6.5x55 Swede Quick Load 129 gr. ABLR

[Gun nut]

Saw the QL numbers for the 6.5 CM using RL 26 & RL 16...got me curious how my Swede's (modern actions) numbers would stack up. Would appreciate someone running the numbers when time allowed. Will be using Lapua brass, CCI250 primers, 24" barrel.
Thank you VERY much.
Duane

 

[35 Whelen]

Duane,
I am sure someone that has QL will get you some numbers, I have no problem getting up to 3k with my Tikka
T3 with RL 26 and it shoots good , for some reason mine prefers H414 about a hundred fps. Slower and it will actually shoot the ABLR, into cloverleafs all day long around (2900)fps!

 

[Gun nut]

2,900 fps, cloverleafs...sweet!! Thanks for sharing 35 W. Got to try the H414.

 

[DrMike]

Cartridge          : 6.5 x 55 Swedish
Bullet             : .264, 129, Nosler AccuBond LR 58943 G7
Useable Case Capaci: 52.499 grain H2O = 3.409 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.150 inch = 80.01 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-26

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% 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

-10.0   90    46.98   2671    2043   37635  11270     97.6    1.433
-09.0   91    47.50   2704    2094   39004  11388     98.0    1.408
-08.0   92    48.02   2737    2146   40421  11498     98.4    1.384
-07.0   93    48.55   2771    2199   41895  11601     98.8    1.361
-06.0   94    49.07   2804    2252   43431  11696     99.1    1.338
-05.0   95    49.59   2837    2306   45031  11784     99.3    1.316
-04.0   96    50.11   2870    2360   46697  11863     99.5    1.294
-03.0   97    50.63   2903    2414   48434  11935     99.7    1.272  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   98    51.16   2936    2469   50246  11998     99.9    1.250  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0   99    51.68   2969    2525   52136  12053     99.9    1.230  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  100    52.20   3002    2581   54107  12099    100.0    1.209  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  101    52.72   3034    2637   56167  12136    100.0    1.189  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  102    53.24   3067    2694   58317  12172    100.0    1.169  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  103    53.77   3099    2751   60565  12206    100.0    1.149  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  104    54.29   3131    2808   62913  12239    100.0    1.130  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  105    54.81   3163    2865   65370  12271    100.0    1.111  !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    100    52.20   3152    2846   68804  11519    100.0    1.101  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    100    52.20   2774    2204   42164  12136     95.6    1.350

Cartridge          : 6.5 x 55 Swedish
Bullet             : .264, 129, Nosler AccuBond LR 58943 G7
Useable Case Capaci: 52.499 grain H2O = 3.409 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.150 inch = 80.01 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-16

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% 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

-10.0   87    40.86   2630    1982   39773   9909     99.1    1.408
-09.0   88    41.31   2658    2023   41053   9993     99.3    1.387
-08.0   89    41.77   2685    2065   42375  10073     99.5    1.367
-07.0   90    42.22   2712    2107   43731  10148     99.6    1.348
-06.0   91    42.68   2739    2149   45123  10219     99.8    1.328
-05.0   91    43.13   2766    2191   46552  10285     99.9    1.310
-04.0   92    43.58   2793    2234   48022  10346     99.9    1.291  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0   93    44.04   2819    2276   49536  10402    100.0    1.273  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   94    44.49   2846    2319   51096  10453    100.0    1.255  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0   95    44.95   2872    2362   52703  10501    100.0    1.238  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   96    45.40   2898    2405   54359  10549    100.0    1.221  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0   97    45.85   2924    2449   56065  10595    100.0    1.204  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0   98    46.31   2950    2492   57824  10641    100.0    1.187  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0   99    46.76   2975    2536   59636  10686    100.0    1.171  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  100    47.22   3001    2579   61505  10731    100.0    1.155  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  101    47.67   3026    2623   63431  10774    100.0    1.139  !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     96    45.40   3006    2589   65654  10129    100.0    1.131  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     96    45.40   2733    2140   43392  10786     97.7    1.341

 

[Gun nut]

