6.5x55 case bulge-possible safety issue?

J

Jseaman

Member
Rating - 100%
14   0   0
Location
Sask
I’m newish to reloading. The brass that came off of my first load test appears much more ‘frosty?’ than I am used to seeing on my 30-06 reloads. Additionally, there is a slight ridge 5mm from the bottom of the case.

I am following Lyman’s load chart which gives me a max load of 37.5 gr of IMR4060 with a 140gr bullet. The pictures demonstrate the effect on the brass at the max recommended load, but the lighter loads showed the same characteristics. The brass is fresh Hornady brass, and I am shooting a 1943 Husk M38 Mauser.

My question is whether this phenomenon is ‘normal’. In the opinion of more experienced reloaders, is this brass safe to reload?

https://imgur.com/a/3iEaodI

Thanks for your time!
 
Last edited:
In my experience my Swede 1896 prefers euro brass such as PRVI or Norma. Euro 6.5x55 is a little different dimensionally than US brass. This is what I have read and heard and it seems to play out in the military chamber of my rifle. I don't know if your brass is safe to reload but I have had great success with PRVI or Norma brass once fired and then only neck sized after. I had similar looking cases when I started out and they were Remington.

Darryl
 
Thanks for the reply Darryl. I do have some Norma and Privi brass that I will reload. I will give those a try and compare the results. I guess in the meantime I’ll be cautious and really check over everything after my next run.
 
Brass for the swede model 96. There is a slight difference in DIA between american made brass and the european brass. The American brass is bought all the time (hunting Ammo) and shot in the Swede rifles. I cannot answer the safety aspect of this other than to say I shoot Remington brass in my Swede rifles and have had no issues. I load less than max loads using 140 grain bullets.
 
all I read said stick to European made brass for the swedes as other have said. I have had good luck with buying norma once fired brass of tradeex and with ppu brass
 
that normal for some brass don't bather
its the expending of the brass in the chamber the thing to check is a lite white line 1 or 2 mm on top of yore line going for head separation on next fires , check your head space , have fun
 
Jseaman said:
I’m newish to reloading. The brass that came off of my first load test appears much more ‘frosty?’ than I am used to seeing on my 30-06 reloads. Additionally, there is a slight ridge 5mm from the bottom of the case.

I am following Lyman’s load chart which gives me a max load of 37.5 gr of IMR4060 with a 140gr bullet. The pictures demonstrate the effect on the brass at the max recommended load, but the lighter loads showed the same characteristics. The brass is fresh Hornady brass, and I am shooting a 1943 Husk M38 Mauser.

My question is whether this phenomenon is ‘normal’. In the opinion of more experienced reloaders, is this brass safe to reload?

https://imgur.com/a/3iEaodI

Thanks for your time!
Click to expand...

The only "recommendation" in a loading manual is the "START" load. The "Max" they publish is the MAX in THEIR rifle. They intend you to start with the START load and then develop a load from there.

In some rifles the book START load is also about Max. In one of my 6.5 rifles, the START load is way over max.

You brass looks normal. Carry on.
 
Your fired cases in your photo are normal and nothing is wrong. What you are seeing is where the case is thin enough to where the chamber pressure force the case to contact the chamber walls.

Below the same chamber marks on a Winchester British .303 case and where the case started to separate. This case was intentionally full length resized three times before the case started to separate. And why in long fat military chambers it is better to neck size the cases and let the case headspace on its shoulder.

DVy4C4T.jpg


Below both cases were fired in the same Enfield rifle but look much different. The HXP case was smaller in diameter in the base and had further to expand to meet the chamber walls.
The Prvi Parizan case has a larger base diameter and is .010 thicker in the base, and does not show the same chamber marks as the HXP case.

eM3H3ls.jpg


Bottom line, case diameter and chamber diameter effects the marks on the case you see. And most American made cases tend to be closer to minimum SAAMI base dimension.
 
Too boot, the Swede cartridge at the base was designed to be approx. 10 thou larger than cartridges such as the 308, 30-06 etc. North American brass manufacturers cut a corner and use the smaller sizing for their 6.5 X 55 brass, whereas the Europeans use the proper dimension. The result is that North American brass shows that rather prominent "bulge ring".
 
cosmic is correct in that USA manufactured 6.5X55SE use .308 Win dimensions.

CIP Cartridge Maximum 6.5X55SE .480"
CIP Chamber Minimum 6.5X55SE .481"

CIP Cartridge Maximum .308 Win .473"
CIP Cartridge Minimum .308 Win .474"

Please note that CIP and SAAMI lists maximum diameter for cartridge and minimum for chamber. We converted CIP from metric..

Manufacturers that are in countries signatory to CIP must manufacture within CIP specs. 6.5X55SE is wider.
 
Last edited:
I just looked at the SAAMI cartridge and chamber drawing for the 6.5X55 Swedish and .308 Winchester.

The 6.5x55 base diameter is listed as .4782 - .008 or .4782 maximum to 4702 minimum base diameter.

The .308 base diameter is listed as .4703 - .008 or .4703 maximum to .4623 minimum base diameter.

What is the base diameter of your 6.5x55 cases?
 
Last edited:
I normally see American made cases like Remington and Winchester to be smaller in base diameter than European made cases.

But the American made cases still fall between the min and max manufacturing tolerances. But the European made cases tend to be closer to max diameter and have better quality control and higher standards.

Last night I measured some new Winchester .308 cases and the base diameter was .469 to .466. And once fired Lake City 7.62 cases were .470 and these cases are thicker in the base and have a thicker flash hole web. Meaning I do not think the base expanded after being fired once with the Lake City military cases, but this is only a guess.
 
The 1f Norma Tradex sells for $60/100 is good match grade stuff. PRVI is very durable stuff. I don't shoot US brass in my Swedes at all.
 
I am using Lapua Brass in both my 6.5x55, and my 6.5x55AI. It just fits better, with less
of the expansion you see with NA produced brass.
OP, what you are seeing on your brass is normal, and is unlikely to get you into any trouble
at all. Dave.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom