Like the title says, I’m looking for 160 grain cast load data for 6.5 Carcano. I’ve scoured all my manuals, and the largest cast bullet listed is around 140 grains, and the powder selections seem to be limited to Unique and 2400; both of which are fairly unobtainable right now.
Just wondering what you guys are using or would care to suggest?
Are you using one of the NOE molds?
No. I’ve not got everything yet to start casting. These are 155 gr unsized Hunters Supply bullets. They told me that they drop at .267-268 and then they powder coat , so they should be .268-269”. If they are bigger I’ll size them to .269”.
The only load data I’ve found is from an internet source; 16-17 gr IMR 4227. I don’t know how reliable that is, but it seems plausible.
Download Gordon's Reloading tool It can give you a good starting point and an idea of which powder is most suitable
Go now and pour yourself a hot one...
Steinel makes a nice Carcano bullet for sale. Lubed, and I believe can come powder coated.
I use it in my 6.5x53r and it works nice, but I have a little Unique and 10 grs it shoots nice.
This info I got from Hunters Supply about 6 months ago,
6.5 mm 156 gr SP
https://hunters-supply.com/266-65mm-156-p-2594.html
Drops out at .270 to 271
And I've tried it, but it wasn't quite as good, in my rifle, than the Steinel.
That bullet is 0.266" according to the advert.Originally Posted by Ajohns
My carcano likes 0.270" bullets, any diameter under and groups grow.
After WWII gun writers gave Carcano rifles a bad rap - same as they did to the Lee Enfield rifles.
A carcano with a 160 grain jacketed bullet made a great moose gun - the neighbor had one in the 1950s, commercially converted to a sporter by Cooey (Canada). At short range he made one shot kills on moose and bear that were attempting to raid his pig pen.
Go now and pour yourself a hot one...
Actually, they show desribed at .268
What they sent me (uncoated) was .2685
I believe one is a Lyman 469 copy, the other which I have looks a lot like a standard 160 Carcano bullet, but lead.
I ran you a Quickload table. Without knowing details, I left desired pressure at the QL default, used a 21" barrel and set the seating depth at one bullet diameter. Given that the 6.5 Carcano is only rated at 41336 psi, be warned that an overpressure load may not show any visible signs of excess pressure. Unless I was confident the gun has lots of margin, I would be extremely cautious.
Also, please look at Hodgdon's on-line tool, it does have load data for jacketed 160s.
Code:Cartridge : 6.5 x 52 Carcano Bullet : .269, 160 Seating depth : .269 inch Barrel Length : 21.0 inch = 533.4 mm Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders. Matching Maximum Pressure: 36168 psi, or 249 MPa or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 105 % These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window. C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations. USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON ! Powder type Filling/Loading Ratio Charge Charge Vel. Prop.Burnt P max P muzz B_Time % Grains Gramm fps % psi psi ms --------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Alliant Reloder-17 *T 82.3 35.7 2.31 2232 99.1 36169 10420 1.440 Alliant Reloder-16 *C *T 85.8 34.5 2.24 2212 97.8 36169 10188 1.436 Hodgdon CFE223 *C 77.1 34.8 2.25 2182 97.5 36169 9825 1.454 Hodgdon Hybrid 100V 88.4 35.4 2.29 2176 99.0 36169 9465 1.453 IMR 4895 75.4 31.2 2.02 2153 98.6 36169 9372 1.474 Hodgdon BL-C2 72.5 32.7 2.12 2152 99.3 36169 9291 1.477 Alliant Reloder-15 *C 76.2 31.5 2.04 2147 98.1 36169 9306 1.474 Winchester 748 70.0 31.1 2.02 2146 99.7 36169 8970 1.467 Hodgdon H380 78.1 33.0 2.14 2145 97.0 36169 9416 1.478 IMR 4320 78.0 31.7 2.06 2141 98.5 36169 9033 1.450 Hodgdon H4350 *T 86.7 35.1 2.27 2139 93.6 36169 9380 1.454 IMR 4350 85.1 35.0 2.27 2139 93.7 36169 9368 1.454 IMR 3031 75.4 29.1 1.89 2135 100.0 36169 8468 1.477 Lovex D073.6 74.2 31.6 2.05 2134 99.9 36169 8830 1.495 Accurate 2520 72.6 31.6 2.05 2134 99.9 36169 8830 1.495 Hodgdon H4895 72.9 30.1 1.95 2132 98.9 36169 8999 1.474 IMR 4955 Enduron *C*T 91.6 36.8 2.39 2132 89.6 36169 9458 1.450 Lovex S065 83.0 33.6 2.18 2127 96.1 36169 9209 1.479 Lovex S062 76.9 30.9 2.00 2120 99.4 36169 8782 1.485 Hodgdon VARGET *T 78.0 31.2 2.02 2118 98.0 36169 8866 1.459 IMR 4007 SSC 79.4 33.3 2.16 2118 93.8 36169 9163 1.473 