Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters New Tikka 6.5x55 - Need Some Loading Help

Just picked up a new T3 for a song in 6.5x55. I'm working up my first loads, and any help along this line is welcomed. Loading data is all over the board, and as best I can tell fairly anemic, because of the old military guns floating around.

As I understand, with a modern action, I should be able to press this rifle safely into the 60k psi realm. With the case having a couple more grains of capacity over the 260 & Creedmore, I should be able to get close to or slightly exceed the speeds of the Creedmore, and be within reasonable pressure. I think I read a thread where Mule Deer posted this as well, but for the life of me, I can't find the thread.

Any help in getting a place to start would be appreciated. I have quite a few powders to work with like H4831, H4350, 4451, RL-17, RL-22, RL-23, 7828… so hopefully I'll be able to find a workable load in there somewhere.

Leaning hard towards the 140 Accubond, but not completely decided. The long ballistics look good with this, and even better with a Berger 140 VLD. I also like the idea of the 120 Ballistic Tips. I hunt with 140 Ballistic Tips in my 7-08, and it's one of my favorite deer bullets. Even thought about punching an elk with one, but I've yet to do it. I'll punch some paper/ring steel at distance, but as for hunting, shots will probably never go much over 400. I'm still a sneak close, shoot close kinda guy. This might be a rifle where I work up several loads for different circumstances.

Thanks for the help!

On my 6.5 x 55, 140 Berger VLd's, my good load is:

44.0 RE 22,
about .030 off the lands.

not a GW....but the Swede is easy to load....think slow powders

load to mag length...140 AB's work great !

H4831sc..H4350 & RE22 always worked in my Swede Tik.....

You'll find Lapua or Norma brass probably before Win or Rem..

Most Tikka's shoot well...no wind or coffee this day...

That's pretty awesome!

Did you clock those? I'm using a chronograph to work my pressures backwards. I'm figuring I can load to the speeds of the Creedmore, and because of the similar case capacity, I should be under or at the 60k psi level.

I've got a wood stock/blue steel TIKKA in the Swede.
Mine likes 46-47 of Reloader22 with 140gr Sierras.
NOTE: Alliant lists a max of 45 and Nosler a max of 46.5.
So be careful and work up slow.

I've got one coming and wondering the same thing as John Childs - I've got a few other powders; 7977, IMR4350, RL33, 26 & 19 (though I'd imagine the 33 is TOO slow)7828SSC. The hodgdon website doesn't take anything about about 48-49K pressures.
I'm thinking some AMAX I have as well as some Nosler BT's both in the 140gr flavor.

Unless you've found something I haven't these loads are anemic for the Swede.




Denton posted this on the Reloading--- Big Game Rifles-- 6.5X55 Good Loads-- by Scott from Dallas...
and pressure tested it.

Re: Good 6.5x55 loads [Re: scottfromdallas]
denton Online content
Campfire Outfitter

Registered: 06/28/04
Posts: 8239
Loc: Utah
49.5 grains H4350 with a 120 grain Sierra bullet and 3.000" COL gives me a measured 59.4 KPSI and 3075 FPS out of a 24" barrel. I back that one down a grain just for luck. Should give you about 3025 and around 57 KPSI, which is a conservative load for a modern rifle.

47.5 grains H4350 behind a 129 grain Hornady bullet, 3.000" COL, gives 2951 FPS. I don't have a pressure measurement on that. Same 24" barrel.

With a Swedish milsurp, 46.5 grains RL22 gives 2824 FPS at 3.025" COL, with a 140 grain bullet, and 44 grains AA4350 gives 2793 FPS. Those are mild loads according to the books.

Your results will be different, of course.
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For Future Ref, there are a lot of Campfire Pet Loads or Good Loads on the Reloading - Big Game Rifles forum.


Jerry

Jwall, thanks. That's exactly the kinda of info I've been looking for.

Tikkanut, I'd already looked extensively at the Hodgon Site, and those loads are anemic! The pressures are 45k CUP, which is set to be safe in the older weapons. That's what precipitated this thread to see if I'm correct in remembering I can safely push these loads when using a modern action.

^ those charges are pretty stout...

I'm at 46.5 grs of h4350 with the 123 scenar at 2950 fps. Read the fine print in reloading manuals...some of that data was worked up with a modern rifle, not an old military relic.

The 6.5x55 is closer to the .260AI in capacity so that is a good point of comparison. The SM has about five grains more capacity than the Creedmore or .260 depending on brass. Also data for the 6.5x55 SKAN is at a more modern 55,000 CUP the VitaVourie site has some data for it http://www.vihtavuori.com/en/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/6-5-x-55-swedish-mauser.html this is the standard low pressure data the SKAN data is on the pdf version. Also the RWS 140 gr. load gets around 2885 fps although this might be from a 29 or 30" barrel.

