Who loads 6.5 X 55 Swede?

[tac]

Well, talking about the 6.5 Swedish cartridge, it's a bit of an unsung hero, for sure, at least, in North America. Having said that, over here in Northern Europe and Scandinavia this modern-looking cartridge, introduced way back in 1895 [yes, 1895], has been dropping Elg - that's moose to you - since the day it came out. Note that OUR mooses are BIGGER than YOUR mooses, mainly 'cos we'e had them longer, or so the naturalists say. Here they go around 1200# for a bull in good condition, only a little less for a moosette. That 140gr bullet, particulally with partition bullets - we call them H-mantel - has a very high BC and gets right through the chest from side to side in most 3/4-ering shots, taking out the lungs and heart in one fell swoop, often dropping the animal where it stands right there in its hoofprints.

Accuracy-wise, the cartridge has been a firm favourite for the 300m three-position match comps since they began way back when, due to the light recoil and stupendous inherent accuracy. Their offspring, the 6.5BR and the long-ranging 6.5-.284 have been wowing marksmen for many years, in spite of a well-deserved reputation as a barrel burner. A 160gr bullet making almost 3000fps is not kind to modern barrels, even the best, and you can wave bye-bye to accuracy in under 1000 shots in some cases...

The 120gr load is gentle on the shoulder, and totally fearsome at the other end on most everything except big bear and maybe bison. With good placement and comparatively short ranges - 200-250 yards - most everything in North america will succumb to its 'charms'. Do some reading, and see if I'm lying.

 

[tac]

It's a 1902 dated Carl Gustafs short rifle.

View attachment 522799

It has the Husqvarna T marked rear sight and shoots almost point of aim at 100 yds. Every other marking is Carl Gustafs. Strangely, or not, the yellow decal is on upside down. No...upside down to the shooter trying to read it while shooting.

Mike - your rifle started off an an m/96 - the longer rifle. It was converted in 1938, same as the rest of 'em. It would correctly be called an m/38 now. According to your disc, the bore is 6.51mm. At that time your barrel was also a '1' - pretty good'. Unusual to see the decal on wrong way up, but there y'are...

 

[P7M13]

Mike, Speer's data is pretty good. I'll attach a picture below.
I am loading for a modern action in it. Just did a test batch of loads for Hornady 140SP using WMR.
Looking at Speer's loading table, I have RL19, RL22, IMR 4350 & Accurate 4350 on hand. I'm happy to give you samples of each so you can do workups and see what your rifle likes. Or just give me some bullets and I'll load you some rounds to test.
I am loving the cartridge, and it's everything Tac says.
@tac , your 7mm pills should arrive any day, as tracking claims they left Heathrow on 24 November. Seems funny - your K51 likes the 168SMK, and I also have ~2K of those on hand (great bullet at a fantastic deal).

 

[Mikej]

somewhat confused here....6.51 mm bore translates to 2.56.. " ? Are we really shooting bullets that are .008" over bore size? I may be missing something that's right in front of my face? Hand gun shoots bullets that are only a .001-.003" over.

 

[tac]

P7id10T - you wrote 'your K51 likes the 168SMK' - you mean K31, right?

 

[tac]

somewhat confused here....6.51 mm bore translates to 2.56.. " ? Are we really shooting bullets that are .008" over bore size? I may be missing something that's right in front of my face? Hand gun shoots bullets that are only a .001-.003" over.

Well, I've just measured twenty of my PPU 139gr 6.5mm bullets immediately behind the cannelure and they average out to 6.67mm....hmmmmmmmm, that's 0.263"........

 

[CJWinOR]

I've reloaded the 6.5X55 for some time now, here are some pointers from my experience.

1) Try to use non USA made brass. The head diameter of the 6.5X55 is actually a bit wider than the .30-06 type cartridges. US made brass uses the smaller diameter of the .30-06 class cases, so they are undersized.

2) Prvi Partizan cases are my preference. I use it almost exclusively, and have some that have been fired upwards of twenty times with nothing more than an occasional trim. The primer pockets are still tight, which is better than I've experienced with Norma brass.

3) I just now measured some Prvi Partizan component bullets, they all measured exactly .2635, I randomly measured a few out of two different open packages I have on hand. I use the Prvi 139 gr FMJ bullets for target shooting, and have used their soft points as well, however I have not taken game with them. I'm sure their soft points would do okay for deer, but I prefer a bullet with a better known track record to use for hunting.

4) IMR 4350 has been my go to powder for a very long time, however, Ramshot Magnum shows great promise in the 6.5X55 and I am now working with it. It has a benefit of being a spherical powder with much better metering characteristics than IMR. The free data guide from Western Powders has load data for this application.

 

[tac]

'I prefer a bullet with a better known track record to use for hunting...'

Given the fact that since 1895 most of Scandinavia has used this cartridge for shooting everything from Polar Bear to half-ton moose, I think that comment is pretty funny.

 

[CJWinOR]

Don't be a jerk, I was simply talking about the actual projectile, not the cartridge. I was referring to soft point Prvi Partizan, while I'm sure they are fine for deer, but if I'm going to the time and expense of a major hunt, I opt for better known projectiles, such as Nosler, or Hornady.

 

[P7M13]

P7id10T - you wrote 'your K51 likes the 168SMK' - you mean K31, right?

My bad. I read 168 SMK and forgot everything else....

 

[P7M13]

Please do not mix up Switzerland and Sweden - I guess it's an American thang, our forum on gunboards.com is chock-filled with people making the same mistake. I guess that over here in Europe we are more familiar with our local geography....

