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Funny you would mention the 6.5X55, I think for a lot of deer hunting it's a very hard to beat combination of plenty of power and bullet weight, but a small enough cartridge with a moderate enough velocity that it does not kick much even in a rather light rifle. The moderate velocity is high enough for a 200 to 250 yard zero which will get your max "no hold over" range out near 300 yards, which is a long shot to me anyway. But it's low enough that even close up "plain vanilla" bullets will work fine and not "blow up". That said Noslers or similar add a lot of value for relatively little money, considering the expense of the whole hunt.
Almost any center-fire rifle 6mm or larger bore, particularly if you handload, can be an excellent deer rifle for at least some hunting. A M94 30-30 carbine is excellent for a lot of woods hunting and really if you hunt well, as opposed to just sniping long shots (not that there is anything wrong with "bean field" type hunting..) you can get close enough to most deer (say 150 yards) to be well within it's effective range, particularly if you spring for a receiver sight. If you want a scope on your 30-30 you are probably better off with a Marlin.
Various 30-06, 270, 280, etc. are more power than *most* deer hunting really needs, although if you handload you can cut back on the powder charge a bit if you are so inclined.
I have a Swedish Ljungmann semi-auto in Swedish 6.5x55mm. I have never seen a Krag in that caliber. (Not to say that there isn't one, but I thought they were usually in .30-40 Krag caliber!)
I also have a Ruger 77 in 7mm Rem Mag (you're right, texdav, it kicks!), a Mauser 98k in .30-06 rebarreled by the Norwegain Home Guard, an Argentine Model 1909 Mannlicher carbine made in Berlin in 7.65x53mm (I think that's right), and a Winchester Model 94 Big-Bore in .375 Winchester, which is an orphan because no one makes ammo for it any more as far as I know, unfortunately (it's fun to shoot).
I have a Swedish Ljungmann semi-auto in Swedish 6.5x55mm. I have never seen a Krag in that caliber. (Not to say that there isn't one, but I thought they were usually in .30-40 Krag caliber!)
I also have a Ruger 77 in 7mm Rem Mag (you're right, texdav, it kicks!), a Mauser 98k in .30-06 rebarreled by the Norwegain Home Guard, an Argentine Model 1909 Mannlicher carbine made in Berlin in 7.65x53mm (I think that's right), and a Winchester Model 94 Big-Bore in .375 Winchester, which is an orphan because no one makes ammo for it any more as far as I know, unfortunately (it's fun to shoot).
The US Army's first small-bore repeating rifle using a smokeless cartridge was the Krag. It was in official service from 1894 until 1903 when it was replaced with the Springfield. The US Army chambered these rifles in that .30-40 caliber.
The 1894 Krag was also the official rifle for the Norwegian army and was chambered in a 6.5x 55 configuration.
Both rifles used the long bolt and side-opening box magazine, but the Norwegian version used two locking lugs as opposed to only one locking lug for the US versions.
Thanks for the info. It sounds like the Norwegian version had a better design. I suppose it was just a couple of years before the M96 Mauser ("Swedish").
One locking lug in the US version isn't much, although the .30-40 Krag cartridge wasn't overly powerful. I love the Ljungmann rifle I have, although it's a big heavy affair to lug around. The 6.5x55mm cartridge in it has almost no recoil.
Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08. This short action, short barreled package is fine for use in cover, yet is flat shooting and potent for longer open range shots.
Wow, catman! A Llungman AG42B huh? I have one of those as well, but it's a tad bit heavy for deer hunting, don't you think? But it does garner a lot of attention down at the range, and it's a shooter, at least for a mil-surplus war gun. That 6.5 X 55 cartridge goes a long ways to making it fun! Those nice Swedish Mauser bolt-guns, esp. the sniper versions, would make a super deer gun, but they're getting as expensive as a new Rem. 700 (but with, of course, tentimes the panache...)
As a custom riflesmith, I've entertained (and taken the money from) a lot of folks who have saved for their once-in-a-lifetime rifle. I generally spend a lot of time discussing with them about the conditions they'll be hunting in. Then I talk them, for the most part, out of the magnums, though the newer short mags have a lot going for them.
Example: guy comes in the door with his $3000 Christmas bonus (hey; this was several years ago, man!)
He's decided on a custom bolt gun. He wants it with a thumbhole stock, stainless heavy bbl, and chambered in 375 Remington Ultra-Mag or .338 Lapua. He's been reading Guns & Ammo, don'tcha know...
He's mostly a deer hunter, but also "may go after caribou and wants protection from those evil marauding grizz " in Alaska. He also wants a 4.5 - 14 (or 6.5 - 20) 60mm scope (!!!!!!) with an illuminated multi-hash-marked macro-scope that will end up about 3 inches above the rifle bore. About 11 lb when complete, and "clunky!
