6.5x55 reloading

Matteralus

Matteralus

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Hi there , I recently acquired a husqvarna in 6.5x55
Was wondering if anyone has some solid loads they might suggest? Would like some plinking recipes and some hunting
Have IMR 3031,4064,4831
HavenÂ’t started to accumulate bullets yet as IÂ’m waiting for some advice haha.
Thanks!
 
Matteralus said:
Hi there , I recently acquired a husqvarna in 6.5x55
Was wondering if anyone has some solid loads they might suggest? Would like some plinking recipes and some hunting
Have IMR 3031,4064,4831
HavenÂ’t started to accumulate bullets yet as IÂ’m waiting for some advice haha.
Thanks!
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Do you know the model of your Husqvarna? Can it handle modern loads? This would help us to provide proper load data.
 
Matteralus said:
I’ll check when I get home, I was shooting 140 gr s&b factory ammo at the range to site it in.
Click to expand...

Do you know what to look for??

Not a diss.

Husqvarna made rifles for the military on M38 receivers, which were small ring Mauser actions.

They also made commercial actions on similar receivers and on the large ring M98 type receiver.

The ''commercial'' large ring M98 type receivers are easily indentifiable because they don't have the ''thumb cut out'' on the left sidewall of the bolt race, to make charger feeding easier. They are usually quite well finished and polished.

The M38 action will have a cut out as well and are usually well finished but have a "matte" appearance.
 
Use 4831 with 129 gr or 140 gr flat based pills (eg Hornady SP Interlocks) for hunting. You could use 4064 for lighter pills, say 85 to 100 gr for plinking. The 6.5 x 55 is very versatile wrt available bullet weights. The Hodgdon website is an excellent resource for load data.
 
RE#22 for 140gr and under..............IMR 4350 or N204 for 160gr penetrates 2 moose and a fire hydrant.
 
I have two 6.5 x 55 rifles, one is a modern, strong action Zastava M70 designated 6.5 x 55 SE (Commercial M98 Mauser); the other is a 1900 M96, built in Obendorf, it is small ring with the stripper-clip thumb-cut.

I have been sticking to "standard" loads for both as I rarely shoot beyond 200 yards with the Zastava, and only shoot the 96 at our 100 yard range.

Most accurate in the Zastava so far is 120 gr Sierra HPBT Match Kings in front of Dominion D4350. For the Swede, I am presently loading PPU 158 gr Jacketed soft point semi-spitzer bullets in front of Dominion D4895. Both are a bit short of the max loads listed for the IMR counterparts to these powders.

In the Swede there is little different between the 120 gr Sierra HPBT and the 158 gr JSPs. Interestingly, at 100 yards, the point of impact in this rifle is virtually identical without changing the elevation.

In the Zastava, both loads are shooting 1" high at 100 yards (where I want them to be) but the 120 gr often give me 1 MOA or less groups on center, the 158s about 2 MOA about 2" left of center. Why? I don't know, but am guessing barrel harmonics.

The Zastava has ample free-bore to load longer for minimal "jump" with bullets of 120 gr or longer. The Swede has a lot more. S & B ammo is known to be "hot", but with the long free-bore the extra pressure in the European Ammo (Norma, PPU, S&B) don't seem to be too much of an issue. (Weatherby used this to control pressure spikes in his magnums). Make sure your rifle is in good condition, and verify your headspace.

I have some 85 gr. Sierra Varminters that I have yet to try, but will be pushing the pressures up a fair bit in the Zastava, hoping for velocities of about 3200 FPS or a bit more.
 
bearhunter said:
Do you know what to look for??

Not a diss.

Husqvarna made rifles for the military on M38 receivers, which were small ring Mauser actions.

They also made commercial actions on similar receivers and on the large ring M98 type receiver.

The ''commercial'' large ring M98 type receivers are easily indentifiable because they don't have the ''thumb cut out'' on the left sidewall of the bolt race, to make charger feeding easier. They are usually quite well finished and polished.

The M38 action will have a cut out as well and are usually well finished but have a "matte" appearance.
Click to expand...


I beleive it’s a modern action. At one point in its life the scope mounts were brazed on and it covered up the ID markings. Calibre, make , model etc. I beleive it’s an m96… can’t be much older than 80s.
 
Meroh said:
I have two 6.5 x 55 rifles, one is a modern, strong action Zastava M70 designated 6.5 x 55 SE (Commercial M98 Mauser); the other is a 1900 M96, built in Obendorf, it is small ring with the stripper-clip thumb-cut.

