Thread: 6.5 Swede loads

Standard tikka with a can.
So about 22 .not sure what the factory lenght is?

Originally Posted by hunter308

@Beavis assuming you will be using 140 grain bullets so I will give you the data for that, let us know if you want the data for 120 grain bullets

COAL = 3.00"
Test barrel = Kreiger 24"
Primer = CCI200
Case = RP

2209
(H4350) start 38.0 = 2444 FPS
Max 40.0 = 2531 FPS

RL22
Start 43.0 = 2579 FPS
Max 45.0 = 2655 FPS

Sierra data for RL22 & 140 grain bullets
Start = 37.7 = 2300FPS
Max = 45.7 = 2700 fps

Looks like the RL22 might be the best bet which has the best velocity gain compared to the other listed powders

Attention: owners with military actions this data is for commercial actions only DO NOT try it in your ex military actioned rifles.

Cheers, have a box of 140gr sst to try can't find 140gr A max unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Beavis

Cheers, have a box of 140gr sst to try can't find 140gr A max unfortunately.

I think I have some 140 Amaxes ?

Originally Posted by Beavis

Cheers, have a box of 140gr sst to try can't find 140gr A max unfortunately.

No worries mate you let me use your reloading gear to work up a load for my 270 so just trying to return the favor

A couple of thoughts, based on my home spun wisdom.
The Amax are hardly worth the bother in so much as they give no practical advantage over the SST at 6.5 hunting ranges. The killing effect of the Swede can sometimes be quite slow once you are out over 350 yds, so you are hardly going to be shooting at extreme ranges (or at least for humane reasons, shouldn't be). 500 yards is plenty far enough for me.

I've had several 6.5x55 over 30 years. Nothing has come close to V560 with 140 grn projectiles, except for IMR 4831. Excellent accuracy with IMR 4831 but not quite the velocity of V560. Hardly anything in it though.

I use Norma cases, 140 grn SST and quite a bit of V560 for 2800 out of a 21.5" barrel.

Thanks tahr!
more amax's for me to hoard.
I hear the amax really badly copper foul as well as been inherently inaccurate with unreliable bc information.
They also never kill anything reliably either.
If any body wants me to safely dispose of their 140 amax send them to me and I will blow them up for ya!

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

Thanks tahr!
more amax's for me to hoard.
I hear the amax really badly copper foul as well as been inherently inaccurate with unreliable bc information.
They also never kill anything reliably either.
If any body wants me to safely dispose of their 140 amax send them to me and I will blow them up for ya!

Ha. They are after all just a lump of copper and lead.
The point I was wishing to make was that if you can't get Amax, it's not the end of the world.
Although it sound like it could be for you.

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

I think I have some 140 Amaxes ?

Thanks man gimp is gonna flick me a box to try

I'm loading for my old bosses standard T3

140gn SSTs
47.0gn 2213sc
Fed Match primers
Hornady brass full sized
Seated 1 thou off rifling was doing 0.30 MOA, but seated it in further (to fit in his ammo box) and is still averaging 0.6 MOA

Haven't chronnied it yet, as haven't been to the rnage in yonks.

Tahr have you tried the 140 vld on game

Originally Posted by Beavis

Thanks man gimp is gonna flick me a box to try

Think Workshop innovation has em still also.

Originally Posted by scoped

Tahr have you tried the 140 vld on game

No, but I've got a box to try. Manly because their BC fits my Swarovski ballistic reticle really well (on paper anyway).

Worked up the ladder today with 140gr SST and RL22. Pretty disappointing. I got tight groups with two of the charges, but couldn't get much better than 2400fps, even over book max. Perhaps because my rifle has a huge throat and I have the projectile's seated out to the limit (46.5gr is meant to be a compressed load, nowhere near). Have got a bottle of 760, starting at the .260 max load and working up.

Try only seating the base of bullet 6.5mm in to the case and see what happens I ended up doing that to get good accuracy from the old milsurp swede I had and also ended up going over book maxes to get decent velocity

From reading in the yankee forums think RL19 produces much better velocities than rl22. How were the groups looking?

Has anyone tried the 123gr amaxs?