Famed conservationist Charles Sheldon is essentially solely responsible for the establishment of Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve. He was also a major hunter. And it’s at least due in part to that hunting prowess, along with his famed custom 6.5x53R rifle, that the Denali National Park and Preserve stands where and how it does today.
While there may be a shine on some of the modern releases in the 6.5mm bore diameter, the 6.5x55 Swedish still makes a sound choice for the practical hunter due to its combination of terminal ballistics, flat trajectory and minimal recoil.
Old is not dead, and though the 8x57 has had to endure vast improvements in cartridge design, powder development and bullet performance, it remains a perfectly viable hunting cartridge.