Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x55 with 95 gr V-Max

First post. I've enjoyed this forum for a long time and gotten some good iformation from it. Haven't signed up till now as can't think of much I could contribute. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here.
95 gr. V-Max,with 45 gr. Reloader 15, isn't in any of the four manuals I've got and I couldn't find it in the search feature here. I'm getting 2975 fps average at 60 degrees with real good accuracy from a Ruger 77 Mkll. The brass (Lapua) looks good and primers are ok.
Has anyone seen this load listed in any manual or elsewhere? I'm confident I didnt come up with it on my own. Thanks.

Congrads on the first post!

Nosler lists 43.5 w/a 100 grain in a modern action. Hornady shows 42.4 for the 95 grain, but that's in a 96 Swede. I think you are fine. I shoot 45 grains of Varget and 44 to 45 of IMR 4064 with the 100 grn bullets a lot and could go higher in my rife.

FWIW: (Disclaimer here)48 grains of IMR 4350 is my fav load w/the 95 grain Vmax.

43,

Welcome to the forum..

you are fine with that load...while you won't find every load and powder combination under the sun in ANY reload manual...

RL 15 is a good choice for the 6.5 and 45 grain charge is pretty darn safe in the Ruger 77..

The 95 V Max is my least favorite bullet for the 6.5 x 55, but if it is giving you the accuracy you desire.. enjoy...

I tend to shoot the 90 grain TNT Speers, or the 100 grain Noslers, Sierra HP and Hornady SP.. I even deer hunt with the 100 grainers..with excellent success...

cheers
seafire

Given that most modern Swedes have a 1:8-1:9 twist, that generally means that they are throated for longer bullets. Please correct me if I'm way off. My Ruger has a 1:8.5 twist and can't get the bullet close enough to the lands as I can with the longer/heavier ones. Using a Stoney Point OAL guage I find that the 100s are barely in the brass while touching the lands. I havn't had any success grouping the lighter bullets. I'm thinking its because of the enormous jump.
About the load development, it seems that you're shooting a tame load there and could do faster, if that's what you're looking for. As for the 130 Accubonds, I'm loading 46.0g of RL-19 safely and very accurately.

Welcome 43Shooter!

The 6.5x55 using modern firearms is a fairly new round to me but it's been love at first firing. 51.5 grains of RL19 under a 100 grain Nosler BT does 3K and has given me several one ragged hole 3-shot groups and a few clover leafs. I'm shooting a T3 and not anywhere close to the lands. In fact, with the Tikka there is so much freebore I can't seat out to touch the lands with that bullet, or any I've tried so far. But I have had no issues with accuracy as long as my OAL is in the sweet spot.

I tried a Varget recipe with the 95 Vmax but the accuracy was not there. That was before I understood the OAL issue my rifle had. I may get back to that 95 grainer and give it another go and include some RL15 this time.

43shooter,
I used the 95vmax in a .260 starting at about 3200fps and it is a fabulous slug. As long as your game is not armor plated and your not expecting to eat anything near the point of impact you will be fine. It is very explosive and I had a couple of fist sized exits on coyotes and wild dogs. Accuracy was excellent, sitting at about 3/4moa.

RickyD, now you got me thinking I need to do some more experimenting...thanks for the future dollars spent

I run the 95 V-maxes and the 90 grain TNTs in my 260 this time of year on gophers. I run them in the neighborhood of 3100 FPS, which splats the little critters very well.

You might try some Ramshot Hunter or Big Game in your 6.5 Swede. I use Big Game in my 260 varmint load, just so I can load it in mass quantity on my Dillon 550. Pretty clean shooting load, especially running it as slow as I do. That load still shoots well under sub-moa in my half cooked 260 barrel.

You gotta love 6.5's

I use 95Vs in my Pac Nor 260...but when I built the barrel I had it short throated & 9 twist..so 95-142s all work well...seems I load 40.5/H4895 in mt 260...Lapua 308 brass...I believe 3250 fps...the 100-120 NBTs are a better LR varmint bullet though...factory 6.5x55 throats may be somewhat long for the 95 V max..

Thanks for the welcome and the replys. It looks like I could increase the velocity so I'll probably give it a try. Accuracy for this load was .611 avg. for five 3 shot groups at 100 yards off a bench with good weather conditions. COL was 3.000, scope a 2.5-8 Leupold.