Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x55 and 140gr+ loads and powder recommendations

This is a continuation of a previous thread I started. I was in a search for a good elk bullet. This site has some powder/load info for smaller grain bullets and my previous thread was starting to see some great load info being posted.

I research the heck out of forums and m hoping all your awesome info will help other searchers.

What I'm hoping is to figure out is the right powder and successful loads for heavier grained 6.5mm bullets.

I am specifically looking at 140gr partitions and 155gr lapua mega.

Other larger grain 6.5x55 loads would be great to see info on too

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

The two best powders I have found so far for the heavier bullets are IMR 7828 ssc and H 4350. In years past I also tried IMR 4350 with excellent success. Those powders have worked well for bullets from 120 gr - 160 gr. I'm sure there are other great powders but those are the ones that have worked well for me.

Norma MRP, very clean and consistent

I've had luck with RL 22 and 140 grain bullets.

Thanks folks. Would you use those powders over multiple bullet weights. Specifically the nl 140gr and 155 mega or 156gr oryx?

Yes, all the powders mentioned so far will work well with the bullet weights you are looking at and even lighter than 140's.

I like H4831 in my 140 gr loads.

I've shot 139 - 143 gr bullets with H4350, H4831, RE22, RE23 and Ramshot Magnum in a new Tikka 6.5x55. This particular rifle prefers H4350 to the other powders...

i have use MRP with 3 different 140's and the 142ABLR

Here are some other loads from my previous thread where I was trying to dial in an appropriate 6.5x55 bullet for elk.
As I went through this I started to realize why I am so confused on what powder to get for 140 Partitions and 155 mega or 156 Oryx

Here are the loads:


140 gr Partition at 2780 fps powered by RL-22 (user: gunner500)

52 gr H1000 will get you just about 2800 fps also with a a 140 gr. Partition (user: wyoming260)

Im using Norma MRP 51grn. and rem 9 1/2 primers with Lapua brass. 3.150oal in the same set up as you. Tikka T3X 6.5x55. its pushing Moly'd 140 partitions and
AB/ABLR at 2920fps (user: magnum44270)

H4831 and the 130gr AB (user: antelope_sniper)

Half inch, 155 Mega over 46.5 H-4831 (surplus powder I bought in the ‘60’s) at around 2,500 FPS. I understand this old powder may be a tad slower than current
production H-4831. It smells like new powder, no dust. It performs very well. (user: Dirtfarmer)

I shot quarter and 1/3 MOA groups with 139 Scenar over 47.2 MRP at around 2,650 FPS. 45 gr RL-17 was almost as accurate, still sub MOA, and
faster at 2,749. (user: Dirtfarmer)

I'm running the 142 gr Nosler LR Accubond in my Swede and in my 264 WM. In the Swede ( a Model 70 w/ a Pac-nor 22" barrel) I'm using 45.5 g IMR4350 for
2810 fps. Groups are .3-.33 5 shots. (user: Bbear)

Just skip everything else and go straight to RL 22.

Can someone help clear up my confusion regarding powders, please and thank you:
- In simplest terms, depending on barrell/bullet, a heavier the bullet and a faster burning the powder will result in higher pressures.
- So when I hear about slow burning powders, is the goal to have a complete burn of all the powder just before the bullet leaves the barrel?

In regards to my needs: I would like to sling both a 140gr and a 155/156gr bullet at a higher rate of speed (hoping for 2600+ft/s).

1) Due to the greater weight of the 155gr bullet, would it require a slower burning powder than the 140gr in order to avoid high pressures?
2) If I used a 'faster' powder for the 140gr, could I use that same powder for the 155gr and still expect to get decent velocities without going past max pressures.

Again, I'll really like to see these bullets leaving barrel at 2600+ft/s in order to minimize drop out to 200yds.


Appreciate all your assistance and patience. I am definitely a newbie and want to ensure that I get this right...

Cheers.

H4831sc........H4350.........VVN560.....oh yea.......RE22 !

