6.5x55AI load info needed
- Thread starter glider
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H4831 for the win
. Seriously though...leave the Varget on the shelf, perhaps H4350 with the 130's but for the 140+, H4831 (I use short cut, sc, version) has the burn rate, temp stability and density that is about as perfect as you can get in Hogdon powder. 50.5 (+ or -) .2gr of H4831sc will get one of Bob's 141.5's at 2925-2950fps with plenty of room to spare. I would start at 49.5gr with the 155's and work up from there. I shoot the Bob Jordan AI with Berger 140 hybrids/ BR-2 primers/ 50.3gr H4831sc at 2936fps in a 30 barrel.
. Seriously though...leave the Varget on the shelf, perhaps H4350 with the 130's but for the 140+, H4831 (I use short cut, sc, version) has the burn rate, temp stability and density that is about as perfect as you can get in Hogdon powder. 50.5 (+ or -) .2gr of H4831sc will get one of Bob's 141.5's at 2925-2950fps with plenty of room to spare. I would start at 49.5gr with the 155's and work up from there. I shoot the Bob Jordan AI with Berger 140 hybrids/ BR-2 primers/ 50.3gr H4831sc at 2936fps in a 30 barrel.H4831 for the win
I'm wearing you out with questions, massively appreciated! What's the BEST dies solution?
As far as dies....it depends on your reamer. There are a few versions of the 6.5 x55 that are 'improved' chamberings. Redding has a 6.5 x55AI die but it may or may not work with your reamer. The best solution is to fireform about five rounds, twice each, to get them to a good fit to your chamber. You can set up a 6.5 x55 die to size the upper portion of the neck to allow the second loading...just keep it off the shoulder area when doing so. Then you can send the cases of to get custom dies made (Redding, Whidden, Forster etc.). I was fortunate enough to buy my reamer and a Warner Tool Co. custom die off a member here (thank you JRS
) so I was able to avoid that step. If you do not have an aversion to spending your kid's inheritance, the WTC die is phenomenal. I have had them make inserts for my other current competition chambering and will soon be sending them brass for a new gun.
Do you have the reamer yet?
) so I was able to avoid that step. If you do not have an aversion to spending your kid's inheritance, the WTC die is phenomenal. I have had them make inserts for my other current competition chambering and will soon be sending them brass for a new gun.Do you have the reamer yet?
Yes manson made a reamer for me .295nk 160 fb. Will turn necks .003 to clean up all imperfections on L.brass.
As for dies i sent print to guys at Redding to confirm there AI dies work . Die set uses type s bushing fl resize and NON COMP seater.
Standard Comp Seater, will be reamed with chamber reamer to creat comp AI seating die . Sleeve is not hardened steel.
Im currently shooting a 30 imp 260 with tight nk . Which is impressive . Thinking to get those 155s off around 2980 plus with 55AI
As for dies i sent print to guys at Redding to confirm there AI dies work . Die set uses type s bushing fl resize and NON COMP seater.
Standard Comp Seater, will be reamed with chamber reamer to creat comp AI seating die . Sleeve is not hardened steel.
Im currently shooting a 30 imp 260 with tight nk . Which is impressive . Thinking to get those 155s off around 2980 plus with 55AI
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My M70 is a large ring Zavasta 98 mauser rifle.....assume yours is too.
FWIW, shoot with a gent who has his version of a 6.5x55 A.I. that's on a Remington 700 action. I own a standard 6.5x55 built on a Stevens 200 action. I also own a couple of 6.5x55 Swedish military rifles....small ring mauser actions.
Gent with the Remington action 6.5, when working on a load with a new powder he will start at recommended MAX and work up from it. Needless to say, he's after maximum velocity with no pressure signs. With my Stevens 200 action rifle, I generally start at a couple of grains below max and work up from there. I do not go much over Max. I certainly do not do this with my Swedish military rifles.
You may want to visit the Alliant Powder website for load data and check their 6.5x55 load data for their powders. Its interesting. Alliant shows separate load data for military action rifles and commercial action rifles in the 6.5x55. Basically, what is the max load for a military action is below the start load for a commercial action rifle for the powders they recommend.
FWIW, shoot with a gent who has his version of a 6.5x55 A.I. that's on a Remington 700 action. I own a standard 6.5x55 built on a Stevens 200 action. I also own a couple of 6.5x55 Swedish military rifles....small ring mauser actions.
Gent with the Remington action 6.5, when working on a load with a new powder he will start at recommended MAX and work up from it. Needless to say, he's after maximum velocity with no pressure signs. With my Stevens 200 action rifle, I generally start at a couple of grains below max and work up from there. I do not go much over Max. I certainly do not do this with my Swedish military rifles.
