No Mfr Makes a 6.5x55 "Long" Bullet Anymore & Surp 6.5x55 Is About Dried Up....

[hogan]

Maybe Lapua is still making their 155gr Mega and Norma has their RN hunting bullet of same weight that must be Very Popular in Scandinavia, but meanwhile; Back In The States.

Several years back, Sierra canned its 155gr matcking and later the 160gr Semi-Pointed, now Hornady has dropped the 160gr RN from their line. Are they keeping the .268" 160gr Carcano bullet? Aside from the Euro makers, there seems nothing left for 6.5x55 shooters other than cast bullets. Maybe there is a Woodleigh, or some other Australian maker offering a bullet that will fill the throat of the standard 6.5x55 chambering?

Lots of Mauser and Schmidt & Rubin guns out there. Guys were shooting the hell out of these rifles and bragging on their accuracy with all that cheap, high-qtuality Berdan primed surplus ammo that the importers got in between import-bans or cessations. Doubt that too many of these tyros who fired their ammo into the dirt backstops at ranges all over America, thought there'd be an end to the ammo pool; yet it has come.

Try to find surplus 6.5x55 in stock at most dealers at anywhere near the former prices. Can't be done...

Now there ain't no suitable bullets for these old battle relics to be had.


Typical.

We have Remington that does Seasonal Runs on many of their margnally popular cartridge cases.
Why can't Sierra and Hornady produce a run of these bullets on a seasonal or limited production basis?
The dies are amortized for sure. After all, these bullets were long mainstays in their lineups.

Why would Hornady halt the only domestic 6.5x55 bullet at the time that so many shooters will literally have to take up Handloading or consign their beloved and treasured Swede to wall-hanger status; or get used to paying $30 per 20 for commercial ammo of lesser quality than could be generated with a Lee Loader?

Is Richard Lee still cataloging the 6.5x55 in the Lee Loader? They sure make a lot of 170gr molds for MidSouth.


Would really be something if Berger were to develop a heavy 6.5x55 suitable match bullet. A 155gr VLD with forward situated ogive , so the bullet don't rattle around in the throat. Maybe something like the RWS tug bullet with two bands of ogive or major diameter if you prefer...

Seems like a natural with Tikka introing their new competition rifle in 6.5x55. Why Sako never made a TRG-42 in Swedish Mauser or 6.5/284 so could use all the extra magazine length to properly start a super-high BC Heavy match 6.5mm bullet; who knows?

Lots of guns out there with limited ammo availability. Seems like a natural marketing opportunity for someone interested in serving the shooter...

 

[Dans40X]

You do have the option to draw your own or have them drawn!

Those with fore though purchased heavy Caterucio,Clinch River & Sierra VLD/Match projectiles in preparation for changing times!!

I'll need barrels before I need bullets!!

Stock up while opportunity is a knocking.

 

[FryeGuy]

hogan,
the swedish mauser I had shot the 100hp better than anything else, including the 160rn. it was a long jump, but hell they shot great for a 100yr old rifle. wish I still had it. why not just try some of the bullets out there before hanging it on the mantle?

 

[jonbearman]

Why not take up a list of names and forward it to sierra or hornady to see if they will consider doing anything about it. With the advent of shooting competitions with historical rifles,you would think they would realize the need on their own.I have 2 boxes of the original 160 norma bullets that I have been saving for years.

 

[hogan]

Was looking at Brunos to see if they had any Megas. Nope...

Thanks for all the comments. Have a Win 70 XTR in 6.5x55 and chamber is longer throated than I would like. Probably going to buy a 150gr Lyman mold and call it a day. I cast straight wheelweight alloy and would likely get about 156gr from that mold. Just about the same cost as a box of Norma rn arctic or whatever they call their heavy bullet.

Thanks for the idea on the custom-makers. I have a 140gr RCBS mold and it hasn't shown much promise.

