6.5x55 Swedish

mosinmaster

mosinmaster

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Hi,

So I picked up a whole bunch of reloading stuff for this calibre today for $65!!!

I got

RCBS FL, Neck Sizer, Seating die
Lee trimmer guide
Hornady SST 140 gr x52
Winchester and Federal 1-2 Fired Brass x38
Federal 140 gr SP Factory Ammo x17
Game Getter .22 Conversion for 6.5x55
.22 Blanks
6.5 Powder Funnel
6.5 Bore Snake
and a Wood block and rod that I'm not sure what the purpose is for

Now, I own a m/38.

Is it safe to shoot the factory Federal ammo in my older gun and if so, how will it group and will it shoot high?

How are the Hornady SST bullets for this calibre?

And is Winchester and Federal 6.5 brass good?
 
North American factory loads are very soft to be safe in the older 6.5x55 rifles (the Krag models, I think), it will be fine in your M38. I have had good luck with both Hornady SST and Amax bullets in my Swedes. I prefer PRVI brass these days, but your brass should be fine. I have seen a number of people say the Federal brass is soft, so you may find primer pockets loosening quickly with hot loads.


Mark
 
Don't know about an M/38 but my M/96 doesn't like modern handload data. I started at the normal 90% of maximum and even then had flattened primers. I had to back down to 80% and saw an improvement in accuracy and no more flattened primers.

Not sure what factory loads are like since I've only fired 20 and it was before I started reloading so I don't know what they did in terms of recoil/muzzle velocity/pressure.

Pretty much all factory loads are quite a bit under powdered though because they could be chambered in any old rifle. I know for example modern .45-70's can handle loads far in excess of any factory loads and the handloading data supports this.
 
LUTNIT said:
Don't know about an M/38 but my M/96 doesn't like modern handload data. I started at the normal 90% of maximum and even then had flattened primers. I had to back down to 80% and saw an improvement in accuracy and no more flattened primers.
Click to expand...

Define "modern" load data. Almost all of the info I have seen is meant to be used in the M96 Swedes and is loaded accordingly. Can you share your load details that were causing flattened primers? PM me if you want to keep it private.


Mark
 
The data was listed for the current Tikka and Sako rifles chambered in 6.5x55mm Swedish. The book had loads specifically for milsurp rifles and for "modern" rifles and I chose one of the "modern" loads because it used a powder I already had and figured if I reduced it 10% I would be safe. I don't remember what book it was from off the top of my head (I have it copied into an excel spreadsheet.)

The one I was using was:
Hornady 140gr SST
H4831 @47 grains max

I started at 42 grains and got flattened primers. I reduced it to 38 grains and didn't have problems anymore. I'm using CCI LRP's.

There is load data with the same amount of the same powder listed for a Speer SP 140gr bullet on the Hodgdon Reloading site.

*Edit*
My M96 has been re-barrelled at some point. It currently has a 26" heavy walled barrel with no signs that it ever had iron sights on it. Same bolt though so I would guess same strength in the action in terms of containing pressure. The safety is also weird on it; right is fire, vertical is safe and locked bolt, and left is fire and locked bolt.
 
Last edited:
LUTNIT said:
The data was listed for the current Tikka and Sako rifles chambered in 6.5x55mm Swedish. The book had loads specifically for milsurp rifles and for "modern" rifles and I chose one of the "modern" loads because it used a powder I already had and figured if I reduced it 10% I would be safe. I don't remember what book it was from off the top of my head (I have it copied into an excel spreadsheet.)

The one I was using was:
Hornady 140gr SST
H4831 @47 grains max

I started at 42 grains and got flattened primers. I reduced it to 38 grains and didn't have problems anymore. I'm using CCI LRP's.

There is load data with the same amount of the same powder listed for a Speer SP 140gr bullet on the Hodgdon Reloading site.

*Edit*
My M96 has been re-barrelled at some point. It currently has a 26" heavy walled barrel with no signs that it ever had iron sights on it. Same bolt though so I would guess same strength in the action in terms of containing pressure. The safety is also weird on it; right is fire, vertical is safe and locked bolt, and left is fire and locked bolt.
Click to expand...

that's over 4 grains below the starting load...something is not right here...I would be wary of such a low volume of slow burning powder in that case.

the M-96 I had liked it fairly hot...46.5gr. of RL-22 behind any 140gr. bullet.
 
Pathfinder said:
that's over 4 grains below the starting load...something is not right here...I would be wary of such a low volume of slow burning powder in that case.

the M-96 I had liked it fairly hot...46.5gr. of RL-22 behind any 140gr. bullet.
Click to expand...

This is more like what I'm used to. I've had four M96's/M38's over the years, and they were all fine with 46+ grains of RL-22 and 140gr SST's.
 
For a modern load in T3 I'm using and worked up a 48.7gn of H4831sc for the swede and getting .75" groups with the 140 SST. Love it.

A gent at my gun club is using 47.0 IMR4350 and getting awesome cloverleafs with his M96. So I pretty sure you could work up from book safely.

Regarding flatten primers if you use Federals you're going to get "flatten" primers because they are softer than Win or CCI. Stick bolt lift and other signs should be check as well.
 
mosinmaster said:
What's the difference between the SST and A-Max's?
Click to expand...

SST is a hunting round that holds together when it hits flesh.
A-MAX is a target round that is more accurate but tends to break up when it strikes flesh.

Or so I've read. I only have experience with SST's and SP's.

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Strange that my primers are flattening since I am using CCI's. I'll grab some from my friend (different batch) and see what happens. It was a brand new brick of CCI LRP's and the 6.5x55 rounds are the only ones I've used them with. The accuracy difference when I went down in powder was small; wouldn't have noticed without measuring it.
 
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