You may want to visit the Alliant Powder website for load data and check their 6.5x55 load data for their powders. Its interesting. Alliant shows separate load data for military action rifles and commercial action rifles in the 6.5x55. Basically, what is the max load for a military action is below the start load for a commercial action rifle for the powders they recommend.
Correction 2880 plus
How's it going with the AI? What bullet are you currently shooting?
Hey How are you Thanks for asking I have been looking for max case capacity with no luck , After taking your advice I am up to 53.2GR H4831sc which pushes 141.7BC's 2880 ish . So I am trying to understand if this batch of powder is slower ?
As you probably know Bob is not making bullets and has sold his equipment , We talked about his 141's and 155's, his advise was 141.7 like to group tightest around 2850 f/s. as for 155's they are accurate just difficult to group .
On the other hand Whats the magic word to have Warner Tooling make anything , I waited a year for dies and finally said 'come on, send everything back I have to go in a different direction. Whidden is just as good . I consistently have .0005-.0010 runout with there dies.
Rardoin when I started building 6.5x55AI I was trying to keep rifle, m70 winchester, which I had as a kid into PRS style, all position rifle.Keeping a traditional look . 1st pic att.
Once I started to shoot 600 800 1k yds I was impressed how well everything came together , so i took it another step . This time bedding on a fully adjustable stock , which came back only two months ago.
What I am thinking with long action is to shoot Warners flatline 121gr. 3100f/s
Just not sure where to start with powder. Finding a sweet spot can get expensive !! Can I start with 55 gr of H4831 sc with 121 gr bullet ?
Also ballistics for a 130 JLK at 2950 plus are just as good as 142s smks 2880 so I still do not have a go to load .
How about you what are you shooting?
Most of my time has been focused on 260 imp 30 .295 nk 160FB , 28"BBL M24 Bartline shoots lights out ! 142 smks 2900 fs . For short action this is my stand by set up . looking forward to figuring out 6.5x55AI , any input will be appreciated.
THX
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Since I have last posted data I have started shooting Precision Ballistics 142gr over 48.5gr of Alliant RL-23. This gives me 2940avg fps out of a 30" barrel. As you may know Bob C. passed away last year hence my switch. I have shot the 140 JLK's with good results when I had trouble obtaining the PB's but that shortage issue was solved and I stopped development with the JLK's. I would suggest giving RL-23 a try as I get more velocity with reduced charges over H4831sc and the throat wear is definitely no worse and seems possibly less with RL-23. My fired case capacity is 61.0 grains of water with Lapua brass.
Evlshnngns
Silver $$ Contributor
My BJAI swede has a short throat, I had some light ejector smear at 51.3 of h4831 pushing a 140. I'll be watching this.
I can't find the reamer print but IIRC my freebore is .188". This puts the 150 SMK's boat-tail junction just at/slightly above the neck/shoulder junction and 142 SMK's, 140 hybrids and 142 Prec. Ballistics well off the junction loaded out to 0.020" off light touch. After a couple of hundred rounds the 150's can be seated out further and away from the n/s junction...if one is concerned with it.
I was initially a little disappointed with the small amount of extra velocity I got out of the 6.5x55 AI vs the std 6.5x55. However, accuracy was at least as good, and going the AI route did away with the need to trim cases after every other firing. I was getting 2912fps with N160 & S142MKs out of a 30" Krieger medium Palma; after re-chambering to the AI version, I got a whopping 40-50fps more velocity.
But you'll get there with better case life. Depending upon powder chosen (and utter disregard for barrel life
...you can get into the low 3000's with a 142 IME.I used the recommendation of 4 grains less than the same powder/bullet in a 6.5/.284.
Know this is an older thread, but I've been looking for more information on RL-23, and possibly RL-26. I've got a Bighorn TL2-LA with a 26" 1-8.5tw Bartlein hvy Palma bbl in a McM A5 stock, and a BAT 3LL in a Robertson Composites H&H prone stock with two 30" hvy Palma bbls - one in 6.5x55AI, the other in 284 Win. I also ran my 6.5x55AI reamer into the 30" 6.5x55 Krieger Palma bbl I had done back in 2002 to use on my Nesika K-based Palma rifle. I bought 8lb jugs of RL16, RL23, & RL26, originally thinking that RL23 would be good in a 260 Improved 30* that I was shooting at the time, as well as in 6x47 & 6XC rifles. That was long before I realized how slow 23 actually is, so now need to find out how well it'll work in the 6.5x55AI, and perhaps in the 284 with 180s. At the time I bought these new Reloder powders, there wasn't a lot of info on relative burn rate or flame temp, and they eventually got overlooked by me. I did run some test loads with RL16 in the 6XC over the chronograph, but by that time, I'd settled on IMR4451 for both the 6XC & 260 Imp 30*, and never really re-visited the potential use of RL16 in either of these chamberings.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
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