Load Development 6.5x55 Swede

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Bluedevil25

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Saskatoon, Sask.
Well its time to start working up a load for my LH Stainless Tikka 6.5x55 with 8" twist. Going with a Scandinavian theme so I am going to try and load up some 140gr Lapua Naturalis bullets. For available powder I have Vihtavuori N550 and Hodgdon 4831 but I think I'll start with the Vihtavuori N550 and if I can't get it to group I'll try the H4831. The brass is Lapua, the dies are Forster and will be loaded on a Bonanza (pre-Forster) Co-Ax press.

The 6.5x55 has very light felt recoil but hits like Thor's Hammer, LOL! :)

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VihtaVuori loads, N550 Lapua 140 grain Naturalis: 38.7 - 41.5 grains for 6.5X55SE.

Regards,

Peter

PS, Finland is technically not part of Scandinavia but is included in the Nordic group of countries.
 
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"For available powder I have Vihtavuori N550 and Hodgdon 4831". VV data provided and H4831 data is readily available.

Regards,

Peter
 
I'm using 4831 now in a S&L M69....seems to shoot pretty good, meters like #### though. Going to get the SC version next time.
 
Thanks to Hitzy， just pick up a very nice CG63 target rifle with Schultz and Larsen barrel in 6.5X55 and looking to start reloading， but totally have no idea。
So would someone do me a favour and take some pictures of everything needed for reloading？
Thanks in advance，Iappreciate it。
 
Arwho said:
Thanks to Hitzy， just pick up a very nice CG63 target rifle with Schultz and Larsen barrel in 6.5X55 and looking to start reloading， but totally have no idea。
So would someone do me a favour and take some pictures of everything needed for reloading？
Thanks in advance，Iappreciate it。
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A good manual. I went with ABC's of reloading. It'll tell you everything in there. There are copies floating around the Internet if you look
 
I have used H4895, IMR 4350, Hodgdon 100v and Varget. All shot well, MOA in my milsurp Swedes. I load with Hornady 140gr SST bullets. 40gr- 42gr of IMR 4350, 38gr of Varget are my goto load. If you have a milsurp, the throat is long so you can load longer. Ideally the BC of a 156-160gr bullet would obviously better. Nice things about the Swede M96 or M38 rifles: that it is neither ammo type or powder fussy. The cartridge as you know, is a low pressure cartridge when you compare it. I generally load a bit lighter to extend the life of my brass. The Swede M96 actions were supposedly proofed @ 66K PSI.

With your Tikka in Swede 6.5x55mm, you'll have a tack driver easily. You won't have to be too concerned about pressure as you'll have a modern action. Also, since you have quality brass and rifle, perhaps consider getting good quality projectiles say in the 156 to160 in VLD type. Your BC will be a bit better and you'll be able to reach out further IMO.
 
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I have good loads with V N560, RE22, RE19 and H4350. I have never tried H4831 but hear good things.

If you speak to enough 6.5x55 shooters and do even cursory research you will notice a 'global phenomenon': 140gr bullet and somewhere between 45-47gr RE22 seems to be a benchmark load in the 6.5x55 world. Lots of reloaders report very good accuracy with this combo (true in my case as well 140gr Hornady SP, 46gr RE22, CCI200 primer OAL 77mm, shoots 'the lights out' in my T3).
 
The 47gr/RE#22 /140gr Partition load has killed everything from mice to moose in my son's T-3...........elk/bear etc..........Harold
 
I, like the OP, worked up a load with all scandinavian/Finish components (t3, lapua 6.5x55 brass, lapua bullets, vit powder) and I used the 6.5x55 swedish mauser/SKAN load data posted on the VihtaVuori website.
 
This was shot at 100m with irons.
49gr of H4831 and 100gr A-max, first firing with new FL sized Winchester brass. I wasn't expecting that kind of result, and was just basically fire forming so I could work on an accurate neck sized load lol.

This is the rifle...
 
mbogo3 said:
The 47gr/RE#22 /140gr Partition load has killed everything from mice to moose in my son's T-3...........elk/bear etc..........Harold
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I don't know about your son's T3 in 6.5x55 but mine has performed very admirably on everything from White Tails on up to Moose and Elk as well as several Bears with 140gr SSTs over 51grns of IMR7828 over CCI #250 magnum primers. This is a good safe load IMHO for my rifle. It creates pressures that are to high for the M96 and M38 Mausers or anything less robust than the 98 Mauser. If you decide to use this recipe, do so at your own risk. Velocities are around 2800fps at 5C. My rifle really likes this combination loaded as far out as the mag will allow. T3s have long throats.
 
Hitzy, it is so darn frustrating when your target rifle shoots its best load with unfired brass. I knew of a HBR shooter that would buy a couple of fresh bags of brass for every match because his rifle performed so well with them. He finally had a sizing die made up to give him a very close approximation but it still wasn't as good as factory fresh. Finally we started to anneal his resized brass completely, mouth to base and the rifle loved them. He passed away before he could shoot out that barrel.
 
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