Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5x55 and 140gn Bullet velocity.

G'day John and others,

I recently purchased a new 6.5x55 and loaded some 140gn Speer soft points with 47gn H4831sc for 2523 fps. The barrel is 22 inches long. This velocity seems a bit slow to me. I have seen velocities listed closer to 2700 fps with 140gn bullets. Is there a powder that will increase velocity closer to 2700fps? Should I add a grain or two more of H4831? I used Nosler data as they seem to use modern data in the Swede and other old cartridges. They list 47gn H4831 as max. I am pretty well limited to Hodgdon Extreme and Reloder powders.

Thanks for any and all replies.

With 47 grs. H4831, I get the following muzzle velocities from a M70 FWT. with 22" barrel:
140 Hornady = 2545
140 Partition = 2552
140 Sierra BTSP = 2591

The latter two loads have been very accurate and I'll likely stick with them. I don't recall trying more than 47 grains H4831. One of the Reloder powders might do better, though I have never tried any in the 6.5x55.

H 4831 SC has been slow as well in my 260 Rem and my wife's 6.5x55. Same thing as you 2400-2500 fps when it should be faster, we have done better with H 4350 which can get you closer to 2700 fps. IMR 7828 ssc is great if you can get it, RL 22 should get you there too.

In my Ruger 77 mk.2 ,48 gr..... of imr7828 got 2655 fps ave.with a 140 gr. rem. pspcl.

4350 is my go to for 140's out of my CZ..not balls to the wall but 2670 fps easily with some wiggle room .

H4831sc...H4350.......H100V...VVN560........

all work in two of my Swedes........140's

I'd look at RL 15 and 17....if your rifles is a modern action of some type, instead of a military Swede...data always listed as light because of that, at least in the USA...

Find 260 Remington Data and work up...

in the Hodgdon line up, H 414 or 4350....each of those will easily reach the 2700 fps range...

in the 4831 SC range, I don't think you can get enough in a 6.5 x 55 case to worry about over pressuring the case...in a modern action again of course...

maybe Mr Barsness will verify or deny that fact for us...

Do they still make R19? I got some superb loads with R19 and Nosler BTips. Partitions are magic on game.

H414 and Remington 140s are a solid combo in my Swedes.

Elvis,

One of the problems with handloading the 6.5x55 (as with many older rounds) is that chamber dimensions are all over the place, especially throat length. As a result velocities are all over the place with the same load in different rifles.

This is particularly true with 6.5x55's because the case bodies themselves vary considerably between American and European dimensions. A chamber large enough to accommodate all factory brass will be pretty big.

My own 6.5x55 is chambered with a minimum reamer, both in chamber size and throat length. The chamber is so small, in fact, that the only commercial brass I've found that will fit is European. All the American brass I've tried needs to have the head of the case sized down a little to fit my chamber.

But that's why my rifle WILL get very close to 2700 fps with 140-grain bullets and Nosler's max load of 47.0 H4831sc--depite the barrel being only 21" long.

Looser chambers are also very probably why other 6.5x55's (especially factory rifles) don't get anywhere near that velocity with the same load.

My guess, based on some experience, is that your rifle will get 2650-2700 without any problems if you add some more H4831sc. Around 49.0 grains should do the trick.

John as always has hit the nail on the head. Depends on the rifle and the chamber. In my Sako I had my best luck with RL-19, IMR4350 and IMR 4895. All were accurate and would hit 2700+ with some loads. The Sako was cut with a long throated European spec chamber. A friends Model 70 in 6.5X55 would not get much beyond 2550 with the same loads. I just got a CZ550FS in 6.5X55, and the reloading process will start all over again. With the shorter barrel it may not make as much velocity, but then again on deer sized animals the 6.5X55 does not really need max velocity.

My powders of choice for 140's (Hornday Interlocks or Nosler Partitions) are RL22 and Ram Shot Magnum. I get 2700 with RL22 but have not chrono'ed Magnum yet. I would believe Magnum will either meet or beat RL22 for speed. Either is very accurate in either of my Tikka's.

John,

Good info... I have a couple Swedes...

A factory Mauser, a Ruger 77 Mk 2, and a Featherweight with an aftermarket barrel... I had that one built using Remington Brass as a dummy round...

never got around to trying Lapua brass...

I've always thought the 129gr Hornady was about perfect in the 6x55 case. Maybe another 130gr as well. You know the 130's in the 270 has killed a lot of game from varmits to brown bear. Anyway, it would be my choice considering the case size. powdr

I swicthed to 130 gr Accubonds as I was having trouble getting past 2600 on my military Swede 6.5 although it wa exremely accurate. Now using H4831 and 47 grs, I get 2800 with the 130 grs and better accuracy.

52 grs of H1000 and a 140 gr. Nosler partition gave 2800 fps from my brothers Tikka T3 with 22" barrel, Hodgdon lists 51.5 gr. as maximum at 2651fps.
His gun was stupid accurate with the above load.

rl-22 is my 140 grain powder. 46.5-47 grains

Thanks John and everybody else. Getting the velocity up around 2650fps would be good. The rifle is a Mauser M12 with Norma brass. I'll add a couple more grains of H4831sc and see what happens. I have some 129gn Hornady Interlocks and SSTs but wanted to shoot the 140gn Speers first.

Thanks again.

Got one of those loose chambered 6.5's in a M70 featherweight. Most noticeable when partial re sizing the neck, still 2650 easy to get with 140's and a 22 inch barrel. Lots of throat too, can seat the bullets way out there and doesn't fit into the short scheme of things but the mag box will accommodate and it is easy to load with gloves on. Trajectory not real flat and you got to twist the knobs a bit but pleasant to shoot.

A bunch of experienced info above - good - and I agree with the "depends on the individual rifle" comments. Been shooting both of my 6.5x55 Mil Mausers for almost 50 years and the 140 grain has been the best hunting bullet - with excellent accuracy. These old Swedish Mausers are fine rifles. Have easily been able to get 2650 t0 2700 with powders mentioned above (stuffed full with 4831 was my original load). Never been a fan of real short barrels and these are both 24", which helps the vel. Can't say that a 130 gr. bullet would not be as good or better - never saw any when I started - maybe time to test that.

In my 24" Krieger barreled, short throated 6.5X55, 46.0 grains of H4831 S/C Extreme clocks a flat 2800 fps with the 139 Scenar. That is in Lapua brass and a CCI200 primer. The OAL is 2.955" which is 5 thou off.