R26,MRP,R22, H4831, H4350, Ramshot Magnum, VV N560 and others in this general burn rate are good powder choices. I'm gearing up to see if I can get some good loads with R26 and the 140s. Will try to work up to 52.5 grains without exploding anything. Going to try AA8700 at about 56 grains with the 160 Hornaday RN for some old school hog rounds since I have a couple of pounds of this that needs burning. Should work even though these were designed for the Mannlicher and Carcano velocities.

I'll post a report when I eventually get to the testing if I still have all my digits.

Ya psi & cup ain't the same thing.

My Swede is a 98 FN/Shilen, Canjar trigger in a B&C Medalist. It's now at McM being fitted for a McWoody Classic Edge.

It didn't like 100 NBT's, 120 NBT's or 140 NPT's.

It really likes 139 gr. Scenars, shoots them well with a number of loads, including these with group size at 100 yds.

Scenar 139 gr.:

.39" 47.2 MRP 2,650 fps
.39" 48.1 N-165 2,637 fps
.34" 47.1 N-560 2,743 fps
.78" 45.0 RL-17 2,749 fps

Scenar 123 gr.

.9" 47.1 IMR-4350 2,938 fps

VLD Hunting 140 gr.

.83" 44.6 RL-17 2,735 fps

Scenar Mega 155 gr.

.51" 46.5 H-4831 (old lot) around 2,500 fps

Seems this gun is a poster child for Lapua bullets, others need not apply. I think I can live with 139 gr. and 155 gr. Scenars. Those two should handle most critters I'll be hunting.

These load work well in my gun. Swede chambers are known to vary, work up, don't assume anything.

Assuming can get you in trouble. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/9781434

Like they say, don't try that at home. And yes, same gun.

DF

100 NBT's with RL 19:



130 TSX with RL19 and IMR 4350





140 Hornady with RL 22



140 Partition with Ram Shot Magnum



I have two T3 6.5x55's. One blued and one stainless. Both shoot very well and both are picky as to seating depth. Mine like the bullet seated deeper than out and jump to the lands. I've taken a Lee hand press to the range to play with seating depth to finalize a load on more than one occasion. Just something to think about. Have fun!

YMMV, but the most consistent load in my Howa 1500 Lightning has been the Sierra 120 gr Prohunter flat based Spitzer with 40.5 gr of IMR-4064. Just another option in case the usual suspects of 140 gr bullets and slow burning powders don't click with your new rifle.

i'm curious - why the stock change?

The B&C Medalist is a great stock and works well.

The McWoody Classic Edge looks kinda like Walnut, but lighter and stronger than wood. The Edge will lose a few ounces, may improve balance, should enhance the look of a classic rifle. The new stock is pillared. I'll glass, free float and torque it, just like the Medaliat and will post photos when it's done.

DF

Well I got out and shot the Tikka 6.5 this morning, and I'm pretty happy with the first go round. I tried two five shot groups with RL-22, and two with H4831 pushing a 140 Accubond.

The first two I shot were the RL-22. It just shot ok. Both groups right at an inch, maybe slightly more. I know that's not bad, but I'd seen groups from a a friends Tikka in the same caliber that was substantially better.

I then shot the H4831 loads, and I started to see Nirvana! I shot two groups with 47 grains of H4831 and the first 5 shot group measured .469". The second one measured .609". I'm very pleased with this!!

Here's a pic of the .469" group.
[img:center][/img]

I thought the speeds seemed a bit slow. I was trying out a new Chronograph as well, and I have to say I'm not sure I trust it. It clocked the the H4831 loads at 2564 Avg. I would have expected closer to 2650-2700. Maybe I expect to much!

Anyone know what the velocities should be with that load? Looking at the Nosler Manual, I should have been right on with my prediction. Again, not sure I'm trusting this chrono so far… Maybe it's time to order a Lab Radar!

John

You didn't say what bullet weight. I'm guessing 120 or 140 ??

I'm shooting the load Denton posted, 49 gs IMR 4350. --120 NBT @2975

H4831 is a few steps slower burning than 4350 so I'm not too surprised at the slow speed.

Do you have any ammo that you have graphed before ? If so you could shoot them over the new graph.

Remember barrels, chambers, throats, & components ALL have 'variations', so we can't expect the same exact specs as someone else. I look to just get close.

Your accuracy looks fantastic tho.

Jerry

Jerry, just fixed the post. Was shooting 140's.

I do use the chrono as a reference, and do expect differences between different guns, barrel lengths, and components. This just seemed grossly divergent from the Nosler manual. I was using their brass In a barrel only 1" shorter than their test barrel at their max load, and was close to 200 Fps slower. Guess that's why I questioned what I saw.

Accuracy was good though!