6.5 X 55 Bullet Diameter?
12-18-2013, 02:02 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
6.5 X 55 Bullet Diameter?
Hi all,
I've been kicking around the prospect of rechambering an Arisaka barrel to 6.5 X 55 rather than the original 6.5 X 50 (or 51 depending on who you talk to).
I joined Ammo Guide this year. They have an online tool for finding out about a rechambering choice ... whether it would work or not ... When I plugged in my choices the info came back that such a rechambering would not be ok as the 6.5 X 55 round uses a .263 bullet rather than the .264 that the Arisaka was proported to use.
I quickly got out all my own sources and found that only my Speer #10 manual and an older book, "Cartridge Conversions" (published in 1961) mention the use of .263 bullets in the 6.5 X 55.
My other books from Sierra 3rd edition, NRA Handloading printed in 1989, Hornady 3rd edition, Lyman 46th edition, and my new Lee Modern Reloading 2nd edition ALL list .264 as the bullet diameter to be used in the Norwegian/Swedish 6.5 X 55.
Is Ammo Guide wrong? I think they must be.
I've been kicking around the prospect of rechambering an Arisaka barrel to 6.5 X 55 rather than the original 6.5 X 50 (or 51 depending on who you talk to).
I joined Ammo Guide this year. They have an online tool for finding out about a rechambering choice ... whether it would work or not ... When I plugged in my choices the info came back that such a rechambering would not be ok as the 6.5 X 55 round uses a .263 bullet rather than the .264 that the Arisaka was proported to use.
I quickly got out all my own sources and found that only my Speer #10 manual and an older book, "Cartridge Conversions" (published in 1961) mention the use of .263 bullets in the 6.5 X 55.
My other books from Sierra 3rd edition, NRA Handloading printed in 1989, Hornady 3rd edition, Lyman 46th edition, and my new Lee Modern Reloading 2nd edition ALL list .264 as the bullet diameter to be used in the Norwegian/Swedish 6.5 X 55.
Is Ammo Guide wrong? I think they must be.
12-18-2013, 05:47 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Posts: 3,732
It doesn't matter. Some of the bullet i use in my Swede measure 0.263, but some are 0.2635, but others are 0.264. Oops wait, they measure different if i use a different instrument. Which instrument should i consider correct? Myself, i doubt if the barrel is drilled any more accurately than the bullets are built, or instruments can measure.
12-18-2013, 06:10 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eastern wv
Posts: 3,650
one thousandth would make no difference, except possibly a slight variation in pressure causing a handloader to adjust for a max load.
I had a mini 30 that had a diameter of 308 when factory ammo that I shot through it was .310-.311, accuracy wasn't good but no other problems
RR
I had a mini 30 that had a diameter of 308 when factory ammo that I shot through it was .310-.311, accuracy wasn't good but no other problems
RR
12-18-2013, 06:49 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
Thanks for the replies guys.
I think that the Ammo Guide folks just have their data base either wrong, or they're so afraid of liability their nervous.
Funny thing is that their "re-chambering" tool suggests that I could re-chamber to 6.5 X 55 AI, but not the standard 6.5 X 55. Something's wrong with their thinking.
I have a clean and bright Arisaka barrel that is about 22.5" long, has a target crown already cut into it. It must have come off a model 38 Japanese Arisaka but somebody cut if off shorter and put the target crown on it.
I have an older Arisaka carbine with a 17.5" barrel on it .. it is pretty shot out .. throat eroded and shoots 6.5 Japanese ammo very poorly. It will actually chamber and shoot 6.5 X 54 ammo, but it keyholes at 100 yards pretty bad. I already have a ton on 6.5 X 55 brass, about a thousand .264 bullets in various weights. I feel the 6.5 X 55 re-chambering on the clean Arisaka barrel will give me a very serviceable rifle.
Thanks again for the back-up to my thoughts.
I think that the Ammo Guide folks just have their data base either wrong, or they're so afraid of liability their nervous.
Funny thing is that their "re-chambering" tool suggests that I could re-chamber to 6.5 X 55 AI, but not the standard 6.5 X 55. Something's wrong with their thinking.
I have a clean and bright Arisaka barrel that is about 22.5" long, has a target crown already cut into it. It must have come off a model 38 Japanese Arisaka but somebody cut if off shorter and put the target crown on it.
I have an older Arisaka carbine with a 17.5" barrel on it .. it is pretty shot out .. throat eroded and shoots 6.5 Japanese ammo very poorly. It will actually chamber and shoot 6.5 X 54 ammo, but it keyholes at 100 yards pretty bad. I already have a ton on 6.5 X 55 brass, about a thousand .264 bullets in various weights. I feel the 6.5 X 55 re-chambering on the clean Arisaka barrel will give me a very serviceable rifle.
Thanks again for the back-up to my thoughts.
Last edited by 8mm/06; 12-19-2013 at 02:26 AM.
12-18-2013, 08:50 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
6.5x55 is a great caliber. I got a Rem M700 Classic in that caliber years ago and fell in love with it. Like other have noted, a thousandth is too big a deal. Years ago I got into a bunch of .263 fmj bullets and they go through the Swede with no problems. I've also got a Mannilcher Schoenauer in 6.5x54 and that is a great cartridge too.
