Accubonds in 6.5x55?

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kayaker1

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I am keen to hear about experiences with 130 or 140gr Accubonds in 6.5x55? Most reports are glowing…

I have been trying to work up a monometal load in my T3 and its giving me fits, GMX are hopeless and TTX and TSX are OK but inconsistent. I probably need to play a lot more with seating depth.
I am interested to hear about COAL and powders used (I have H4350, RE22 and N560 on hand).

If I assume MV’s of 2700fps for the 140 and 2800fps fort 130’s the difference in trajectory to about 350m is so small that it would easily be lost in any range of variation under field shooting conditions.

How have they worked for you and what have you found better – 130 or 140gr?

Cheers
 
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I use the 129ABLR in front of R-22, in my Sako Bavarian Carbine. Accuracy is right around 1/2moa, at just over 2700fps out of the 20" barrel.
 
Throttle_monkey1 said:
I've had great luck with the Barnes 127 LRX and the 129 Accubond LR in my T3. What loads were you trying?
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With the 120TTX I used RE22 up to 47gr and RE19 up to 47gr

130TSX I have use H4350 up 45gr, N560 up to 48gr, RE22 up to 48gr. COAL from 2.95" to 3.1"

Accuracy is normally around 1.2MOA at best, over1.5" at worst. Not bad but the rifle does better with some loads.
 
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You could increase your charge with RE22 a bit to see if that helps. I use Norma MRP which is identical to RE22 (RE22 is Norma MRP factory seconds). I used Norma MRP up to 49 grains with 142 ABLR but backed off to 48 grains. You should max out at around 2950-3000 fps with the 130s. That's where my best accuracy node was in the T3 but it might be different for you. If you're not getting satisfactory accuracy try going up or down a bit in powder charge and also in my T3 I load them to 3.150"-3.170" coal. There's lots of room in the magazine and in my T3 the lands aren't reached until 3.200" +
 
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I had a T3 in 6.5 swede that was ridiculously accurate with both Re22 and H4831sc. I found the rifle was a great killer with conventional cup and core bullets, I used 129 gr Hornady spirepoints with great success.

I loaded up to 260 remington loads on the advice of John Barsness and it was just a great combination. No real need for premium bullets at the velocities from the Swede, if you want a really terrific bullet with a high BC, try the ballistic tip.
 
Your T3 is a very strong modern action that is more than capable of handling high pressures.

The 6.5x55 loads given in most manuals is in deference to the Swede M96 action which is supposedly weaker. No sense pushing them beyond their design specs either. However, the Tikka T3 and many other modern rifles are a completely different issue.

There are loads available on the internet that should be approached with caution but are safe in NEW/High Strength actions.

There are also much better powders available that will bring this fantastic old cartridge right up to and exceeding the capabilities of such rounds as the 260 Rem. I have a load using IMR7828SSC/CCI250 primers/Lapua brass that sends a 140gr SSTIL downrange at just over 3000fps and it's safe in MY Tikka T3.

Google is your friend. One thing though, be darned careful NOT to use those loads in the old surplus Mausers. I have a customized 98 action that will handle substantially higher pressures but I haven't tried these HOT loads in it YET. Likely will give it a go this fall and I have a lot of confidence that it will digest these loads with ease.

This isn't magic or rocket science. Many hand loaders really have no idea what they're really doing or why certain powders are chosen by the people that write the manuals. Litigation is now the main reason the loads listed are on the sedate side.

Bone up on which powders will do certain things and how to proceed with working up loads. DON't trust recipes that weren't developed in your rifle, especially with unfamiliar powders. Something else to consider with components. They are manufactured to a plus or minus specification and will differ from lot to lot. This includes primers/powders/bullets/brass. Reloading manuals have to take all of this into consideration. Loads safe with one lot of components might not be safe with another lot. I blend my lots. Some people get apoplexy at the mention of blending the same powder but from different lots to get a large usable lot. It's your call and don't do it if you aren't comfortable with it.

Back to the OP's question. Your T3 is capable of substantially more, with different powders/primers than you are asking about. You just need to do some due diligence and really give that great cartridge everything it needs to be much better than it's ever been.
 
Thanks guys,

I have been loading my 6.5x55 for while now its just the TSX/TTSX that I am struggling with but perhaps the simple fact is that they just don't work as well in my rifle? They shoot well enough in my.308 and .300H&H.

The Accubonds seem appealing and I have never used thrm (shot a few of friends loads in my .308 with AB's and that's it).
 
My son's T3 didn't like Barnes X bullets either ,but 130gr Scirocco 2's and 140gr Partitions tear pretty much one hole [3 shot groups]Harold
 
I was hoping my swede would like the 130 scirocco's but i just couldn't get a decent group with them. Made the switch to the 140 partitions and they grouped with any powder. Now i have a load with the 160 woodleighs that i am happy with. Seemed that H4831sc was my powder of choice
 
It's not quite the same but, maybe it could apply here;
I have loaded and shot both Nosler Ballistic Tip & Nosler Accubonds for 30-06 with the 125 grain weight.
Myself I found groups tightened up quite nicely, going from Balltistic Tip first, and then much better accuracy with the Accubonds on 100 yard paper, from a rest. With the exact same powder brand and amount. IIRC, Viht N-140.

my 2 bits
 
If you want a monometal bullet don't overlook the etips. I got excellent accuracy and velocity from them. Have yet to use them on game but I'm expecting stellar performance.
 
Throttle_monkey1 said:
You could increase your charge with RE22 a bit to see if that helps. I use Norma MRP which is identical to RE22 (RE22 is Norma MRP factory seconds). I used Norma MRP up to 49 grains with 142 ABLR but backed off to 48 grains. You should max out at around 2950-3000 fps with the 130s. That's where my best accuracy node was in the T3 but it might be different for you. If you're not getting satisfactory accuracy try going up or down a bit in powder charge and also in my T3 I load them to 3.150"-3.170" coal. There's lots of room in the magazine and in my T3 the lands aren't reached until 3.200" +
Click to expand...

While they are similar, they are NOT the same powder. I have and use both extensively, and while it is unlikely that you would run into trouble by switching from
one to the other, one still must use proper load development if one switches. In conversation with one of the Gentlemen supervising operation at the powder
manufacturing plant in Sweden, I learned that the two powders have slightly different compositions. For example, MRP is somewhat less temperature sensitive than is RL22.
D.
 
Eagleye said:
While they are similar, they are NOT the same powder. I have and use both extensively, and while it is unlikely that you would run into trouble by switching from
one to the other, one still must use proper load development if one switches. In conversation with one of the Gentlemen supervising operation at the powder
manufacturing plant in Sweden, I learned that the two powders have slightly different compositions. For example, MRP is somewhat less temperature sensitive than is RL22.
D.
Click to expand...

I get what you're saying and agree. There were a bunch of emails flying around a few years ago from alliant and Norma showing that RE22 and MRP are pretty much the same with MRP having better QC & consistency than RE22 and also as you said MRP having less temperature sensitivity.

They are made at the same plant and the differences are minor but you are correct, one shouldn't just substitute MRP data for RE22 and vice versa. But if say 48 grains of RE22 was max with 140s in 6.5x55 one could safely assume the max with MRP will be darn close, and work up a load starting at minimum charge weight and expect to end up somewhere around 48 grains as a max.
 
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