6.5x55 at 1000 yds

[SF-Guy]

I know there has been quite a bit posted on this caliber in the past and i have read through quite a bit of it over the years. I'm retired military and have a couple of cracked cervical vertebrae so i have to watch recoil, but also am a life long NRA competitor and enjoy anything from 200 - 1,000 yds. I think my magnum days are well behind me. I also think the days of the 300 WM et al, are past us all too.. today there are just some really good other calibers that will do the trick and some small guys that are performing well too ie 6BR/PPC family, 6.5x47, 6.5 CM and the 7mm's from Ackley to Shehane.

i have a RPA Quadlock in a McMillan prone stock with a 30 Inch Bartlein 1:8" and chambered for the 6.5x55. I have a good supply of Norma brass and since i am shooting 4 other 6.5 Creedmoors, i thought why not get this one shooting too.

So i thought i would breathe some life into the 6.5x55 again and see what interest and information was out there. To begin, i will share that i am loading for the 123 Lapua, the 139 Scenar, and the 140/142 SMK's and my rifle seems to like them all. i have sure noticed that what i get for a group at 200 on my home range is a lot larger than what i get on the 600 and 1000 yd lines. it shoot about 1.0 to 1.25 MOA at 200 yds but will shoot 0.75 moa at 600 yds ( i am a sling and jacket shooter) and this is better than i am getting off the elbow with my 6.5 CM's. Velocities using H4350 and IMR 4350 have been in the 2700-2760 range and i will work them up and run them over my chronograph as well.

 

[STOMP442]

Anything the creed can do the swede can do and then some. Excellent cartridge.

 

[Bbear]

I haven't taken my 6.5x55 out too far just yet. Just to 450. I'm shooting the 142 LRAB's being pushed by IMR4350 right at 2800 fps. This from a 24" barrel. The 100 yard groups are in the .3's and keep that out to the 450. I've also used the 123 gr screamers in a factory load that's in the .4's.
I brought it along as my back-up rifle on my elk hunt this past fall.
I only have two places I can go and shoot to 1000, one on private property about 2 hours away and the other is closer and costs $25 per day to shoot. I'll have to find the time and try that last one out.

 

[kyreloader]

Pull up a chair and bring some popcorn.

http://www.scout.com/military/snipe...13469414-the-modern-6-5x55-swede-users-thread

 

[mac86951]

Anything the creed can do the swede can do and then some. Excellent cartridge.

Haha, except fit in a short action. It's why I've got both!

 

[Hoosier]

I put together a 6.5x55 swede using a Savage action, Timney trigger, Bell & Carlson stock,and with a 28" barrel. I shoot mine off a bench at 400 and 500 yds, but it will hold a half of MOA from 200 to 500. It's extremely accurate and I average about 2900fps. I am still trying to find that elusive perfect load. I have used both H4350 and IMR 4350. So far, my most accurate load comes with Reloader 22. The projectiles have been Sierra 142s, Hornady Amaxs, Lapua 139s and Berger140s. As you can tell, it's still a work in progress. Pressure indicated by using QuickLoad, is around 54000PSI.

 

[rardoin]

Hoosier, give H4831sc a try.

 

[Semaje61]

Hoosier, give H4831sc a try.

A good starting point is the Sierra manual, assuming you're willing to try their brand. Don't use the published info for TMK bullets, the manual is written for the older bullets, e.g., the SMK bullets.
Regards,
Phil

 

[F224]

I cleaned everyone's clocks at Darryl Hollands shooting long range shooting school a few years ago with a Blaser R8 in 6.5x55. I shot 130gr Berger VLD bullets out of a 22.7" barrel and won the shootoff by making three between the eyes head shots at 560 yards on steel targets in a row. That was against a guy shooting a suppressed 6xc in the final shootoff.

I use an old lot of Federal Gold Metal Match 140gr ammo as my baseline. Both of my Blaser's shoot it into the .3's at 100 yards. The Berger 130's are being pushed at 2900fps by 50gr of VV N560 in Lapua brass. The shoot into the .4's.

 

[Exercion]

I shoot F-Open with a Remington 700, 30" Pac-Nor tube, 8 twist of course. Also shoot the military Mausers as this is one of my fav cartridges. I second the sentiment about using RL-22, it's my go to powder for the Swede, and I pretty much only shoot the 140gr class bullets, had great results with the 139 Scenars, Berger Hybrids, and now will be trying the 136 Scenars and JLK's. Lapua brass, Wolf primers, and RL-22 and I'm a happy camper.

Eric

 

[Zero333]

It's hard to believe it was born 123 years ago !!!

 

[F224]

Who said you should only hunt big game with cartridges older than you are?

 

[huffmanite]

One of my more accurate rifles is my 6.5x55 built on a Shaw barreled Stevens 200 action rifle........yea, an inexpensive build, but do not hesitate to use it in our ranges competitions against much more costly rifles with much much more modern cartridges. But, distance in the competition is 400 yds max.

