6.5x55 Load Suggestions Please

[YoteSmoker]

Well, I recently returned home from the holidays with a new project. It's a sporterized 6.5 swede/chilean M95 action and I believe a M94 or 96 barrel, as most 95s were chambered in 7x57. It is a beatiful, light, and short rifle. My dad has tasked me with working up a load for it. Pop's retired AF buddy who now lives in Texas mailed me his set of dies and a #2 shell holder to get started.

I would like to end up with one load that my dad can use for deer-elk...preferably 130 AccuBond or 140 Partition bullets.

I do not know much about this caliber other than my uncle said it puts pennsylvania deer down right now and he said he would not hesitate to use it on an elk. He used factory remington 140 core-lokts and told me he had to throw away both front shoulders on one and the neck of the next one. My opinion is there isn't much meat loss through the ribs but thats another subject.

I would like to hear your favorite recipes and any suggestions on how far to start off the rifling. Thanks!

 

[Ol` Joe]

I don`t know much about the M95 action but would hold pressure to the std for old Krag/Swede M94 levels. Nosler, Hornady and other bullet manuactures all list data in this range or tell one how much to reduce charges to stay in them.
The Swede doesn`t drive bullets fast enough IMO to warrent "premium bullets", the everyday 140s from Hornady, Sierra, ect will do just fine for deer. The 120 gr Mosler BT is a great whitetail bullet in the Swede and the 125 Partition is also a most excellent choice. For Elk or other large game I`d go to a 140 gr Partition.
In my Mark X 6.5x55 I found R22 to give me the best combination of velocity and accuracy. IMR 4831 also did quite well. Stay with the slower powders, 4350, R19 and up and I think you`ll be happy.

Congrat`s I think you`ll love the cartridge!! :grin:

 

[yeayow]

what length barrel do you have and what Overall length are you going to load to? Also do you want loads less than 45000 psi here is one for a 140 grain part. The reason i ask is for figuring out optimum barrel time. To see if it will give you a good starting place. I came up with 36.1 grains of varget for a 26" 22-250 and in another post 2 guys say they are getting .5" groups with 36 grains of varget with 26" barrels

Cartridge : 6.5 x 55 Swedish
Bullet : .264, 140, NOS PART SP 16321
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.150 inch or 80.01 mm
Barrel Length : 24.0 inch or 609.6 mm
Powder : Hodgdon H4831 SC

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 73 36.80 2021 1270 22800 7610 79.8 1.819
-18.0 75 37.72 2072 1335 24193 7916 81.3 1.775
-16.0 77 38.64 2124 1402 25673 8220 82.9 1.732
-14.0 79 39.56 2176 1472 27238 8523 84.3 1.690
-12.0 81 40.48 2229 1545 28919 8822 85.7 1.648
-10.0 82 41.40 2282 1620 30699 9117 87.1 1.608
-08.0 84 42.32 2336 1697 32592 9406 88.4 1.568
-06.0 86 43.24 2390 1776 34609 9689 89.7 1.529
-04.0 88 44.16 2445 1858 36760 9964 90.9 1.491
-02.0 90 45.08 2500 1943 39051 10231 92.1 1.448
+00.0 92 46.00 2555 2029 41498 10488 93.2 1.407
+02.0 93 46.92 2610 2118 44111 10733 94.2 1.367
+04.0 95 47.84 2666 2209 46904 10967 95.1 1.328 ! Near Maximum !
+06.0 97 48.76 2722 2303 49894 11188 96.0 1.290 ! Near Maximum !
+08.0 99 49.68 2778 2399 53096 11394 96.8 1.253 ! Near Maximum !
+10.0 101 50.60 2834 2496 56532 11585 97.5 1.218 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 92 46.00 2713 2288 49677 10786 98.6 1.297 ! Near Maximum !
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 92 46.00 2361 1733 34233 9628 83.8 1.535

 

[Diriel]

+1 to what Ol Joe said. RL22 does great, add in winchester LR primers and its a great match. After RL22 id probably go with one of the 4831's or 4350's. Either H series or IMR series. In my opinion the Hodgdon series is a bit better as a multi temp / weather powder over IMR. The RL22 may not be quiite as multi temp ect as the H but overall is so predictable and accurate that it is well worth any potential trade off in this area. I have shot a lot of RL22 with winchester LR primers
As for bullets if you can shoot good old lead type then Partition 140's are a great *ALL* around bullet, or the Sierra 140 Game King's are damn good game takers in the 6.5x55 swede.

Side note to Nosler: *HINT, HINT get us some E-Tipes Please!!*

Good shooting

 

[FOTIS]

I had great luck with IMR 4831/RL22 and the 140 grainers.

