Thread: 6.5x55

Hi All
doing some loads for my swede,are there any pressure signs peculiar to the swede that I need to watch for or just the usual?
Don't have specific data for the 130 gamekings I've got,just for noslers ,which seem to usually use a smaller charge than other projectiles.
Any advice ,please

Talk to the lord of the 6.5x55, @andyanimal31

What powder are you using

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

What powder are you using

2209

Modern action sako, tikka, howa etc or is it military m38 or m96.
Modern actions and the m38 are quite a bit stronger than the 98s most of which celebrated their 100th birthday quite a few years ago.
Having said that I believe factory ammunition is still geared to m98 pressure requirements as there are still so many of the out there.

Yea ,It's an M96,thats why I'm asking.
Didn't make that very clear.
Would I expect to see over pressure signs on the case as loads get too hot as per or something else I should look for with the M96.
It does seen to be more accurate at the higher charges listed so just wondering how far to go

Greetings Widerange,
I trod the path you are on quite recently. The Nosler 130 grain AB seems to develop more pressure than the softer projectiles like the 130 grain Game King and the 129 grain SST that I am using. ADI and Hodgdons list data for the 129 grain Hornady Interlock and AR2209 but this is quite old data and current production AR2209 is significantly faster! Using the current production AR2209 I chronographed 45.5 grains at 2,805 fps and 46 grains at 2,855 fps in my Tikka T3. I also chronographed 45.5 grains of early 1990's AR2209 at 2,765 fps and late 1990,s at 2,720 fps all else being the same. The velocity of the loads I gave above with the current powder about what I expected based on case capacity and showed no signs of pressure in my rifle.
Regards Grandpamac.

I have one on a huski m38 action and have friends with old Carl Gustav 96s. One uses the hornady superperformance and Norma factory ammo and the other reloads. The Norma stuff is quite hot, based on the few that I tried. The adi manual gives a start charge of 40 gr of 2209 and a max of 45.5 for that bullet weight listed velocities are 2430 and 2705 respectively. If you can believe the they list pressures as well 35000 cup for the start load and 45000 for the max which compare well with the other "weak action" the Lee Enfield 303 pressure figures.
I would say sticking within that range of powder weights you will be fine.

Thanks for the replies.

Greetings Again Widerange,
Our posts crossed. The M96 rifles were a pre 98 Mauser type action with strength that has been described from just as strong as the 98 to much weaker than the 98. US ammunition for the 6.5 x 55 is loaded much lower than the Norma stuff partly due to the M96 but perhaps more due the the 6.5 being chambered in the much weaker Krag action. I also have a M38 6.5 which has, in the past fired some pretty stout loads but no more. My M38 gives a little less velocity than the T3 due to its longer throat in spite of a longer barrel. I wouldn't go past 45 grains of AR2209 behind the 130 grain projectile in my M38 (much less with the Nosler projectile) which should produce between 2,700 and 2,750 fps in your rifle depending on how short the barrel may have been cut.
Also, perhaps contrary to what others may say, I don't think you can tell much about pressure from examining the fired case. Sure you can tell that one is hotter than another, sometimes, but not much else. A chronograph is a better bet.
One last thing. My full length resizing die produces cases with excess head space for either rifle if turned down all the way to the shell holder so careful adjustment is needed.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Friwi

Talk to the lord of the 6.5x55, @andyanimal31

Thanks for that friwi!
Yes I do know a lot about 6 5x55, unfortunately really only the tikkas and the odd howa.
I got given a bit of advice that still stands tru today which is if it ain't broken dont fix it.
Hence I ran 140 amax for years and changed to the 143eldx when they came out.
They are a good reasonably priced and accurate projectile that I push along with 44.8g of the very plain 2209 doing 2720 in lap or norma brass with 210 match primers.
There are alot of people out there running this load and they are more than happy with it.
Anyway my 2 cents.
I'm just in the middle of reloading 800 rounds so wont have to by any more norma training ammo for a while!

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Greetings All, Previous thread on 6.5 x 55 and AR2209 may be of interest. See below.
Grandpamac.

I was just going to Post a new thread regarding a good hunting bullet for 6.5 x 55 so very interested in this thread , new caliber for me , was looking at the 130 grain swift scirocco as I had good results with this bullet out of my 3006 in 165gr .
How does the 143 Eldx perform on animals up close to say 250 yards ? Which I figured might be the max range I would like to go to with this caliber

Originally Posted by Lucky

I was just going to Post a new thread regarding a good hunting bullet for 6.5 x 55 so very interested in this thread , new caliber for me , was looking at the 130 grain swift scirocco as I had good results with this bullet out of my 3006 in 165gr .
How does the 143 Eldx perform on animals up close to say 250 yards ? Which I figured might be the max range I would like to go to with this caliber

Scirocco was an awesome bullet at all ranges in one of my 6.5s. Expensive but swore by them. However I couldn't get them to shoot in any of the ones I have now.
Tried the new hornadys as well and same problem. Bergers are working for me now.


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I use the 140 Sierra game king spitzers never had any reason to change the powders always been 2208 but 2206h seem to be fine as well, and as I use a lot of it it would pay to rationalize I guess.