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Ben
09-15-2006, 07:24 AM
I tested several loads yesterday in my Swede 6.5 X 55 , Mod. 96.

My gun is a pristine condition rifle with a mint bore. I have read of all the problems encountered when trying to shoot cast bullets in the Swede and was skeptical about the kind of accuracy that I'd be able to expect.

Considering that it was my first trip out with the rifle with cast loads , I though that it shot pretty well. All shooting was from the bench at 50 yards, temp. 78 degrees, bright and clear, wind calm, ideal shooting day.

I was shooting the Lee 170 6.5 bullet purchased from MidSouth. Mine were sized to .266, lubed with my Moly / Beeswax lube. I found out quickly if you don't keep the speed up that the bullets won't stabalize. When shooting pistol powders with slow velocities the holes weren't round, as you can see from the photos below.......

My best group at 50 yards was with IMR 4227. So, I plan to load more with step increments of IMR 4227 and see what happens on the next trip ?

Best,

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%209%2014%2006/21.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%209%2014%2006/15.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%209%2014%2006/13.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%209%2014%2006/18.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%209%2014%2006/17.jpg

PatMarlin
09-15-2006, 08:19 AM
Pretty awesome rifle Ben. Can't beat that 4227.

Great nials by-the-way.. :mrgreen: :bigsmyl2:

sundog
09-15-2006, 09:21 AM
+1 for 4227. My goto load in the Swede (only because I haven't yet tried the big Lee boolit) is 17.0/4427 and Ly 266645 (I thinks that's the number). Vel is ~1650. Good stuff, Maynard! Looks like I'll have to try your load, Ben. Thanks for the range report and pics. sundog

Ben
09-15-2006, 11:05 AM
I'm going to " inch up " with my 4227 load and see what happens to group size.

Ben

StarMetal
09-15-2006, 11:24 AM
Ben,

Good shooting. Now not that to ruin that try it at a higher velocity, say over 2000 fps or 2300 fps. So far the only man on the forum that can get a Swede at such high velocity is 45 2.1

Joe

Ben
09-15-2006, 02:44 PM
I have no interest in trying to break 2,300 fps with my Swede with cast bullets..

I do want to isolate a powder , primer, bullet, specific dia., etc. combination in this rifle that will shoot a tight group at around 1600 fps or so and " Call it Quits " right there.

Clint Eastwood once said..." A man has got to know his limitations.".

Best,

Ben

45 2.1
09-15-2006, 03:26 PM
Try 11.3 gr. of Unique, Rem 9 1/2 L.R. primer, WW alloy with said boolit sized at 0.268". It shoots very well.

swheeler
09-15-2006, 06:48 PM
Try 11.3 gr. of Unique, Rem 9 1/2 L.R. primer, WW alloy with said boolit sized at 0.268". It shoots very well.
And that's at about 1500 fps- Scot

Buckshot
09-17-2006, 11:16 AM
...............There is no great difficulty in getting a Swede Mauser to shot well. Every one I have (I have 2 M96's, M38, M96/38, M94, and a Ag42B) responded immediately to cast boolits. The issue is speed and too much will cause groups to grow larger. You can see good useable consistant accuracy up to about 1700 fps depending upon the boolit.

The 6.5mm designs I have are the Lyman 268645 @ 152grs, the 135gr 6.5 Kurtz, the Jumptrap 1st ed Lee @ 140grs, and the Oldfeller 172gr you're currently using. I also had, and sold to 45 2.1 the mentioned Lyman 122gr RNHP.

The group buy 6.5 Kurtz and a 122gr RNHP Lyman I had topped 1850 fps with accuracy comparable to those shot at 1600 fps or so. Powder doesn't seem to matter much so long as you stay in that max velocity range.

I've yet to wring out the little Kurtz. I have 3 batches of them that have been cast since not long after the moulds arrived. I have them cast at:

21 BHN, 128grs, .271"

17 BHN, 135grs, .269"

14 BHN, 138gr, .2675"

Those are 'as cast' diameters, and the 2 M96 Swedes will swallow a .267" slug but a .268" scrapes in the throat.

My favorite load is 34.0grs of WC860 or 872 + dacron. It doesn't burn real clean and requires a process we call "The 860 Flick", but it isn't a hassle in plinking or target shooting.

Don't sell a 152gr 6.5mm short at 1550 fps. In our clubs' 200 meter silhuette match it will fetch the 200 meter ram easily.

Below are a few targets shot. Iron sights, issue triggers and no fancy, funny, time consuming tricks. Just visually inspected lube-sized slugs in like headstamped necksized brass.

http://www.fototime.com/ED85D15612B17F9/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/D8F746F5F60AB27/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/8D65C37E75D7824/standard.jpg

...............Buckshot

Ben
09-17-2006, 02:19 PM
Thanks Buckshot,

I can see I've got a lot to learn with mine. Many, Many more days at the range..........

Thanks,

Ben

Glen
09-24-2006, 12:42 PM
My favorite combination for the 6.5x55 Swede is 16.0 grains of 4198 (either flavor) underneath the Lyman 266469 (the Loverin bullet), sized .266" and lubed with 50/50 beeswax moly grease. I don't recall the exact velocity, but it's between 1500 and 1600 fps and it shoots very well (and is a lot of fun to shoot too!).

Ben
09-25-2006, 10:57 AM
Glenn:

I've got plenty of IMR- 4198, I'll try it with my Lee 170 6.5 bullet. Who knows it just might be a shooter also.

Thanks,

Ben