IMR 4451 Enduron *C*T 80.1 32.7 2.12 2116 94.3 36169 9045 1.457 IMR 4064 78.5 30.7 1.99 2114 98.2 36169 8756 1.466 Hodgdon H335 66.2 29.9 1.94 2110 100.0 36169 8396 1.473 IMR 8208 XBR 71.6 29.6 1.92 2106 99.3 36169 8530 1.469 Accurate 2460 69.1 30.7 1.99 2106 99.8 36169 8530 1.499 Lovex D073.5 69.3 30.7 1.99 2106 99.8 36169 8530 1.499 Accurate 2230 69.1 30.9 2.00 2104 99.1 36169 8567 1.486 Alliant AR-Comp *C *T 71.5 28.6 1.85 2100 100.0 36169 7809 1.483 Hodgdon H322 69.7 28.0 1.81 2099 100.0 36169 8084 1.469 Lovex D073.4 68.1 30.2 1.96 2098 99.8 36169 8380 1.492 IMR 4166 Enduron *C*T 78.8 31.2 2.02 2093 94.5 36169 8694 1.463 Accurate 2700 79.6 34.4 2.23 2088 93.5 36169 8692 1.475 Alliant Reloder-12 69.8 29.4 1.91 2081 100.0 36169 7908 1.474 Lovex S060 72.9 29.3 1.90 2079 98.6 36169 8253 1.465 Hodgdon Benchmark 70.4 28.7 1.86 2074 99.6 36169 8055 1.470 Accurate 2200 64.1 26.9 1.74 2067 99.9 36169 7830 1.468 Accurate 2015 69.8 27.6 1.79 2061 100.0 36169 7546 1.501 Alliant Reloder-10x *C 67.2 26.2 1.70 2059 100.0 36169 7497 1.494 Accurate 1680 58.1 25.1 1.63 2034 100.0 36169 7210 1.471 Hodgdon H4198 64.2 24.9 1.62 2029 100.0 36169 7154 1.461 IMR 4198 66.0 24.5 1.59 2023 100.0 36169 6882 1.467 Hodgdon H4227 59.6 22.6 1.46 1975 100.0 36169 6363 1.479 IMR 4227 59.3 22.4 1.45 1971 100.0 36169 6325 1.474
Thanks. This is excellent. At least now I have a starting point for loads.
Good info!!! I am going to start reloading next week for my .268 carcano on my Dillon 550. Going to start with 160 grain Hornady with 35.0-39.6 gains of W760 as this is what I have on hand. I have had all this stuff for a couple years but, just now getting around to it. I also ordered some coated bullets and gas checked bullets in lighter bullet weights yesterday as well to get more of test range. .264 bullets keyhole in my gun badly, Found some .268 surplus loaded ammo a while ago and it did NOT keyhole.
I can tell you listed maximum is a low figure. Many don't and won't recognize the strength of the Carcano action. A gun club wanted to demostrate to the very young members (kids) the dangers of reloading if not done properly. They hired a knowledgeable firearms and reloading instructor. They wanted him to purposely blow up the rifle they had which was a 6.5 Carcano. Try as he might with overloads of regular rifle powders he couldn't get it to self destruct. So he went to the old time tested full case of Bullseye. Well that didn't do it either and only managed to lock the bolt up which they got open and there was no damage. Frustrated the club enlisted the help of the local police explosive squad. They blew it up with C4. Remember in the early days Italy used the finest materials in building those rifles. Beretta was one of the major players. In the early days the barrel were from Bofors Steel. Thats that SAKO used in the early days. Yes later on in the war, like most other countries, workmanship and quality worsen.
I am going to start out with some proven loads first. I even want to try some different powders to get a good accurate load for Carcano. I dont need any super hot load in it, just looking to get a good group at about 100 yards. I bought some side mount scope parts for it that I am going to put on it. Its going to take some modification to the furniture but its not a beauty queen, LOL.
I apologize, I only put up that information to let people know they just aren't pieces of junk. I in NO WAY intend for anyone to load full maximum loads. Besides that those kind of max loads don't work good with cast in that rifle.
I would be very careful with that Hornsby jacketed bullet if it is .267” round nose. The are known to be very touchy in the Carcano, and the Hornady reloading manual specifically covers this topic. You really should get that manual if you are reloading that bullet in a Carcano .
I have the Hornady manual and here is what it says along with the reloading:
Absolutely do not deviate from the components or loads shown for the 0.267" bullet. Dangerously high pressures may result.
Absolutely do not deviate from the componants or loads shown for the 0.267 bullet. Dangerously high pressures may result.
The data:
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| BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
| HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
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