My shooting partner just bought a Tikka T3 Sporter in 6.5X55, what is a realistic velocity from safe handloads? I know factory offerings are a little anemic and most of the manuals list loads that also seem a little slow compared to my 260 Ackley. We are going to try 139 grain Scenars from new Lapua brass with match primers. Any help is appreciated!
Realistic velocity with a modern 6.5X55
- Thread starter Crashman
- Start date
I have a modern 6.5x55, and using Norma MRP or Vihtavuori N560,
I can drive a 139/140 grain bullet to just over 2800 in a 24" tube.
No pressure issues at all, primer pockets stay tight, and cases do not
"grow" excessively.
Regards, Eagleye.
I can drive a 139/140 grain bullet to just over 2800 in a 24" tube.
No pressure issues at all, primer pockets stay tight, and cases do not
"grow" excessively.
Regards, Eagleye.
mossyhorns
CGN Regular
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
Every gun is unique and the 6.5 is no different, I own three. I have one that will push 120g ballistic tips to over 2900 fps and another that drives the same load at about 2775. I haven't tried the third rifle yet as it's new and doesn't sport rings or a scope yet.
IMR 4350 and reloader 19 and 22 have shot well for me.
It's a wonderful calibre, enjoy.
IMR 4350 and reloader 19 and 22 have shot well for me.
It's a wonderful calibre, enjoy.
samsplacci71
Regular
- Location
- Toronto area
I don't have a chrony but I have tried Reloader 19, IMR 4350 and Hodgdon hybrid 100v. All with great accuracy. I use these in my old school Swede Mausers. I used interlock Hornady 140gr. SP over 40gr. of either 4350 and H100v. I try to keep my chamber pressures around 40 K psi. You can go higher as you work up your load and watch for excessive pressure signs on your cases.
redbirddog
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Maple Syrup land Ontario
I have pushed some varmint rounds to 3100fps. My most accurate were 140 grains in 2650fps range both in sub MOA groups and accuracy over 400yrds. I used IMR 4895 with Nosler Partitions.
Have fun its a great caliber to reload.
Have fun its a great caliber to reload.
A 260 Ackley has about the same case capacity as a Swede. Assuming similar barrel lengths, he should get velocities similar to your rifle.
I wore out a target rifle in 6.5x55 and then rebarrled it as a 260 Ackley. With 140 gr bullets I was getting around 2850 fps out of a 30" barrel. Similar in both calibers. RL22 was best.
I wore out a target rifle in 6.5x55 and then rebarrled it as a 260 Ackley. With 140 gr bullets I was getting around 2850 fps out of a 30" barrel. Similar in both calibers. RL22 was best.
What bullet speed one does manage to achieve with 6.5x55, is not so important ... IMO.
Our group of Swede-nutz, most of us with fresh 23.5" M38 barrel's(Tradeex) M94 actions, all bedded tuned and well glassed, we get consistently excellent results to out past 1000yds with 2650-2675 fps of mv.
This with 140 Amax, or, a few of 'em they like the 139 Scenar's best, always with R22 powder in Lap brass, BR2's in summer, GM215M's in winter. Most of us seat out to .020" jam, or about 3.2" OAL for this Mil-spec chamber.
Accuracy?, averages around 1" at 200yds, & some of 'em do better than that. We tune our groups for LR ... min. vert..
One of the endearing qualities of this fine calibre is how it fly's so tight to the wind ... way, way out there.
I have a 6.5/06 that really screams those 140's, ... 3000+fps, from a 24" bbl. It shot really well too ... for 900 rounds or so .... now toasted.
6.5x55 is good for two or three times that #.
Our group of Swede-nutz, most of us with fresh 23.5" M38 barrel's(Tradeex) M94 actions, all bedded tuned and well glassed, we get consistently excellent results to out past 1000yds with 2650-2675 fps of mv.
