NitroX,

I surely cannot tell you what a "traditional" 6.5X55 should look like, but I can say that the "Swede" is on my list of pet cartridges to own. I have an affinity for old, but very effective cartridges.

Included on my list is -

22 Hornet - I had one in a Casacade Arms - Serial #003 Oh, why did I let it go?!?!?
.250/3000 Savage - very, very sweet
7X57 Mauser - maybe the perfect medium-bore rifle cartridge
.35 Whelen - perfect for that shot-out .270 or .30-06

As for classic and romantic, I have a friend in England who has a 7X57 Mauser built on a FN with a full length Mannlicher stock, "butter knife" bolt handle, quarter rib with express sights and EAW QR mounts, and a double set trigger. It will make a grown man drool, absolutely beautiful, superbly balanced and shoots like a house afire. I offered him love or money, but I could not get him to let go of it. Can't say I blame him, but.... I still want one.

If I was doing a 6.5X55, here is how I would do it -

Classic stock with cheek piece(without shadow line)with Schanbel forearm with nice clean, simple checkering.

Metal work would include reworking the action, including lapping the lugs and truing the bolt face. Shortening the lock-time, replacing the safety, and adding a Timney? trigger. Reworking or replacing the bolt handle and adding one of the Oberndorf-type triggerguard/floorplate assemblies available. Simple express type iron sights, and barrel band for front sling swivel, and steel buttplate. EAW or similar QR mounts with a Burris Signature Series 1.5-6X. I would trim the barrel to 22" and have the whole thing buffed and browned.

So you would end up with a superbly balanced rifle that would weigh around 8 1/2lb with a full magazine. Very sweet.

Lynn Miller