I just got a virtually unused ZKK in 6.5x55 Mauser. Previous owner never shot it and said it was unfired when he got it. Does anyone here have a recommended load for these rifles? I just need a starting point. I realize I'll have to tweak the load to the rifle.
Loads for a ZKK 6.5x55?
- Thread starter MD
- Start date
48 R22, 139/140gr. bullet(Amax for me), BR2 primer, seated nice and straight, just off the lands, in Lapua brass.
30+ years of 6.5x55mm messing about ..... always come back to ^^^
Holds under 1/2 MOA in my best Swede.
30+ years of 6.5x55mm messing about ..... always come back to ^^^
Holds under 1/2 MOA in my best Swede.
mossyhorns
CGN Regular
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
45g IMR 4350 and 120 grain bullets have worked great for me. Mine also loves R 22 and 19. Your gonna love this caliber
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Like almost all modern medium capacity bottle neck cartridges, the 6.5X55 performs well with a reasonably wide range of propellants. Go to the relaoding section of the Hodgdon web site and choose your powder based on the one that produces the highest velocity with your bullet of choice. Lower velocities suggest that the powder is either too slow to produce enough pressure to produce optimal velocity due to the volume restrictions of the cartridge or because its a faster burning powder that produces too much pressure before the optimal velocity is reached. Minimum and maximum loads and their respective predicted velocities are listed in a table format.
These threads that ask for general load recommendations concern me in that they suggest that the posters have not purchased at least one loading manual. If you don't own a loading manual, buy one, read it, and follow the practices the manual recommends for the safe loading of ammunition. Few people would attempt to prime a stick of dynamite or load a bore hole with explosives without proper instruction, yet many of these same people are willing to risk their eyes, hands, faces, and their firearms by jumping into handloading without first leaning the basics.
If your loading manual doesn't answer your question, then ask the question here. Having said that be suspicious of load data voluntarily given over a public forum. Even with the best of intentions, mistakes can be made. If your manual doesn't provide data for a powder that you got a deal on and happen to have 10 pounds of, there just might be a reason for that. If you intend to load a bullet thats heavier than your loading manual provides data for, check on the manufacturer's website to see if they provide load recommendations for their specific bullet in your cartridge. If they can't or won't, then ask the question here, provided you accept the answer warily. Does it make sense against the other data you have access to?
These threads that ask for general load recommendations concern me in that they suggest that the posters have not purchased at least one loading manual. If you don't own a loading manual, buy one, read it, and follow the practices the manual recommends for the safe loading of ammunition. Few people would attempt to prime a stick of dynamite or load a bore hole with explosives without proper instruction, yet many of these same people are willing to risk their eyes, hands, faces, and their firearms by jumping into handloading without first leaning the basics.
If your loading manual doesn't answer your question, then ask the question here. Having said that be suspicious of load data voluntarily given over a public forum. Even with the best of intentions, mistakes can be made. If your manual doesn't provide data for a powder that you got a deal on and happen to have 10 pounds of, there just might be a reason for that. If you intend to load a bullet thats heavier than your loading manual provides data for, check on the manufacturer's website to see if they provide load recommendations for their specific bullet in your cartridge. If they can't or won't, then ask the question here, provided you accept the answer warily. Does it make sense against the other data you have access to?
I use 47gr Re#22 and a 140gr Partition for the over 300lb group and 140gr Hornady for those under.Fed mag primers and brass.Same charge.Depending on your particular rifle's quirks ,somewhere between 46-48gr of Re#22 and a 140gr of choice is going to work fine.Harmonics ,harmonics ...harmonics
Pathfinder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northeast Ontario
Same over here in my Tikka. I use 48gr. 48.5 didnt' really tighten anything up so stayed with that load. Ive used Winchester brass but now that I have some norma im going to tweak to those cases as the dimensions are actually proper unlike North Amercian Brass (at case head).
Also 42gr of IMR 4350 or N-204 and a 156-160gr RN will do bad things to a bear or moose.If you wish to shoot through two moose and a fire hydrant this is your load! The T3 and Win FWT 's rifling twist won't stabilize the 160gr but will the Sako 156's.Both are great in a 38 or 96 mauser.....have never recovered a bullet from game regardless of size to date....Harold
48 R22, 139/140gr. bullet(Amax for me), BR2 primer, seated nice and straight, just off the lands, in Lapua brass.
30+ years of 6.5x55mm messing about ..... always come back to ^^^
Holds under 1/2 MOA in my best Swede.
That is the same load I am using in a BSA CF-2, except I run CCI 200 primers. Shoots well and flattens deer with a 140gr SST.
Mark
dgradinaru
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- British Columbia
44gr of imr 4350 with 140gr bullet got me very good accuracy with a open sight rifle.
Mark, How do you find the terminal performance of the SST on deer sized game?
Any deer shot from close range where your velocity is still up there?
Thanks,
Oh, I like 47.5grains of 4831SC behind a 130 Accubond in Lapua brass lit by a WLR primer.
Going to work up a load for 120 TTSX.
roberto mervici
Regular
- Location
- Prov.Quebec, Canada
My son and I we have 2 custom husky 6.5x55 , 20 & 22" barrel, on both we use only one bullet: 139 gr. norma cupro-nickel PPDC dual core ... 30 yrs a go I got a mega deal on the bullets and I stock up.
The best performance is when sit over 46.5gr of IMR4831, WLR primers (till 10 yrs a go I was using CCI 200 but I change to WLR due to to shortage at the time and frankly I did not notice any difference) cartridge OAL 2.957".
I use this recipes since 30 yrs...deadly on deers and black bear. Best 5 shoot groups little under 1/2" at 100 yrds on a bench.
The best performance is when sit over 46.5gr of IMR4831, WLR primers (till 10 yrs a go I was using CCI 200 but I change to WLR due to to shortage at the time and frankly I did not notice any difference) cartridge OAL 2.957".
I use this recipes since 30 yrs...deadly on deers and black bear. Best 5 shoot groups little under 1/2" at 100 yrds on a bench.
So far they seem to be fast opening and pretty lightly constructed. I don't think they would be my choice for elk or moose, but for deer I am happy with them. This is in .264 and .308 calibres, I also load 225gr SST's in my .338 Win Mag, but have yet to take any game with it. Those might be a decent choice for bigger animals, but I cannot confirm it yet.
Mark
My Mauser 96 prefers Vihtavuori N560 over any other powder (IMR 4350, W760, H4831, Varget, N160) I have tried. I shoot Hornady SST bullets in both 129 and 140 grains. Best working load is about 0.6to 1 grain short of max load for a similar Lapua bullet, i.e. 47.7 Grs. for 140 and 49.6 Grs. for the 129.
The results are spectacular, both from a velocity and accuracy standpoint. Make sure that such loads are safe in your rifle.
The results are spectacular, both from a velocity and accuracy standpoint. Make sure that such loads are safe in your rifle.
