-core or 7.8 g for lead-free bullets, and E100 of at least 2200 J. Norma Oryx 156 gr / 10.1 g (20165622) lists E100 of 2321 J from a 610 mm test barrel, satisfying those published ammunition criteria. This comparison does not document performance in your own rifle or grant hunting permission.
Is M15x1 standard on a Tikka T3x in 6.5x55?
No. The barrel variant determines the thread. The Tikka manual lists M14x1, M15x1 and M18x1 among different T3x configurations. Confirm the actual barrel instead of relying on a generic model page or an older variant listing. T3x Lite is a manufacturer-documented model example.
Tikka T3x 6.5x55 – model overview →
Sources and review
Editorial content reviewed 2026-10-04. Rules: directorate guidance with reference to Lovdata sections 15–16. Check the current wording before hunting.