Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5x55 w/ 140 gr. partitions load recipe

I found a Remington 700 Classic in 6.5x55 and picked it up for a gift for my Dad. He's shown me what a '94 Swede will do. I'm looking for a good recipe for 6.5x55 pushing 140 gr. partitions. What works well?

Depending on powder lot, I use 46.5-48.0 gr RL-22 as a max. That runs about 2,775 in four different rifles. That worked well enough I just quit and shoot that combo. There are others, but a 6.5x55 is kind of like a .308. There is not much that is not good providing you are using appropriate powders. I always found the slower the better within its range.

What Steve said about lots of stuff working. I've had good luck with RL-22 and H4831SC, but also with Ramshot Magnum, a very dense ball powder that's even slower than 22 or 4831. You can get a little more into the case, which makes the typical slight difference many handloaders are after.

My present 6.5x55 has a 21" Lilja 1-8 twist barrel, and gets right at 2700 fps and 3/4" groups with 50 grains of Magnum and the 140 Partition.

Another +1 for H4831sc.

Here's what my 95 likes:

130gr NAB (Close but not quit your 140 NPT)
Win Brass
CCI 200 primers
48g H4831sc

2860 out of the old 29" barrel.
Shoots inch groups with iron sights.

Same loads reported to shoot 1/2" groups from a scoped Tikka.

Another good powder I used when I still had a 6.5x55 was IMR 7828 SSC with 140 gr Partitions, 47 gr for 2735 fps. Work up slowly. The gun was a Ruger 77 MK II.

Like someone mentioned previously, slow burning powders tend to work better with heavier bullets in the Swede. In my 30+ years of loading for the cartridge, I've usually found the best powders for the 140 grainish bullets to be near the IMR4831 to H4831 burn rates.

Two of the better loads with 140 Nos Parts have been 47 grains of either Rel-19 or H4831SC, using WLR primers in Win brass cases.

It's a grand old round without much recoil that is superbly accurate in a good rifle - have fun with it!

I too load the 6.5x55 for my dad, only in a Ruger 77. RL-22 is the only powder I have tried. It worked so well that I haven't tried any others.

I love partitions, but at 2700fps the 140gr Gamekings seem to work just as well.

I prefer RL 15, 4064, IMR 4895, W 748, BLC2...

however if I had to do one of the slower powders, I'd reach for RL 19 myself... and non Magnum primers...

Seafire,

Any load info you care to share with the powders above (rem 700 action) Velocity...2700+ ?

Thanks,

ned

I have used RL22, RL19, H414, IMR4831, H4831sc. Of the bunch, IMR4831 has given the best velocities, but they all were very accurate out of my Tikka.

JB - What primer did you use with 50gr. Magnum load? I have the same loaded with 130Gr. VLDs with both standard and magnum primers. Haven't shot them yet, too much rain down here (never thought I would say that!)

Winchester Large Rifle.

47.5 grs RL-22
140 gr Partition
Fed 210 Match primer
Lapua brass
Velocity 2765 fps from my 25" barreled DWM Mauser, and 1/2" groups in calm winds at 100 yards.

VERY effective on WT deer, only game i've hit with it so far.

Gunner

In my tikka T3 stainless light the following have worked well with 140 Accubonds.

H1000,51.5-52 gr.,CCIBR2,52 gr clocked 2673 fps with an ES of 3fps

RS Magnum, 51.5, Win LR, not chrono'd

RL22,48 gr, CCIBR2, 2645 fps ES of 10 fps

Warning following load is over Alliants Max. listed load. For reference only. Safe in my rifle, may not be safe in yours.
*RL 17, 46.0 gr, CCIBR2, 2766 fps, es not recorded.*

As has been said, H4831SC works well. The most common recommendation I hear is R22 but temp stability issues pushed me toward H4831. I have also heard good things about Ramshot magnum and picked some up but haven't yet played with it.

I run 47 grains H4831SC in Remington cases with federal large rifle primers and had my Savage action custom shooting about 3-5" at 675 yards a couple weeks back. My first time ever shooting for groups at that range and I was more than pleased. This is with a different bullet than you are talking about but the same weight (140 A Max).