My rifles in caliber 6.5x55 shoot better with 120gr bullets than with 140gr bullets in my handloads. I prefer the 140gr bullets for their superior penetration and on-game performance. It is a case of the rifle preferring a different bullet than I want to use. To date the powders I have tried include H4350 and H4831. My loading manuals claim velocities with these powders a bit under 2600 fps in sporter length barrels (22"). I have heard of people getting higher velocity with H1000, which is a slower powder, and of the phenomenon of "dual pressure peaks." I am curious about the accuracy of this and other slower powders in the 6.5x55. My loads kill deer fine but if enough people of good reputation report much improved accuracy with the slower powders, it will prompt me to try them. I am hesitant to do so only because I like to keep my reloading practices as simple as possible, and limiting powder selection is one of those measures.

So please talk to me about your handloads in this caliber and the accuracy you are experiencing, particularly how the slower powders compare with H4350 in the accuracy department. Thank you.

Mule Deer (John Barsness) listed H-4831 and RL-22 as the powders to try with 140 gr bullets for .260 Rem and 6.5x55 in his article "Update: Handloads That Work" in Handloader magazine Issue #231 (October-November 2004). You might try to find a copy of that article to see his load recommendations (powder weight).

For the experts, it might help if they knew what rifles (and barrels if not the factory barrels) you are using (could twist rate be a factor? - probably not, but might be a factor).

Might also help if people knew what type of bullets you had tried in the two weights.

Ramshot's data shows a 140-gr Partition going a little under 2800 fps at about 55kpsi using Magnum powder. 24" barrel, IIRC.

I do not know what twist would be required for 140-gr bullets of various types. Berger lists minimum twist rates for their bullets, and the VLD types are probably longer for weight than other jacketed lead core bullets, such as Partitions, so a slower twist might be OK for shorter ones.

MD also recommended H-1000 for my 6.5-06 and 140's, and that combination shoots lights out for accuracy and velocity. Best accuracy is at the top end for my rifle.

47/48gr of R22 with the Hornady SP has shot very well for me in 3 different Swedes.
This is a warm load and should be worked up to in modern rifles. Velocity has ran right at or just over 2700 fps from 22"-24" bbls.

If your rifle prefers 120 grain bullets, why not go with the
Barnes Tipped TSX in 120 grain, or split the difference with their 127 gr LRX? Just a thought.

While H4831SC and RL-22 sure work in most 6.5x55's with 140's, since I did the update of "Loads That Work" I've tried Ramshot Magnum, a powder Marlin1895 mentioned as a possible.

Magnum is a very slow-burning ball powder, so fits well in cases where powder space might be little tight. Ramshot lists maximum loads from 49.8 to 51.6 grains with 3 different 140-grain bullets for muzzle velocities between 2712 and 2778 fps from a 24" barrel--at around 55,000 psi, as Marlin1895 mentioned.

I load 50 grains with the 140-grain Nosler Partition in my custom FN Mauser with a 21" Lilja barrel. It groups 3 shots into 3/4" or less at 100 yards at just under 2700 fps, even from the relatively short barrel.

Thanks all.

I have 3 rifles in this caliber, all Rugers: two M77MkIIs and a #1A Lipsey special. They all do about 3-4 inches for 3 shots at 200 yards with 44gr of H4350 and either 140gr Hornady interlocks or Sierra boattails. Going up to 45gr gives measureable CHE which is a price I am not willing to pay. Accuracy and long case life is my bag. All of my Ruger 7x57s print 3 shots under 3 inches at 300 yards, and I would like that level of accuracy in my 6.5s as well if I can get it. The 7x57s are the same mix of rifles except one of the M77s is an older tang-safety model whos action is epoxy bedded. Maybe the 6.5s want their actions bedded too, I don't know. I don't think it would hurt, but I admit to being a little apprehensive about doing it. I would hate to glue them together permanently. I tried pressure bedding the forend of one of the 6.5s and it responded well, but I would prefer free-floated barrels if I can make them shoot, particularly in the wood stocks. I wouldn't be as concerned about forend pressure in a good synthetic handle, but they cost more than I paid for the rifles, and i prefer the looks of walnut to fiberglass and kevlar.

Thanks for the suggestion, AggieDog. I would really love to try some 100gr Barnes TTSX in my 6.5s but I just can't bring myself to pay the price. A box of fifty 6.5mm TTSX costs about $37. I can buy a box of 100 Speer, Hornady, or Sierras for under $25. I look at the Barnes bullets every time I go to buy bullets but I just cannot do it. Guess I'm a cheap bastid. Randy and Connie are just gonna have to make their retirement off someone else. I don't doubt they are fine bullets. In fact, I was really excited when the TTSX came out and was one of the first on the 'fire to post about them. I have actually used a few in my 300 RUM and 30-378 mag, and they shot really well, but I only used them because of the light speed of those calibers and their tendency to make mere mortal bullets splash like a raindrop.

