Thread: Old reloading data

Originally Posted by Steverusty

Gday @grandpamac would you pull the projectiles and reduce the load? Not really a problem to do. Thanks Steve

Greetings @Steverusty,
For me I would but I have become more cautious over the years. John Barsness in one of his articles wrote that it took an additional two grains of powder over the Hodgdon loads to reach the same pressure and velocity as the .260 Rem. I also crunched the numbers on the pressure and the 41 grain load should be developing around 50,000 CUP. Fine in a new rifle but borderline for one as old as yours. An old load from 1985 in the Mulwex data pamphlet lists 42 grains of AR2208 as max. Nosler still lists 41 grains of AR2208/ Varget as max with the 120 grain BT.
One thing I have found with US made FL sizing dies for the 6.5x55 is that they set the shoulder back too far so you might want to adjust your die so the cases just chamber. I got a comparator recently and thought this was the vintage Lyman dies I was using but a new Redding set did much the same thing.
All the best and Regards Grandpamac.