Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles What powder for 6.5x55

I am new to reloading. I've been reading and trying to get 'learned up' on reloading. I have several guns that I need to reload for, 6.5x55, 375Winchester, 30-40 Krag, and 300 Blackout to start with. I have decided to start with just the 6.5x55.

Reloads for this will be used in a '96 Mauser that someone else has cut the barrel to 22". I will also use them in a couple of custom rifles I made on Yugo Mauser '48 actions.

I have a Lee classic turret press, Lee dies in 6.5x55 Swedish, and the Lee double disk powder measure. I plan on using 140gr cup and core bullets, nothing fancy but good and reliable.

I am shopping for powder and primers. The powder still has me a bit hesitant. I see that lots of different powders can be used, but I don't yet know enough to know which ones would be more suited to my needs. And then of course there is the availability issue. What I don't yet know is which powders to keep an eye out for or to jump on when I find them.

So, would folks in the know suggest what powder for my situation? Moderate loads that will be safe in an original '96 Mauser 22" barrel with 140gr bullets, using them for deer and hogs.

Welcome to the 'fire!
I've used IMR 4831 and H4831(old) in my 96 & 38 with complete satisfaction for years.
Anything from coyotes to elk fell over dead.

In that rifle and bullet combo, I'd start with RL22 or Hunter. Since Hunter is very easy to find right now, that's how I'd roll:



Any yes, before anyone fu cking says that is a big group, you better look at the picture better.

Speaking of the m96, I saw a numbers matching one yesterday in a shop, but the disc said the bore was a "3". Probably a decent shooter, but the other one I saw with a refinished stock and also numbers matching had a # "2" bore and it looked new. The only Swedish mauser I thought would probably outshoot mine. Very nice rifle and only $600. I'd buy it, if I didn't already have one.. I was offered $800 for the one I have by a masterclass shooter at a military rifle shoot one time, but I told him no thanks!!! Op will enjoy his rifle. Most are great shooters. Even the ones with a #3 marked on the stock disc.

I have carried on an affair with various Swedes for forty years, tried many powder options, most work well...but if forced to choose just one, I would pick one of the 4831 family for 140 gr bullets. Currently burning my way through an 8 pound jug Vihta Vuori N 160...but it would be splitting hairs to say it is better than 4831.

4350 seems to work well.

I had 3 of them over the years, and IMR4350 worked good.

For bullets in the 130-140 gr range I like RL23. Great combination of velocity and accuracy. Temp stable as well

I've been a fanboy of IMR-4831 for 40 years.

IMR 4350. My load 45.0 grains ,140grain Interlock, OAL 3.047. Rem 91/2 LR primer.
Tack driver in my M70 Swede.

I'm loading either the 130 Swift Scirocco or the 130 Accubond in my Barrett Fieldcraft with 47.5 grains of RL19 over a CCI 200 primer. I'm getting .5 MOA with both rounds and 2770 FPS. I've killed whitetails, hogs and feral sheep with it and everything has been DRT. The rifle, or me, is a little more accurate with the Scirocco but the darn bullets are $94/100 now vs. $65/100 a year ago so I purchased some 130 gr. Sierra TGK that I need to work up a load for. I'll save the 130 Accubonds for my 6.5 PRC.

I stopped by a local shop and picked up some 140gr Speer Hot Core soft points. I was able to talk to the guy for a bit and cleared a few things up for me...not everything but some lol.

Just a side note. Rivertown munitions still has Norma 6.5x55SE loaded ammo with 140 partition bullets @ 24.95.
Easy button if you need brass also.

This is really a load I like to use in my 1919 Manufactured Swede, 29 inch barrel. It was originally a sniper rifle evidently, but someone removed the rear site, as it alone was probably worth more than the rifle...

I load mine to go retro, and duplicate what it was approximately shooting at the time mine was made.... a 160 grain with an MV in the 2350 to 2400 fps range....but with that bullet availability being real spotty any more... I've substituted the real commonly available, 140 grain SP.

Charge I use in that Swede, is either 30 grains of RL 7 or 30 grains of IMR 4198....Military stock, it sorta pushes like a 223, and that is about it..
but with its open sites, its fun to shoot it out to 200 to 250 yds

My other 2 Swedes, a Ruger Mk 2 and a Model 70 rebarreled Featherweight ( 24 inch barrel, 1 in 8 twist), I use 4064, with 120s, 125s, 129 and 140 grain bullets....charge is usually 40 grains....Its accurate in both.. 40 grains of 3031 is a little more accurate in each... especially with 140s...

My top choices if I were starting out with this one would be, in this order:
RL25, RL23, Ramshot Magnum, Ramshot Hunter, and IMR 4831. Nosler has RL22 listed as their most accurate, but I think the RL25 and RL23 will give you better results in velocity at the same pressure and also be burning the powder more completely.