Help with Reloading 6.5X55 sw. using Barnes 130gr.TSX, BT bullet.

[Ganderite]

I'm curious to hear what your COAL is. I did a dummy cartridge at max SAAMI COAL in my Ruger African and got the bullet stuck in the barrel and eventually had to back it off to the 2.95" sadly.
I am using 120gr TTSX in mine and have worked up a few loads of IMR4831 to try whenever I can get to the range.

Standard procedure with a new bullet it to seat it long (as in max length that will fit the mag) and see if it chambers. If not, seat it deeper and deeper until it will chamber without leaving marks. Note that in the log as max OAL for that rifle/bullet. That is what you just did.

I find 6.5 develops pressure quickly, so I always start then load development with the Start load. Once even that was too hot.

 

[Meroh]

I'm curious to hear what your COAL is. I did a dummy cartridge at max SAAMI COAL in my Ruger African and got the bullet stuck in the barrel and eventually had to back it off to the 2.95" sadly.
I am using 120gr TTSX in mine and have worked up a few loads of IMR4831 to try whenever I can get to the range.

Standard procedure with a new bullet it to seat it long (as in max length that will fit the mag) and see if it chambers. If not, seat it deeper and deeper until it will chamber without leaving marks. Note that in the log as max OAL for that rifle/bullet. That is what you just did.

I find 6.5 develops pressure quickly, so I always start then load development with the Start load. Once even that was too hot.

No "sadly" about it; as Ganderite posted, you should be doing this for everything that you load for each firearm; rifle and pistol. It may be chamber variation, and it often may be the bullet shape. If you switch bullets, you need to repeat the process and note it too. Doing this will maximize accuracy potential for each load too.

I had a 6.5 x 55 years ago (wish I still had it), I only ever loaded light hollow-points for ground hogs. Very accurate, and ground hogs were just gone after you pulled the trigger; virtual vaporization!!

Great caliber. I will have another one some day!

 

[Boomer]

bearhunter;16064808]The tsx bullets are great in my Tikka T3. I use a heavy load of IMR7828SSC under it for over 2900fps with sub moa accuracy. That is when it's clean and the fouling is in the sweet zone.

I'm not going to give you a load to follow because you don't mention the type of rifle you're shooting.

The old Swede Mausers are great rifles but won't IMHO safely handle the higher pressures the NEW COMMERCIAL ACTIONS will.

A good place to start your loads for the 130 grain tsx is in the Lyman manuals, from 46-the most recent, for 140 grain cup and core bullets. Most of that information is online if you haven't got a manual.

The tsx bullets have slightly more drag IMHO so the 140 grain loads should be perfect. Because the tsx bullets are monolithic solids they are about the same length as the traditional cup and core offerings in the 140 grain weight.

If you have a modern commercial sporter, there are also loads online that will give you significant velocity increases over the Lyman manual loads and still maintain consistent accuracy.

To say nothing of my Krag carbine. A problem with these old rifles is that attempting to work up loads cannot be done safely simply by watching for pressure signs on the brass. IMHO, when the strength of the action is in question, the chronograph is the correct tool to determine the maximum load. Once you have attained the muzzle velocity that matches the service rifle load with that bullet weight, or is extrapolated to the bullet weight you are using if lighter, its time to stop and consider that your working load.

An example might be . . .
100 gr 3,100 fps
120 gr 2,800 fps
140 gr 2,600 fps
160 gr 2,500 fps