Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5 Swede ???

there was also a 6mm Arch

On the sporterized rifles, I have replaced the military bolt shrouds with commercial style bolt shrouds from Brownells that have a larger gas shield. I also replaced the triggers with Bold or Timney units, install Dayton Traister cock-on-opening kits, modified or replaced the bolt handles, replaced 3 of the 5 barrels, and 5 of the 5 stocks. With these components changed out, the rifles function fine in 22-250, 257 Roberts, 6.5x55(2), and 7x57.
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I also rebarreled one of my 96's to a 22-250 and on 2 different
sites was told how crazy I was for the 96 is not strong enough for the 22-250 pressures. But I have been shooting it for 12 years now with no problems.

Thanks for the info guys. I did order the 130 AB's and can't wait to get 'em. I'm using H4350 and H4895. Just from studying manuals it seemed that the 4895 gave better results for the lighter bullets and 4350 for the heavier. But I also see a lot of the guys here are RL fans. The 4350 has been grouping well with the 140 PT's; I know the accuracy will be there; I know the bullet will perform, so now the priority is speed. Out of a 25" tube I won't be getting 3000, and probably not even 2900, but I'd like to get as close to there as possible (I guess I'm still young- well somewhat! -, stupid, and impressed by speed).
So which powders are the best performers?

For 130 AB's I use 47 grains of H4831sc. I believe it does somewhere around 2800 fps. It may not be a max load but still work up. It's a very accurate load in my two T3's.

I've been playing with a pre-64 Mod 70FWT that I recently re-barreled to 6.5x55. So far I have only used RE-22 w/140 and 160gr bullets. From my results so far, I doubt if I try anything else.

Have worked my way up to a load of 47gr of RE-22 with 140gr (Sierra GK, Speer HC, & Hornady IL) which shoots all 3 at slightly less than MOA, and to the same POI. As a whim, I shot a 3-shot group @ 100yds with one of each bullet that measured .87

The 160gr Hornady RN produces similar groups with a slightly smaller charge. POI is a couple of inches lower than the 140's but on the same vertical plane.

I estimate my velocities with the 140's at aprox. 2,700fps out of a 22" barrel, which is plenty for my purposes. I would suspect you would have to push the Swede pretty darn hard to approach 3,000fps with 140's, even with a 28" barrel.

I don't believe a Swede will safely do 3K with a 140. I run 49 grains of RL22 with a Hornady 140 and just break 2700 with a Tikka T3. Very good accuracy and no pressure signs, but I don't want to push my luck any further. A 6.5x284 is hard pressed to get 3K with a 140/142 unless it has a 28-30" barrel. Safely, that is.

I did a little internet snooping on Swede load data and noticed that velocities for RE-22 were highly variable. The 47gr loads I found varied from 2600 - 2800fps. Some show 2650 with just 45gr. I guess that's some of the infamous lot to lot variation you keep hearing about with RE-22.

I've thought about chronographing mine, but I'm so pleased with the way it's shooting, I think I'll just leave it be and assume I'm getting a decent velocity. Many a favorite load has been spoiled by an accurate chrono reading.

Even when the barrel was 29" I never got close to 3k, I understand that. I just basically want the most speed with accuracy that I can get. Who knows, I may just stick with the 41gr load of 4350 with the 130 AB's and see if it works as well as the 140 PT's.

I just wanted to maximize the ballistics. I was really hoping for at least 2800, though. Basically, I just don't have confidence in the round, yet, (the smallest caliber that I've owned before this was a 7mm Rem Mag) and I'm trying to make it as powerful as possible. My affinity for Bob Milek's work made me a moderate mass+velocity Keithian, and the little Swede can hardly be considered highly endowed of either. Basically, I thought of it as a phenomenal little antelope/deer/predator cartridge; then the guys on this site started talking about elk and grizzly! And that's just a little much for me to get my head wrapped around!

BTW RickyD, I read it...

Good! I found it illuminating and frightening. You?

I got my first commercial Swede (had 2 stock military's for 15 years) three years ago, about the time my first shoulder blew out. Last fall it was the other shoulder. I haven't hunted to speak of in 3 years, so I have yet to get my Swede's bloodied. That said, I have a lot of confidence by recommendation and reference in the Swede and in 6.5 bullets specifically. I don't think the Swede will let you down.

