RL 22 and heavy bullets in 6.5x55

Just a quick follow up on the 129gr Hornady SP and N560:

1) 47gr with 77mm/3.03" OAL gave average of 2635fps and 0.9" group

2) 48gr at the same OAL gave average of 2735fps and .75" group.

I am happy with that! I couldn't get great results with 140gr/N560 and 129gr/RE22 but swtiched the powder-bullet combo and shes humming now!
 
Looking at working up a load for Sierra's 142grain HPBT. Any receipes? Or anyone have a Sierra manual and could look up some suggested start loads? This is in a Tikka T3 Lite.
 
CheeseBurger said:
Looking at working up a load for Sierra's 142grain HPBT. Any receipes? Or anyone have a Sierra manual and could look up some suggested start loads? This is in a Tikka T3 Lite.
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The 140 gr. loads we discussed above would apply. I would not bother starting below 44gr. of RL-22.....work your way up and look for pressure signs, I dont' have the Sierra manual hand but if you email them (sierra, email address is on the website) for data they will respond.
 
Cheeseburger

In the half dozen or so 6.5x55's that I've worked up match grade 139-142grain loads for, there is a node of best accuracy (depending on the individual rifle) somewhere between 47.5 and 48.5 grains of R22. Often, they seem to shoot best near 48 grains, in my experience. This powder is somewhat temp. sensetive, so a load worked up in cool/cold temps. may well show increased pressure, and fall out of its accuracy node, in the heat.

My cold temp. load spec. groups best with Fed. GM215M primers, numerous short 'click-bang' hangfires have been noticed below -20c, with regular LR primers.
When the summers heat comes, that winter load gets a half grain reduction in charge weight and a change to CCI BR2 primers. This keeps pressures, and results on target, consistent year round.
The tipping point for my loads is at 20c, or so.
R22 definately benefits from mag. primers at temps. of about - 15c, or colder .... and it starts to get temp/pressure sensetive at about 20c or warmer, that's in my rifle's and in my experience ... however, ... YMMV, so don't take my word for it, work it up in your own firearm.

The minor hassle is worth it, IMO, as no other of the many powders I've tested gives both the fine accuracy and the speed in 6.5x55, that R22 does.
 
Vviking: that's interesting regarding the mag primers. I have read some guys promoting mag primers with RE22, others say no need with 6.5x55 size charges. I currently use RE22 with 140gr bullets in my Tikka 6.5x55 but want to work up some loads with 120TTSX which will be used in cool-cold fall weather. Have you tried CCI 250's? I might give this a try to ensure good ignition and just work up slowly.
 
Looking at working up a load for Sierra's 142grain HPBT. Any receipes? Or anyone have a Sierra manual and could look up some suggested start loads? This is in a Tikka T3 Lite.
Click to expand...

My Tikka Varmint stainless likes 49gr of R-22, a Fed 210 primer, and Lapua brass behind the 142gr Matchking. Velocity is right at 2750fps. Five shot groups are sub 1/2moa.
 
kayaker1 said:
PS
In the latest 'Rifle' magazine Terry Wieland writes that 48gr of IMR-4350 under 140gr Nosler partition is outstanding in the Swede....
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Are you sure that 140/48 grain data is for IMR 4350?.

That powder is indeed a fine one for accuracy in many 6.5x55 rifles, however, pressures get up to primer flattening/light cratering, and with close to 1/2 a thou. of case head expansion(Lapua brass) at 45+ grains or so .... in my experience.
IMR 4350 can sometimes "hit the wall" quite suddenly with minor charge increases, in a cartridge with high S.D. bullets.


kamlooky said:
I have dared 43 grains of IMR 4350 and 140 Hornady Interlocks with superb groups.
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As have I 'looky, .... 44.5 grains/IMR4350, sings, with that bullet in my M96 rifles. And, it is as max. as I want to go.

kayaker1 said:
Vviking: that's interesting regarding the mag primers. I have read some guys promoting mag primers with RE22, others say no need with 6.5x55 size charges. I currently use RE22 with 140gr bullets in my Tikka 6.5x55 but want to work up some loads with 120TTSX which will be used in cool-cold fall weather. Have you tried CCI 250's? I might give this a try to ensure good ignition and just work up slowly.
Click to expand...


kayaker: Mag primers keep the groups tight and consistent(for me)when it gets really cold ... minus 15 to minus 30C(that is Ont. style cold :rolleyes:)
A switch from LR to MAG LR primer seems to add a half grain of powder's worth of pressure to a 6.5x55's sized case capacity, and that is with a close to max. R22/140 load.

I find that that half a grain reduction, plus, the switch to non-magnum LR match primers, is what it takes to maintain similar results when yer camo-cap brow is getting damp in the summer sun.

Yes, I have tried CCI 250's ... very good primers for hunting purposes(MOA, no problem), My 6.5's are aimed at LR steel though, and those Match primers do shoot noticably tighter for me .... so ...

Yer on yer own with the 120's, ... however, in the past I've got many, many, tiny bughole groups with 120 grn. Nos. Ballistic tip and IMR/H4350(.3's MOA type tiny). They lack BC compared to 139/142's, so limited use for LR.

Much 6.5x55 load data is based on the M96/94 Swede rifle. All mil. spec. barrels that I have slugged, even many brand new M38 barrels, are somewhat oversize. .365" to .366" grooves are typical. This lowers pressure.
Typical comm. barrels measure .264", requiring less powder for higher vels., at higher pressures too.
My tight-bored 6.5/06 shoots 140's to 2950fps., with barely a grain more R25 than the Mil. 96 6.5x55 takes to hit 2700fps, with the same components.. Both 23.5" barrels.





stubblejumper said:
My Tikka Varmint stainless likes 49gr of R-22, a Fed 210 primer, and Lapua brass behind the 142gr Matchking. Velocity is right at 2750fps. Five shot groups are sub 1/2moa.
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Nice.
That 49 grains R22/140 is the max load listed in some of my older loading manuals.
 
