Back from the range

[tsiero]

I went to a match today with a new rifle and promising loads but the gun shot like a shot gun. It was my fault as the scope was really off. After the match I went back to basics and dailed it in at 100, then 300 and had some consistant tracking results from its new Sightron scope. This is a 6.5x55 rifle shooting a 140gr Berger at 2820 FPS. After shooting at 600 yatds where I got excellent verticle out of the load, I went to 1000 yards to get an elevation and group. The group opened up to 10 inches with the elevation going from 1 inch at 600 yards to 10 inches. Also I was at the 70 round mark at this time. I plan to reshoot the same load with a clean barrel at 1000 yards. Also I plan to bump the load from 44.8 gr of H-4831 to 50.0gr. Any other observations would be appreciated.

Thanks

Ted Sierocinski

 

[cliffe]

50 grains in a 6.5x55 sounds like to much powder. check out the 6.5x55 6.5-284 thread earlier. rhinout? lists some swede loads and has been shooting one for long time. maybe do a search for his posts or pm. he would help you out as the 6.5x55 is his baby cliffe

 

[BoydAllen]

It has been a long time since I loaded 6.5 x 55, but that seems to be too much of that powder for that bullet weight, by quite a bit. You should never increase a load by that much into unknown territory without a careful, small increment, work up. For that size case .3 grains should be about the right amount for each increase. What kind of extreme spread of velocities are you getting with your current load?

 

[tsiero]

I don't have a chronograph due to bad luck with the last two. Shot one and lost the other. Also the Hodgdon reloading manual goes up to 47.0gr of H4831. Thanks for the headsup and I always reconfirm loads in the manual before reloading.

 

[sewwhat89]

Also I plan to bump the load from 44.8 gr of H-4831 to 50.0gr.

Ted Sierocinski

This is the part people are saying is too much.

From 44-8 to 45 would be good but not to 50.0gr.

 

[Exercion]

Questions:

Is this rifle a modern action or a small ring Mauser?

What barrel length?

The loads in the manuals tend to be limited to 46,000cup/51000psi because of the old Mausers, and weaker Krag rifles. Modern rifles are quite a bit different, and load data exists for this cartridge in modern actions. In fact, there is a version known as the 6.5 SKAN which takes advantage of this fact by making the case just slightly longer at the datum to keep the rounds from chambering in the old military rifles. Norma makes a factory 139gr or 140 gr load that lists a MV of above 2800fps, so it seems that this velocity isn't out of reach at all.
My personal experience from loading and shooting unknown thousands of 6.5x55 rounds is this: in the older MAUSER rifles, mildly warm loads work well. And in a modern rifle like my 30" tubed Remington 700, with good,Translate: Lapua) brass, 2900 is very easily possible. After all, the issue seems to be with the weak old rifles, not the brass itself, so you have to ask how a rifle that will stand 60,000psi behind the .260 Rem 140gr bullet will blow up with a similar pressure behind a 6.5 Swede 140gr bullet?
My F-Class load I will say is above 47gr of H4831SC, and while I will say that 50 might be a bit much, that is something only your rifle will be able to tell. In mine, 48+ shows no pressure signs at all, no hard bolt lift, markings on the casehead, flattened primers, etc.

Eric

 

[tsiero]

It has a 28" 1/8 twist barrel on a Remington 700 action plus a PTG bolt of the correct rim size for Lapua brass. I have had a couple other 6.5's built on Remington or Hart actions and this load shot well so I picked it as a starting point. Another question at the range I was told by a shooter that the barrel life of this could be around 2000 rounds. I recall another shooter from Norway "sierra22" getting around 5000 rounds with his loads. I would appreciate what an F-Class shooter has achieved with this cartridge.

Thanks

 

[Exercion]

That sounds very much like my F-Class rifle, the only difference being barrel length,I have a 30)so your velocities should be similar. As to life, I am currently around 2300 with mine, and while I have a new tube on order, I'm not in a desperate rush,last outing got me 578-17x with one string of 196-8 @600 so it's not exactly shot out yet)I'm figuring usable life to be mid to high 2000's. Hope that helps, and if you are wondering just what I'm loading feel free to PM.

Eric