Thanks Dr. Mike. Appreciate you taking the time to run the numbers. Initially, the numbers were somewhat disappointing. But then I noticed the difference in the "Dangerous Load" pressures vs. the 6.5 CM. The Swede continues to impress. Gotta love my Swedes!!
Duane

 

[35 Whelen]

If your shooting a modern firearm chambered in 6.5 x55 there is no good reason why you shouldn't load it to
Same pressures as that same firearm is loaded to in other " modern" calibers. So if you have a 30/06 load it to
308 pressures and instantly you have a compleatly different level of performance. Ditto for the old "Sweede"
If your not a hand loader, you would be better off to simply buy a .260 or the CreedMore. However if you do "roll your own" as others have mentioned here, use the data for the .260 and load it up to the same pressure and it's the
same thing. And since the x55 case is bigger than either it simply will hold more powder. My cousin bought a CM and informed me that he had bought a bunch of Hornady Superformance 129 gr SST ammo advertised at 3k fps. He said that was likely 3/400 fps faster than my poor old outdated Sweden.......... and wondered why I would want such an outdated cartridge, so the other day he was here shooting at my 600yd target ( poorly) and I set my chronograph up and let him shoot thru it. The Hornadys did in fact come close to their advertised
Velocitys! In his new T/C Compass with 22" barrel they averaged 2940fps !!! I asked him if he would like to see how my old clunker Tikka T3 in x55 compares to the new CM and he says I bet ya "case of beer" the CM is at least 300 fps faster. I said ok but that I liked Dos Equis Dark beer.
I had some RL26 loads that were right up against max in my gun, slight flatten of primers and kicked like a mule, that were obviously north of 60k in pressure. They didn't group nearly as well as my others and I planed
On pulling them and reducing the powder. I slid 3 into my clip and launched them for an avg of 3130 fps.
The blood drained out of his face, and he was compleatly dumbfounded and kept shaking his head, saying he couldn't understand how that was possible??? And that so n so that writes for such n such magazine had claimed the CM would outdo about ANY 6.5 on earth except a .264 WM and even that was barely better!
He then quoted Hornadys claim about how much faster Superformance is and that is actually true. But he still
Couldn't seam to wrap his mind around the simple fact when one cartridge is loaded down to 45/48k and you
Are then comparing to one loaded up to 58/60k the figures most certainly favor the later.
My rifle simply starts to open up the grouping above 3000 with 129s but down at 2900 it will almost drive nails
So that's fine with me. The CM is a great caliber and leaves em all for dead with factory ammo selections! The 260 is a wonderful 6.5 and to a non hand loader really the way to go, a 308 with a 6.5 bullet stuck in the case,
What's not to like about that. But when the smoke all clears and the mirrors are put away, the old Sweede after 125 years is still , if you hand load it, right up front ...... breaking trail. :wink:

 

[jason miller]

Tag.

 

[1Shot]

If you have a long barrel like the 29" on the old 96 Mauser even with loads just under 45000 CUP according to the loading manuals you still can get some smoking velocity. I use a MAX load of AA 4350 according to their manual which says they are under 45000 CUP and I average 3000 fps with 120 gr Nosler BT and Sierra and 2800 fps with 140 Sierra and Hornady bullets and they drive tacks out of my sported 96 Swede Mauser 6.5x55.

 

[SJB358]

I’m with E on the Swede. RL26 seems to really run well for me in my 22” 6.5x55. I ran through a few bullet weights until I settled on 140 Accubonds at 2900. It’s very accurate and I can’t see the difference between it and a 270 running the same weight Bullet just a touch faster other than a shade less recoil.

Loaded up to around 60K the Swede is an amazing little cartridge. You couldn’t hardly go wrong with the awesome Lapua brass available and topped with any number of the great Bullets available for it.

 

[Gun nut]

Thanks all for the excellent info/comments. One advantage of living in this "deep freeze" in north central Iowa is I have plenty of time to work up some hand loads. A lot of good info here to put together and try this spring.
Long live the Swede!
Duane