The Swede is a classic !

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/6.5x55.html

This is correct but with the Swede a 140 is considered heavy for the caliber so slow to real slow powders work well for this range of bullets. I am using R26, R22. & MRP with good results but will even try some AA8700 with the 160s just to use it up. Old data shows it can get 2600 fps with modern pressures but still very low pressure for 8700.

Thank you answering my question!

160s at 2600 sounds interesting ....


So short and sweet, in what application would you use:
R26:
R22:
MRP:

I am hoping your asnwers will help me understand a person's powder choice when there are some many options....appreciate the schooling!

Dapesche,

There is not an answer to that question and the reason why is because every gun is different and will respond different. In one rifle RL22 might be your best powder but in another rifle it might be MRP.

I would recommend you pick 2 powders and compare or if you want to pick only one powder I would get RL22 .
While there are generally a number of best powders for an application the only way to know which one is best in your rifle is to try them. One nice thing about the Swede is they tend to shoot well with just about anything IME.

Trystan

I tagged "Good loads for the 6.5X55 swede" for you to take a look if you want



Trystan

This pretty much sums up the options. Thank you.
I have a tikka 6.5x55 so I am curious to have your opinion.
Would like to see a NP 140gr moving faster than 2700ft/s from the muzzle and hopefully see a 155/156gr bullet moving at 2500-2600ft/s from the muzzle.
Which powder best accomplishes that in our tikka without having to worry about blowing it up....

I've gotten better than 2700 from a 22 inch Ruger with a 140 from a few powders. IMR 4350, H4350, IMR 4831 and RL19 mainly.

All of the above will work well. R26 would probably give the most velocity and is the most stable so I would start there. MRP was designed for the Swede and R22 is just a different iteration of MRP slightly faster in some lots and more variable.

MRP and RL22 go hand in hand, very similar. In my findings, MRP is cleaner and more stable. A cleaner burning powder and moly coating my bullets had been a great advantage to my shooting. consistency is key.

Thanks kp. My buddy has 4350 so I'll give that a go in a some rounds and see what is does. I'll have my slower burn with the 7828scc to compare.
From those two I better not be wanting for more... Ha!

In a Tikka I bet you find a great load easily with one of or even both of those powders. My wife's Tikka 6.5x55 is very accurate with a lot of different loads. I would try the 7828 ssc first........

Thanks gerry,

Always good to hear that from other Tikka owners

47.3 of RL22 shot very well in my cooper today..1/2’ at 100. 48.3 Gr was impressive as well at 200 yards. Little over 1”. Shooting 143 ELD-x. Will continue to fine tune this between the two loads

Reloder 19 and the 140 grain Partition have worked very well for me in the 6.5x55.

I've had good luck with IMR4350 and IMR4831 with 140 gr Speer HotCors and Sierra GKs.

I read an article translated from a Swedish hunting survey conducted by Sweden's version of a national wildlife agency on moose hunting - I don't know the comparison other than general body mass/weight (I have not hunted either.) - but the point was that something like 2/3rds of all moose were harvested with the 6.5x55. The general bread & butter bullet being a European 156 grain (10 grams). As to the stability of the Hornady 160RN - I shoot 'em in a sporterized 1900 Mod 96 with the original barrel turned down to Win-type featherweight contour and cut down to 22". As best as can be determined, the twist is slightly quicker 1 - 8" probably between 7.8" &7.9". It will NOT tolerate anything lighter than 140 gr and the heavier stuff is always more accurate than the lighter. My most accurate load is 46.3 gr H4831 with a Hornady #2640 160RN seated out to an OAL of 3.157 which still is over 30 thousandths off the lands. (see pic below.) This recipe typically clocks on my magneto at 2410fps at sea level and out of a cold barrel, the first two shots are generally touching at 100yds - given the pencil thin barrel, after that the third shot flies out an inch or more and a fourth will double that - so it's a two-shot wonder and other than a sentimental shot or hunt here and there, it stays indoors. But I digress, so to the bullets:

The Hornaday #2460 RN is a tad over 1.25" (I miked a random bullet at 1.2565) with a BC (G1) of .323 and BTW, on the terminal end it performs well - on a typical southern whitetail when I'm able to find a bullet the rear half portion is always intact with the front always mushrooming to .45" or more and staying together even after going through a shoulder. Of course given the hunting ranges down here, my impact velocities are always down around 2100-2300fps.