So you haven't tried free-floating the barrels on the 77's? In my experience they shoot better floated. I had a 6.5x55 Mark II that was VERY accurate with the barrel floated. Killed a lot of game with it, including one pronghorn at almost 400 yards, then sold it to a friend of Karnis's and have kind of regretted it since.

You can temporary-test a wood-stocked 77 by putting a spacer inside the stock behind the recoil lug. A plastic bread-bag twist-closer usually works great.

Thanks John. Yes, I did try free-floating on one of the rifles, which is where it is right now. This is the one that gives about 3 inch groups at 200 yards. Haven't tried it on the other yet. Sorry if I didn't enumerate that very clearly. The floated one has a really nice trigger. I am one scope short so haven't shot the non-floated one much yet, if at all, since I got it from my buddy. I swapped scopes and springs and stuff around between these rifles so I'm not absolutely sure. I think I took the stock off the one I got from my buddy and put it on the one I bought new (with the good trigger) because it was prettier wood. Anyway, the one I've been shooting lately has the nicer wood, better trigger, and Leupold 2-7x33. The only scopes I have left (not mounted on rifles) are 4Xs. They will do for hunting but aren't ideal for testing rifle accuracy at 200 or 300 yards. Guess I'll have to break down and find the money for another scope. I'm on a mission to make all my rifles hunt-ready so once I get a rifle shooting the way I want and get the scope zeroed the way I want, I'm hesitant to take it off just to test another rifle. For a while I did have a scope dedicated to the task (Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10x40), but it is now mounted and zeroed on my pretty Mark X 30-06. I've stooped so low as to mount a Japanese scope (Bushnel Scope Chief 2.5-8x I think) on one of my American-made Rugers in 7x57. I hope the rifle forgives me of this sin.

I don't have any Ramshot Magnum powder but I do have a couple pounds of Retumbo leftover from my RUM days. Retumbo sits right next to Magnum in Hodgdon's burn rate chart, so its gotta be close. Magnum sits between Retumbo (slower) and H1000 (faster). It seems unusual that such slow powders work in this size case, but the bore is relatively small and 140gr bullets rather heavy for caliber. Problem is I find no loading data for Retumbo in the 6.5x55 so I'll be flying solo in uncharted airspace. Should be OK to start with 50gr if it will fit in the case. I can get a lot more stick powder in a case by trickling it with a little vibration applied, and I don't mind compressing stick powders a bit. We'll see how it works out.

I doubt you'll get very far with Retumbo and 140's. Nosler lists 52.0 grains of H1000 as maximum, and shows it as 108% of load capacity. That's why Magnum works so well: You can get more in a case.

All of the suggested powders may have lot-to-lot variations, though H4831 tends to be pretty consistent. Nosler also shows 51.5 grains of Magnum as maximum, for 2597 fps from a 23" barrel. My rifle beats that by close to 100 fps with only 50 grains from a 21" barrel.

You gunwriters get all the magic guns.

And the fast batches of powder!

Reloder 22 has been the powder to beat in my 6.5x55. Even though it's not known for stellar lot-to-lot consistency or for temperature resistance, it's been the most consistently accurate powder for me. Ramshot Magnum is also a good choice.

This may help with my problem of getting the 140 NP to shoot in my Ruger Swede...I have not tried the Magnum load ? I will by this weekend!

I had excellent luck with Magnum and 140's in a Ruger 77 Mark II 6.5x55 I had for a while. It was a VERY accurate rifle, and the Ramshot loads got around 2750 from 140's in the 22" barrel. Don't remember which bullet I tried--that was a few years ago!

Well all I ever had to do to get good accuracy out of the 6.5 x55's that I owned. I still have one. Is just fill with RL-22 Load a bullet didn't matter if the bullet was a 120 or any of the others up to 160 gr and I just shot and killed stuff. Work up to around 47 to 48 gr with a 140 gr bullet. Like John Said about the Ruger M-77's I had one too and once I did and bedding job and floated the barrel it was inaccurate enough to get me banned from the local turkey shoots. When ever I wanted to shoot for money I shot that rifle, and what ever 140 gr bullet mostly Hornady or Speer SP's over RL-22. I once with a box of 156 gr Norma loads put 20 into a 1 inch circle with some room to spare because a loud mouth said A. Ruger Rifles are inaccurate and crap, and B. I could not do it. It cost him 5 dollars for ever shot that when into an inch or less, or it would cost me 5 dollars a shot if it didn't . Easiest 200 dollars I ever made. These days I am more prone to shoot a good 120 gr bullet out of my current 6.5 x 55.

Big Red - my K1A shot 1.1" at 200 yds for (3) 130 ABs/45.5 H4350.

Also did 3/4 MOA or better using 47/RL22, 140 Amax, Lapua, std. caps.

Good shooting.

Okay, you guys got me doubting my shooting skills now! I'll have to pay more attention to that.

