Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5x55 Swede with 22" Barrel

I finally had time to find the thread I mentioned earlier. Enjoy. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9458254/Re:_Good_6.5x55_loads

Im running 49 gr of ramshot magnum, but only getting 2600fps from a 21 inch barrel with 130 accu bonds. I dunno?

I haven't had much luck with Magnum either but I used 140's instead, couldn't even break 2500 fps with it so 'm not surprised with your results. We use mostly H 4350 right now and it does much better.

Kind of makes it a really inefficient 6.5 Grendel, doesn't it?
Seeing as how it's an old '96, I don't want to stress it anyway.

I only developed one load in 6.5x55 with Magnum, the Sierra 140g Gameking SBT. Magnum definitely didn't live up to it's predicted speed in my rifle.

Ramshot's previous max load of 51.6g listed 2,728 fps in a 24" barrel. In my rifle with a 23.6" barrel it gave me 2,614 fps. 1 MOA accuracy was found 1/2 grain lower at 51.1g which only gave me 2,542 fps. Their latest data has reduced their max load nearly a full grain (50.7g), so my load that was previously a 1/2 grain below max is now considered over max. I had previously tested 50.6g in my rifle and my notes show it gave 2,509 fps. I can do a lot better than that with other powders and a 140g bullet, so I no longer bother with Magnum in the 6.5x55.

The best new powder, on paper, for the 6.5x55 seems to be IMR 4955. Temp. resistant, de-coppering agent, and top velocity in a large range of bullet weights. I definitely got the velocity promised by Hodgdon and then some. I had to back the charges down as the max charge listed by Hodgdon was showing about +100 FPS in my rifle. The downside was the velocity spreads were greater with this powder than some others. Switching from a Federal 210 to an Winchester WLR seemed to cure that, but I need further testing.

I run 4831sc in my swede with 140 interloks,, works well

tikka t3x 6.5x55 21.5 barrel pushing a moly'd 140 nosler partition/AB at 2920FPS using MRP and rem 9 1/2's in lapua brass

Ruger M77 with 22" Douglas 6.5x55 barrel

Using IMR 4831 I am able to safely get 2750fps with a 140 Berger VLD Hunting bullet. Haven't pushed it past that but 2800 would definitely be doable.

H380 will give me 2900 fps with a 140 grain Sierra SP or a Rem Corelokt...

but H 380 is not temp insensitive tho...

I load it when the weather is cooler, and DON'T USE mag primers...

H 414 will also get a 140 rolling past 2900 fps...but is also
not temp insensitive...so develop load in the weather you're going to hunt in..

IF you stick to a 24” barrel... which you should!!.. .. just taper to .6” tip.. repeat.. .6” for a beautiful balanced 24” barrel, you can achieve 3000fps/120g, 2900/130 and 2800/140..