Anyone reloading 6.5X54 MS?

SustainingGopher

SustainingGopher

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A couple years ago I bought one of the Cooey Carcano rifles that had been rebored to the 6.5 MS cartridge. It became apparent early that reloading was going to be the way to go for this round. I managed to track down a set of RCBS dies, and I am using locally available BLC powder and Hornaday 160 (?) Grain projectiles along with ppu cases with mixed results at the range. Anyone else here have any helpful tips or combinations they've had any luck with?
 
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My MS dies are a few weeks away still. Hopefully a bit less.
I've been told that most 6.5 Cooey/Carcano will except .268 bullets.
And you need to Slug the bore on your rifle to prove it.
Apparently most 6.5 bullets are .264 and are a bit sloppy for the C/C rifling.
 
HuskyDude said:
Tagged...
My MS dies are a few weeks away still. Hopefully a bit less.
I've been told that most 6.5 Cooey/Carcano will except .268 bullets.
And you need to Slug the bore on your rifle to prove it.
Apparently most 6.5 bullets are .264 and are a bit sloppy for the C/C rifling.
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The hornady ones I am using are indeed .264 RN these are the only ones I can get where I live and they are expensive.

Looks like I will be adding some cerosafe to the shopping cart.
 
mbogo3 said:
The Cooey /Carcanos had new .264 barrels attached to the chamber stub originally M91's
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Umm OK, but I have one that still has a .268 bore, with gain twist rifling.

I've come across more than a couple with 268 bores over the years.

I wonder if they only did the mods to barrels that were not pristine???

The reason I even responded to this, is most Eaton Carcanos I've seen, don't have gain twist rifling.
 
SustainingGopher said:
Thanks Dan, very informative lol. What have you had the best luck with in your rifle? What projectiles are you using ?
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I have quite a few old 160 gr 6.5 round nose bullets. From woodleigh mostly, but I think some are Imperial as well. (Slightly different bullet design). They run slightly larger in bullet diameter. - dan
 
I bought a hornady reloading book that I think is third edition off #######. It has apparently a decent section on 6.5MS which I will post on this thread for the rest of you.
 
bearhunter said:
Umm OK, but I have one that still has a .268 bore, with gain twist rifling.

I've come across more than a couple with 268 bores over the years.

I wonder if they only did the mods to barrels that were not pristine???

The reason I even responded to this, is most Eaton Carcanos I've seen, don't have gain twist rifling.
Click to expand...

Yes.........they must have salvaged the Carcano barrel.........Is there no receiver stub or set screw on the underside?
 
The .268 bullets definitely were oversize in my rifle. bullet got stuck and when I extracted the unfired round only the case came out. Had to pound the bullet out with a brass rod.
 
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