Tom,<br><br>The 6.5 Swede looks like a good cartridge. I've read that it has prodigious stopping power, perhaps due to its heavy bullets. I guess the long bullets are the reason for the very fast rate of twist. How do its external ballistics compare with the .260 Rem? Superficially they seem similar, except as to the former's ability to utilize long heavy bullets. Still, I bet the 21.5" bbl & 8.75# wt made it a lot more fun to shoot than the .260 M7.<br><br>I noticed that Ruger still chambers the Swede in the M77 Mk II.<br>How readily available have you found the cartridges & component to be? Also I'm gathering that neither recoil nor muzzle blast were a problem with your M96 scout rifles for your boys. Am I right?<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>John