I think if you asked most Americans to identify countries in Western Europe, or states in this here USofA, on the map - well - let's say if it were a drinking game where you had to take a slug every time someone got it all right, you'd be a very sober chap.

 

[tac]

Don't be a jerk, I was simply talking about the actual projectile, not the cartridge. I was referring to soft point Prvi Partizan, while I'm sure they are fine for deer, but if I'm going to the time and expense of a major hunt, I opt for better known projectiles, such as Nosler, or Hornady.

Me, a 'jerk'?

'bye, Mr CJWinOR.

 

[crossbow5]

I also load for the Swedish 6.5 X 55. For powder I have used IMR 4064 and IMR 4350. The IMR 4064 works best in the AG42B with the 140 grain bullets, but also works well in the Model 1896 with the long barrel. I tried some 120 grain bullets with the IMR 4350 and they shot about a foot too high at one hundred yards in the 1894 carbine. The carbine needs a taller front sight.

 

[Mikej]

I've reloaded the 6.5X55 for some time now, here are some pointers from my experience.

1) Try to use non USA made brass. The head diameter of the 6.5X55 is actually a bit wider than the .30-06 type cartridges. US made brass uses the smaller diameter of the .30-06 class cases, so they are undersized.

2) Prvi Partizan cases are my preference. I use it almost exclusively, and have some that have been fired upwards of twenty times with nothing more than an occasional trim. The primer pockets are still tight, which is better than I've experienced with Norma brass.

3) I just now measured some Prvi Partizan component bullets, they all measured exactly .2635, I randomly measured a few out of two different open packages I have on hand. I use the Prvi 139 gr FMJ bullets for target shooting, and have used their soft points as well, however I have not taken game with them. I'm sure their soft points would do okay for deer, but I prefer a bullet with a better known track record to use for hunting.

4) IMR 4350 has been my go to powder for a very long time, however, Ramshot Magnum shows great promise in the 6.5X55 and I am now working with it. It has a benefit of being a spherical powder with much better metering characteristics than IMR. The free data guide from Western Powders has load data for this application.

This is the kind of thing I'm looking for. Seems like I need to pick up some Reloader 22 and some IMR4350 to go along with the H4895. And as I said, (wrote?), I've been buying PPU 139 gr factory ammo and that will be the brass I use. First order of ammo I also got some Sellier & Bellot because it was cheaper. The last four boxes they had at the time. I'm not terribly worried how easy powders measure here as I'll be taking my time, like I do when I shoot the rifle. So I'll be trickling. I hate measuring flake powder for handgun though and that's why all I use there is ball powder.

I also load for the Swedish 6.5 X 55. For powder I have used IMR 4064 and IMR 4350. The IMR 4064 works best in the AG42B with the 140 grain bullets, but also works well in the Model 1896 with the long barrel. I tried some 120 grain bullets with the IMR 4350 and they shot about a foot too high at one hundred yards in the 1894 carbine. The carbine needs a taller front sight.

Well, this is a model 96 converted to a m38 in 1938. Something interesting I stumbled on, if true that is, is that there were only 55,000 m96s brought in to be converted to short rifles.

And BTW, I'm too lazy to hunt. Even when I was young, and tagged along with a buddy a time or two, I though hunters were nuts to go throught all that. No, I was just a crazy, lazy, fisherman!

 

[Mikej]

Well, I've just measured twenty of my PPU 139gr 6.5mm bullets immediately behind the cannelure and they average out to 6.67mm....hmmmmmmmm, that's 0.263"........

Well then, no worries I guess? There's so many more things to think about loading rifle compared to loading straight wall, relatively low velocity hand gun. I suppose that after I've made and shot a few hundred successful rounds that I'll feel the same about rifle rounds.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I also have a Carl Gustav and use IMR4350 with hornady sst's and 129gr interlocks. Accuracy is great. Ive used PPU, S&B, and Lapua brass. All of it worked, but i do prefer lapua.

 

[tac]

A few years back, I lucked in to a guy in our LGS who was giving up shooting to concentrate on making beer. He had brought in four hundred rounds of S&B ammunition, and me and Steve [behind the counter] took half each. Be advised that S&B cases are fragile around the neck, and they only reloaded once, in spite of being annealed.

Stick to Norma, if you can get them - as noted above, they seem to last forever, especially with the compatively gentle pressures of 6.5x55.

 

[woodrat]

Following... I have four rifles in this chambering, two milsurps, one Mauser 98 project that is in progress, and my last two deer have been taken with a Tikka T3 in 6.5 Swede, using plain factory S&B. Haven't reloaded any yet, but I have a bunch of cases prepped, and a few different bullets laying around. Just been too busy lately to do much reloading at all. The powder I was recommended for this is H4831SC.

 

[Mikej]

. Be advised that S&B cases are fragile around the neck, and they only reloaded once, in spite of being annealed.

Only loaded handgun so far, and only had a couple split cases. Those splits were found when sizing because the presure on the handle was very soft. When rifle cases like this split when do you find it?

Doing hand gun , and single stage at that, I have several times I handle the cases. The sizing process is the first time, other than incidentally looking when picking up fresh shot brass.

 

[gunsmith007]

You data disk has been replaced and probabbly not accurate they came with a brass screw original . That how I know I have seen hundreds of these sweedish Mausers I have a tack driving load with Imr 4831 I will look it up for you can pick my spot on target and place it exactly where I want too ppu brass is made by Norma good stuff .