 

[newgun]

I would like to have some for my 260. somthing other than a r.n. maybe not a berger type but a 155 to 165. G.K. you see I don't all ways want to rip along at 3000or more. 162gr. doing 2400 to 2500 would be be great for me

 

[KevinThomas]

Hogan,

I can answer the question, at least where US manufacturers are concerned; it comes down to demand. There frankly isn't enough demand to make it economically viable to produce these bullets. The 160 grain RNs in 6.5mm were real dogs in the marketplace, and sell very, very slowly. The typical scenario is that it takes a full day to change a press over to run a particular bullet. Running at about 4,000 parts per hour, you can easily make a supply of several years worth of production in just a day, running two shifts as they normally do. Call this 65,000 bullets, in a period of three full work days during which the press is not making more profitable bullets. These bullets will sit on the shelves for several years, being taxed as inventory each and every year, costing the maker money and taking up space and machine time that could be used for bullets that are much more in demand. By the time the last boxes sell, they are almost to the point of being given away just to break even. The 155s you mentioned were troublesome in most guns, and not the best designed bullet they'd ever turned out. When the 142s came out, there was literally no reason for the 155s to exist, as the 142s delivered significantly higher BC and could be driven much faster than the 155s. The 155s were originally designed as Silhouette bullets, and frankly never saw much use in that venue. Bullet companies are in business to make money, and putting it bluntly, these bullets just don't earn their keep.

We (Lapua) still produce the 156 grain Mega, but as you'd indicated, it's primarily a hunting bullet. Popular in European hunting circles, it doesn't see much use here in the states. I can't speak for Hornady as to why they discontinued their 160 RN in 6.5mm, but I'd be willing to bet it was for exactly the same reasons that I cited for the Sedalia bullets.

 

[wboggs]

I have been trying to get some heavy Woodleighs for the reasons you mention. So far, no one has them in stock.

 

[Minesweeper3433]

Caterucio makes a 155 that shoots amazing in my 96 Mauser. It is the only rifle that I shoot prone with a sling ever and I can hold an inch easy. These are spitzer bullets not round nose.

 

[tomswede]

For match use in the 6.5 Swede the 120, 140 Sierras and 139 Lapuas work great. There is no problem shooting these bullets in the long troats. I grew up in Sweden and shot a few thousand Norma 139's FMJBT's in my CG63 match rifle as a young man. There was never an accuracy issue (except operator caused). Nobody in Scandinavia shoots matches with the "old" style bullets. The current target rifle in Scadinavia is the Sauer STR in 6.5, it still has the long throat and shoots very well.

 

[357Mag]

Hogan -

Howdy !

Have you looked @ the Barnes' XXX & TSX offerings ?

These ( solid ) bullets are long for their weight, as they contain no lead core.
Perhaps they might be long-enough ( and of correct construction ) to suit your needs ?

With regards,
357Mag

 

[newgun]

Natchez has the 160gr r.n. in stock

 

[hogan]

Thanks for all the comments, and Mr. Thomas for explaining the realities of the situation.

Cauterucio it is, I guess. I live in Alaska. Match bullets are extremely tough and with sufficient weight, like the 155, they would be fine for moose in a pinch. I went with 140gr Nosler bthp as the ogive on that bullet is more forward out the nose than it is on the 140 SMK which I also compared to with bullet comparator. The throat on the Winchester chamber is so long it really turned me off on the gun, so haven't shot it much, and the 140gr RCBS cast jobs I shot this past summer were more shotgun grouping than grouping around my aiming point.

Had great luck with a real long roundnose NEI cast boolit I was playing with this Summer in a .340 Wby mag, seating it just at the lands. No bullet I"ve found yet will seat that far out and function in the Win 70 LA magazine. I did manage to find some 160gr Sierra SMP but have not got enough to do any load testing; not til find some more.

The 6.5x55 is legendary for its long bullets with high sectional density for hunting. On Cast Boolits, the 170gr cruise missile Lee mold is well received aside from being so long casting them straight is about a 60% proporsition.

If the Sierra 155 SMK has lower BC than the 142, why not a makeover for the 155? The heavier .30cal SMKs have almost all seen makovers: 180gr got a different boattail design, 250gr is now the 240, 220 is now the 210 etc.

If it were all about profit and avoiding inventory taxes, Kevin, why make any .303 or .323 projectiles, how popular are the .257s and the .358s? Why aren't the boutique-makers catering to the 9.3 Soup DuJour Crowd that is all about "a mild heavy to use in Africa"; so many guys are going there, aren't they???

Great to find out that I got no worries shooting light bullets in the model 70 6.5x55; although having bullets rattle down the pipe a half-inch goes against what I learned of preparation for precision...