What I talk him into is converting his dad's worn Mdl 70 or Rem. 700, new Sako extractor, trued action, a McMillan thumbhole (I like thumbholes too), Robar's NP3 teflon finish (unbelievably tough!) and a 24 - 26" stainless fluted bbl ahead of, say, a 280 Improved (now a Hornady factory load) or a 270 (closest you can get to the better but commercially unavailable 6.5-06) and a quick-detach lower power variable scope, with, if he's going after some real long range stuff (antelope, mountain goat, etc.) a drop-in 3.5 X 10. About 8 lb when done, and "handy".
Having said that, most of the modern rifle manufacturer's stuff is all hype and marketing now. Remington's rep actually told me several years ago at the SHOT show (Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Trades, usually in Vegas in January) that they now hoped & planned that a hunter would buy a new rifle about every 4 - 6 years. You know, like replacing your obsolete Chevy, rather than passing it down to your son or daughter after you couldn't hunt any more.
But that was in "the good years", when our credit cards knew no limits! Now, I get a lot more calls from folks who want to re-finish their rifle, fit a new scope (to replace that un-sexy steel-tube Weaver 3X that dad left on the gun, and oh by the way shot about 75 deer with in his hunting life... Yah GOTTA have a Boone & Crockett reticle or Mil-Dot, right?), and perhaps accurize it, which often brings it to MoA levels.
My dad passed on to my son his Model 88 Win which I"d bought dad in 1967. I wish now I'd bought 3 more of them, certainly one in 358 Win (another insufficiently sexy cartridge that drops bears like a bomb...) and perhaps two in 284. That rifle in 284.... gives me shivers thinking about it. Of course, quite possibly the worst trigger ever built, but I tuned it a bit, and we've just learned to live with the creep. My son dropped his Alaskan caribou with this "88", laying in the wet tundra swamp, at 275 yards with .308 handloads (165gr Nosler partition at a comfortable 2700 fps).
For lever gun enthusiasts (and who isn't in America?), the newest Marlin 308/338 MXLRs with their new cartridges, the 308ME and more importantly, the 338ME, represent a whole new level of utility in a handy strong-like-bull field rifle. Topped by, say, Leupold's 1.75 - 6 compact scope, with a nice German #4 reticle, there's not much better than that! I carry an older 1895S in 45-70 when I"m in Alaska, with a ghost-ring rear and one of those hi-viz fiber-optic front sights, and I'm good to go!
(BTW, those LeverRevolution rounds are wonderful! A 45-70 reaching out to 250 yards? I'm going to run a few through my C. Sharps 45-90 just for funzees at "The Quigley" this year, during practice! Oughta surprise a few guys, huh? This would make a superb large deer, caribou, moose, elk, bear and gopher combo!)
My cartridge choices for deer? Short Carts: The two new Marlins above, the 260 Rem, 6.5-284, 7-08, .308, 338-308 (what's that new factory loading of this one called?) and the very effective 358 win.
Long Carts: 270 (really REALLY hard to beat) (my own gun's in 6.5-06 Ackley but that's too esoteric), .280, 30-06, 338-06 Ackley. And of course probably the three best longer-range mid-power performers ever invented: the 6.5-06, 6.5 X 55 and 7 X 57 Mausers.
Notice: no shoulder-bruising, flinch-inducing Magnums. None required.
BTW, for dangerous game, it's v. hard to beat that 45-70 in the Marlin. Anyone else read that story in rifle mag about the writer guy who took one to Africa and dropped two Cape Buff with one shot. Cor-Bon bullets I believe; went through the bull's shoulder and then dropped the cow behind it! The White hunter was drop-jawed with excitement! In my days researching polar and grizz bears in the Arctic, I had to drop 3 charging bears. The 45-70 dropped all of them to their knees, and only in one case was a follow-up shot required.
Any good bolt gun, including the new Marlin X7, would be tops. For us lefties, there's even a new lefty Rem. short action, which gunsmiths can re-barrel with your favorite cartridge if it doesn't happen to be a 308 or 223. A short-action rem with a new 24" bbl in 7-08 or 338-08?
Wowzers! Gee; wish I had more "fun money".
"Honey? Can I talk to you for a minute? Gosh you're sure pretty tonight!"
For me its a Marlin 30/30. I have others, a whole bunch of them. I'v used many at one time or the other, but if asked to go hunting tomorrow I'd just grab my 30/30 and not look back nor think twice.
Some things just feel right. Course that might change if I wasn't in the north east. In more open county I'd grab my 7MM08 BLR or maybe even my 243 Howa 1500 the only bolt action centerfire I'v ever owned.
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Some random thoughts.....
Superb responses/choices everyone!!!
