Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5 Swede 147 ELD-M load help

I am needing help getting a load together for the 147 ELD-M in a 6.5 Swede. Rifle is a Winchester model 70 classic action with a 1-8 twist shilen barrel.

I am thinking RL 26 is going to be the powder. I know I have Fed 210, Winchester large rifle and magnum, and likely CCI 200’s and 250’s primers. Brass is Norma.

Anyone have any data they can share or mind running it for me? Appreciate any help

Regurgitation of what's in the current Horny manual:

6.5 x 55 Sweedmoor. (29" bbl)
WLR primers and Hornady/Frontier cases

42.6 gr RL-26 (start) 2,300 fps
47.3 gr RL-26 (max) 2,600 fps

That seems on the light side of what I expected.

It's going to be on the low end of the velocity spectrum. Most of the load data is going to be that way because they are meant to be shot in a m96 rifle. In a modern 6.5x55, you should be able to top out at 2,750+. Some guys are running 49gr's of RL26 to reach 2,800 fps. But that is in a modern action. Trust me, your model 70 will tell you when you've reached a max load. It will scream uncle. I'm not saying load up to 49gr either, but you can work up for sure...

Yeah, I knew published load data was going to be in deference to older actions. I’m not exactly looking to be at the bleeding edge of speed.

Seems like working up to 48 gr.’s of RL26 should be safe? I like to be around 2700 at muzzle with the ELD-M’s

2700 should be very attainable. Just keep in mind, everyone's heartthrob (the 6.5 creedmoor) gets it done exceptionally well at around 2,600 fps. If you've ever fired one of those 147's at that speed and on target way out there, you'll know what I'm talking about. A couple weeks ago, I was shooting some of those pills through one of my rifles. Ranges from 400 out to 1,000 yards. Ran all the targets with no misses, got to the 1,000 yard targets, got dialed in and put 3 into 3". Put the rifle away and went home.

In the wind, that bullet shines. I've long shot the 140gr pills, but after shooting the 147 in windy conditions, I take that one over the 140 any day of the week. If your rifle likes that bullet, don't sweat it if you are running sub 2,700 fps. Personally, I'd take a sub 1/2 moa load doing 2,600 fps over a 1 moa load doing 2,700 fps. That may just be me though.

Cartridge : 6.5 x 55 Swedish
Bullet : .264, 147, Hornady ELD-M 26333
Useable Case Capaci: 51.118 grain H2O = 3.319 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.150 inch = 80.01 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder : Alliant Reloder-26 *C

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.98% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-09.8 91 46.00 2546 2116 42155 12413 99.2 1.375
-08.8 92 46.50 2577 2167 43679 12513 99.4 1.352
-07.8 93 47.00 2607 2218 45265 12604 99.6 1.329
-06.9 94 47.50 2637 2269 46916 12687 99.8 1.307
-05.9 95 48.00 2667 2321 48635 12761 99.9 1.285
-04.9 96 48.50 2696 2373 50425 12827 100.0 1.264
-03.9 97 49.00 2726 2425 52290 12884 100.0 1.243
-02.9 98 49.50 2756 2478 54233 12935 100.0 1.222
-02.0 99 50.00 2785 2531 56259 12985 100.0 1.202 ! Near Maximum !
-01.0 100 50.50 2814 2585 58371 13034 100.0 1.182 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 101 51.00 2843 2639 60576 13081 100.0 1.163 ! Near Maximum !
+01.0 102 51.50 2872 2693 62877 13127 100.0 1.144 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 103 52.00 2901 2748 65274 13172 100.0 1.125 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.9 104 52.50 2930 2803 67762 13216 100.0 1.106 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.9 105 53.00 2959 2858 70350 13259 100.0 1.088 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.9 106 53.50 2988 2914 73046 13300 100.0 1.070 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 101 51.00 2969 2876 76544 12513 100.0 1.063 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 101 51.00 2649 2290 46748 13485 97.8 1.297


I have used 26 for the 140 AB at 2900 for a few years, I would think 26 and 147's would be a sure 2800 load if a fella wanted.

Even plain old H4831SC looks pretty good as well.

Cartridge : 6.5 x 55 Swedish
Bullet : .264, 147, Hornady ELD-M 26333
Useable Case Capaci: 51.118 grain H2O = 3.319 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.150 inch = 80.01 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder : Hodgdon H4831 SC *T

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.02% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-10.2 92 44.00 2472 1994 45049 11067 93.8 1.329
-09.2 93 44.50 2501 2042 46633 11210 94.3 1.308
-08.2 94 45.00 2531 2090 48274 11349 94.8 1.287
-07.1 96 45.50 2560 2139 49984 11485 95.3 1.266
-06.1 97 46.00 2590 2189 51756 11617 95.7 1.246
-05.1 98 46.50 2619 2239 53597 11745 96.1 1.226
-04.1 99 47.00 2649 2291 55509 11869 96.6 1.206 ! Near Maximum !
-03.1 100 47.50 2679 2342 57491 11989 97.0 1.187 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 101 48.00 2709 2394 59564 12104 97.3 1.168 ! Near Maximum !
-01.0 102 48.50 2738 2447 61710 12214 97.7 1.149 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 103 49.00 2768 2501 63933 12320 98.0 1.131 ! Near Maximum !
+01.0 104 49.50 2798 2555 66238 12420 98.3 1.113 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0 105 50.00 2828 2610 68635 12515 98.6 1.095 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.1 106 50.50 2857 2665 71128 12605 98.8 1.078 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.1 107 51.00 2887 2721 73723 12689 99.1 1.061 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.1 108 51.50 2917 2777 76426 12768 99.3 1.044 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 103 49.00 2896 2738 76315 12123 100.0 1.050 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 103 49.00 2596 2200 52123 11893 91.8 1.236

Thank you for that printout. That’s making me think settling in from 48-49 grains should be fine.

I hear you on the velocity target as well. I’m not really a long range shooter, so I’m not really going to miss 100 fps either way at my ranges.

Good stuff buddy. Does the OP's rifle have a 22" barrel? I may have missed it.

Rifle has a 24” barrel.

I wish people would learn how to post Quickload information without it looking like gibberish.

In the QL diagram window (mine is on the bottom left side).
Highlight the entire text or any potion you wish (text only, this doesn't work with graphics).

Go to the top of the screen, left side and click on "copy to" and select "clip board"
.
Now if you are going to post that clipboard on a forum like this and just click paste it will come out all screwed up.

Enter your paste info like this.

On the keyboard select the square bracket left, it looks like this ([) .
Then type in the word (code). Then select the square bracket right, it looks like this (])

Then hit the space bar a few times. Now type the square bracket left again ([). Type in a backwards slash (/) then the word (code) followed by another square bracket right (]).

Then click paste between the right and left square brackets code] [/code . Notice I left out the other two square brackets for demo purposes. If I typed out the complete [code [/code sequence , the computer would treat it as a command.

[c__e] [/c__e]

[c__e] Paste Here [/c__e]