Best cast bullet in Swede 6.5x55 long rifle

[jonk]

That'll be a first if he does..............

Lol, well, notice I did say FAIRLY short. I've only ordered one mold from him in the past, turn around seemed decent- least wise, not years like some of the group buys are running.

One other thought on the Swede. As with any cast bullet, you have to flare cases a little to seat it. That's a given. But, given that sizing diameter often calls for .266-.269, and most die sets I've found not only are made for .264" bullets, but in point of fact also seem to hold .263 jacketed bullets just fine (of which there are some mainly older ones floating around)... well that's a problem. The Lee universal flare die did NOT cut it for me; an M die or .270 mandrel spun down to the desired expansion diameter is a must. Till then I found I couldn't hit anything- pulled a bullet and found the base was being swaged 2-3/1000ths, and that the cases bulged in many instances and the bullet went in off center- and may or may not chamber.

I swear, I've had an easier time shooting .223 cast than I have with 6.5s.

[45 2.1]

Lol, well, notice I did say FAIRLY short. I've only ordered one mold from him in the past, turn around seemed decent- least wise, not years like some of the group buys are running.

Accurate has a 0.180" meplat minimum and doesn't do under 30 caliber AFAIK.

One other thought on the Swede. As with any cast bullet, you have to flare cases a little to seat it. That's a given. But, given that sizing diameter often calls for .266-.269, and most die sets I've found not only are made for .264" bullets, but in point of fact also seem to hold .263 jacketed bullets just fine (of which there are some mainly older ones floating around)... well that's a problem. The Lee universal flare die did NOT cut it for me; an M die or .270 mandrel spun down to the desired expansion diameter is a must. Till then I found I couldn't hit anything- pulled a bullet and found the base was being swaged 2-3/1000ths, and that the cases bulged in many instances and the bullet went in off center- and may or may not chamber.

It's pretty important to load boolits without damaging them. As far as die sets, the older (60's & 70's) RCBS 6.5 Swede dies load the larger boolits fine (inline with no scraping/sizing of the boolit). RCBS also makes a standard 6.5 neck expanding die and can make custom sizes for you. When you do it right, good things happen... when you don't, then results put forth on this site, by several individuals, occur.

[1Shirt]

266673 is a shooter in my Sweds!
1Shirt

[madsenshooter]

Swede made a bullet once that he sold on the vendor sponsor page 269 163gr FN. Weighs 150gr checked and lubed in my high tin alloy. It has a fat nose and the bands drop at .270". I have some loaded in 6.5x257 cases but range time is hard to come by. In my Type 38 rifles it appears it would fit better if the rifles were in their original chambering. The base is far below the neck/shoulder junction in the 6.5x257 but would be about right in the 6.5x50. I don't how it'd throat up in a Swede. I imagine NOE still has the tooling and the programming. Here's one sticking outta the brass on the right.

[Larry Gibson]

Madsenshooter

I have that NOE mould from Swede but have got around to using it yet. Just finishing up with testing of the oversized CM in my M38 6.5x55 Swede. I had cast up a bunch of those oversized CMs with a mould I was loaned during my 6.5 Swede HV testing. Have had just enough to get a thorough understanding of that bullet in the 6.5 Swede when cast of a hard enough alloy (18 - 20 BHN) that allows sizing down of the nose and front driving bands so it will seat as far out as practical. The GC and rear driving band are still below the case neck though. Any harder alloy and I can't size down w/o severe bullet distortion. I'll post a thread on my test when completed, probably later this week.

Larry Gibson

[MBTcustom]

Never messed with the Sweed myself. Always wanted to. However, there are many machinists on this board that would make you a custom button or mandrel to expand your necks to a proper .002 sweaze.
Just get on swapping and selling and say something like this:
Ahem....
Heeeeeeeelp!!!!

[Larry Gibson]

Sizing the necks with a properly adjust Lee collet die does the trick as does a Redding Bushing die with the appropriate bushing.

Larry Gibson

[madsenshooter]

If I ever get around to shooting some and get some decent results, maybe I'll put it up on the Group Buy discussion. I don't know how many Swede made, but it appears nobody has gotten round to it. Drop a few just to see how it'll throat up in a Swede.

[mac1911]

Im looking for a .268" sizer to seat gas checks only.

[NorthMoccasin]

The NOE 268-130 works great in my 2 96's and 96/38. I lapped out a lyman H&I die to .269 to lube, and size to .268 in a NOE nose first push through die. The base of bullet is flush with base of neck, and the Loveren type grooves fill up the throat. 18.0 gr 4198 averages about 3/4" at 50 yds. I had trouble sizing the Lyman 6.5 bullets in a lyman sizer. It bent the bullets! Nose first avoids that problem.

[Hahndorf1874]

The Saeco 140gn shoots well in my sons 96, Lino drops .269 alox /pure turps, 18gns 4198/AR 2207 in AU,

Cheers Mal in au.

[NorthMoccasin]

Update on the NOE 268-134. Mounted a 2x7 scout scope on my 96/38. it shot 0.23 and 0.29 at 50 yds with the H4198 load. At 100yds it shot .96, 1.12 and 1.24. a little windy during the 100 yd testing. I think it is a keeper!

[DonHowe]

Sizing the necks with a properly adjust Lee collet die does the trick as does a Redding Bushing die with the appropriate bushing.

Larry Gibson

united.
Will the 6.5x55 collet die allow sizing a neck to accept a .269"/.2695" bullet?
The 6.5x55 collet die is my least expensive option for neck sizing 6.5x53R cases while the throat in my rifle requires the aforementioned diameter bullet..
Experience with collet die is limited.

[iron brigade]

You will still have to bell the case mouth to accept the bullet. The collet die sizes the case neck back to spec.
Also, you will have to adjust the die up or down to get the proper sizing of the neck. Once you get it, it's a wonderful die to work with.

[GregLaROCHE]

I use a RCBS mould. I got it from Midway a few years ago. I checked, but they are out of stock. Looks like they still have this one available. Are you shooting a modern rifle or a Swedish mil surplus? The surplus ones tend to like their boolits a little fatter.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010288533

[Larry Gibson]

united.
Will the 6.5x55 collet die allow sizing a neck to accept a .269"/.2695" bullet?
The 6.5x55 collet die is my least expensive option for neck sizing 6.5x53R cases while the throat in my rifle requires the aforementioned diameter bullet..
Experience with collet die is limited.

Yes it will. Just adjust the die body up or down in the press to get the amount of neck sizing you want. I adjust mine collet die to give .002 - .003 tension on the bullet with what ever size bullet is being loaded. The M-die or the Lee flairing die is still used.

[DonHowe]

Thanks Larry. I have an appropriate M type expander, just don't like expanding back up from .262" from a sad FL die. A collet die it will be.

[Eddie1971]

The NOE 268-140 works great in my M96 made at Oberndorf in 1899. I size to .266, powder coat and gas check. Got great results over 31 grains of IMR 4895.