One of our participants in the competitions, uses a 6.5x55 (skan, kinda an A.I. version). Anyway, he generally starts his reloads at recommended Max (published powder data) for the standard 6.5x55 and works up from it. One of the reasons for this is his rifle is built on a Rem 700 action. Big difference in what max charge can be for a military action (1894, 1896 or M38 Swede 6.5x55 rifle) and a commercial action rifle like what I own and the guy with a Remington 700 action. Visit Alliant powder load data site and you'll see what I mean. Alliant generally shows two sets of load data for the 6.5x55 for their powders, distinguishing between military action and commercial action rifles. Haven't found anyone else with published load data that does this. Basically for Alliant, what is a max load for a military Swede action 6.5x55 is below the start load for a commercial action 6.5x55.

Wish I could provide chronograph info on my reloads for my Stevens 200 action 6.5x55, but don't own a chronograph. But, do know my competitor at range with the Remington action hits FPS a darn lot higher than my loads. But mind you, his SKAN 6.5x55 can hold a little more powder than mine and he uses a faster burning powder.

Anyway, I'm partial to using Ramshot Magnum powder in my rifle. The Magnum is a powder that has a very slow burn rate, Recall emailing Ramshot Tech guy with a question about the Magnum powder in my 6.5x55. In his reply, he kinda laughed at my use of the Ramshot Magnum powder, recommending I use a faster burning Ramshot powder. Think he recommended their Hunter powder which is closer to H4831 than H4350 when it comes to burn rate. Chuckle, I'm not interested in velocity, just accuracy and the Ramshot Magnum works well for my 6.5x55 reloading.

 

[vharis19]

I shoot the 6.5 x 55 in a savage target action with a sharp shooter supply laminated stock. I shoot 142 grain smk's in Lapua brass with wolf Large Rifle primers. I have been using both H4831sc and Reloader 17 with good results at 600 and 1000 yards shooting F open. It is quite easy to get over 3000 fps with Reloader 17 without getting pressure problems. I get about 2900 fps with H4831sc with the 142 smks. Using the savage target action you have to remove the bolt to remove a loaded case from the chamber because the savage target action is a short action but you have to do the same thing with a .284 also. The 6.5 x 55 will do everything and more than the 6.5 creedmore because it has more case capacity. The 6.5 x 55 swede was always made to shoot a long bullet like the 142 smk. It is a great cartridge good for hunting and good for targets and competition.

 

[stinkitup]

Interesting vharis19 I shoot the AI version in a savage target action my throat may be a little shorter. Using JLK's I can just eject a loaded case but can load fine. I am running 2213sc (H4831sc) russian primers and lapua cases with a JLK 140 up front. Screwed to a wayne young stock. No idea of velocity no chrony but I was using a slower powder and ccis and it was not consistent but so far the first 300 yd shoot went okay looking at groups and not score.

I also use an old 96 swede which still shoots very well for its age..its not stock but is original action and barrel (shortened).

Ryan

 

[KAIFS]

Here is a video

of a custom Savage in 6.5x55 I build for my wife, she is a tiny lady and no stock fit her well... At any rate, this was the end of the day when we were breaking in new 5R Krieger barrel on it - so really were not shooting for accuracy but to more less metallic lap and season the barrel, so I brought my 'reject' handloads... I took a Seikins Muzzlebreak designed for 556 and opened it up to .284, mostly to protect the threads and a crown until wife decided if she wanted a can or not... at any rate, after some playing (that very same day) I was able to time that muzzlebreak to the point where recoil is almost non-existent. I took it out to 550m thus far just to see if I will like to build something for myself on Savage action and with that same glass (Bushnell 6500 Elite 2.5-16x42) - rifle is an outstanding performer. While I can't stand accutrigger (and a stupid triggerguard bolt release design) my wife absolutely loves her baby and scope as well, as a matter of fact she now has DOA reticle for whitetail hunting and a mil-dot for target.
While I have friends who took their swedes out to 1k, I personally have not shot beyond 800m with 6.5x55 as of yet.

 

[M.Stilley]

My friend got into long range shooting with a 6.5x55. He ended up cannibalizing an old Savage 110 using a prefit Northland Barrel. Lapua brass, 142 SMK, H4831sc. A little load development at 100 yards and he put a 6" group followed by an 8" 5 shot group at 1k.

 

[Michael White]

My friend got into long range shooting with a 6.5x55. He ended up cannibalizing an old Savage 110 using a prefit Northland Barrel. Lapua brass, 142 SMK, H4831sc. A little load development at 100 yards and he put a 6" group followed by an 8" 5 shot group at 1k.

I have a Tikka M695 in 270 that is being barreled up in 6.5x55. I'm doing up a richards microfit crossover stock for it.
I shot this round as a young man in the 70's and miss it. Surplus ammo then was plentiful and cheap.

 

[Preacher]

I love the 6.5x55 Swede, and love it even better when it's necked to 25 caliber......

 

[DRNewcomb]

The only thing wrong with the 6.5x55 is the SAAMI 51 KPSI pressure specs.