6.5mm Bullet Molds

Big Uke

Big Uke

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I have a couple of 6.5mm Mausers (so far) and wanted to do some bullet casting for them, but was put off by the high price and limited availability of suitable molds. Doing a Google search again, I came across Midsouth Shooter's Supply which has 2 cavity Lee 170 grain reproduction molds for $18.94 US.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....ish-170-grain-double-cavity-reproduction-mold

With the popularity of Swedish Mausers and the rising popularity of 6.5mm bullets in general, it's about time something like this showed up.
I hope to put a heap of these through the CG-63 target rifle and see how it likes them.
 
Lyman 266469 is your best bet.All other 6.5 molds including Cruse Missile are far too large in diameter or too heavy.They are much more at home in 6.5 Carcano rather than 6.5 Swedish.

628940.jpg
 
I have found the 6.5 x 55 a touch finicky with different molds and loads. What works for some , doesn't for others. I bought a 266305 that is very accurate in one my M38's. One thing about the Lee molds is that the price is good and you don't have too much in them to try.
 
Yes, it was the reasonable price involved that snagged me into giving these molds a try. My M38 loves the 140 grain bullets but has enough twist for the 170 grainers. If they work half-assed as plinking rounds I'm happy. The Swede is fun to shoot and I'd like to do more of it. Cheaply.
The Lyman molds are certainly on my radar.
 
I am desperately trying to find a 6.5mm mold in Canada also...all sources appear to be from the US and either don't ship to Canada or require an export license (sent email to midshout supplies mentionned above for info on this, but not expecting any good news...)

Anyone sell these in Canada that Google searches miss?
thanks
 
polo104 said:
I am desperately trying to find a 6.5mm mold in Canada also...all sources appear to be from the US and either don't ship to Canada or require an export license (sent email to midshout supplies mentionned above for info on this, but not expecting any good news...)

Anyone sell these in Canada that Google searches miss?
thanks
Click to expand...

Molds are exempt from ITAR, no export permit needed. Got mine from Midsouth.
 
Midsouth Shooter's Supply will ship to me, and they only added a $1 surcharge for shipping "international". Probably to fill in the customs sticker on the package.
I'll update the thread when I get my final bill.
I purchased the mold late Friday and they sent an email that the mold is coming by air.
 
Big Uke said:
Midsouth Shooter's Supply will ship to me, and they only added a $1 surcharge for shipping "international". Probably to fill in the customs sticker on the package.
I'll update the thread when I get my final bill.
I purchased the mold late Friday and they sent an email that the mold is coming by air.
Click to expand...

Might need a sizing die. IIRC, my cruise missile mold cast fat bullets.
 
Be aware some of these heavier boolits won't stablize or over stablize in the swede. There are many threads on cast Boolits about them. I have the 163gr form NOE and no way I can get a good grouping. It started to group around 1200 fps and you can see the boolits are starting to yaw. Got the NOE 54r boolit too, preforms much better will test them around 2000 fps soonest. So far I tested PCED and traditional lubed up to 1500 fps,,,,, nice round, like a 22 on steriods.
Hope this helps.
Be well
PS started cutting down my 163 grain to 138 gr. Hope to test these next month.
 
I asked western metals if they could get the Lee Cruise Missile in for me that MSSS is selling... It's a fair bit more economical to get it from MSSS but thru no fault of Western Metals, not sure if MSSS is willing to ship it here tho.
 
The bullet mold is winging it's way to be now via International Priority with a tracking number via USPS. Tracking shows it's made it's way to Nashville from Clarksville, Tenn.

The charges are not for the faint of heart.
Here's a rundown of the invoice;

170 Grain mold in 6.5x55 18.94
Surcharge for International Paperwork 1.89
Shipping 35.39

For a total of $56.22 US

Not cheap but still a good price if it works OK. I'll report on my findings. The plan is to powder coat the bullets and push them around 1400 fps for now.
This will take some time.
 
Hotwheels81 said:
I asked western metals if they could get the Lee Cruise Missile in for me that MSSS is selling... It's a fair bit more economical to get it from MSSS but thru no fault of Western Metals, not sure if MSSS is willing to ship it here tho.
Click to expand...

I tried to find a source for the Lee Cruise Missile but couldn't find a source for one. I got the impression from some other forums that this was a special group buy special order item and is not always in stock.
I thought this Lee mold was as close as I could find.

Tracking shows the mold is now in Miami after a layover in Opa Locka, Florida.
 
The mold finally arrived this past Friday. I'm looking forward to doing a batch after I make up some 30 caliber "boolits" for the 30-06.

swede_mold.jpg
 

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Big Uke said:
I tried to find a source for the Lee Cruise Missile but couldn't find a source for one. I got the impression from some other forums that this was a special group buy special order item and is not always in stock.
I thought this Lee mold was as close as I could find.

Tracking shows the mold is now in Miami after a layover in Opa Locka, Florida.
Click to expand...

A spring break detour?

Have you had a chance to make a batch?
 
not to sound too sarcastic, but good luck getting 170 grain stabil through a 1-8 twist barrel. I believe Mausers are 1-9 or something in between?
I have a tikka 1-8 24" and It doesn't "like" anything past 160 grain. Perhaps cast and powder coated will yield better results than plated. Lower velocities may help, but I prefer to keep the bullet flat from 50-300 yards. 1400fps is uhm, slow.
Make sure you gas check to help with accuracy, so you'll get a potential better results.

Personally I would like to find a good 140 grain and 160 grain mould to try to play around with. I'm pretty OCD when it comes to reloading, I have found one really good setup and don't really want to change it much (but it's expensive though).
Let us know how things go with the setup. Cheers
 
A couple of years back I purchased a Lyman .265" 150 grain SPGC, 2 Cavity mould (#266673) from Buffalo Arms in Idaho. They ship to Canada with no problem, excellent service. I have put at least 2,500 cast bullets through my Mauser M1896, using 1/2 a dozen different powders. The absolute best accuracy that I have gotten out to 300 yards is with IMR 4227. I get 2" groups at 100 yds with a Muzzle Velocity of 1,763 fps. For a cast rifle bullet it is amazing.

I recommend you go to the Buffalo Arms Web site. Keep in mind that their web site lists only 1/4 of what their catalog does. In the past I have had a problem buying 6.5mm gas checks, but Buffalo Arms always has them in stock and they have no problem exporting to Canada. Down side is buying from the US is more expensive but you get exactly what you need and don't have to substitute.
 
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There's an order from NOE waiting for me on the other side of the border. Saved $40 in shipping to Canada and it's on my way to an event in the US. There's a sizing die for the 6.5 in there, as well as a 9.3 mm bullet mould. I'll be playing with the cast bullets in the Swede and 9.3x57 Husky soon!
 
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