I love shooting the thing, and it's accuracy is nearly automatic.

Yeah... I had heard about the citizenship, but knew that his mother was American, and so blew it off (thinking he merely had dual). But the forged birth cert, and all the other info changed my mind. I find it unfathomable that someone with so much documented proof of their HATE for our nation was ever elected to the office (Clinton made my blood curdle, this guy just scares me!).

I've had the same experience with my Swede. All the guys that I work with are completely enamored by the accuracy, and basically think I have some unusual skill; I try to tell them its the rifle! I'm too honest, I guess!

In another thread they're looking for compilations of Bob Milek's work; and in it, I recount the first article I read of his about elk hunting, and it forever cemented in me what a "proper" elk cartridge should contain, one of which was at least 2000 foot pounds of energy striking the animal. If that's true, then the 6.5x55 peters out after 100 yards, and the 30-06 isn't good much past 200 yards. Now that I look back, Mr. Milek had a custom 30-06 made for his elk rifle, and I really doubt that he limited himself to 200 yard shots. One of the guides he interviewed even said the .300 magnums were insufficient at 350 yards if the shot was anything other than broadside. If you consider the .300 Win Mag, it carries more than 2000 out past 400 yards in most "elk" weights, and the same guide recommended the 8mm Rem Mag which drops below the ton just over 300 yards.

So I'm betting with the accuracy of my Swede, I could poke some well grouped holes into many of these theories! (I'm still going to start on whitetails and antelope, though!)

I have a Model 38 Swede made by Husky, and it will shoot 120 grain Nosler Solid bases to 2900 fps with little effort when using IMR 4895. It will break 2900 when using Rel-19 and the same bullet. My favorite bullet for any 6.5 caliber gun is the Hornady 129SP. It kills well and has never blown up or failed on any deer.

Don't ever worry about the Swede's action strength. I've read more than one account of them being as strong as the 98s and you should be able to make and standard cartrige work well in a 38 or 96 action.

That's exactly the kind of info that I was looking for! I've got H4895, but they should be relatively close. Thanks!

That comment is on the mark. Started reloading/shooting an M96 6.5x55 in 1962 (140 grain bullet) and have killed everything up through nice bull elk with a single shot. Have lots of other rifles, but NONE more effective/efficient and most not as much. Given the early experience and being a young fool back then (now an old fool) while in AZ, I mildly challenged a very well known writer about his unending praise of the .270 when so much of the data and experience showed the 6.5 Swedish to be superior - and the rifles cost about $15 or $20 at the time. His response was neither polite nor acknowledging - must have been selling something.

[quote=CCCC
Given the early experience and being a young fool back then (now an old fool) while in AZ, I mildly challenged a very well known writer about his unending praise of the .270 when so much of the data and experience showed the 6.5 Swedish to be superior - and the rifles cost about $15 or $20 at the time. His response was neither polite nor acknowledging - must have been selling something. [/quote]


Gee, I wonder who that might have been.

Capitalist, IIRC, I use 44/IMR 4350 in 260 and 45.5 w/Swede/Lapua brass and 130s.....2780 mv in 22" bbls. BC .488 IIRC.

+2......Good post,JB..I find it humorous that a cartridge can exist for several decades,have a kill record numbering in the tens of thousands(millions?) worldwide,and is suddenly declared obsolete and antiquated by a tiny,but vociferous minority of rifle nuts because some new cartridge squeezes into a shorter action weighing 3 ounces less....funny stuff.

I love both the 260 and 6.5x55. I think they fill different niches while doing their job with little fuss. Because the 260 fits into small actions like the model 7, I believe it is better suited for carbine length guns. The Swede needs an '06 length action, so it is better suited to guns with 22+ inches of barrel. I don't think any hunter can go wrong if choosing either.

Okay, guys... off topic for one moment. Like I said, I'm new and while I'm familiar with some of the texting lingo, there are a few that I can't for the life of me figure out... the only two that come to mind, however, are "IIRC" and "OTOH". They are both being used all over this site, and I'm completely confused!
Thanks!

IIRC = "if I remember correctly"

OTOH = "on the other hand"

HTH

Internet acronyms dictionary.

http://gaarde.org/acronyms/