My main hunting rifle is a Remington 700 in 270 from 1977. It shoots wonderfully. I do much of the same type of hunting as you described. Sitting on a stand on a power line waiting for deer to cross at a distance I can quickly guesstimate is within my ability. It’s not my favorite type of hunting, but it is probably the most effective way for my area.
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU GOT A SWEDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AM VERY EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And a 70 Featherweight NIB no less! been loving my Swedes since 86? Really looking forward to your new rifle journey!
Obviously this doesn't apply to you, but for a new hunter, I would strongly encourage them to start on small game to gain woodsmanship and marksmanship skills. This used to be the norm, but sadly, it seems many, if not most, new hunters are beginning and ending their hunting experience sitting in a shooting house waiting for deer to come to bait.
Man you’re the only one that really gets it on RU-vid I believe. I find myself re-watching your videos over and over sometimes. Because obviously you came up underneath the same type of people I did and Have been around since birth. And all the hype that’s in this industry for guns and everything is meant to sell guns and I’m glad that there’s someone out there like you that says it how it is and how it really needs to be even if you were out west. If I really wanna learn something I turn to your Chanel.
I own a twin to your rifle. Bought new in the early 90s. Glass is a 6 power Burris. Shoots sub-minute groups with several factory loads. And a little better with several of my hand loads. Have taken several Pronghorns including one that was in the top 100 B C when killed in 1992. Good luck with your 6.5x55. Hope it shoots as well as mine😊.
When I got my wife into hunting. One of the reasons I got her the 6mm Remington. 2in high at 100yd is about 6in low at 300. With that rifle she can hold on from the end of the barrel to 300yd with no adjustment. Until she got a bit of experience. She hunted fields that would give her tge max range of 250yd. She kept her shots within 150yd. And its work for over 20 years
Nice rifle hope you have good luck with it. I have a 6.5 x 55 only it is full military configuration and I have only used it a few times shooting coyotes at long distance. It is a very accurate rifle. Where I live ammo is hard to get for that caliber and very expensive ever since the pandemic . Good to see you back .
@jeromydyer569 A Winchester , 30-06 , and a 2x7 scope is about a perfect hunting setup as one can have. Deer , hogs , elk , Moose, bear , and African plains game.
Great choice Tom, you absolutely can't go wrong with the classic Model 70, beautiful walnut stock, gorgeous blueing, and just the solid feel that only the Model 70 gives you. All you seem to see in the woods now is synthetic and plastic garbage..its sad. I switched from 30/06 to 6.5 Creedmoore about 5 years ago just for hunting whitails inside of 300 yards and it has worked out great. Taken a few big KY whitetails, 3 with Deer Season XP 125 and 2 with Berger 130 OTM....both performed exceptionally well. Looking forward to the range videos 👍
Well Said All the Way Around. Sure Wish they still chambered that one,the 80s were cool times for older rounds.Recall the made em in 250 Savage along with the Roberts n 7x57. I hope you can get a min to load some. As beting our factory stuff for are underloaded., Best of Luck with it n this going to be interesting. Looking fwd 2 God Bless Ya. BTW Accdemy bought Redfield Redfield from Leopold for there store optic. Have heard they aint bad but not usa made..
Leupold did buy Redfield but they have since sold it because they already had their freedom line and didn’t do that well with Redfield even though their not a bad scope my son lives just down the road from Leupold and rifle crazy just like his dad and I have 3 other boys that’s hunt too and have been buying Leupold over 60+ years and still my favorite brand for the price🙌
No ideal why Leupold Stopped then sold off the Redfields ..Reports from several lgs n change store The Revolution line was superior to the Rifleman line n Out Sold it. They had a Deal with Ruger for a package deal with the American Rifle.. Redfields Dried up long before the Freedom line came out. N long before they sold it. Honestly believe they could not stand it Redfield outsold there name. I know n have known Leupold quality have some ..But Denver Redfields n Revolution ,Still like em better.. n have a Vx2 n few Freedoms.( Atk/Meade Widefields are darn good as well If Accdemy ever brings the Widefield back again I n many would seriously give em a check out..
Great messages and lessons shared, Tom. Thank you for doing your part to put hunting into - or back into - perspective for generations of hunters. Good luck with your house construction and your fall deer hunt!
Glad to see you back! I was starting to wonder if something happened to ya. I had a cz in 6.5x55 and never chambered a round in it and either sold it or traded it off. Great video as usual sir and look forward to the next one if/when you get the time.
Thanks Tom, I really like that rifle. It will make for a great deer rifle for sure. I've been doing a little with a new rifle for this year. Nothing classic or high dollar just an upgrade from what I've been using for the past 10 years or so. Thanks for the update.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Well I've been using a Ruger American predator in 308 for about the last 10 years for hunting. Just a simple plastic stock rifle, but it shoots well and I can put my suppressor on it. I purchased a Ruger American Gen II in 308. All the upgrades they've made are things I'd wished for. So I am testing factory ammo right now to see what works best and is readily available off the shelf. I'll eventually do some custom loads for it, but for now Just good old box ammo is what I'll use. I'm keeping the original Ruger American as my back up that will be in the truck.
