6.5 X 55 95 gr Hornady V-Max

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Meroh

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I just finished preliminary load development using Dominion D4350ssc. H4350 has always been my go-to powder for 6.5, but I have never loaded bullets lighter than 120 gr.

My Rifle is a new Zastava M70 in 6.5 x 55 SE. I have not yet bedded the barrel, as ground-hog season is here!!

I did some research on line, and there is not a lot of reloading data for this bullet in the 6.5 x 55. What I did find was loads varying from 45 - 50 gr. of H4350 for the 95 gr V-Max. Only a few mentioned COAL, and both were the same at 2.865".

I loaded 10 of each starting at 46, 47, 48, 49gr of D4350 using CCI large Rifle primers in mixed brass. I had intended to load 20 also at 50 gr, but at 49, the casings were full enough that the load was slightly compressed. 50 would have overflowed the case.

I headed for the range and set up at 100 yards. One shell of each load for warmup, then 3-3shot groups.

46 was all over the map. 47 gave me groups around 1 1/8 centre to centre, 48 was the best at one group 3/4" and 2 groups at 7/8".

I am unhappy with how little of the bullet is being held by the cartridge, as these are boat tail bullets; I will be decreasing cartrige length to about 2.830.

Based on what data is out there, as I do not have any means of measuring velocity, the 48 gr. load should be giving around 3200-3300 fps if others data is correct.

Further development will take place at between 47 and 48 gr. D4350.

lg_9491822601%206_5mm%20_264%2095gr%20V-MAX.jpg
 
You are encountering a typical problem using short boat tails in the long throated Swede. Some rifles will tolerate the long bullet jump, some not so much. Might want to try crimping and going to a faster powder. Using your current powder, combined with relatively little bullet grip, and a long jump may be leading to low/erratic combustion pressures. Are you getting smoky necks?
 
cosmic said:
You are encountering a typical problem using short boat tails in the long throated Swede. Some rifles will tolerate the long bullet jump, some not so much. Might want to try crimping and going to a faster powder. Using your current powder, combined with relatively little bullet grip, and a long jump may be leading to low/erratic combustion pressures. Are you getting smoky necks?
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Yes, I am. I am hoping that a little deeper seating might make the difference. I have loaded in the past with long jumps; 100 gr Siera flat base in 7 x 57. Accuracy was great, and the groundhogs went splat. Can't use 7mm in southern ontario any more. LOL. I may have to go back to 120 gr. bullets, but seriously, I got tighter groups with the 95 gr. bullet, and I have about another 160 of them left. LOL.

Time will tell with deeper seating.
 
Meroh: I generally use 85 grain Sierra HP bullets for groundhog duty. As already suggested, going to a faster powder may help. A moderate load of IMR 3031 worked well with this bullet in my rifles. Accurate and hard hitting. You may find similar results with the 95 grain V-Max.
 
OP, I haven't had a lot of experience with Zastava M70 rifles, other than my Binlaw's SS chambered in 270 Win. That rifle shoots very well consistently with bullets seated as long as the magazine will allow.

The chamber is on the low side of mean but still within tolerances.

It has a looooonnnnggggg throat, which isn't unusual for factory 270Win chambers.

I would suspect your M70 Zastava has a similar throat. The thing is, the throat diameter needs to have tight enough tolerances so that there isn't room for canting before the bullet enters the leade.

I have a Tikka T3, 6.5x55, with a 22 inch bbl. I've tried several different powders and found H4350 a bit to slow for the lighter bullets available for the 264 bore diameter with tight twist rates.

I settled on H414 which is just a bit faster than H4350. I certainly wasn't able to achieve the 3200fps that you're expecting. I did however get just over 3000fps, with some of the best accuracy I've had out of this very accurate rifle. Consistent 1/2 moa groups seem to be the norm, if I do my part.

My magazine will allow me to load long heavy bullets all the way out with one bullet diameter seated into the neck.

My rifle shot the 95grn VMax very well but not nearly as well as the 95grn SST. Maybe because of a bit more bearing surface that allows me to seat the bullet to 3.000 inches OAL.

My load is 47.0 grn H414 over CCI 250 primers.

I found this load to be the most consistent with both the VMax and the SST.

They're both good bullets for Coyotes and even long range ground squirrel shooting. The difference between the accuracy of the two bullets wasn't big. About a 1/4 moa.
 
Lightest I've loaded in my 6.5x55 are 110 's, can't remember if they were Amax or Vmax, but they shot really well with IMR4831 which is a fairly slow powder.
 
I have been messing with a CG 6.5 and light bullets and will agree a little hotter powder makes the difference. I cut my barrel to 21 inches as the stock barrel did not suit my needs. Settled in at 41.6 grns of Varget. win Mag Primer,lapua brass and 85 grn Win hollowpoint, 2.850 OAL. 1 inch groups. When ladder loading it is the only time I have seen a rifle pull in and open up groups, within 3 grains.
 
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