6.5x55 loads??
 

I am wondering what you handloaders are loading in your Swedish Mausers? I have always loaded thw 140 Grain Hornady sp in mine but this year I am stepping down to the 120 grain bullet. I have tried two loads so far and both are good for accuracy but a little low on the velocity end. I Chronograped two loads today. The fisrt was 46.0 grains of H 4350 with WW LR primer and 120 grain Remington bullets. the OCL was 2.950. This load clocked an average of 2695fps. The second load was 39.0 Grains of IMR 3031. Same primer and same OCL. Remington LR primer and 120 grain Remington bullets. This one clocked 2709 fps. I shot a 6 shot group useing three of each load and it was under 1 1/2 inches so the POI is close enough to use either load. I am one grain below the Max with both loads so I quess I am not going to gain more than 50-70 fps by maxing the loads out. Anyone loading the 120 in this cartridge. I seem to get almost the same valocity from the 120 grain, 129 grain and the 140 grain. I am sure that the chamber on the old military rifles like mine is a little to long for the best performance from lighter shorter bullets. The 140 kills like the Hammer Of Thor in this caliber. For my hunting loads I am going to load the Sierra Pro- Hunter bullets.

RE: 6.5x55 loads??
 

Try 43-46 gr of RL-22.

I use 46 gr of RL-22 with a remington corelokt bullet- its very accurate with this load. I don't have a chronograph, so I couldn't tell you the velocity, but in comparison to american made factory loads, the load I use has alot of bark and a bit more recoil.

I've only reloaded 140 gr. bullets so far as I bought a lot of 1000 corelokts a few years ago and want to use these up first, I've also tried 140 gr SMKs and gotten better accuracy.

From everything I've read about the 6.5x55, it seems to prefer slower burning powders like 4350, 4198, and RL-22

RE: 6.5x55 loads??
 

Over the years I have tried about every powder I could find data for. With 140 grain bullets I have used mostly the slower powder like 4359, 414, 450 and 3100. Its easy to get about 2700 fps with the 140 with 24 inch or longer barrels. Barrels beyond 24 inches don't raise Velocity much. We had a bunch of these model 96 mausers. On many we cut the barrels off one inch at a time and clocked the bullets at each lenth. Cutting them from 29 down to 24 seldom made more than 50 fps difference. Some of the rifles picked up velocity as we cut the barrels down. This held true on some until we got down to about 22 inchs. We sporterized about 40 of them and a gunsmith friend of mine resold them. We didn't make a lot of money but we had a ball and learned a lot about the old Swedes. I don't think any other caliber that I have tried hits harder and recoils less that this one. Back home it hammers Elk and moose and most other game that the Arctic can dish out. Thanks for the reply Good Hunting.

RE: 6.5x55 loads??
 

I upped the charge to the max on my 3031 load and went back to the range. Going up one grain jumped my velocity by a little over 55 fps. This gets me in the 2760 range. Its an accurate load and I think I will leave it at that. RE-22 would do a little better but maybe on the next batch. I have about 50 rounds of the Sierra 120 Pro-hunters loaded. That should do for this year. My wife will use the same rifle this year instead of her 250. She likes shooting the 6.5x55 too. I had her run my loads through the chronograph to get used to the gun. She has been shooting for many years. I have yet to see her miss a deer.

RE: 6.5x55 loads??
 

I am still on-the-scout for a 6.5 swede that I like. James, any idea how much game you have bagged with that rifle, or do you have it set up for target?

RE: 6.5x55 loads??
 

Mine is just for hunting although its accurate enough for target work. Its taken two Elk three Moose and at least forty deer. All were taken itn the past with the 140 Grain Hornady Interlock. I load the Sierra 85 GR. hp in my other Swede for varmits. This is the last caliber that I would ever give up.

RE: 6.5x55 loads??
 

Awesome James. Thanks for the info.