Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good 6.5x55 loads

I'm a bit curious about those speeds too. I think I stopped at 49.0 with 120 NBTs in my rifle. 50.0 grains is 3.5 grains 'hotter' than Nosler calls max in the slightly smaller 260, and 1.8 more than Hodgdon maxes at with the 140 Speer SP. Hodgdon shows 45,800 CUP so there's some room in a M70 for bumping it no doubt.

I'll try to get a couple more loaded up and chrono them.

I used Hodgdon online data to get an idea. All of the loads looked and felt good during extraction. I'd actually be plenty happy with any of them to be honest. It seems like my 70 really likes 140's more than lighter Bullets. Tried 130 Scirocco, 130 AB, and 120 Northforks but the 140 ABs easily outshot them all.

It does do well for a light recoiling load using H4895 and 120 BTs though.

Nice shooting beretz, my Swede loves 140 gr partitions and rl-22 at IIRC around 2780 fps, it is a mean little heifer on it's recipients too.

Such a mild mannered polite round if you will, I can't see ever getting rid of my '09 DWM Mauser in 6.5 Swede.

I'll be interested to see what sorta speeds I'm getting Gunner, I'd probably wager around 2700 or so. 7828SSC does fill the case nicely with 140's.

I'll be interested to hear your speeds too, and Yessir it does, 7828 is a fine powder in a lot of cartridges, I got a real deal on 100 Lapua cases for mine, they were in a plastic bag covered with dust on my 'Smiths shelf.

I said, YES I'LL TAKE THOSE!!!!! when he said 50 bucks!

You know beretz, this fun experimentation with these lesser rounds will be time very well spent when we reach the age that these weapons must be used due to recoil eye/heart health related concerns, we'll already be there and ahead of the game brudda.

BTW, beretzs, how does your M70 feed? Is it finicky at all about length?

(Perhaps mine was never properly finished but it jams regularly if I don't watch my lengths closely; too short and the bullet tips miss the chamber. I'm of the opinion that the feed ramps were not ground properly for the Swede, something a good smith should be able to correct. Fortunately the magazine is plenty long to accommodate correct length, and the leade does too.)

A good smith should be able to tune that gun to feed slick.

I have a .257R on a 700 LA, built by Ron Lampert in MN, a noted master smith. This is one of the slickest feeding actions I own and I have some good ones. No matter where the round sits in the long mag, it feeds like butter.

Just saying...

DF

The new postal regs probably mean I'm stuck using someone very local, otherwise I might consider someone like Redneck.

IME, it would be worth your while, extra touble and expense to get it to Redneck. Not sure what the new regs call for, so don't really know what I'm talking about regarding that.

But, Redneck will make it work like it needs to work.

He's working on a M-70 .375 H&H for me, as we speak.

DF

Good thread. I just scored a great deal on a Howa 6.5x55 and am reading up in advance of my dies and brass coming in. The Howa is HEAVY for a standard rifle, but they are known to be shooters, so we'll see. I suspect I'll give it to my grandson once he outgrows the 22-250 I gave him this year.

Do any of you have a good recipe for RL-17 and 129grain bullets? Modern Howa Rifle.

some over max...use caution!!!

Tikka T3x 22.4'
lapua brass, Rem 9 1/2 primer, Norma MRP, 3.150
140 Berger VLD target moly
45gr- 2448fps,
46- 2577, .30
48.6- 2618, .25
49gr- 2782, .27
49.5- 2805, .50
50- 2845, .55
50.5- 2884, .75
51- 2909, .75 noticed bolt slightly stiff
51.5- 2943, .37 slight bolt stiff
52- 2948, .79 slight bolt stiff, primer starting to flatten out/non rounded edge

Tikka T3x 22.4'
Norma brass, Rem 9 1/2 primer, Norma MRP, 3.150
140 Barnes match burner, moly
48gr- 2625, .40
49- 2751, .75
50- 2771, .75
51- 2850, .28

Tikka T3x 22.4'
Hornady brass, Rem 9 1/2 primer, Norma MRP, 3.150
140 Nosler Accubond, moly
48gr- 2668, .40
49- 2733, .80
50- 2763, .60
51- 2848, .55

Anyone else using R26? I won't report any of my loads as none of them are "book" loads but the velocity is impressive. I am using data for MRP and R22 and not going more than 1 to 1.5 grains over that data but am getting up to 200 fps more velocity with decent accuracy. Not sure where I am with pressure but dropped down one grain from my max load after getting flattened primers. Only reloaded some cases twice so not sure about pressure or load count yet.

Just read through the thread and was surprised at the heavier bullets you folks are shooting. When I got my CZ550FS I bought 100gr BTs, 120gr Speers, 130gr Accubonds, 140gr SSTs, 140gr Partiitions, and 160gr Pro-hunters. Loaded up something like six different combos and went to the range on a horrible day. When I got to the 100gr BT over a load of Varget I knew I had a winner. Not a hot rod, leaving the barrel at 3050fps out of the carbine, but shot pretty darn well. I still have four of the loads I made that day and never shot.
The 100gr Nosler Ballistic tip, for me, is the real deal on deer size game at the Swede's modest velocity. Gut feeling is that the jacket might be a tad thicker due to the .264 Winny Mag. I have taken deer from 100yds to 299yds and the bullet has performed perfectly leaving a dandy wound channel without a huge exit(double-lung shot on all deer)....bullets always have exited.

Jim

8 twist in 6.5 screams 140's/160's to me, I couldn't help it.

I just loaded up some more 140 ABs with RL26 and RL16... I'll let you know if they do anything worth having.

7828SSC is very accurate as well with the 140 ABs around 2750.. RL26 was around 2850 the last time out.




It'll be cool to see what happens this go around.

Sounding good beretz.

I have 96 Swede Mauser. Ran out with a ladder set of ammo loaded with IMR 4350 and 140 grain Sierras. From the minimum load to my quitting short of max due to pressure signs they were all within an inch.

We shall see Gunner. Never used RL16 for much, but I have a bunch of the stuff.. It looked good with the 6.5x55 when I ran the numbers. Should have some data this weekend if the weather holds out.

I'll be waiting, my RL-22 load with the 140 NPT's at an easy 2780 fps will be very hard for me to want to fool with.