Hi John,

I was hoping you could give me a few pointers with handloading for the 6.5x57. I am having a Brno ZKK 600 rebarreled and modern handloading data is a bit scarce. Hornady have some limited data but with IMR powders which we don't get out here in Australia. I was assuming AR2209 (H4350) would be suitable with 120 - 130gn bullets as it works very well in a bunch of similar sized cartridges (.257 Roberts, 6.5 CM, 6.5x55, 7x57).

I found an old thread on the Nosler forum from 2015 where one chap stated that 6.5x55 cases had a capacity of 57 and the 6.5x57 had a capacity of 58. Grains of water I am assuming. Therefore I guess I could use Swede data and maybe go a grain over. Or use the Hornady data for IMR4350 and carefully substitute H4350. I know these two powders sometimes switch in burning rate.

Sorry for the rambling. But do you have a suggested velocity to load for with H4350 and 120 - 130gn bullets? I remember an article you wrote where you gave a velocity to load up to with a specific powder for a bunch of cartridges. I know you have a 6.5x57R which I assume would be loaded a little lighter than the unrimmed case. I guess around 2800 - 2850 fps in a 23 inch barrel with H4350 would be safely achievable in the 6.5x57.

Thanks for any help.

Any input from others who have experience with this cartridge would be most welcome.

Thank you muchly.

Hi Elvis,

Yes, I have a 6.5x57R drilling, and the case does have about the same capacity as the 6.5x55.

When I bought my drilling, part of the deal was some factory Hirtenberger ammo loaded with 120-grain bullets, which chronographed around 2800 fps. I decided to try AR2209/H4350 with slightly heavier bullets, starting with the 125-grain Nosler Partition, working up to 45.0 grains, which shot very well at a velocity around 2750 fps. Have since tried the same load with two 129-grain bullets, the Hornady Spire Point Interlock and Nosler AccuBond Long Range, and it work fine with them as well, though the muzzle velocity with the Hornady was somewhat lower (they tend to result in less pressure than other bullets). The drilling's barrel is 23.6 inches long (65cm).

No doubt the powder charge could safely be pushed a little higher in a bolt-action, though even at 2750 the 6.5x57R kills very well.

John

Thanks for the quick reply John. That's great. That will give me a good place to start. And probably stop too.

You're welcome. Would love to see a photo of your ZKK when its done!

Hornady does provide data in their book. Until I found that out I used starting loads for the 6.5x55 and worked up since capacities are very similar.

Elvis. Can't spell DEER? It is spelled for you in many places here. Whatever. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

LOL for the burn.

I THINK seafire has a 6.5x57 he has mentioned, might shoot him a PM too

Perhaps an expression of affection?

My favorite load for the 6.5X57 is 46.5g of RL-19 with a Nosler 130g Accubond, RWS brass, CCI-200 primer seated to 3.055. Under MOA and deadly on deer. I have found about 50 to 100fps more than the 6.5X55 is the norm. Rifle is a Steyr with a 23" barrel.

I load 47gn H4350 with the 129gn Hornady in my 6.5x55 so 47/48gn should be ok in the x57. I guess the length of the throat will determine things. I suspect the reamer will have a long throat like the 7x64 as that's how the Europeans liked to throat their chambers a hundred plus years ago. I'm still waiting on the reamer to arrive.

John. I forgot what a great little action the ZKK is. And I have one in .30-06 with a custom stock that has sat up the back of the safe for a decade. I was going to build it on a Mauser 98 but had another look at the Brno. I wanted an action to match the cartridge. A 6.5x57 on a Rem 700 just wouldn't feel right.

Thanks Rusty. You must be a little short guy....................as things seem to go over your head.

Yes the Steyr has a longer throat. Have a Sauer in 7X64, long throat as well.

Maybe he's just a bit overly fond of JB?

Elvis,

Yep, a LOT of variation can occur in older cartridges due to throat length. Have pointed this out a number of times, but apparently quite a few handloaders believe all rifles chambered for the same round are pretty much the same.

They also apparently believe all bullets of a similar weight are pretty much the same, as well as all batches of the "same" powder, and that another 100 fps always results in a vast difference in "killing power."

No difference to me with the 6.5X55 or the 6.5X57 in taking game. Just noting that the 6.5X57 in my loads does have a pretty much meaningless increase in velocity.

Just to start an argument, I also have a 6.5 Creedmoor.. I see nothing it does better that the 6.5X55 or 6.5X57 will do. Especially with heavier bullets. Then it does not do as well. No difference in taking deer between them with a decent load that I have noted.

Thanks Dear:

The 6.5x55 does well with the slower powders to some that are really slow. I would start with the H4831 and slower powders. R22, MRP, H1000, 7966, R26, 7828, Magnum, have all done well in this size case. This would probably carry over to the 6.5x57 as the capacity is not much different than the 6.5 x 55.

No argument from me. I have a 6.5x55 and a 6.5 CM but that's not stopping me getting the 6.5x57. No one else I know has one so that's a good enough reason for me.

John. I've moderated my thinking about seating bullets out to the lands (30 thou off). I've a few rifles over the past few years which have long throats where I can't seat the bullets anywhere near the lands and they all shoot under an inch with three shots. My 7x64 will do it with five. My gunsmith said a few blue words when he saw the 7x64 reamer. In all his years he'd never seen a reamer with such a long throat. I wish I had taken a pic of it before I sold it on. But he measured the diameter of the throat and it was right on 0.284 so the bullet has no wobble as it travels down the throat and into the rifling. The stubby 232gn Oryx and Vulcans in my 9.3x62 are sat way off the lands as are 180gn Ballistic Tips in my Sako 8x57. All of these rifles are amongst my most accurate shooters. All these cartridges are European rounds so I think they figured out how to chamber accurate rifles with long throats a while back.
But I guess the throat will effect velocity. I reckon enough H4350 to reach around 2800fps with a 129/130gn bullet should be fairly safe. I don't want to hot rod it as the RWS cases cost $4 each and I want to keep the primer pockets tight. I'll definately be down on my hands and knees searching in the long grass for ejected cases.

That's interesting to know. I use H4350 in both my 6.5CM and 6.5x55 with 120 - 130gn bullets. I did work up some loads in my Swede with H4831 and 140s but never hunted with them. I do have three different 140gn 6.5mm bullets on the shelf so may try some loads with them and H4831sc.

We do get Reloder powders out here every few years but delivery is sporadic. The only powder I have tried is Re19. It really shines in my .280 so I'm saving my last pound for it. Some Winchester powders were available but I think Winchester Australia stopped importing them. But on the whole we are mostly limited to the ADI locally produced powders.

We would be pretty stuffed if they closed the ADI powder plant................as the government was considering a few years ago.

I forgot I was a member of LoadData.com

I found a couple of loads with H4350 and H4831sc that will get me started.