Powder Selection 6.5x55 Various Bullets

C

CharlesT

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Beautiful Downtown Cottage Country, ON
I'm like a kid in a candy store.

I have a sporterized M96 (1910 for those who need to know) and a bunch of bullets that need to be load tested.

The bullets I have are:

  • 95gr Hornady VMAX
  • 120gr Barnes TTSX
  • 129gr Hornady SP
  • 130gr Barnes TSX
  • 140gr Hornady AMAX

I also have three different powders:

  • IMR 4350
  • RL19
  • RL22

My guess is that I should use IMR 4350 for the 95gr VMAX, IMR 4350 or RL19 for the 120gr TTSX, and RL22 for the 129's and above.

I'll be using Lapua brass and WLR primers.

Any opinions on my choices?

Thanks

CT
 
I think you are on the right track with the powders you have. Just wondering if your Mauser will like the 95 grains with the 1 in 7.5 twist. My guess you will have better luck with 120 and up. I figure the 120 and up will do it all.
 
My M70 Winchester Featherweight has a 1 in 7.87" twist rate and it handles 100 gr Hornady Spire Points and 49 grs of H380 with great accuracy.
 
Of those components you have, I have tried the following in my Tikka T3:

120TTSX and RE19 gave good velocities and acceptable accuracy.
120TTSX and RE22 was slower and acccuracy was slightly better but not great (I have communicated with a quite a few 6.5x55 aficionados who have never been able to get stellar accuracy with the 120gr TTSX...)

129gr Hornady SP and RE19 - inconsistent, ranging from mediocre accuracy to showing potential with 45.5gr charge weight. My next step is to play with the OAL. I posted here a couple of weeks ago about RE19. Many sources tout it as a great choice with bullets up to 130gr while some guys say it is horrible in every 6.5 they have tried it in. I have had better accuracy with the 129gr SP and RE22 and very good accuracy with N560.

140gr SP (not the Amax, I know) and RE22 - fantastic accuracy! It seems RE22 and 140gr SP/Amax/SST seems to shoot in just about 6.5x55 people try that combo in.

Lets us know your results.
 
H4831 with all of them over large rifle magnum primers and never look at anything else.

That one powder works like magic in that fine old cartridge for all bullet weights.

If you're a one rifle man, you can't go wrong with H4831
 
The M/94/96 and 38, plus all commercial 6.5X55 barrels made by Husqvarna have a 1:200mm twist, so 7:87", rounded up in the US as 1:8.
 
Try 44 grains of IMR 4350 under your 140 hornady bullets. That has been my best load for my m96 (1900) swede. Been using it for over 20 years and it always works. I use the plain ol Hornady 140 plain base.
 
I started out years ago using IMR 4831 in the Swede but now use Reloader 22. I never had much luck with Reloader 19. I have always meant to try H4831sc in the Swede as it should be a good choice for hunting loads a provide temperature stability too. I really like the 125 & 129 weights for deer but will never argue that they offer anything substantial over the 140 trainers. I just think the 125 grain partitions are a great bullet in this bore size.
 
H4831 does look interesting and is on my list to try next.

CT

outdoors said:
I started out years ago using IMR 4831 in the Swede but now use Reloader 22. I never had much luck with Reloader 19. I have always meant to try H4831sc in the Swede as it should be a good choice for hunting loads a provide temperature stability too. I really like the 125 & 129 weights for deer but will never argue that they offer anything substantial over the 140 trainers. I just think the 125 grain partitions are a great bullet in this bore size.
Click to expand...
 
I have a 6.5x55 98 and 40gr of IMR4350 is very near max with 140 SST. Anything more and bolt lift is stiff. My 96s would take 44gr !
 
I am getting phenomenal accuracy from the 95 V-Max with Varget. Both my as issued M96 and my Sporterized Deer Version love it.

The 140 gr SST is not as tight with Varget, but more than good enough for for deer out to 200 yards.
 
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