 

[nomosendero]

130 gr. Accubonds, Win large rp, H4350.

 

[Cornfield SWO]

I posted a similar question earlier regarding 6.5x55 loads for deer/elk. The thread is here: http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5093&highlight=

The 130 AB is now my 6.5x55 bullet of choice.

 

[YoteSmoker]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will start off trying the 130 AccuBond with RL-22 and if they group that should be the end of it. If not I will try some with 4350 and move to a 140 grain bullet. I sure like the AccuBond design. Will let you know how it does...still getting some components together (brass and bullets).

 

[YoteSmoker]

Change in plans...As much as I would have liked to use the 130 a bond, they are not available through Midway or anywhere else I have looked. I called Nosler and found out there are none currently in production and they're not sure when they will be making more.

So, I am going to try start playing with a 129 hornady sp for deer and antelope and 140 Partition for elk. I will test 4350 and rl22 with each using WLR primers. I was going to try the 125 Partition but sportsman's is sold out right now.

 

[JD338]

YoteSmoker

I think the 125 gr PT is a great all around choice for the Sweed. Try calling Shooters Pro Shop for availability.

JD338

 

[YoteSmoker]

YeaYow- The barrel length is 21.5".

As much as I would like to start load testing, it has been very cold here in Colorado this week, I decided to strip the old gun down and prep all the metal to be blued. So, that's what I've been doing the last 3 days. I finished up wet sanding everything down with 400 grit. The gunsmith will be hot bluing a batch in about two weeks. I also sanded the stock all the way down to 800 grit and am starting to re-finish it with Tru Oil and will steel wool between coats througout the week. It has already been glass bedded with a very tight fit.

Since this is a model 95 Chileno made in Berlin, I was surprised to see matching serial numbers on the barrel and receiver with 6/5X55 stamped on the barrel just below the serial number. From what I've researched, not many 95s were chambered in 6.5.

 

[Dog Buster]

I too am looking for the perfect load for the Swede...working with RE22...RE19..H4350 & H4831...bullets have been the ole' 140-120 Rem Core Loc...129 SST.....120 NBT...140 Sierra GK...Lapua brass & Rem brass......asst' primers...I've only had the rifle two weeks...weather sure hasn't been great either....rifle is Tikka T3 SS w/Leo 6-18 Target for load development...game scope will be 4200 Bushnell 3-9...have since changed bases to Leo turn ins and Burris Sig rings..

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[YoteSmoker]

Nice setup DogBuster.

I picked up a box of 125 partitions and some more brass over the weekend. Will have to load some up to try. The weather was much nicer this week, so I went yote hunting and blasted some prairie dogs with the 204 and 223.

 

[YoteSmoker]

With temperatures in the mid 70s yesterday, I finally made it to the range to test the old Swed out. Good thing to, because today it was snowing and blowing in the 20s. Crazy weather! Anyways here were the results:

125 Partition, 43.5 H4350, 3.035", grouped 3 just under an inch

129 Interlock, 44.5 RL-22, 3.035", grouped 3 around 3/4 inch with two shots in same hole

140 Partition, 42.0 IMR4350, 3.025", grouped 3 just over an inch

All test loads used Win brass and WLR primers.

*Will experiment with seating depths next trip, but for all practicle purposes in this old rifle is probably not necessary.

I'm thinking of loading the cheaper hornadys for general target shooting and the 125 partitions for all hunting applications in this rifle.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Dogbuster. It's a Tikka, it don't matter what you put in it......it's going to shoot well.... 8)

 

[FOTIS]

With temperatures in the mid 70s yesterday, I finally made it to the range to test the old Swed out. Good thing to, because today it was snowing and blowing in the 20s. Crazy weather! Anyways here were the results:

125 Partition, 43.5 H4350, 3.035", grouped 3 just under an inch

129 Interlock, 44.5 RL-22, 3.035", grouped 3 around 3/4 inch with two shots in same hole

140 Partition, 42.0 IMR4350, 3.025", grouped 3 just over an inch

All test loads used Win brass and WLR primers.

*Will experiment with seating depths next trip, but for all practicle purposes in this old rifle is probably not necessary.

I'm thinking of loading the cheaper hornadys for general target shooting and the 125 partitions for all hunting applications in this rifle.

Great shooting!

 

[YoteSmoker]

Thanks Pop! I was very impressed with the low amount of recoil with this gun and it is even handier and lighter than my 243 a-bolt. I think my dad will be very happy with it and will serve him well as he gets older. Will try to post some pictures some time in the near future.

 

[YoteSmoker]

Here's a link to pics of the gun http://www.mausercentral.com/forum/view ... hp?t=21794