Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x55 Swede Loads

Need some help here. Got a couple of 6.5x55 and in need of reloading data for the 140gr GK and Berber 140gr VLD. Both of the rifles are Carl Gustaf models with original barrels. All the load data out there that I've seen doesn't give the COL. If anyone has data on this I'd greatly appreciate it.

javman

I suspect you will run into magazine constraints before you get close to the lands.

Biathalonman is correct, you'll likely run out of room in the magazine.

But, since you asked, I'm loading a 140 SGK over 46.3 gr RL-22 at 2.660" COAL to the ogive in a sporterized M38. I can get that in the magazine but IIRC 2.8"-ish starts to hang up a bit.

I'll try to find my OAL tool and/or notebooks(just moved, still unpacking) in the next day or two and see what I get to the lands.

Thanks for the input guys, but I loaded some of the bergers out to 3.1 and they fit with room in the magazine. Just running out of room for case to be holding on to the actual slug. Seems the these to rifles are generously throated. I was reading a thread on another board where a member shrank his group size by just changing primers and his data included measuring the COL based on the ogive and not the true COL. Again thanks for helping out. Just want to see what these two can do on the range.

javman

I load 46 gr H4831 and the 140 gr Game King as the most accurate load in that bullet.(2650 fps, 3/4 "groups)
I also load the 130 gr Accubond with 47 gr H4831 and get 2800fps with a COAL of 3.175. 39.5 gr of H4895 gave the same,but not as accurate.
The 130gr AB is a longer bullet and I find more accurate.I suspect it macthes the twist rate better.JMO though

I have had great loads with RL 19. and 120 grn. TSX 2950 fps.
Book max. load in Speer 13th manual. Buckfever1

saddelsore,

Are you crimping these? At 3.175 OAL is that for the GK also? At this length are they barely hanging onto the case? I'll give this a try and hopefully they will shoot as well as yours, I'd be happy with "3/4 groups anytime . Most of the other folks that are shooting Rugers or Tikkas don't have a longer throat than the Carl Gustaf models.

thanks

javman

I don't crimp. The COAL I gave is for the Acccubonds.The 140's are 3.04ish.
I do run them thru a gauge to check concentricty though.

Try the 130 gr Accubonds.Expensive but they are the longest bullet I found in that weight class and my swede will not shoot anything lighter accureatly.Probably a fluke, but I shot a better than 1" group at 300 yards this winter with them.

At 2800fps, they give a lot more distance credabilty than the 2650fps,140's
I use them for thier accuracy,not terminal perforamce as there is little differnce between them at 2800 and the 240's at 2650

Use a drop tube when loading the H4831.

This may startle some people, but it isn't necessary to seat bullets close to the lands to get fine accuracy. In fact a lot of today's longer bullets shoot better backed off somewhat. Plus, a lot of rifles that were originally designed for longer bullets shoot extremely well despite lots of "freebore." I have seen this over and over again in European rifles.

I have owned a few Swedes and with 140's most of the usual suspects such as H4831 and RL-22 work well. A great newer powder with 140's is Ramshot Magnum, which usually shoots very accurately but also gets about as much velocity as possible. Ramshot's published data will usually get 2750-2800 with 140's in 22-24" barrels.

Thanks saddlesore,

I will give the accubonds a run and keep my fingers crossed. Guess I'll be heading to my local reloading supply store here. One more question, what primers are you using? Read and saw on another forum where they switched primers and brought down the group size down substantially with that one change alone.

thanks a million!

40 grains of 4064, or IMR 4895, or RL 15 and a 140 grain bullet give me 2800 fps out of mine Mauser and Ruger...

I seat COAL magazine length in both rifles...

I agree John.I had an Interarms 7 x57 that would shoot best with almost a 1/4 inch jump and of course Weatherbys all have a big jump.The COAL I quoted are where the load was most accurate.
My Model 88 .308 COAL is limited by the box magazine and it is no where close to the lands in my load of 165 GK's. Although it will not shoot into the .500 groups that many on here profess, it will do 3/4 inch groups at 100.

javman.I use CCI's. At my age I have two life time supplies of them for anything I reload.( A 50 cal ammo can full of each LR,SR,LP and SP.) Not hoarding just that a friend died and he had them way before any primer shortage.I have used CCI all my life and never got around to testing a bunch of primer brands. They provide adequate minute of elk/deer/pronghorn accuracy that is aceptable to me.I never was one to chase those little itty bitty groups.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Ramshot,but like the primers I have two life time supplies of 4831 and it works for me in the .06 and 6.5 quite well.I use 4064 in the.308 and 4895 in the Garand. Anything else I have takes a handgun/shotgun powder or BP.

