6.5 Swede accuracy

[Infrequent Shooter]

What is the most accurate load you ever found for your 6.5 Swede? pretty broad question, I know. I may build a rifle to shoot bullets from 108 to 130 gr approx.

 

[STOMP442]

Here is a load I worked up for guy in his brand new Tikka T3x Hunter. The swede is an amazing cartridge.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

excellent, that is the kind of info I am looking for! great group and load. and very impressive for that model Tikka, I would think that would take a heavy (er) barrel.

 

[STOMP442]

excellent, that is the kind of info I am looking for! great group and load. and very impressive for that model Tikka, I would think that would take a heavy (er) barrel.

It's amazing how well a factory Tikka can shoot. Just about everyone I have messed with will shoot half moa or better with relative ease. My T3 lite in .223 will shoot 55gr Blitz Kings into the .2s as well on a good day.

 

[J Fess]

What is the most accurate load you ever found for your 6.5 Swede? pretty broad question, I know. I may build a rifle to shoot bullets from 108 to 130 gr approx.

That one is a toughy. A big issue, at least in the US, is that the SAAMI chamber which was changed in 1993 and still does not contain all the needed information. If you look at older articles, shooters talk about loading the bullet out well beyond that SAAMI spec to get decent accuracy. The freebore of the older SAAMI chamber was a sloppy .2713" dia and 0.2592" long. The 1993 SAAMI drawing changed to the taper-only design, starting at .2693" dia to match the European CIP. The SAAMI drawings still have with no callout as to the taper angle of the throat, which is 0°42'29" on the CIP drawing.
There are a number of reamers out there that use the now common "match" shape of a section of freebore with a clearance ranging from half-a-thou to a thousanths of an inch followed by a throat angle of typically 1.5° per side. The length of the freebore depends on what bullets are to be used and what COAL you want.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

That one is a toughy. A big issue, at least in the US, is that the SAAMI chamber which was changed in 1993 and still does not contain all the needed information. If you look at older articles, shooters talk about loading the bullet out well beyond that SAAMI spec to get decent accuracy. The freebore of the older SAAMI chamber was a sloppy .2713" dia and 0.2592" long. The 1993 SAAMI drawing changed to the taper-only design, starting at .2693" dia to match the European CIP. The SAAMI drawings still have with no callout as to the taper angle of the throat, which is 0°42'29" on the CIP drawing.
There are a number of reamers out there that use the now common "match" shape of a section of freebore with a clearance ranging from half-a-thou to a thousanths of an inch followed by a throat angle of typically 1.5° per side. The length of the freebore depends on what bullets are to be used and what COAL you want.

lots of info to consider here, thanks!

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

That one is a toughy. A big issue, at least in the US, is that the SAAMI chamber which was changed in 1993 and still does not contain all the needed information. If you look at older articles, shooters talk about loading the bullet out well beyond that SAAMI spec to get decent accuracy. The freebore of the older SAAMI chamber was a sloppy .2713" dia and 0.2592" long. The 1993 SAAMI drawing changed to the taper-only design, starting at .2693" dia to match the European CIP. The SAAMI drawings still have with no callout as to the taper angle of the throat, which is 0°42'29" on the CIP drawing.
There are a number of reamers out there that use the now common "match" shape of a section of freebore with a clearance ranging from half-a-thou to a thousanths of an inch followed by a throat angle of typically 1.5° per side. The length of the freebore depends on what bullets are to be used and what COAL you want.

I am referring to 'modern' loads intended for newer FAs, capable of higher pressure loads.

 

[J Fess]

What rifle are you using?
When talking about a cartridge developed in the late 1800's, the term "modern" is a bit relative, LOL. Many US hunting rifles have been fine with the 65K psi from the 270 Win since 1925. The issue is that there have several different chamber specifications, even in the past 50 years. The chamber used in the 1992 SAAMI manual that I have has more slop around the bullet in front of the case. The newer drawing has a 1993 revision date.
I have read that CIP's 6.5x55SE chamber is slightly different than the 6.5x55 SKAN adopted by Sweden and Norway, but I can't find an official drawing to confirm that.

If you do a search, there are discussions of different chambers, that is the issue. When you come to a site like this one, a fair number of precision shooters will use "match chambers" which are different from the standard ones anyway.

 

[koger]

I sent you a pm with some data that has worked well for me for over 30 year, and my ph# if you want to shoot the breeze.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

What rifle are you using?
When talking about a cartridge developed in the late 1800's, the term "modern" is a bit relative, LOL. Many US hunting rifles have been fine with the 65K psi from the 270 Win since 1925. The issue is that there have several different chamber specifications, even in the past 50 years. The chamber used in the 1992 SAAMI manual that I have has more slop around the bullet in front of the case. The newer drawing has a 1993 revision date.
I have read that CIP's 6.5x55SE chamber is slightly different than the 6.5x55 SKAN adopted by Sweden and Norway, but I can't find an official drawing to confirm that.

