Best powder for 6.5 x 55

Tikkam65

Tikkam65

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Hey guys I've been shooting a custom
6.5 x 55 with custom loads
getting some ok results but I'm thinking I could do better
so here's the rifle
Kreiger 24 inch barrel 2 inch muzzle break .730 diam
Timmys trigger set at 1 lb
mcmillian bedded sporter stock
rem 700 trued and blued action
8x32x56 sightron scope

the load
140 sst
reloader 22- 49 grains
win brass
federal 210 primers
Oal 3.129
.010 jam
the results .5-.75 at 100
i believe this should be better

your thoughts
 
OP, as I've aged, the 6.5x55 has become my go to cartridge. I use if for everything from coyotes to Moose and Elk.

My favorite bullet is the 140 grain Hornaday SST Interlock for large game, from Deer on up. My load is 48 grains of H4831 over CCI 250 magnum primers. Very consistent in warm or very cold weather. This is a very hot load and shouldn't be used in Swede 96 actions at all. IMHO, it develops close to 60,000 CUP.

My rifle is a Tikka T3 and shoots this load into regular 1/2 moa groups out past 400 yards.

This load, won't be found in any manual that I know of. Mostly because the manuals defer to the weaker 96 actions. It may be a safe load for 98 actions, Model 70 Win, Rem 700, Tikka and other strong modern actions. Even then, use it at your own risk.

For coyotes/wolves, the 95 grain V max over H414SL10 or W760, over CCI 250 magnum primers. This load gives me just over 3000fps. It bucks wind extremely well in comparison to its smaller brethren.

Again, use extreme caution. This is also a very hot load and should be anywhere near a 96 action.
 
With 129-140gr bullets I have had good results with N560, RE19 and RE22. With 140gr bullets RE22 has produced incredible accuracy, as has RE19 with 129's.
My next powder to try is H4350 with 120grs

Lots of guys get good results with Varget and lighter (sub 120gr) bullets. Varget still gives good accuracy, apparently, with heavier bullets but velocties will be lower. The Swede likes the medium -slow burn rates.

The other perennial favourites are IMR4350, H4831, N160, IMR7828. These along with the 5 mentioned above seem to crop up time and again when people offer their best 6.5x55 loads. You will notice a very strong correlation between satisfied reloaders and RE22/140gr bullets.
 
IMR 7828, Privi Brass, Prvi 139gr SPBT & 129gr SST works very well for me. There's lots of very good options listed above for this great cartridge. For lighter loads IMR4320 is also an old favorite
 
In my M70 Winchester Featherweight my most accurate load (3/4") with 140 gr bullets (Nosler Partitions) is 50.5 grs of H1000.

With 160 gr Hornady round nose - 44.5 grs of H4831. 3/4" group.

With 120 gr bullets - 44.2 grs of H380. Could never get MOA with 120 gr bullets.

With 100 gr Hornady Spire Points - 49 grs of H380. 3/8" group.
 
you are using the best powder !!!

another good one is the IMR 7828ssc the pressure will be really close to R-22 for the same charge
 
Several other powders gave higher MV's, but I've found the best accuracy with H4350 with the 140's, and H4831 with 160's.
 
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