1912 Swedish Mauser loads?

[joshb]

I'm wondering what loads would be best for my new/old Swede, in 6.5X55. From what I researched, the 140 grain grain might be the best performer, but I don't have a powder picked. I was also wondering about safe loads, of course, and how "strong" these old guns are. I usually look for middle weight load nodes for my guns. Should I stay on the lighter side? As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[jonbearman]

Do you have a reloading book to look at? These are not the strongest actions built, however with the loads list in the hornady manual are safe for your gun. There are many good powders and you can go to: www.hodgdon.com for free loading imfo. Your gun must be kept at safe pressures that hornady,hodgdon,speer and others publish,do not exceed the lighter loads specifically for the mauser you have. Some manuals list hotter loads for modern firearms like rugers ,remingtons chambered in the 6.5x55.

 

[joshb]

Thanks, Jon. I have 5 manuals. Been reloading for 30+ years. I thought some one here might reload for one and have a "favorite powder" to start with. You know how many powders the books list. I AM a newby to these Swedes, so I need to ask the "strength" question, for info beyond the manual. Actual user experience would be helpful.

 

[Peterbilt2007]

H-4350 does well along with 140 gr bullets.

 

[shortgrass]

As does RL-22

 

[watercam]

Having had a 96 I, too, found that Reloader 22 worked really well with 140s. One of the 4831 powders would also do the job well. The actions are not as strong as a Mauser 98, you will probably end up with velocities in the 2500-2600 range. Love the rifles, converted one to cock-on-opening. Worked well but did not really make it work any better than is did stock and created other things to deal with.

 

[Semaje61]

I like 38 gr of IMR 4064 with a 130 gr Norma Golden Target. About 2600 GPS, mild recoil, good accuracy in my 1908 model 96 Swede 6.5x55.

 

[Semaje61]

Meant fps in previous post, stupid autocorrect feature.

 

[2506]

The model 96 Swede is probably the strongest small ring Mausers. They are rated for loads with the 6.5x55 Swede to 46000 CUP which ain't shabby. If yours is the M-96 with the 29" barrel you can get some serious velocity with it even with under 46000 CUP loads. I have 4 96s and a 38 that I have shot for years. It all depends on what you want to do with them punch paper or hunt game as to the loads.

Paper puncher load: Accuracy load out of one of my Sierra manuals as far as the powder and charge. 37.8 grs IMR4895, Rem case, CCIBR2 primer, Sierra 140 gr Match King COAL 3,050 . This runs 2500 fps from the 29" barrel M96 and is super accurate.

I use these loads in a sported M-96 which still has the 29" barrel length for deer.
These are MAX loads out of the Accurate Manual as to powder amount.
45 grs Accurate 4350, Rem case, Fed. 210Match primer, 140 gr Sierra SP or Hornady interlock SP, COAL 3.050 2800 fps from 29" barrel.

46 grs Accurate 4350 , Rem case, Federal 210 Match primer, 120 Nosler ballistic tip or Sierra SP, COAL 3.050 3000 fps from 29" barrel.

These loads are very accurate and are bang flop deadly. You may notice that I use a COAL of 3.050 this is because this is the length that has shot the most accurate for me and is the longest that I can load a round and have it work through the magazine. The Swede Mausers have throats that are a mile long designed to shoot the 160 gr RN bullet that is a mile long. I hope this helps you.

 

[joshb]

Thank you, 2506..thats exactly what I was looking for. My 96 is the long barrel B version, 1912. The gun will be a paper puncher, for the time being. I'll stick to the lighter loads. Thanks semaje61 for the 4064 load, and I'm with ya on the auto correct. I hate it. Thanks MTM, and the rest of you, for the help.

 

[stinkitup]

Dad and myself both shoot old swedes mine is a shortened 96 and Dad has a 38.

In all honesty they are not fussy, We both shoot light pills mostly, 95 vmax and 100 nosler BT's shoot very well. We are in Australia and use the Locally made ADI powders. 47.5 of AR2209 shoots the 95's very well in my rifle and dad has never loaded his hot. 140 sst's were also a good pill.

I have found a full case of slower powder seems to work best in the swedes for different weight projectiles. RL-22 is slower than AR2209 and I have some to try for the 140's in mine.

Have fun.

 

[letronshootit]

Great shooting rifles, I have had a bunch of them. I use RL-17 41gr, 140gr Norma HPBT, CCI BR2 primer. I used this load with great success in all my old Swedes.

 

[A7Dave]

Don't have access to my loads, but I use the Sierra book loads using RE22 for the 140s and my 1915 M96 is super accurate. I have shot IMR4831, but I can find RE22 more often and it gives just as good or better accuracy as the 4831 loads that I shot when I first got my gun for all of $125 at a gun show in 1995. It was pristine. Best deal ever.

 

[red_mamba]

I use VV N160 and 140Gr lapua scenars

 

[olympian]

50 grains of Ramshot Magnum behind a 140 AMAX has been my target load in all my Swedish Mausers. Seat them to magazine length and go. The 140 SMK and Lapua 139s shoot about the same out to 600 yds in all my m96b and m41b. Primers and brass do not matter enough to bother with.

 

[p-man]

you need to check the throat - mine was extremely deep - I shoot Hornady 160 grains with just .350 of bullet in the case neck and I'm still 30 thousandths off the lands - obviously, I also gain more usable case capacity - the twist in my 1900 Carl Gustav is actually 7.8 in twist - so it shoots the 160's extremely well which is no wonder as the original Swede military bullet was 156 grains

 

[Shynloco]

Josh,
Might want to consider 142 Sierra's being pushed by Varget or H4350. Ur rifle will tell you how much to use. My 6,5 didn't preform as well with the 140's but did well with the 142's.

Alex

 

[joshb]

More helpful info! Thanks, guys. Be safe and MERRY Christmas,,,

 

[SoonerEd]

I load 129 and 140. Both work well with H4831sc. I get 2" groups at 100 yds which is as good as I can see with the open sights. Load mine in the 2300 to 2400 fps range.

 

[BoydAllen]

I had a '96 and currently have a '38. I have loaded for them with excellent results. The first load that I will tell you sounds crazy, but in my rifles it has been perfect for punching paper, and I have shot five shots under 3/4" with the 96 (open sights) and three well under that with the 38 (open sights). The throat in these rifles is so long that this bullet will have to jump a long ways, so you might as well put enough of it in the neck for it to be secure when feeding from the magazine. The load that I currently use, which I backed off of the original a couple of grains to get to, is 48 grains of IMR 4350 behind a Sierra 100 grain HP, that specific bullet, with standard rifle primers. I have used Norma and recently Remington brass.

The other load is with the Hornady 160 grain round nose. I forget the charge of H4831, so you will have to do a careful workup, the thing that you need to remember is that although you can seat into the rifling, don't because you will run into pressure sooner than if you seat to the channelure. The accuracy that I have gotten with this bullet has been less than 3/4 inch for three shots.

My rifles are not limited by the ballistic coefficients of the bullets that I use because with open sights, I am not taking any 300 yard shots, except perhaps at range dingers. I suggest that you may want to consider adopting the same view. Generally, I do not believe that these rifles shoot as small with high BC BT bullets, as they do with these two, and given that I do not need a fancy BC at the ranges that I shoot with these rifles, I prefer to go with the highest accuracy.