6.5 Swede

Cole

Cole

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Cranbrook B.C.
HaHa! ! I finally got one! ! !
Bought a 1910 Carl Gustav '96 off the EE and its on its way, now I need to ask a few questions about reloads for it.
I will have it checked by a gunsmith before I fire it.

#1. Its a model 1896, can I safely push 129-130gr bullets up to around the 2800 fps level?

#2. Has anyone loaded the Barnes 130gr TSX in it and what were your results?

#3. What is the optimum powder for the 129-130gr bullet range?
 
Opinions will vary on this, as there are fairly strong opinions on how hard an M96 action should be pushed.

I feel that in full length Swedes, 2800 fps with 130's is not a big deal, but some others would suggest it's too hot.

Having owned M96's in 6.5x55, 30-06, 9.3x57 and 9.3x62, and never pulling any punches with them in terms of reloading, I'm not at all conviced that the M96 needs watered down reloads.
 
Best advice i can give is start with a lower pressure load and work up.One of my friends did serious damage to his M96 with a load that chrony'ed 2718 fps 130 grain bullet.
 
2800 fps in a M96 Swede with a 29" barrel would be a top load with the slower powders like Re22 and H1000. Use any load from the Hodgdon Reloading Centre or any reloading manual and you'll be ok.

As for this:

crazydave said:
Best advice i can give is start with a lower pressure load and work up.One of my friends did serious damage to his M96 with a load that chrony'ed 2718 fps 130 grain bullet.
Click to expand...

If you're not an idiot, you will not "do serious damage" to your gun.
 
I have used IMR 4350 a lot in the 6.5x55 and with the Hornady 129 grain bullet is seems to be at it's best. The velocity you mention is right in line with what my chronograph told me.
Accurate bullet as well. No pressure signs at all but then, my barrel is ex military and probably more than a little loose!
 
I had the best luck with IMR4831 and a Hornady 129gr bullet with my 1896 with diopter sights. Re22 was good as well, but I was getting .75" groups consistantly at 100yds. Velocity? who knows, I don't care, never owned a chronograph. The load I was using would have been light though.
 
Thanks guys for all the info. I have a little more studying to do and I should be off to the races. I got dies coming now too.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYAAAA !
 
Cole,
Get yerself ready to fall in love.
6.5 Swedes are sneaky 'lil vixens and will get right under your skin in short order.
Got me 30+ happy years, and counting.
My suggestions:
Clean the snot outta the bore, many will have carbon rings and cupro-nickle jacket fouling built up ahead of the throat. Use alternating brake cleaner/ copper cutter/ jb paste untill a tight brush pulls even. May take awhile. Badly fouled bores show pressure early and will not group. Old cupro does not show blue on your patch. Hence the jb. Use a bore guide and good closed loop brushes and jags. I have a 1899 oberndorf that went 4grs of powder up, and 2moa of grouping down on bore cleaning alone. Went from worst I've known to best of many. Many issue barrels slug .266". Probably why most all the swedes i've worked with like warmish loads. Never had a problem with the m96 gas handling, never pushed hard enough to leak any.
Have settled on 120gr ballistic tips with h4350, and 140gr amax with r22. Seated long. Many combo's will work well in your Swede, these ones have proved top drawer for me.
Concentricity seems critical at longer range, fliers and headscratching will bedevil you past 3 or 4 thou r.o.. Lee collet dies load em pretty straight.
To see the best of your swede you gotta go long, I mean way out there. Scoped, we often clang steel at 1000 yds.. Issue rifles will amaze with regular 4-500+yd hits once you get to know her ways.
Every one of the 12 plus i've worked with to date has been accurate, worst one 1.2 moa, best .4 moa.
 
Andy said:
2800 fps in a M96 Swede with a 29" barrel would be a top load with the slower powders like Re22 and H1000. Use any load from the Hodgdon Reloading Centre or any reloading manual and you'll be ok.

As for this:



If you're not an idiot, you will not "do serious damage" to your gun.
Click to expand...

If your not a idiot you don't make comments without any KNOWLEDGE of what others do.

The friend of mine worked up his loads in .5 grain increments, the previous load had no pressure signs and was less then book max! it amazes me that some clowns on the internet would judge someone without a clue about what goes on.

I guess idiocy is as easier to use on a keyboard than it is in reloading.:rolleyes:
 
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