Not that he needs it, but I'll back JB up on this.

One 308 I've been shooting a lot lately jumps 168 gr. match bullets over 0.15" when the cartridges are loaded to fit the magazine. With several different powder charges, if three shots go outside of 1/2" c-t-c then it's my fault.

Just make sure your cartridges are loaded straight!

I concur. My 6.5x55 has a long throat, as does my 204 Ruger. I am not able to get close to the lands with either. Both shoot great!

My Swede likes 130 Accubonds, Lapua case, CCI primer, and H4831...Been working up a load for 100gr ballistic tips, and the 155gr Lapua Mega. Will post results...

Just want to thank all for their input and will be busy this weekend trying the different suggestions. This is what I like about this community here, bunch of great folks on here.

javman

My Swede's like their OAL a little on the short side, too. Also, have had good success with all the powders JB mentions with 130's and 140's. He oughta write about this stuff, or something!

Received this data from Berger, which was done on Quick Load. Lost the table format, but not too hard to read.

Load data was generated using Quick Load a 24 inch barrel a COAL (cartridge over all length) of 3.150 inches and your COAL and velocity could be a little different.
AS WITH ALL RELOADING APPROACH THE MAXIMUM LOADS WITH CAUTION AS ALL RIFLES AND RELOADING TECHNIQUES WILL BE DIFFERENT. If YOU CHANGE ANY OF YOUR COMPONENTS; THIS INCLUDES DIFFERENT POWDER LOT NUMBERS; YOU MUST REFIGURE YOUR LOADS BY STARTING WITH THE MINIMUM LOAD.



If we can be of any additional help feel free to contact us.

Thanks for your interest and have a great day.



Walt Berger

Berger Bullets

Technical Adviser



6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser
Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Fill Ratio
130 Grain H4350 42.0 2636 44.0 2759 90.9%
130 Grain IMR 4831 41.5 2628 43.9 2770 92.0%
130 Grain NORMA MRP 45.5 2698 48.3 2875 97.7%
130 Grain Ramshot Hunter 42.0 2643 44.5 2791 87.3%
130 Grain VIHT N160 43.0 2562 45.6 2715 95.4%
130 Grain WW WXR 45.5 2696 47.8 2839 97.2%
130 Grain AA XMR 3100 44.5 2597 47.1 2754 98.4%
130 Grain NORMA 204 42.0 2628 44.3 2769 90.6%
130 Grain H4831 SC 45.5 2628 48.0 2786 97.1%
130 Grain RE 22 45.0 2679 47.5 2835 98.2%
130 Grain RE 19 42.5 2627 45.1 2785 95.2%
130 Grain IMR 4350 40.0 2649 42.0 2771 88.7%

6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser
Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Fill Ratio
140 Grain H4831 SC 44.0 2494 47.1 2700 95.2%
140 Grain IMR 4350 38.5 2575 41.1 2675 86.7%
140 Grain NORMA MRP 44.0 2563 47.2 2775 95.4%
140 Grain Ramshot Magnum 47.5 2543 50.8 2755 99.1%
140 Grain VIHT N160 41.5 2429 44.6 2621 93.2%
140 Grain WW WXR 43.5 2531 46.6 2733 94.7%
140 Grain RE 22 43.5 2544 46.4 2736 95.8%
140 Grain AA XMR 3100 42.5 2504 46.1 2661 96.3%
140 Grain NORMA 204 40.5 2489 43.2 2665 88.3%
140 Grain VIHT N165 44.0 2499 46.8 2657 96.5%
140 Grain IMR 4895 35.0 2522 37.2 2644 78.4%
140 Grain IMR 4064 35.0 2475 37.1 2593 78.1%
140 Grain RE 19 40.5 2408 45.0 2669 92.7%
140 Grain H4350 41.5 2503 43.5 2620 88.7%

You can go to Ramshot's site and look at their 4.5 data set. It shows 6.5x55mm loads that have pressures for modern rifles. All the 6.5mm calibers are on one page, and you can see what max pressures they used on each.

Marlin,

This is great info also. More data than you can shake a stick at. This will be a busy time for messing around with the data that everyone has provided.

thanks to all

javman