It was a pleasant surprise with the 6.5x55 looking forward to what you decide on for load and you will have to squeeze in a few more hunts this fall great info thanks
TOM! So glad to see you back. I was wondering if you were going to post a new vid at the beginning of this season. What a nice surprise that it also includes a rifle in 6.5X55 SW. I have a CZ 550 in that caliber and it's one of my favorites. When you get around to loading for it, remember that almost all of the data is for the old surplus rifles. Much lower pressures due to comparatively weaker metallurgy. New, modern rifles (Your 90's era Winchester included) have been made with the benefits of modern metallurgy and are capable of handling higher pressures. When you research loads, try looking for data on 6.5X55 Scan.
I found a CZ model 550 Mannlicher in 6.5x55 at my local pawn shop and it is a fantastically good lookin rifle. I just don’t have $1100 to grab a rifle in an obscure caliber.
I hear you , I'll probably only get a couple of days in myself with all the other things I have going on. Building a house from scratch ( finished building the sawmill to mill the lumber for t house build. I set up a 1950 made mauser 98 in 30-06 to use this year . Worked up a load for it on the quick and that will have to do for now
Tom! Please do this cartridge justice! 6.5x55 smokes 6.5CM. I am pushing 140s at 2925 in a 26” barrel so deduct 100fps for your gun there. H1000 powder! Beautiful gun as well.
Tom, thought I saw a video about trying to make it through 2024 without a new rifle 🧐😂. I jest, but funny enough during this past spring I also got a 6.5x55 Swede. I am excited to see a video on it and hopefully you can go over load development / bullet selection as I’m new to the world of 6.5’s.
It seems as though as opportunities for hunting have dropped over time, our obsession with the "right" gear has risen. I remember reading something by Jack O'Connor about all the hunting he did as a teen with an iron-sighted Mauser he picked out of a barrel of surplus rifles for some nominal price. Also, I am a 6.5x55 fan and it really does get confused with the 6.5 Creedmoor surprisingly often when I mention it. I have heard people call it new or faddish even though you can't get much more old school than the Swede.
Beware of Tom. This man and his channel have cost me a significant amount of money! As recently as this past weekend! It all seemed innocent enough. This nice southern man speaking highly of his beautiful model 70 featherweights. How could one not be compelled to go out and get one for himself!?! That’s just what I did; In a caliber I’ve wanted since childhood, a 7mm-08. Of course, that rifle had to have a scope, the scope needed bases and rings. The gun begged to be shot, so I had to buy 4-5 boxes of ammo so I could see what it liked best. And just like that, the bank account got lighter. I thought I’d learned my lesson about this guy, but one of his old videos “randomly” shows up in my feed this past weekend. It was video number 4 in the series about bedding the action on the Remington 700 BDL in .30-06. Pure coincidence I’m sure, but that just so happens to be the exact rifle I bought myself after saving my little league umpiring money all summer when I was 16. I’ve always thought about having this rifle bedded, but have never got around to taking it to a gunsmith to have done. Before I knew it, I was on the phone first thing this morning and I’m taking not one, but two Remington 700’s to the gunsmith tomorrow to have him bed the action and free float the barrel. Kiss another $200 goodbye! Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I’m weak. Oh shoot, gotta cut this short. That 7 x 57 Featherweight I’ve been watching on GB is about to end… Of course I’m kidding(even though it’s all true!) Glad to see you make another video, I’ve been missing them! Glad to hear the house is coming along. And above all, glad to see another beautiful model 70 has entered the collection. I’m absolutely in love with mine, just got to shoot it for the first time a couple weeks ago and can’t wait to get it in the woods! All the best Tom!
Must be a Swede (went back, I missed that line at 5:01, but CM wasn't around when this fine rifle was made). I have one of the LH Zastava FN24 Commercial M98s in 6.5SE. Will probably set up some 125 gr Partition loads for her.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I bought a case of the Norma a year ago. I'm tempted to Mexi-match it with the 125s. I should re-evaluate it, but it wasn't super accurate when I ran a test. The 140 gr Accubond factory stuff was, but we're not talking a statistical sample in either case, and my rifle stock probably could use some bedding and/or free-float work.
I surely dont think theres a shortage of new hunters or interest. Im in Idaho and its more crowded than ever and seasons are more abbreviated than ever before. Here theres too much interest and demand and not enough resource. Even bear hunting especially spring bear is a big deal anymore drawing lots of peoplle and youtube is full of Idaho backcountry bear hunts. All for nasty ol bears.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving i agree! It sounds like the new president there is extremely passionate about the brand and wants to honor their legacy. Fingers crossed he can deliver! I wouldn't mind getting some new TC hawkens for my son's to use for our muzzleloader seasons!
You can stop worrying about the future of hunting in America? It will follow what has come to be the present state of affairs in Europe. Only the wealthy and land owners will be able to hunt. The middle class will be able to participate in shooting sports like three gun, sporting clays, and old west competitions.
