6.5x55 loads

[Paul Barnard]

Paul,

Do you have any load data that you have tried and the results?

Thanks
Mike

Nope, sorry Mike. I am coming off shoulder replacement surgery so I probably won't get a chance to shoot it for another month or so. I'll happily share my results with you...if I can remember. Since I put 50 years old in my rearview mirror, I always speak with that asterisk.

 

[hainleym]

I am loading the ABLR's at 3.100 COAL. I bought the 6.5 because I was looking for something with lighter recoil but still capable of taking Rocky Mountain Elk. I have a lot of shoulder pain but not to the level of needing surgery on my shoulder. Paul, good luck on your shoulder surgery recovery.

Mike

 

[Paul Barnard]

I haven't loaded the ABLR in my 6.5x55 yet. I did load some in my Creedmoor. Because of the length of the boat tail, I had to seat them deeper than I wanted to to get enough bearing surface on the neck.

I am really glad you are getting good results with your Howa. I read that some time ago the throats were too long on the Swedish and accuracy suffered. I knew that Howa had changed it but hadn't read any reports coming from people using the updated version. The tip about relieving the barrel channel is appreciated too. I got mine at Sportsman's warehouse as well. I didn't need one at all, but with a $295 price tag staring me in the face I had to.

 

[Gun nut]

Congrats on the new HOWA. I bought the same rifle last summer and am very happy with the rifle and the Swede. Will pm some loads my rifle liked.

 

[Bbear]

I've had very good luck with 45.5gr IMR4350 and the 142 LRAB. Velocity in my Mod. 70 w/ a Pac-nor barrel is right at 2800 fps. And groups like this:

 

[hainleym]

Bbear,

What is the COAL of your load? What primer are you using? How long is your Pac-nor barrel?

Thanks
Mike

 

[Paul Barnard]

I finally got the Howa 6.5x55 out to the range. I was sighting in a few rifles and didn't work any of them too hard. 7 shots to get the scope adjusted then a 3/4 inch 3 shot group. I am very happy with that being the first load I tried in a new rifle.

44 grains of RL 17
COAL 3.029
Nosler Brass
Horn 129 SST
Win Primer.

Did not chrono the load.

 

[Cleveland48]

All the talk about the old Swede is making me want to punch myself in the face for getting rid of my model 70 in this caliber. I was in love with the old hornady 140 grain SP with mid load in the nosler book. I believe it was 45 grains of H4831, but it's been a few years and I may be wrong. Loaded them to fit the magazine since rifle had a long throat, but I didn't have some of the tools then that I have now. Never ran it over a chronograph, but guessing it was around 2600 fps. Killed a lot of deer with that load. Had great luck with the 140 SST superformance factory load. Which is the only factory load that rifle would shoot really well. Killed a few with 130 AB, but don't remember my load for that one. I miss that cartridge. Guess I'm gonna have to look at a Howa or tikka myself. Howa is really growing on me though. My Howa heavy barrel 6.5 Creedmoor is impressing me, so a 22" barrel Howa in the Swede may be in my future hopefully! Such a great historic round. Even though I've been on the Creedmoor bandwagon the old Swede may still be my favorite Whitetail cartridge. It's a toss up between it and the old 270 Win anyways.


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[Bbear]

Sorry Hainleym, just saw your questions.

Length to Ogive = 2.495 right at .1 off the lands in my barrel.
Bbl length = 22"
Primer = WLR

 

[hogginlong]

I've had good accuracy and velocity with H4831sc and the new IMR4955 in mine with 140-142 gr bullets. Pushing them over 2950 out of my rebarreled Savage 110.

 

[1Shot]

I have been loading for the Mauser 96s in 6.5x55 for a long time. With the accuracy load out of the one of the older Sierra manuals which is a very mild load with IMR 4895 and 140 Sierra Match Kings these old war horses will really shoot. I have one that I saved from some Bubba that had all ready started hacking on it. I sported it with scope, trigger, bolt that works with scope, composite stock, and left the 29" barrel on it. With 46 grs Accurate 4350 and a Rem case and a Fed 210M primer and either a 120 Sierra SP or Nosler ballistic tip it does 3000 fps and shoots well under MOA and kills deer like lightening strikes them. This is supposed to be according to Accurate under 46000 CUP. That long barrel allows high velocity. I have also used 140 Sierra Sp and Hornady Interlocks with 45 grs Accurate 4350 with same case and primer and it does 2850 fps is very accurate and also kills deer great.

 

[Cleveland48]

1Shot those are great speeds! Good thing about a long barrel, not have to hot rod a cartridge to get good speeds. The 140 interlock was always my favorite bullet in the Swede and 260, sadly I have not even tried them in my 6.5 Creedmoor. I like the new polymer tip bullets, but when it comes deer season I'm almost always loading an cup n core soft point. It seems the hornady interlock has always been one of the most accurate bullets in almost everything I've tried them in.


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[1Shot]

Yep I like looooooog barrels. I have a 264 Win mag with a 27 3/4" barrel, all that could be gotten out of a 28" blank. It does 3350 fps with 130 Accubonds with Retumbo. Shooting a deer across a bean field you almost hear the bullet smack the deer before you hear the gun go off. LOL
I also have always had good accuracy out of most any Hornady bullet. The old interlocks also kill game well.

 

[Paul Barnard]

All the talk about the old Swede is making me want to punch myself in the face for getting rid of my model 70 in this caliber. I was in love with the old hornady 140 grain SP with mid load in the nosler book. I believe it was 45 grains of H4831, but it's been a few years and I may be wrong. Loaded them to fit the magazine since rifle had a long throat, but I didn't have some of the tools then that I have now. Never ran it over a chronograph, but guessing it was around 2600 fps. Killed a lot of deer with that load. Had great luck with the 140 SST superformance factory load. Which is the only factory load that rifle would shoot really well. Killed a few with 130 AB, but don't remember my load for that one. I miss that cartridge. Guess I'm gonna have to look at a Howa or tikka myself. Howa is really growing on me though. My Howa heavy barrel 6.5 Creedmoor is impressing me, so a 22" barrel Howa in the Swede may be in my future hopefully! Such a great historic round. Even though I've been on the Creedmoor bandwagon the old Swede may still be my favorite Whitetail cartridge. It's a toss up between it and the old 270 Win anyways.


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My Sportsman's Warehouse still has a Hogue Howa for $295. It's hard to go wrong with that.

 

[Cleveland48]

Wow it would be impossible to walk away from that! Unfortunately I don't think there is a Sportsman's warehouse anywhere around me. The Howa in 6.5 Creedmoor I own now I had to get a dealer to order for me. They actually carried some Howa rifles but only the packaged ones. But the did order it for me. Howa makes an amazing rifle for a great price. I had no clue some sold for $295 though.


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[hainleym]

Good day at the range with the HOWA 6.5x55. The second group using the ABLR is with a hot barrel. I get the same group with the ABLR as I do the SST with this load.

 

[DrMike]

Any of those will work to take down game within a reasonable distance. Fine shooting!

 

[Paul Barnard]

Nice work with that Howa!

 

[SJB358]

I really need to get my little Swede out some more!

 

[Cleveland48]

I really need to get me another Swede! House kinda feels empty without one lol.


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