This with 140 Amax, or, a few of 'em they like the 139 Scenar's best, always with R22 powder in Lap brass, BR2's in summer, GM215M's in winter. Most of us seat out to .020" jam, or about 3.2" OAL for this Mil-spec chamber.
Accuracy?, averages around 1" at 200yds, & some of 'em do better than that. We tune our groups for LR ... min. vert..
One of the endearing qualities of this fine calibre is how it fly's so tight to the wind ... way, way out there.
I have a 6.5/06 that really screams those 140's, ... 3000+fps, from a 24" bbl. It shot really well too ... for 900 rounds or so .... now toasted.
6.5x55 is good for two or three times that #.
I have an old factory box of Dominion in 160 grain bullets.
A couple of the bullets turned in the neck.
I removed one of the bullets and measured the powder charge.
It came out to 44.5 grains of powder.
Sure looked like IMR 4350, but the length of the powder seemed a tad short.
Anyone have any idea what they used for powder way back then?
The box was priced at just under $7.00.
A couple of the bullets turned in the neck.
I removed one of the bullets and measured the powder charge.
It came out to 44.5 grains of powder.
Sure looked like IMR 4350, but the length of the powder seemed a tad short.
Anyone have any idea what they used for powder way back then?
The box was priced at just under $7.00.
No idea what powder was in those old Dominions 'looky ... but 44.5 grains of 4350 is pretty much max under a 140gr bullet .... a 160?. Serious hot.
Somewhere around N160/RL22 burning speed perhaps?.
CIL loaded a lot of proprietary Nobel powder, did they not?.
Somewhere around N160/RL22 burning speed perhaps?.
CIL loaded a lot of proprietary Nobel powder, did they not?.
im using h4831sc loading start at 46 in .5 increments im now at 50 and I think im running around 2940
im sure im right on pressure window primer is still ok but my case is full and with a 140 Sst /Amax / Berger Vld hunting
im compressing the powder and i have pulled the bullet way out to get more powder in the case.
Oal 3.129
With .010 jam
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First off, the Remington has a slower twist rate than the Tikka. 1 in 9 if I remember right.
The Tikka, has a 1-8 twist.
You can get away with any load in a modern 6.5x55 that is safe in the 260 Rem.
I use 46.0 grains of H4831 over 250 CCI magnum primers with a 140grain Hornady SST Interlock for a hunting round. Works well on Deer, Moose, Bears and Elk.
For coyotes, I use Hornady 95grain Vmax over 47.0 grains of the old Higginson H414SL10 (w760) over a CCI 250 magnum primer.
This gives just over 3100 fps.
I must stress, DO NOT USE THESE LOADS IN A SWEDE 96/38/94 Mauser or NORWEGIAN KRAG. They will very likely KABOOM.
I was surprised that the old standby H4831 was the best all around powder I could find for the heavier bullets. I tried several.
With a good rifle, these loads will hold 1/2 minute of angle at 100m.
The Tikka, has a 1-8 twist.
You can get away with any load in a modern 6.5x55 that is safe in the 260 Rem.
I use 46.0 grains of H4831 over 250 CCI magnum primers with a 140grain Hornady SST Interlock for a hunting round. Works well on Deer, Moose, Bears and Elk.
For coyotes, I use Hornady 95grain Vmax over 47.0 grains of the old Higginson H414SL10 (w760) over a CCI 250 magnum primer.
This gives just over 3100 fps.
I must stress, DO NOT USE THESE LOADS IN A SWEDE 96/38/94 Mauser or NORWEGIAN KRAG. They will very likely KABOOM.
I was surprised that the old standby H4831 was the best all around powder I could find for the heavier bullets. I tried several.
With a good rifle, these loads will hold 1/2 minute of angle at 100m.
- Location
- Golden Lake
In the Lyman 47th Edition Reloading Handbook there is a MAX load for a 120 gr bullet of 49 grs of H380 for a velocity of 2890 fps.
