6.5x55 M96 Swede and Barnes TTSX 120gr?

[Bert2368]

Does anyone have experience with this projectile in the M96? I got 100 of these projectiles for darn near free along with a batch of other 6.5 supplies- I'm amazed with what the retail price is.

I've not yet got a mould for the Swede, plus their seems to be... Mild controversy, shall we say? when high velocity cast in the Swede is discussed here.

So I'm going to start reloading with what I've got on hand for the Swede. If they can be shot accurately, these would be for deer hunting out to 300 yards.

[Hang Fire]

The closest I have come to shooting that J-word bullet weight was some 131 grain Sellier & Bellot loads. In my 1942 Husky M38, it was the most accurate I have yet shot in it.

[Bert2368]

Looks like the terminal performance is uniform- Won't matter if they aren't accurate.




Someone had WAY too much spare time and a dumpster's worth of wet newspaper. He even had the cruise missile- Shot it around 1500 fps, but it still penetrated 50% farther than any jacketed projectile.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthr...pics/4769172/5

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthr...pics/4783400/1

[TNsailorman]

I've had 2 6.5x55 rifles, one Ruger and 1 Swede 96. Neither would shoot 120 grain bullets worth a hoot. But I never tried any of the Barnes 120's; I'm way too cheap for that. The Barnes generally have longer bearing surfaces for the weight and caliber, so they would probably be closer to the 130 to 135 grain bullets in that regard. Probably be plenty accurate for deer hunting.

[swheeler]

Looks like the terminal performance is uniform- Won't matter if they aren't accurate.




Someone had WAY too much spare time and a dumpster's worth of wet newspaper. He even had the cruise missile- Shot it around 1500 fps, but it still penetrated 50% farther than any jacketed projectile.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthr...pics/4769172/5

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthr...pics/4783400/1

That's funny

[Treeman]

I have no experience with the Barnes bullet but it should be excellent-being all copper it is going to more closely resemble loading 140 conventionals than lead jacketed 120s....but I've used Speer 120s on a couple of deer from a Swede Carbine with satisfactory results.

[Bert2368]

That's funny

To be clear: I meant that the terminal performance is meaningless if they can't be made to go where I want them to-

[TCStehle]

I have a M96 sporterized by Kimber of America back in the 90's but no experience with the Barnes TTSX bullets. Mine likes both the Hornady 140gr SP and the Sierra 100gr HP Varminter pushed by medium charges of H414. Both will group under an inch at 100yrds off the bench. The 100gr Sierra was a pleasant surprise given it's lighter weight and the fast twist of the M96. With these two loads in the M96, it will take anything here in Missouri from coyotes to whitetails.

[Larry Gibson]

No experience with the Barnes either but I've shot a lot of Nosler 120 and Sierra 120s in my 6.5 Swede and they shoot moa or just under. Sierra 120 MKs shoot sub moa.

Larry Gibson

[RustyMusket]

I was fortunate to draw an AZ 12AW Mule Deer tag (N. of Grand Canyon) last fall and I wanted to use one of the Swedes. Because 12AW is in the California Condor feeding area....you must use copper bullets ...OR....pack out the gut pile. I spent the summer on phone with 'Ty Herring' at Barnes Bullets asking questions and working loads for my 25-06, 7MM Mag and of course, my 6.5. The Barnes tech line was very helpful.

I found the Barnes bullets (all three rifles) needed to be loaded hot and required a bullet jump to the lands of over .050" . As a competitive High Power shooter, I found this counterintuitive. Interestingly however, with the long throat on my 1919 Swede, I was able to 'tune' my load to 1/2 MOA at 200 yds. I ended up using the Barnes 127 gr. LRX behind IMR7828. Depending on the day and the terrain, I planned to use any of the three rifles. But, on opening day I was carrying the Swede and a 180' very nice 4 1/2 year old stepped out......after all that planning, I did not want to shoot one on opening day but this guy was too nice to pass.....and I am glad I shot because all the professional guides in the area did not take anything as nice in the first 4 days of the hunt. I'll see if I can post a photo.

I should also mention...to keep in the 'boolit' side of the discussion, that I have an M96 (non threaded muzzle) that I use sometimes in 200yd. Service Rifle Curio & Relic matches. I use gas checked L266673 sized at .267' and at 1580 fps and this load will hold the ten ring all day. I scoped the rifle during load development but could not get it to hold the X ring. When I do shoot it, I always get surprised questions from the target pullers in the pits......''........it sounds different!"