Last night I managed to get 52gr of Retumbo under a 140gr Speer pill. The powder came halfway up the neck and the bullets seated about even with the bottom of the neck. Was able to make pressure too with the once-fired cases showing 2-3 "tenths" CHE. At least now I know Retumbo isn't necessarily too slow. It certainly changed something! They printed about 10 inches lower and 4 inches right of my H4350 load. Unfortunately, it didn't group any better, about 4 inches at 200 for three shots. Something's goofy, and I hope it's the shooter. Will try the same load again tonight with a different shooting technique (holding the rifle in my hands instead of resting on the sandbags). It may be bouncing off the bags.

10 inches lower, check your MV then.. probably lower pressure..
indicating too slow of a powder..

if you desire that slow of powder, I've had the best accuracy with H 1000...

think you'd be getting better groups with RL 19...

myself.. I use powders in the 4064, RL 15, Varget, H380, BLC2 burn range with 140 grain bullets..

Seafire,

That's the plan if I can't get better results with a different shooting form. I have Varget, Re15, and a little 4064 (I think) on hand to try. It's not that I particularly want to use a real slow powder, I'm just looking for accuracy. Velocity and powder choice are secondary, always.

I also noticed that the outside neck of the cases fired with Retumbo have a distinct spot where the soot line moves forward toward the mouth, goes about 60 degrees around the mouth, then back down toward the shoulder, sort-of like a square wave. Soot on the neck doesn't surprise me given the slow powder, but the "square wave" pattern makes me wonder if the chamber is out of round, or something.

I will probably find out eventually what I'm doing wrong. Then it will be like the commercials that say "I could have had a V8!" while slapping my forehead.

Bags far apart might help steady a little if you get good contact, but having the front bag further rearward often seems to give the least 'inconsistency' due to bag giving issues w/varying pressure on forearm - IME.

EVERY 6.5x55 I shot/owned has typically done 1" at worst at 100...at 200, you should be getting 2-3", if not half, w/a gun shooting well, you, your loads, and conditions.

Here is some data sent by Berger that was generated via Quick Load for 24" barrel:

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%


Please cross check with other sources to be sure that no typos got in here. I could not get the nice formatting from the original to carry into this post.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and data. I shot another 3-inch group at 200 yards tonight with the Retumbo loads. That's good enough for deer at 200, but I want better. I'm about ready to try my first epoxy action bedding job.

Big Red, I haven't had time to get into loading for my 6.5X55

but some months back I had a thread about the Best Powder for the 6.5 X 55. RL 22 had the MOST recommends. Far and away more than any other powder.

The comments gave RL 22 the best accuracy & vel. You might want to consider it.

Good Luck
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I will.

Well,I ran up 50 grains of Ramshot Magnum and 46 grains of RL22 with my 140NP's....and so far, RL22 is a winner,but not by much,both loads under 1". With Magnum powder it was beginning to open as the barrel got a little warm.No pressure signs,now to work on seating depth and maybe a Ladder test....
and Thanks JB..it's a good start!
Also while at the range I had worked a load of "Hunter" for my 6.5 Creedmoor with 123Amax and 125 NP's!!! That was a winner!
Both bullets,.5-.75 and same POI!! Just what I wanted!

Another slow burner that works with 140's in the swede is H1000. Try 51-52 gr, shoots exceptionally well in my Tikka and my heavy barrel custom.

Thanks blue.

I went out with the Ruger again. This time I started with a cold barrel and only shot 3 rounds. At 200 yards the first two were less than an inch apart, but the third went out an inch or more. I'm starting to think the thing likes to shoot only a couple rounds and hates being warm at all. I'm wondering if the barrel would respond to cryogenic treatment. OTOH, it doesn't take more than one shot to put game down so I'll prolly just leave it and go hunting.

Three inch group at 200 yards, that is 1.5 moa, heck I would have no problem with that kind of accuracy shooting well pass that distance. I would give some though that maybe your scope is behind the problem? You could hit a grapefruit with that kind of accuracy and that is all the accuracy you need to bring home the venison.

Here in Scandinavia, the 6.5 x 55 is as common as dirt. It is used in a LOT of long range competitions.

I do not know what powders you can easily get, but here Vihtavuori N150 or N165 or N550 are often used for long range competition. N550 is perhaps the most common at my local 600 m range, and Lapua's data will give you 2882 fps with 140gr bullets -- and usually fine accuracy.

You can download the complete Vihtavuori Reloading Guide (2012) edition HERE,

Worthwhile downloading it for a reference. Free too!

John

Thanks Marlin for the chart (list)

I have an observation for 6.5 X 55 loaders.

This chart was supplied by Berger it IS NOT mine.

I noted the higher vels with >>

I noted the lower vels with <<

As I told Big Redhead, some months ago I had a thread about "favorite (best) powder for the Swede". Rl 22 was the favorite.

In that thread and here some recommend 4895, 4064 etc. They are faster burning powders and give LESS vel.

Even in a limited or smaller capacity case SLOWER BURNING powders yield HIGHER vel.

Just an observation trying to help.

I've always thought that to be an odd idiosyncrasy with RL 22. It will vary like the elevation on a roller coaster ride but it will provide rock solid reliable accuracy once dialed in. Never have understood that.