I began (in my M70 Winchester Featherweight) at the starting load of 44 grs of H380 with a 120 gr Speer Spitzer, CCI 200 primers in Privi brass. Then I tried 45 grs of H380 and experienced flattened primers.
I settled on 44.2 grs of H380. Very accurate and powerful enough for deer.
I was wondering - has anyone tried the 49 gr of H380 load with a 120 gr bullet?
I began (in my M70 Winchester Featherweight) at the starting load of 44 grs of H380 with a 120 gr Speer Spitzer, CCI 200 primers in Privi brass. Then I tried 45 grs of H380 and experienced flattened primers.
I settled on 44.2 grs of H380. Very accurate and powerful enough for deer.
I was wondering - has anyone tried the 49 gr of H380 load with a 120 gr bullet?
New Camper
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lurking in the woods near SFRC.
I had the same question over a year ago that the OP asked: What velocity can be safely achieved from a 6.5X55 modern action? I tried several different loadings, and the best one has been 45.5gr of H4350. This obviously is far in excess of published data,(therefore unsafe for the older military actions) but it's being shot in a T3 varmint. Chrony info as follows:
45.5gr H4350 (I didn't record MV of each shot, just wrote the figures the chrono remembers, all in feet per second)
Highest velocity 2745; Lowest velocity 2720; Average velocity 2729; Extreme spread 25; and standard deviation 8.
Rifle has stock 24" stainless barrel, with aftermarket muzzle brake. Load details: 45.5gr H4350, Lapua brass, CCI BR-2 primers and 139gr Scenars. This load showed no pressure signs, even the letters stamped in the BR-2 primers remain legible, and they are not flattened to fill pocket or decap unusually.
I tried another load with the above components, but using H4831SC instead: This shows pressure signs in the form of the stamped letters being ironed out, and the primer to a small degree filling the pocket: I won't repeat this load for that reason and oddly enough the average velocity was 100fps less than the H4350 load.
Both loads were very accurate, and with a 140gr SST in place of the Scenar, little difference in performance. I am very fortunate to have a rifle that is not fussy. I'm not sure trying to get that 2800fps with a 140gr bullet will be a hurdle I should try jumping... Having brass last long that keeps all the crap going out the opposite end of the rifle is the highest priority, second to not having my face blown away.
I'm using H4831 New Manufacture. I bought a large quantity of it 10 years ago and it will likely last to the end of my shooting days.
I haven't experienced the same issues with pressures that NC did. I am using Lapua brass though. I have reloaded each of my cases at least half a dozen times. They still look great and form easily. That may be because of the high quality brass.
I looked into my personal load manual and found my velocities registered on the Chrony at 2780fps average with a 40 fps spread.
Now, this is no big deal over NC's findings. Just the difference between two rifles or two Chronys.
Half inch groups are the norm, not the exception. The T3 is one of the few rifles I have owned that shoots like this straight from the box. As mentioned above, this rifle isn't fussy either. It shoots good bullets well.
I also would like to give a lot of the credit for tight groups to the excellent optics made by IOR VALDADA.
Good glass that can be trusted all the time, every time is a real blessing.
Combine that with a good shooting rifle and all is well, as long as I do my part.
I haven't experienced the same issues with pressures that NC did. I am using Lapua brass though. I have reloaded each of my cases at least half a dozen times. They still look great and form easily. That may be because of the high quality brass.
I looked into my personal load manual and found my velocities registered on the Chrony at 2780fps average with a 40 fps spread.
Now, this is no big deal over NC's findings. Just the difference between two rifles or two Chronys.
Half inch groups are the norm, not the exception. The T3 is one of the few rifles I have owned that shoots like this straight from the box. As mentioned above, this rifle isn't fussy either. It shoots good bullets well.
I also would like to give a lot of the credit for tight groups to the excellent optics made by IOR VALDADA.
Good glass that can be trusted all the time, every time is a real blessing.
Combine that with a good shooting rifle and all is well, as long as I do my part.
