Swede mauser m96 start load.

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hobophobe

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As usual...data all over the place. Anyone have a recommendation to start with 129 hornady softies and imr4350.

I took reload data from my die set and started at 42 grains. Hornady says thats max....but their data always seems low.

I have modern actioned rifles, so it bothers me less to work up loads with data all over the map.

Again, its for an m96. Just looking for some experienced m96 loaders
 
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Look at all the books and start with the load data that is lower. This may seem weird but I ended up with pressure signs in my M38 mauser in 6.5x55 with "minimum" loads from Hodgdon, but that load was up near max for Hornady.

What bullet are you running? Not sure if the Hornady bullets are different but if you start out at the starting load for the lower data it is not going to be unsafe.

Good luck, this rifle scoped? I love the 6.5x55, have not been able to get it to run accurately as fast as I wanted but bloody accurate.
 
I have had good resultswith 130gr sierra TMK using 40gr of imr 4350. Not sure about speeds but certainly 1moa at 100 and my barrel is….. not new lol. I have some test rounds going from 40 -42 in .5 increments I am going to try next time I’m out so see if the groups open.
 
Fox said:
Look at all the books and start with the load data that is lower. This may seem weird but I ended up with pressure signs in my M38 mauser in 6.5x55 with "minimum" loads from Hodgdon, but that load was up near max for Hornady.

What bullet are you running? Not sure if the Hornady bullets are different but if you start out at the starting load for the lower data it is not going to be unsafe.

Good luck, this rifle scoped? I love the 6.5x55, have not been able to get it to run accurately as fast as I wanted but bloody accurate.
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Its actually a stutzen stocked m96. Yeah it will wear a fixed 4 scope with a German style reticle. Its the hornady 129 soft point interlock. Maybe ill pull those and use the lower hornady data i found.

Die set started at 42 and goes up to 46. Didnt intend to even go near max. Hornady starts at 39.8
 
If its a Swede Mauser, I'd start with the Hornady data and see how well it shoots. My Hornady manual starts at 36.4, maybe not start right at the bottom, but I wouldn't start at 42 either.

Working up only has to be done once.
 
Joel said:
If its a Swede Mauser, I'd start with the Hornady data and see how well it shoots. My Hornady manual starts at 36.4, maybe not start right at the bottom, but I wouldn't start at 42 either.

Working up only has to be done once.
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Super frustrating. Think your starting at the very bottom and then data is all over. Bothers me alot less on modern actions. But on an old 96, don't want eff around and find out.
 
hobophobe said:
Super frustrating. Think your starting at the very bottom and then data is all over. Bothers me alot less on modern actions. But on an old 96, don't want eff around and find out.
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Thats what I was thinking too.

Hodgdon can be bizarre sometimes. Check out their BL-C2 loads for 303 Brit! No way.
 
Do you have a chrono?

Later military m/41 ammo for the M96 was a 139.9gr spitzer at 2600fps.

I've shot mine with 160gr Hornady RN to 2560 with no pressure signs but need to bring that down to around 2300-2350 to be the same as the original 156gr Ball ammo so the sights should be spot on - no T stamped on my sights and nothing on stock discs indicating modification for the Torped (m/41 spitzer) round.
 
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Well - I think the "military" load data refers to the Krag rifles, not the Swede mausers. The Hornady load data seems to have quite a bit of margin built-in, compared to other load data. The 96 swede barrels have a loonngg throat, which yields low pressure. I would not hesitate to start at 42 gr, which is the starting load for IMR 4350 on the Hodgdon data website (max is 46).
I load at 43.5 gr of H4350 with the 129 grain pill, its a nice mild load in both my 96 based rifles and my 38 based rifles.
 
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Thats the kind of information I was after. I may dig through my load book and see if I have info from when I had my 38 as well. (Really should have kept that rifle)

I actually have a jug of h4350 left too. Ill probably load a few at 40 and work up with imr4350 as ill need some for sight in anyways. See where that gets me.
 
hobophobe said:
Super frustrating. Think your starting at the very bottom and then data is all over. Bothers me alot less on modern actions. But on an old 96, don't want eff around and find out.
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True, but 96 Swedes are stronger than you might think. I've had them in 6.5x55, 6.5-06, 30-06 and 9.3x57. I personally compare all the data I can find, and use the lightest load to start with, then work up from there. My best lighter bullet load in the 6.5 Swede was with RL19 over a 125 gr Nosler. - dan
 
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