[Hardcast416taylor]

A friends 23 year old daughter shot a large 8 pt. whitetail on the family farm last fall using a AR-15 with 69 gr. Barnes triple shock bullets. The 75 yd. shot dropped the buck instantly. They didn`t recover a bullet from the deer when processing. At seasons end my friend was taking in his trail cameras when he found her mushroomed Barnes stuck in the tree bark 6" under his trail camera a full 100` from where she shot the buck. It was a perfect mushroom and weighed 67 gr. after cleaning the bark and blood off of it.Robert

[Bert2368]

Happy to hear the all copper bullets have worked for someone!

Thanks, I hope those results can be duplicated...

I looked at both Barnes site and Hodgdons. Neither list 7828 for that weight bullet, Hodgdon doesn't list any Barnes bullets at all. I do find a lot of information on RL22.

Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for a Lyman 266673.

[Bert2368]

FYI:

I did kill a deer last fall with one of the Barnes 6.5 120 TTSX bullets. Not from the 6.5x55, I used a Savage 111 in 6.5-284 NORMA pushed by 52.6gr RL22. Still have not done load work up for the 6.5x55 Swede, but intending to.

I have never seen a wound channel like this bullet produced. The deer's internals looked like someone had taken a core drill sample about 3/4" wide right through the chest- It was a "bang- flop" like cutting the strings on a puppet, not even a twitch after the deer hit the ground. The high spin rate and non shedding Copper petals behaved like a power tool bit, the hole did not vary noticeably from entry to exit.

Not a cast boolit, but effective- the writer at Terminal Ballistics Research knew what he was talking about.

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Know...se/6.5x55.html

Every once in a while, during the course of testing for this knowledge base, a cartridge and bullet combination come together in such a way as to produce unique results. This is certainly the case with the Swede and 120 grain Barnes TSX/XCL bullets. These 120 grain bullets have a long bearing surface, ideal for the fast twist rate of the Swede, producing optimum accuracy. The fast twist rate and fairly high muzzle velocity of the Swede combined with the blender blade style Barnes produce a result that, to be blunt, is best described as vicious.

[MtGun44]

Barnes are superb hunting bullets, and have shown excellent accy in my testing.
I have seen the results in Africa, a 7mm 140 TSX through the shoulders of a kudu
at close to 200 yds put it down immediately and was recovered looking like a test
bullet against the hide on the far side. The owner of the safari company that I
used in South Africa recommended them most highly and he is the one that shot
my ammo for the above shot. Can't go wrong, IMO.

HOWEVER - they say to never use any other company's loading data since they are
solid copper with huge differences in compressibility and friction coefficient possible.

If you are in no hurry, I can check my Barnes book for a particular powder or two.

[Bert2368]

On hand are RL22, H4350, H4831 (lots of 4831!), Varget- The rep at Barnes told me to just use the 120 gr TSX info, but it's a bit slim.

Thanks!

[lonewolf5347]

I shoot the barnes TSX in my 243 cal. 85 grain,I will say have taken a few deer from close ranges to 175 yard shot :The bullet is devastation on impact.
The Sweed I have M-96/38 loves 120 grain bullet made by sierra over IMR 4350 one hole group out to 100 yards if I do my part. I will order some Barnes later in the season for the 2015 deer hunting
Man I would not waste the barnes TSX on paper punching more of a deer hunting bullet

[nekshot]

yup, they turn a 243 into a 30-06(well almost). Love Barnes for hunting!

[kfarm]

My 96's and I have 9 of them (worked at gun store back when $59 would get you a good one) all shoot 140's best. My go to load for my deer rifle in a Hornady 140 or Nosler over 42.5 of RL19. That's one hole at 100.

[koger]

I shoot Sierra 120 gr sp in my 6.5 swede, under 1/2 MOA, have taken over 30 deer last 25+ years here in Ky, cannot get the Barnes to shoot in any of my rifles. I have done extensive load work over 3 years, pm me if interested.

[No_1]

I should also mention...to keep in the 'boolit' side of the discussion, that I have an M96 (non threaded muzzle) that I use sometimes in 200yd. Service Rifle Curio & Relic matches. I use gas checked L266673 sized at .267' and at 1580 fps and this load will hold the ten ring all day. I scoped the rifle during load development but could not get it to hold the X ring. When I do shoot it, I always get surprised questions from the target pullers in the pits......''........it sounds different!"

Would that be a CG63 target rifle?