In comparison the Woodleigh "Weldcore PP SN" #W80A has a BC of .509 with a recommended impact velocity range of 1900 to 3000fps and a random selection from the box was 1.3665".

Doing some coarse, estimated measurements, I would say the bearing surface on the Hornady is app 0.790" and an about 0.770" on the Woodleigh. And to answer that question, No I have not gotten around to loading the Woodleigh yet.

The poor picture is the best I could do with the phone but it should give you some idea of proportion with the two bullets. I definitely would suggest obtaining some of the less expensive Hornady 160's for 100 yard feasibility with your particular rifle and if promising, then progress to the more expensive Woodleigh. (I have heard threatning rumors over the last five years that Hornady is going to drop the 160, so I’ve stocked up with a couple hundred extra to last (I’m 66 LOL). Hope this helps with your heavy load research.

That 160 gr Woodleigh is a long bullet, have you shot any game with it? Haven't heard many field reports on them.

My Shilen/Mauser Swede likes the 139 Scenar better than all and by a margine. Best powder with that bullet, so far is MRP (close to RL-22).

DF

Out of a CZ 550 American w/ 23.6" barrel

140g Hornady SP
40.9g IMR 4350
Winchester WLR primer
PMC brass
COAL 3.025" (0.037" off the lands)
2,536 fps, 1.1" 5-shot group @ 100y

160g Sierra SMP (discontinued)
43.5g Alliant Reloder 22 *** THIS EXCEEDS BOOK MAX BY 3.0 GRAINS. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! ***
Federal 210 primer
PMC brass
COAL 2.990" (0.008" off the lands)
2,415 fps (only tested in cold weather), 0.860" 5-shot group @ 100y

140g Sierra GameKing SBT
51.5g Ramshot Magnum
Winchester WLR primer
Winchester brass
COAL 3.050" (0.034" off the lands)
2,543 fps, 1.059" 5-shot group @ 100y

140g Speer HotCor
46.5g Alliant Reloder 22 *** THIS NOW EXCEEDS BOOK MAX BY 1.5 GRAINS. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! ***
CCI 200 primer
Winchester brass
COAL 3.090" (0.022" off the lands)
2,646 fps, 1.3" 5-shot group (average) @ 100y

140g Speer HotCor
43.9g IMR 4955
CCI 200 primer
Winchester brass
COAL 3.090" (0.022" off the lands)
2,654 fps, 1.138" 5-shot group (0.977" 4-shot group if excluding called flyer) @ 100y
(Still in testing)

Those are my 140+ loads.

Good luck!

No Gerry, I have not yet worked up any loads with the Woodleigh 160's yet

]
[/quote]


Thank you answering my question!

160s at 2600 sounds interesting ....


So short and sweet, in what application would you use:
R26:
R22:
MRP:

I am hoping your asnwers will help me understand a person's powder choice when there are some many options....appreciate the schooling![/quote]

Sorry just now saw this. I use those powders for everything from 129 to 160 grains. Haven't tried the 8700 yet but will eventually. Check some of the older posts on the 160 Hornaday as both John Barseness and Phil Shumacher said they got very erratic results with them. I have not seen this yet but have not used many on game either. The Norma or Woodleigh would be my pick for Elk or other critical use.

When you do it would be interesting to see what you come up with.

My best powders for 140's have been H4831 & RL-26. RL-26 gives me a slight edge for speed, and H4831 has been ever so slightly more accurate. Both have been very consistent.

tag