I have been sticking to "standard" loads for both as I rarely shoot beyond 200 yards with the Zastava, and only shoot the 96 at our 100 yard range.

Most accurate in the Zastava so far is 120 gr Sierra HPBT Match Kings in front of Dominion D4350. For the Swede, I am presently loading PPU 158 gr Jacketed soft point semi-spitzer bullets in front of Dominion D4895. Both are a bit short of the max loads listed for the IMR counterparts to these powders.

In the Swede there is little different between the 120 gr Sierra HPBT and the 158 gr JSPs. Interestingly, at 100 yards, the point of impact in this rifle is virtually identical without changing the elevation.

In the Zastava, both loads are shooting 1" high at 100 yards (where I want them to be) but the 120 gr often give me 1 MOA or less groups on center, the 158s about 2 MOA about 2" left of center. Why? I don't know, but am guessing barrel harmonics.

The Zastava has ample free-bore to load longer for minimal "jump" with bullets of 120 gr or longer. The Swede has a lot more. S & B ammo is known to be "hot", but with the long free-bore the extra pressure in the European Ammo (Norma, PPU, S&B) don't seem to be too much of an issue. (Weatherby used this to control pressure spikes in his magnums). Make sure your rifle is in good condition, and verify your headspace.

I have some 85 gr. Sierra Varminters that I have yet to try, but will be pushing the pressures up a fair bit in the Zastava, hoping for velocities of about 3200 FPS or a bit more.
Click to expand...

I shoot mostly s&b, PMC and PPU whenever I can.
 
Matteralus said:
I beleive it’s a modern action. At one point in its life the scope mounts were brazed on and it covered up the ID markings. Calibre, make , model etc. I beleive it’s an m96… can’t be much older than 80s.
Click to expand...

Theoretically, not a modern action; M96s are small ring, have the "thumb cut" for Stripper Clips and two locking lugs rather than having the large ring and a third safety lug like the M98.
 
Meroh said:
Theoretically, not a modern action; M96s are small ring, have the "thumb cut" for Stripper Clips and two locking lugs rather than having the large ring and a third safety lug like the M98.
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10/4 if I was to send you a couple pics of the action perhaps it could elimate a lot of this trouble shooting? Haha
 
Matteralus said:
10/4 if I was to send you a couple pics of the action perhaps it could elimate a lot of this trouble shooting? Haha
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I actually owned one for a time; used the same ammo, shot great and stupidly sold it... Now I'm looking for another. It had the straight bolt, and I think a 1946 date on it. It was a Husky.
 
Meroh said:
As does most of Europe, without issues. There we lots of M96s re-barreled in 30-06 and guys shoot factory ammo out of those all the time.
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It's all great until they let go.......no extra lug like the 98 so I wouldn't run them too hot that's why there's two different sets of data one for Swedish mausers and other for 98's and modern commercial .
 
mbogo3 said:
It's all great until they let go.......no extra lug like the 98 so I wouldn't run them too hot that's why there's two different sets of data one for Swedish mausers and other for 98's and modern commercial .
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I have a STIGA 30-06 - so was made up in Denmark (I think) - from the Serial Number and Inspector Initials, appears that receiver was originally a Swede M94 - made in 1916 as per table page 145 in Crown Jewels book - Inspector was H.K. - Helge Kolthoff, from 1912 to 1923. All original markings on top of front receiver ring are removed, if there was any - has a STIGA logo on top of barrel chamber now. Some amount of the lower locking lug support was ground off, and the "loading ramp" was re-formed. Magazine was extended forward, to be longer for the 30-06 round. The 30-06 barrel chamber has a longer than normal throat. And has proof marks from pressure testing in Denmark. I have no concerns that it will "hold" a normal 30-06 round - but you are correct - not much there if it lets go, but not so dissimilar to Win Model 70 and others that do not have a safety lug on the bolt.
 
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mbogo3 said:
It's all great until they let go.......no extra lug like the 98 so I wouldn't run them too hot that's why there's two different sets of data one for Swedish mausers and other for 98's and modern commercial .
Click to expand...

I’m gonna assume it’s older, as it operates awfully similar to a Lee enfield.. you really have to push the bolt forward to close it.
 
Matteralus said:
I’m gonna assume it’s older, as it operates awfully similar to a Lee enfield.. you really have to push the bolt forward to close it.
Click to expand...

That is called "#### on close" - one of the main differences to M98, which were normally "#### on open", although even a M98 finishes the "cocking" - slightly - as the round is chambered. I suspect that most "modern" actions do the same - cocking piece held by trigger sear, if the bolt "cams forward" at all to chamber a round - that was finishing the "cocking".
 
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