6.5x55 Swede

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Odinson

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Hi Folks,
Looking for some wisdom from the group ...... I am reloading 5.5x55 Swede. I'm using the "starting load" according to Lymans 50th edition. I'm using IMR 4064 and a 123 gr Hornady SST. I am seating the bullet to the cannelure and using a light crimp. I measured the OAL length and it comes out to 2.90 inches. Lymans says 3.00 inches. Will that make a big difference? Should I pull the bullets?
Thanks.
 
Close enough. Depending on your rifle, most 6.5x55 chambers are quite long so usually can go over the 3 inches max length but with the lighter bullets you may not get your full length. You can seat past the cannelure if you want to see the OAL @ 3 inches as long as you have enough bullet seated in your case.
 
OAL is determined by the magazine length and chamber of YOUR rifle. Ignore the book.

If it was me, I would start with a length just a bit shorter than the inside of the mag, chamber it, and see if it touches the rifling. If it does not, that would be the length i would seat bullets to.

The 125 gr bullet might be too short to seat that long. In that case, i like to seat a bullet square. That is, if it is ,264" wide, I would seat the bullet at least .264" into the neck.
 
Thank You Every one! I was concerned about pressures. I'm fairly new to rifle reloading and I lost my Mentor last April so I was just sort of "winging" it by following the books. I didn't want to blow my hand off or worse.
Thanks again!
 
Odinson; wise to ask questions in the learning process of reloading. The 6.5x55 is a delightful cartridge enjoy the reloading and learning process.
 
Ganderite said:
OAL is determined by the magazine length and chamber of YOUR rifle. Ignore the book.

If it was me, I would start with a length just a bit shorter than the inside of the mag, chamber it, and see if it touches the rifling. If it does not, that would be the length i would seat bullets to.

The 125 gr bullet might be too short to seat that long. In that case, i like to seat a bullet square. That is, if it is ,264" wide, I would seat the bullet at least .264" into the neck.
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stubblejumper said:
Ignore the cannelure , you don't need a crimp.
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Good advice here; particularly regarding "square seating".

Likewise regarding not crimping. I had trouble with lose bullets in my 6.5 x 55 loads with both Lyman and RCBS dies. I picked up a set of Lyman Collet dies, and have never looked back. Even though I have 3 different rifles in the same chambering, the chambers seem virtually identical so I no longer do full length resizing, and let the rifles fire-form it for me. The collet die lets me adjust the neck tension precisely. Seating depth is easily adjusted, but could benefit from a micrometer for setting the various bullets I load. I set my OAL with heavy bullets to my Zastava M70 as it has the shortest throat length, then it does not matter which rifle I use the ammo in.

6.5 x 55 is about as good as it gets!
 
Odinson said:
The folks on this site are an absolute wealth of knowledge.
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Best of the best here! I have been shooting and loading the 6.5 X 55 and a number of other rifle/pistol ammo since the late 70s; and I am still learning from the guys here.

It is not only good to ask questions, but great to share experiences, both good and bad.

We all learn!!
 
Meroh said:
Good advice here; particularly regarding "square seating".

Likewise regarding not crimping. I had trouble with lose bullets in my 6.5 x 55 loads with both Lyman and RCBS dies. I picked up a set of Lyman Collet dies, and have never looked back. Even though I have 3 different rifles in the same chambering, the chambers seem virtually identical so I no longer do full length resizing, and let the rifles fire-form it for me. The collet die lets me adjust the neck tension precisely. Seating depth is easily adjusted, but could benefit from a micrometer for setting the various bullets I load. I set my OAL with heavy bullets to my Zastava M70 as it has the shortest throat length, then it does not matter which rifle I use the ammo in.

6.5 x 55 is about as good as it gets!
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I don't mix cases, so variations in neck tension isn't an issue. I prefer neck bushing dies, but even without them, you can take some material off of the expander plug, to add neck tension if required.
 
IMG_0658.jpg
Here is what happens when you grab the wrong bolt for the Swede. Nothing damaged but definitely lesson learned.
 

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My Lee sizing die gives a super tight mouth. Holds the bullet so tight that it is extremely hard to remove them with an inertia puller.
 
Snider shooter said:
I have multiple brands of Swede cases. I am find a large variation in thickness of the necks. I keep the ones with thin necks separated and neck size them. Those cases get used in one rifle.
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I've just discovered that full length sized "C.A". and "nny" head stamped cases have trouble chambering in a Tikka, have to investigate what is different about these cases.

As far as seating length goes, set the bullet out as far as you can so it will still fit in the mag.

I usually just take an unprimed full length sized case and set the bullet out as long as I can. Use dry erase marker and totally cover the bullet and then try to chamber (don't force), you can see if the bullet is rubbing on the lands. Increase seating depth until you are just off the lands and then just a wee bit more.

Every gun has a favorite type of load, but my 6.5's all like this set up.
 
stubblejumper said:
I don't mix cases, so variations in neck tension isn't an issue. I prefer neck bushing dies, but even without them, you can take some material off of the expander plug, to add neck tension if required.
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Do what works for you; I find that the collet dies increase case life significantly and maintain/restore concentricity of the case and neck. It also maintains uniform neck wall thickness. For me, it is a no brainer.
 
Paul_T said:
That's 'old' PPU brass. nny is Cyrillic for PPU
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What you write sounds to be correct - I think the same corporation used to make "nny" at one facility, and now makes "PPU" at a different facility. A correspondent found significant differences in case volume between "nny" and "PPU" brass for 6.5x55. I did up 5 (or 10?) of each in 9.3x62 - full length resized and trimmed, with a fired primer left installed - the weight of the water capacity showed greater variation among same head stamp than was between the two head stamps - capacity of those two head stamps more or less over lapped for this 9.3x62 - so we think "nny" and PPU in 9.3x62 is the same, or is at least within each other's tolerances. Likely is like any other caliber or headstamps - likely some variation as years go by, as sizing punches at factory wear, and so on - something that if you do not measure, you will not know.
 
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