JB, RLN volume 1 you recommend 47.0 grs. Ramshot or RL-22 with a 140 gr. bullet. Any recommended bullet? I've been playing with RL-22 and a 130 gr. TSX but am getting no where near 2700 fps with my Tikka M695.

I generally shoot either the Hornady Interlock or Nosler Partition when using 140's in the 6.5x55--but more often use bullets in the 120-grain class.

The Hornady is easiest to get to 2700 fps because its smaller bearing surface creates less pressure.

In my 6.5x55, those 140 gr. Interlocks are also real accurate although I've never launched one at 2700 fps. My old Kimber sporterized Swede probably doesn't have enough barrel to get one out that fast without sending pressures sky-high.

I have used the Barnes TSX 120 grn. Because it it copper it is as long as the 130grn lead bullets. Very accurate with RL-19 and get about 2900 fps. It does massive damage to a deer. I shot a 250 lb. Mule Deer at 150 yards and it took 3 steps and over. Insides were jello small hole in 2x times hole out. .75" at 100 yards. This bullet really puts out the best in the 6.5x55 Tikka T3 I have. Buckfever1

i shoot 46.5 rl22 with a 140 hornady interlock out of my semi custom remington. i'm getting a 3 shot ragged hole group at a hundred yards.

47.5 of rl 19 with a 130 accubond is almost as good

I get a very easy 2700 out of my Sako with 130 AB's. I get five shot, one ragged hole groups at 100 yards and it's killed deer real well from 20 to 400 yards.

I'm running 49 grains of RL22 with a 140 Interlock out of my T3's. Great accuracy, no pressure signs and an honest 2700. It's a good load for my rifles.

I'll just make one more comment on thsi thread: With Rmashot Magnum it's easy to get 2700+ with 140's, in my experience. In a 22"-barreled Ruger 77 Mark II, in fact, I got 2750 with Ramshot's data and the 140 Nosler Partition, and excellent accuracy.

Their data list the 140 Partition at 2778 fps at only 55,000 psi from a 24" barrel, using 49.8 grains of Magnum. The reason that Magnum works so well is that it is a very slow-burning but very dense ball powder, much slower than RL-22. In fact it's more like RL-25, H1000 or IMR7828, but is much less bulky than any of those powders.

I'm glad you added that note, John. I have not tried Magnum in the Swede's yet, but it is now on the top of the list. Thanks!

The velocities surprise me..

I've been loading for a 6.5x47 Lapua lately. Of course using Lapua cases and the rifle is top notch; Stiller, Krieger, Mcmillin, Jewell. Using either R15 or R17 my CED is showing over 3,000 fps with 120NBT's..

The 6.5X47 has less powder capacity than the Sweede but the Lapua cases may be the best ever.. I've loaded them countless times with the above loads..

Well I never had a problem getting 2700+ with a 140 gr bullet out of a 6.5 x 55, As far as loads go, I been stuffing mine with RL22 for so long now, I being to lazy to try anything else. JB I thing I have to give that Ramshot Magnum a shot. For a lot of years back when for some reason Nosler Partitions were hard to get, I bought a few hundred Trophy Bonded Bear Claws from Jack Carter, My load with those just touched 2800 fps with RL-22 a Norma Case and a Fed 210 primer, you can cover the groups with a dime and well it kills game very well, little pricy at 2 dollars a bullet at the time, I still have 160 of them, after load work, I loaded 50 cases and only launch them at game bigger than white tails. My guess at the time a 120 gr Barnes X would have been fine. As for other 140 gr bullets, Try the Speer SP in that weight, cheap as they come and works well, thou I have come to like the 120 gr Speer SP as much, That bullet makes the swede a little pocket 270. Look don't over do it, if you want more that what you can get with good case life extraction and accuracy, then build yourself a 6.5-06 or get a 264 Winchester.

PatB,

I too have been working with my 6.5x47 and Rel 17; 140 grainers to be specific.

Ran a little test just the other day. I'm having a Lt weight hunting rifle built by Chris Matthews of Longshot Rifles http://www.longshotriflesllc.com/ , possibly in 6.5x47 Lapua or 260 Rem AI and wanted to see what a 140 gr bullet with Rel 17 would do. So, I took my tactical rifle, also built by Chris, and ran a pressure ladder with it.

Surgeon 591 short action
Krieger 26" 1:8.5 twist, SS, MTU contour
1.5 AICS stock
NF NXS 5.5-22x50 w/ NP-R1 reticle
Shilen 2lb trigger

6.5x47 Lapua brass w/ 5x firings
Berger 140 VLD Hunting
Nosler 140 Accubond

37 gr to 43 gr in .5 gr increments (42.5 gr w/ Accubond due to mucho compression)
CCI 450 primer
Throat started life @ .105" long but after 700+ rounds is now .161" long.

Temp 57 deg F
Baro 24.6
Chrono = CED M2 set 15' from muzzle

140 VLD's were seated .010" into the lands with OAL being 2.797".

140 Accubond's were seated @ the lands with OAL being 2.698". Had to turn down my Redding comp seater about .005" for each successive round after 39.5 gr.

37 2521
37.5 2533
38 2587
38.5 2614
39 2647
39.5 2682
40 2707
40.5 2770
41 2814 ? ejector mark
41.5 2863 Light ejector mark
42 2910 Light ejector mark
42.5 2922 ejector mark
43 2962 ejector mark & sticky bolt lift

Pressure ladder test for Rel 17
Nosler 140 Accubond
37 2513
37.5 2537
38 2569
38.5 2612
39 2634
39.5 2682
40 2716 ?ejector mark
40.5 2760
41 2770
41.5 2834 Lt ejector mark
42 2863 ejector mark
42.5 2910 ejector mark

I was pleasantly surprised @ the vel obtained in the little x47mm case with Rel 17. I think I'll hunt with it instead of going 260 Rem AI.

My new hunting rifle will be, Pierce, Broughton #3.1/26", Mc Rem Sporter Edge fill, Rifle Basix, NF 2.5-10x32 w/ NP-R2.

Enjoy!

Alan

GSSP
Nice work...

I have been doing my own smithing for about 15 years, mainly because of benchrest competition.. Anyway, I throated this 6.5x57 barrel so that a 120 NBT did not seat below the neck. Since the case is so short the OAL still fed through the magazine fine. I also didn't have the powder compression you speak of -- because of the throating. Thus far I've not had an ejector mark on any of my cases while loading for the 6.5x47 Lapua. These cases are outstanding. While achieving the velocities I mentioned it appeared I could go higher on the powder charge but I held back having reached more velocity than expected. BTW, 4350 only allowed about 2,800fps. After playing with R17 in this case for some time I have come to the conclusion that it powder fouls more and have gone back to R15. It gives up 30fps over the R17 but the fouling is reduced a good bit.
I also got 2,950fps with the 130 Nosler Accubond and very good accuracy making this little round tread deeply into .270. territory !!

MD,

The problem with this thread is that I stopped load development in my Swede 15 years ago after getting remarkable performance out of R19. Nosler 120 BT's shoot cloverleaf groups, and Partitions in 125 and 140 aren't bad either.

Now you come and give me more choices I have yet to try. I've got to order the goods, work up the loads, go to the range, shoot, contemplate their usefulness in the field, book a hunt, stalk, shoot, gut, BBQ, eat, enjoy a couple of cold ones, all before I can get back to you on your suggestions!!!!!

Do realize how much work you've thrown at my feet? You do this only with the rounds I really adore, like the Swede and the 9.3 X 62 (probably the .300 Savage too).

Troublemaker!

That's always the problem with new stuff! But then it's part of my job to test all that stuff.

I still do go hunting with a .270 loaded with 130's or 150's and H4831, sometimes just to remind myself that it works very well. Or a 7x57 loaded with IMR4350.

Along with RL-19 I've also found that either 4350 is also good with 120's in the 6.5x55, which ranks right up there with the discovery that fire is hot. Of course, Norma 204 is also great as well....

And don't forget to mention that either 4831 is also superb in a 6.5 Swede. Probably 'cause the burning rate is pretty similar to RL-19. My barrel loves 4831 and 129 gr. Hornadys.

Yep, that's another good powder.

I guess that it's a safe bet to say that we have some experience with the 6.5x55 here in Sweden (and Scandinavia) . It's by far the most popular shooting cartridge for our target shooting, or at least it used to be for 60-70 years. Nowadays we see alot of 6.5x47 Lapuas and Normas 6mm XC in target shooting.
It's absolutely possible to get 2800 fps out of a 6.5x55 shooting bullets in the 140 grains class, that require barrels of +22" and 2800 fps is more or less the max velocity that you can achieve within max pressure.
The two best powders to use if you want max velocities are Norma MRP or Vihtavouri N560. I should add that you guys have access to a lot of powders that we never see here in Scandinavia, some of those might be as good as MRP or N560 but I don't have any experience with those so I cannot comment on them.

Best Regards,
Henrik

I think the Swede is just so very versatile, that most powders in this range function wonderfully. I've used the 4350's and 4895's (imr & h) with partitions, interlocks, ballistic tips and now accubonds, also, and the accuracy is basically indistinguishable between all components once the proper charge-to-bullet was found. I love this cartridge. I also believe not having a chronograph has helped, somewhat, as I know the velocities would probably not excite many, and could quite possibly disappoint and ruin an otherwise very effective load in the mind of this shooter. It (chrono) is still going to be my next purchase.

JB, can't wait to try the Ramshot Magnum! (Though I've been spoiled by the lighter charges necessary for the 4350's/4895's).

If a shooter is using a .257 Roberts (almost indestinguishable from the Swede) he is happy shooting the 120s.

I'm not sure why we need to shoot more bullet in the Swede....maybe because we can!

My VZ-24 runs the 120s to 3,045 FPS and this is from a 21" barrel. Acuracy is excllent from the Douglas #1 contour barrel and deer drop in their tracks as if hit by lightning.

Yes, I'm shooting a bonded bullet (Northfork) but suspect a long list of other bullets will produce a very similar outcome.

If the Swede isn't the finest cartridge for deer hunting ever devised, it sure is in contention for the title!

Commendable ballistics in your 21", perhaps a 9 twist, my former chopped '96 ...at 21", used a 7.5 or so twist, and it shot in the 2800s using IMR 4831. I know other powders would give another 100 fps or so to those 120 CLs I used, but I think your bbl is a bit faster than others. No matter if 2800 or 3k, I do agree one has to look hard to improve upon the deer taking ability of the 6.5s. No doubt Roberts fans may share similar performance in the field w/similar bullets.

I'll take the Swede.......but I do have a curiousity for a svelte 250-3000 some day

After reading this post I did a little digging into the BC's of some 140gr class 6.5's:

Lapua 144gr FMJ .636
Lapua 139gr Scenar .615
Berger 140gr Hunting VLD .612
Hornady 140gr A-MAX .585
Sierra 142 MK .580
Swift 130gr Scirocco II .571 (now I know why there so expensive and I know its not 140 but good for a 130gr)
Nosler CC's .529
Hornady 140gr SST .520
Remington 140gr Accutip .520
Woodleigh 160gr PRP .509 <-- I know, not 140

I'm liking the Berger and Swift for LR hunting and the Berger and Sierra for target.