Thanks Vviking,

I'll give the mag primers with RE22/ 120gr TTSX a try as a cooler weather load; we often get below -15 by late Nov hunting in Alberta. I have used CCI250's in a .30-06 with excellent accuracy results.

The Wieland load comes from Rifle Magazine July 2012. On page 30 of the article 'Lessons from the Old School' he says an old gunsmith friend of his told him to load 48gr of 4350 under the 140gr Partition. He writes it was well over any published max. I believe it IMR as a few paragraphs earlier he writes about how this mentor of his was a great proponent of IMR-4530.

Cheers
 
My 6.5x55 loads in a Tikka 695

140 gr. Hornady Interlock Spire Point**
RP Cases
45.0 grs. RL-19/46.5grs RL-22
Federal GM210M Primers
3.075 OAL

130gr Barnes TSX**
RP Cases
45.0grs RL22
FD GM210M Primers
3.120 OAL

M96 Swedish Mauser
140 gr. Remington Core-Lock
WW OR PMC Cases
46.5 grs. RL-22
Federal 210 Primers
3.110 OAL

Safe in mine may not be in yours.
 
kayaker1 said:
.... <snip> .... an old gunsmith friend of his told him to load 48gr of 4350 under the 140gr Partition. He writes it was well over any published max.
Cheers
Click to expand...

To my mind .... WAY over max.

I've had sticky bolt lift and prominent shiney ejector marks ... expanded primer pockets(tossed the brass) .... at 46 grains of IMR 4350, WW brass, 140 Amax, CCI Br2, .030" off. This in a M38 mil-spec barrel.
I strongly recommend not to go there.

You seem a prudent and carefull handloader, demonstrated by your questions to this(most excellent)thread of d.d.'s.
Magazines have failed in the past to catch errors at edit ... and that will happen again too.

Trust only yourself, with a load work-up to max.

Rant off ;)
 
The Norma match load for Faltskytte is 46.3 gr of RL22 under a 142 grain bullet. I've used that load in two CG-80s and a Tikka T3 with very good success and no pressure issues.
 
I hear ya vviking,
I am going nowhere near that load. If its is that far over max (I havent checked a manual) he probably shouldn't be publishing it so casually I reckon, unless it is an editing error.

The 6.5x55 is the first rifle cartridge I have loaded for that I am pretty 'nonchalant' about approaching max or near-max book loads (unless they are listed as 'modern' or SKAN data that exceed the normal 51kpsi specs) of course I still work up from milder charges, looking for signs of excess pressure or chono inconsistencies. Never been a hotrodder who pushes for every ounce of velocity out of a specific cartridge - no need to strain my rifles and brass!

This is a great thread, hope we can keep the info flowing...
 
Yup.
Life without 6.5x55, would be dismal indeed. :runaway:

Played with 107 gr. to 160 gr. bullets.
Burning rates from Varget to Retumbo.

At worst, the results where "acceptable" (under two MOA).

At best? ... uncanily(sic) accurate. And so consistently so, too.

The farther away the target, the more this cartridge shines. High BC does indeed make LR hitting so much easier. Out past 7-800 yds., in the real world winds, this cartridge just spanks a .308W ... so it does.

Dozens of new shooters over the past 35 years, have hit their marks, right out of the gate, and ever since stayed active, involved and enthusiastic in this sport of ours. From the very first time they snuggled in behind a target scoped, 2 pound triggered, kick-arse 6.5mm from bipod prone, then clanged the liv'n *ell outt'a that distant steel, well .... the magic just grabbed 'em. :D
 
Well going to head out tommorow and test out some loads. 44-47.5 grains of Reloader 22 and 34-37 grains of Varget both pushing the 142gr Sierra HPBT. These are my first hand loads.
 
I was just at the range trying out a bunch of different loads in my 1942 Husky M/38.

There were a small number of RL22 loads that worked but the rifle liked the IMR4064 loads much better.

I used a 140gr Hornady SST.

43.5gr RL22, 3030 OAL, worked well, but 35gr of IMR4064 with the same OAL worked better. I need to get the chronograph out next time to see what the speeds are.

Thanks to everyone posting in this thread, there is a ton of great info here.
 
Anybody see where the Lapua 155 or Norma 156's are for sale these days. got my hands on some 155 Lapua factory loads and they shoot damn well. Ill reproduce that load with the Lapua brass ive accumulated. Lapua claims 2560 fps MV.
 
Pathfinder said:
Anybody see where the Lapua 155 or Norma 156's are for sale these days. got my hands on some 155 Lapua factory loads and they shoot damn well. Ill reproduce that load with the Lapua brass ive accumulated. Lapua claims 2560 fps MV.
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Hirsch Precision has the Lapua 155 SP Mega Hunting bullets listed on their site.
 
Norma 156's are for sale these days. got my hands on some 155 Lapua factory loads and they shoot damn well. Ill reproduce that load with the Lapua brass ive accumulated. Lapua claims 2560 fps MV.
Click to expand...


LOL, found this thread and realized I started it so figured I better update. After playing with the RL22 (loads were fine up to 47.5 grains) a bit I ended up going with 4831 cause I had a pound.
I get a consistent and low pressure 2600 fps with 156 alaskans and 48.5 grains of 4831 in a 23 inch barrel. Shoot like a hot dam to boot.

My dreams of the tikka shooting this load and a 130 grain load anywhere near the same POI have been dashed. Cannot explain it but in the tikka sighted for 130 grain load the 156 load hits grossly low and grossly to the left?
 
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