If you do a search, there are discussions of different chambers, that is the issue. When you come to a site like this one, a fair number of precision shooters will use "match chambers" which are different from the standard ones anyway.

no rifle yet, planning a build. either a 700 LA receiver or a Tikka. still in planning stage. between 6.5 Swede and 6.5x47, 6.5CM.

 

[flatlander]

I had a local, well-trained gunsmith use a 6.5x55 match reamer from JGS on a 30" Krieger medium Palma blank for my Nesika K prone rifle back in 2002. That rifle shot really well in the 'any rifle' Palma-format matches I used it in, usually shooting Sierra 142MKs at 2900fps with N165 in Lapua brass. Years later, after I'd started doing my own barrel work, I was looking at the Ackley Improved version of the Swede, and wound up buying a AI reamer for use on a switch bbl BAT 3LL action prone rifle build, doing 30" hvy Palma barrels in both 6.5x55AI & straight 284 Win. I never did shoot the 6.5x55AI bbl in any of the 1000yd prone any/any matches I shot out at CRC near Byers, Co, instead preferring to go with 180VLDs out of the 284 bbl. But in both that rifle and another switch-bbl Bighorn tactical rifle, the 6.5x55AI bbls have shot quite accurately with loads that run not that much faster than the original Swede - and I don't have to trim brass after every firing like was necessary with the original Swede with all its case taper.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Shot a 6.5x55 Prone Rifle for about 2-1/2 Barrels.
I ran 4831sc Winchester Brass CCI BR2’s 142 Sierra and later 140 Burgers. Very Accurate Rifle ..

Brass and Bolt Face Dimensions?
Winchester Brass ( If Available) works in most std. bolts?
If going with Norma or Lapua the Bolt Face my need to be opened .

Back in the Day Remington Made a Run of 6.5x55 Rifle the Bolts were different?

You won’t be unhappy with a Swede

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I had a local, well-trained gunsmith use a 6.5x55 match reamer from JGS on a 30" Krieger medium Palma blank for my Nesika K prone rifle back in 2002. That rifle shot really well in the 'any rifle' Palma-format matches I used it in, usually shooting Sierra 142MKs at 2900fps with N165 in Lapua brass. Years later, after I'd started doing my own barrel work, I was looking at the Ackley Improved version of the Swede, and wound up buying a AI reamer for use on a switch bbl BAT 3LL action prone rifle build, doing 30" hvy Palma barrels in both 6.5x55AI & straight 284 Win. I never did shoot the 6.5x55AI bbl in any of the 1000yd prone any/any matches I shot out at CRC near Byers, Co, instead preferring to go with 180VLDs out of the 284 bbl. But in both that rifle and another switch-bbl Bighorn tactical rifle, the 6.5x55AI bbls have shot quite accurately with loads that run not that much faster than the original Swede - and I don't have to trim brass after every firing like was necessary with the original Swede with all its case taper.

lots of useful info here, Thanks!

 

[Jon Leary]

I had a local, well-trained gunsmith use a 6.5x55 match reamer from JGS on a 30" Krieger medium Palma blank for my Nesika K prone rifle back in 2002. That rifle shot really well in the 'any rifle' Palma-format matches I used it in, usually shooting Sierra 142MKs at 2900fps with N165 in Lapua brass. Years later, after I'd started doing my own barrel work, I was looking at the Ackley Improved version of the Swede, and wound up buying a AI reamer for use on a switch bbl BAT 3LL action prone rifle build, doing 30" hvy Palma barrels in both 6.5x55AI & straight 284 Win. I never did shoot the 6.5x55AI bbl in any of the 1000yd prone any/any matches I shot out at CRC near Byers, Co, instead preferring to go with 180VLDs out of the 284 bbl. But in both that rifle and another switch-bbl Bighorn tactical rifle, the 6.5x55AI bbls have shot quite accurately with loads that run not that much faster than the original Swede - and I don't have to trim brass after every firing like was necessary with the original Swede with all its case taper.

Dennis. Do you still have the 6.5x55 AI reamer. If you do I would buy it if it's for sale. I remember your post from the old days on "Florida Highpower".

 

[flatlander]

Jon, I still get the occasional call for the 6.5x55AI, so I guess I'll hang onto the reamer for now. Last time I used it for myself, it was to build another switch bbl rifle with the same bbls in 6.5x55AI & 284 Win as before, but this time on a Bighorn TL2-LA in a McMillan A5 stock. Seems a little crazy to have two nice custom actions with bbls in the same two chamberings, especially since I seldom shoot either rifle, but they both shoot great, and so I've never given any serious thought about selling either one of them...