Will have to look at the Natchez site. Used to buy a lot of gear from Spartan Supply, but never warmed-up to Natchez. Had 2 large Moose in the yard over the weekend, with the Scott's Terrier giving them hell. Seems like the 160/155s are the natural solution for daily carry if toting the model 70. I used to have some 180gr Barnes in .277. Would like a similar heavy spitzer for the 6.5x55. Maybe just need to sell it and go .280rem AI and be done with it....

 

[KevinThomas]

Hogan,

You make a good point, but aren't quite seeing the whole picture. It's about marketing, and in some cases, niche marketing. Sierra, for example made a really decent .323" MatchKing for many, many years before it was intorduced here in the US. The sole market was Frankonia-Jagd in Germany, and they bought tons of these things. Apparently a pretty popular bullet in Germany, even though there wasn't much of a market for them over here. Same situation with the .311" bullets and especially the .312" MatchKing. HUGE market for them in England, not so much as a nibble for them over here. Eventually, as shooters learned of or found out about them, they started getting requests, and introduced them to the US shooters. They sell, but nothing like the more conventional American calibers we all know and love.

Today, we seem to be seeing the same sort of thing with the 9.3s. The English speaking world seems to have attached itself to the .375" bore size, while much of Europe became enamoured of the 9.3s. Today, we're seeing a lot of crossover. Lapua has several 9.3 bullet designs, and has provided 9.3x62 cases for many years. Now, a barrel maker friend of mine is getting tons of orders for 9.3 barrels, both from OEM suppliers and individual customers. Sometimes it seems we like those things which have been around for a while, and we just never knew existed. The flip side of this seems to be that you still can't give away .257", .277" or 358" guns in Europe. Those are, and apparently still remain all American calibers. Such is life.

Lastly, the 155 wasn't a candidate for a reworking, as it was already borderline too long. Changing it's relatively blunt (7 cal, if I recall) ogive into a more streamlined 12-14 caliber ogive like the 142 would have exacerbated the length problems and very few rifles would have been able to stabilize it properly. It was pretty marginal as it was, and was highly susceptable to atmospheric or location changes. A real pain to work with, trust me on that one. Wouldn't bother me at all to see them do occasional runs of the 160 (or so) grain RNs for classic cartridges, but I really don't see that happening these days. We still offer the Megas, but I don't see any US manufacturers jumping on that bandwagon. Kind of a shame, since there's certain hunting situations where they truly excel.

 

[45bpcr]

Mr. Hogan,

FYI

Midway USA currently has in stock

Hornaday 160RN Interlock 38 boxes of 100

Woodleigh 160 protected point 33 boxes of 50.

The surplus M/41 stuff is hard to come by right now, will there be more in the future? Who knows?

But quite frankly, a 140 SMK in Winchester cases with 36.5 / 37 grains of 4320 is more accurate in all my M/96 mausers and my AG-42B

Hope this helps,

45Bpcr

 

[tomswede]

44gr of R19 and 140SMK shoots great in my M96, CG63 and Sauer STR.
The M41 was loaded with a 139 FMJBT similar to but not as good as a SMK.
I would save the 160RN for the moose

Tom

 

[hogan]

Anyone have Bob Cauterucio's contact info?

Saw a couple posts he made in this forum this Summer or last, then nothing else here from him....

 

[FilippoMo]

The poor accuracy with your cast bullet is very likely due to an undersized bullet.Have a chamber cast made and make the bullet accordingly.
Sincerely
Filippo

 

[wapiti25]

Hogan, you could have your M70 re-barreled to a custom chamber. you can buy all the 160's that people found for you if you want to solve your lack of bullets.

 

[hogan]

The M-70 is an XTR and is sort of collectible, so not looking to rechamber.
Also have an M-70 CRF w/Obermeyer palma bbl in .260rem. Have debated "improving" this bbl to 6.5x55 AI and then having one standard in 6.5mm

I do need to slug all my bbls for cast boolit use. I use straight wheelweight alloy and get better toughness than any jacketed, water quenched. Anvil tested, at least my 345gr Casull bullet vs Hornady XTP Mag. The Hornady deformed w/fewer hammer blows on the anvil.

Shooting cast boolits does appeal for the minimal to -0- bore wear factor. The 150gr Lyman might be a best solution.