6.5x55 slow twist / light bullets

[bobp]

Does anyone out there shoot a 6.5x55 with the 95 grain vmax, 100 grain ballistic tip, etc...? I am curious what kind of velocity one could expect.

 

[bobp]

Nobody?
I found this issue addressed on another thread but I haven't seen any twist rates or velocities or accuracy expectations listed.
Surely one could get some speed out of this cartridge with the light bullets.
I have a trued Rem. 700 with a Krieger barrel,1 in 8.5")that shoots the 139 scenars and 140 AMAX very well,120grain class bullets not so well) but I am looking forward to my next barrel ahead of time. Thought I might go with a slower twist rate. I am going to build,or have built) a 6.5x284 for launching the 140s.
I would appreciate any input.

To be perfectly honest, I have never tried bullets in the 100 grain weight class in my rifle.

 

[2644ever]

In my various 6.5's I always used a 1 in 8" twist and I shot all sorts of light bullets beginning with the sadly departed Norma's 77 grain soft points and including Sierra's 85 & 100 grainers, Nosler's 100 BT's. All of 'em shot beautifully and barrel twist was not an issue. At least it worked for me.

 

[bobp]

How much bullet jump do you have with the light bullets?
My throat is really long and I don't think that I could get the light bullets anywhere close to the lands.
But if they would group with a long jump, well that would be just fine.
I'll probably try that.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[2644ever]

My reamers have always been designed with heavy bullet use in mind, so there's no way bullets shorter than Nosler 100 BT can touch the rifling and be seated at least one caliber inside the neck.

 

[bobp]

That is encouraging. I'll give them a try as soon as I get the chance. Do you know what your velocity is,ballpark figure)? My reloading manuals suggest 3100-3200 fps. Surely those are conservative figures.

 

[2506]

I have been shooting the Sierra 100 gr hp in a sporterized 6.5X55 Model 96 Swedish Mauser that has a 8 1/2 twist original barrel 29 and a tad inches long. I have been taking it easy on the old gal with 42 grs Varget in a Remington case and a Rem. 9 1/2 primer with an OAL 2.850 for right at 3000 fps. It is very accurate as long as you don't heat the barrel up with too many quick shots. The OAL is no where close to the lands but I have found something that helps give much better accuracy with these old war horses with long throats while using shorter bullets. Use a Lee Factory Crimp Die. I have my own theory as to why the use of the Lee Factory Crimp Die helps improve accuracy of bullets that have to jump but I want elaborate on it. All I know is that if you shoot rounds that do not have the crimp and then a group of rounds that do have the crimp the crimped rounds shoot much more accurate. By the way those Sierra 100 gr HP's at 3000 fps will red mist a ground hog. That is what I have been using the above rifle for lately.