Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5 Swede

Took the model 70 featherweight out today to try 143 eld-x. I tried this load yesterday with 51.5gr of rl26. Upped it to 52.0gr of rl26, got better results even though the 51.5gr load was pretty good. These Winchester have a lot of freebore my bullets are seated at 3.110 for OAL.

Nice. I wanna give the 147’s a shot in mine. Got plenty of 26, seems like the Swede should be an animal with those.

Tag.

I'll give that load a go in my stainless featherweight

My sporter like's Accubonds.

Rifle appears to be shooting great buddy... Is that a BACO or classic? I'm held back a little on how hot I can run the loads in my old rifle. I have tried some 143 ELDX as well. They seemed to shoot well, but I did not have many on hand. Here's how the old girl ran those:

I'd have to double check my OAL, but I'm sure it's longer than yours, since my rifle may be a bit more worn in.. Ha ha.. Heres some other bullets it likes:
140gr ELDM:



140gr SST:


140gr Barnes match burner:


Danced around the X-ring with that load. Not real tight though..

The Swedish mauser is a great cartridge. I have nothing but good to say about it. Don't compare it to the creedmoor either. I like both cartridges very much, but there's no denying the Swedes were way ahead of their time when they developed that cartridge and rifle like my m96 with its fast twist barrel. You should post a pic of your rifle too buddy. Mine is an old one:

Lawrence, mine is in the classic featherweight.

Very nice. Looks like it's shooting great. Nice round group. Did you glass bed it, or leave the hot glue bedding?

It’s bedded a floated Winchester put 1-8 twist on these 6.5 Swede classics. But still put 1-9 twists on the 264 win mags in the classics.

That right there is on my "must have someday" list. What a beaut.

I think they are actually 1-7.75 from what I have seen/read. Odd how a company would spec a whole nother barrel for the same caliber. You'd figure them trying to make money would just try to get by with the same twist to save on redundant orders.

But my 9 twist 264 shoots darned well so I am not complaining too much.

I measured mine I got 1-8 but 1-7.75 close enough to 1-8. My 264 shoots 140 AB pretty good. But Like you why did Winchester use two different barrel twists.

Yeah, I didn't mean to sound like a smart ass with the correction, I was just surprised they did the Swede so well. Hell, they put a 1-8 on my Supergrade 6.5 PRC.. Seems silly to have all of the different barrels, but whatever. Krieger makes new barrels everyday.

FN 98 Mauser Swede with Shilen barrel in a McWoody Classic Edge, Canjar trigger, Conquest 2.5-8x32 in Talley steel rings.

Loves the 139 Scenar in Lapua brass over MRP. It's a keeper.

DF

Scotty, its probably just old school mentality. Thinking the 264wm had to have a certain twist rate. Remember when the 244 remington came out, they found out the twist rate sucked, so they changed it and ten renamed it the 6mm remington? Their old school mentality led them to believe twist rates were set in stone for each cartridge, or something. The 6.5x55 was developed 130 years ago, and for the most part, the swedes chose a good fast twist rate: 1 in 7.87". Probably why Winchester chose a similar approach with their 1 in 7.5 or 1 in 8. I'm assuming they chose slower twist for the 264 because its quite a bit faster than the swede. So reaching optimum rpms to stabilize the bullets, were attained with the 1 in 9 barrel. Now days guys are shooting longer heavier bullets in rifles chambered in the 6.5 PRC, so a faster twist rate is desirable. I know I'm preaching to the choir though.

For sure. But you'd think company penny pinchers would just run the twist that works for them all. No real matter to me, but I find it interesting, especially in 2021.

I saw that not to long ago the 6.5 cm and 6.5 prc come with 1-8 twist. Good ol 264 still has the 1-9 twist.

Yup. Just dumb. Wished they’d put the 1-8 on the 270 Winchester like they are the 6.8 Western. How cool would that be? Talk about opening some doors to the old bird!

A few comments on this overall thread,

The 6.5x55 is NOT "the Swedish Mauser" cartridge--or worse yet, "the Swede." It was co-developed by the Norwegian and Swedish militaries, when they belonged to the same "combined kingdom." (That said, by a Norwegian, it is also not the 6.5x55 Norwegian Krag.)

When Remington screwed up and introduced the .244 with a 1-12 twist, they did NOT "correct" it by reintroducing the cartridge as the 6mm with a 1-10 twist. Instead they used a 1-9 twist--and at the same time started making their .243 Winchesters with a 1-9 twist, so they didn't have to produce barrels with two different twists.

The standard .270 Winchester 1-10 twist will handily stabilize spitzers in the 170-grain range at elevations 4000 feet above sea level--and probably somewhat lower. I know this because I've done it.

Cool stuff there MD. Didn’t know about it being a joint venture.

Also didn’t know that Remington used 1-9’s for their 243 Winchesters. I knew they use 1-9 1/4’s now but didn’t know about sharing the 1-9’s between the 6 and 243 back then. Any idea when they made the switch? Wonder why they settled on a 1-9 1/4?

I’ve tried the 170 Berger’s at near sea level and about 1500ft above in a 270 Win and 270 WSM with oblong’ish holes, keyholes and zero accuracy. Amazing what a few 1000 ft will do.

How’d the Berger’s hold up out at longer range for accuracy for you with the 170 EOL?

I agree.