Powder for 6.5x55 150 grain gc boolit

[O.S.O.K.]

I am going to try and beat the odds and get an accurate load in my old 6.5x55 swede 94 (sporter - and before anyone says anything about that, it was bubba'd when I bought it).

I've got a Lyman mold - 150 gas check -this is a "bore rider" type bullet.

I'm going to start by sizing to .265" as I have a sizer die of that dimension.

I want this to fly about 2000 fps and give no less than 2 MOA.

I know, it can't be done - but I'm going give it a shot anyhoo. If I have to back down to 1800 fps then so be it.

In looking at my Lee manual, the only powder that they list with that kind of velocity is XMP-5744 (which I have in stock). I think it was 29 grains -but I'll have to check again... that was showing 2100 fps with a 160 grain jacketed bullet. So, I'll probably try 27 to start...

Any other loads you can suggest to try?

[garandsrus]

OSOK,

I size to .268 for the 6.5 Mauser. Have you slugged your bore? I am guessing that the .265 is too small and will not result in good accuracy for you.

John

[O.S.O.K.]

My one sizer die is .265". I thought I'd size a few with it and see. I can then lapp it bigger - you are most likely correct.

[mtgrs737]

Buckshot made me a .269" die that works well for me. You will also need a mould that casts oversized boolits to start with.

[heathydee]

Currently on page 18 of Cast Boolit Loads/Military Rifles is a thread entitled "Swedish Mauser" which deals with accuracy at the speeds you wish to achieve.

[O.S.O.K.]

Currently on page 18 of Cast Boolit Loads/Military Rifles is a thread entitled "Swedish Mauser" which deals with accuracy at the speeds you wish to achieve.

Thank you!

[O.S.O.K.]

OK, I was looking for some specific loads but that's proving elusive.

So, I looked through my loading books and found in the Lee Manual what I was looking for - at the bottom of the powder list for 160 grain jacketed bullet. There were several listed with starting loads giving 2100ish velocity.

So, I just backed off some from that - guessing at the load that will produce around 2000 fps with a 150 grain boolit.

29.0 grains of RL-15
35.0 grains of W760
29.0 grains of Varget

I have all three of these on hand, so I can start a couple of these.

Any comments? Which two would you go with?

I'm leaning towards the W760 and Varget....

[Le Loup Solitaire]

If you want to go up above 1800 fps...actually above 1600fps, you have to be sure that your bullets are hard enough to deal with the velocity. I didn't and wound up with problems. I use an RCBS 140 grain special order mold that looks like a cruise missle. It casts at .267 with straight WW and I size it at .265. My rifle is an M38 and has a tight bore. I loaded a series of test rounds starting at 21 grains of 4064 and worked up in increments of 1 grain up to 35 grains. Ten shot groups off the bench. Twenty one grains was reasonable, but not especially tight groups; the higher I went the worse things got, especially above 27 and 28 grains. Bullets were keyholing badly and by 34-35 they were missing the target completely. It was obvious that they were being deformed and/or tilting in the bore. It was so described in the Lee loading manual as well as the reason for the problem. I switched powders and started over with IMR 4198, 4227 and 4895 using less powder and doing business at 1600 fps with really good results. Of course water quenching or using lino would have solved the problem too. I did not have any issue with leading at any point; my lube is good and adequate. It is essential however to keep an eye on the bullet hardness in relation to the velocity in the 6.5mm. LLS

[heathydee]

The powder used in my loads is AR2209 which is approx. the same burning rate as H4350. A lot of Australian powders are marketed in the States by Hogden under their own label and I would not be surprised if AR2209 is in fact H4350 . I know that AR2208 is Varget . The usual disclaimers apply however when substituting powders.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thank you for the additional information - so make sure they are hard enough - can do.

Though, I'd rather they be air-cooled wheel weights as they will expand some on game. But if they can't handle the torque of being pushed past 1600....

I shoot all kinds of other calibers at 2000fps and non of this stuff is even an issue - it's weird that the swede has all of these issues...

[heathydee]

I do not have a hardness tester but my boolits for the Swede are hard enough to make a "clink" when I tap two together as opposed to soft lead which gives a "thunk" if that all makes sense . I have shot a few feral goats with that load mentioned in the other thread . Performance was better than a full jacket military projectile but not as good as a soft point.

[geargnasher]

The issue with Karlinas is the 1 in 7-1/2" twist. It also makes them tack-drivers at low velocity.

Cast large, size large, and don't ruin your boolits when seating because your expander ball is made for j-words. Get a large enough expander, or better yet, a Redding or Sinclair neck sizer die and turn your case necks to fit chamber and boolit dimensions (after you've cast your chamber).

Use Lino, seat to almost engrave, single-load your rounds, and stay under 1600fps and you can make ragged holes at 100meters with cast. Just throw them together with a standard die set, guess at size, seating depth, use soft alloy, and you will make keyholes at 50 yards, if your target is big enough to see them.

I use H414, but there are plenty of other good, slow powders like have been mentioned that will work.

I won't recommend charge weight due to the vast differences in gun dimensions, just work up from Lyman's or other's established minimums.
Gear

[brian]

My swede gave me fits for a long time. then i finally slugged the throat/bore. OMG it was big. 0.266" groove diameter and 0.273" throat. try to find a mould for that. hah. anyway i have yet gotten decent accuracy and i suspect it's because of gas cutting as none of my 6.5 moulds drop anywhere near that big. probably what i need to find is a undersized 270 Win mould.....

Anyway, cast large, don't size (just lube). good luck.

Brian

[waksupi]

For my best accuracy, it was necessary to bump up the nose to fill the throat.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thank you all for the additional information. I'm hoping to get some cast tomorrow morning - had to get my middle child off to college today.

[techlava]

MidSouth Shooters Supply got the DOUBLE CAVITY REPRODUCTION 6.5MM SWEDISH 170GR MOULD again in stock.

[45 2.1]

If you want to go up above 1800 fps...actually above 1600fps, you have to be sure that your bullets are hard enough to deal with the velocity. I didn't and wound up with problems. I use an RCBS 140 grain special order mold that looks like a cruise missle. It casts at .267 with straight WW and I size it at .265. My rifle is an M38 and has a tight bore. I loaded a series of test rounds starting at 21 grains of 4064 and worked up in increments of 1 grain up to 35 grains. Ten shot groups off the bench. Twenty one grains was reasonable, but not especially tight groups; the higher I went the worse things got, especially above 27 and 28 grains. Bullets were keyholing badly and by 34-35 they were missing the target completely. It was obvious that they were being deformed and/or tilting in the bore. It was so described in the Lee loading manual as well as the reason for the problem. I switched powders and started over with IMR 4198, 4227 and 4895 using less powder and doing business at 1600 fps with really good results. Of course water quenching or using lino would have solved the problem too. I did not have any issue with leading at any point; my lube is good and adequate. It is essential however to keep an eye on the bullet hardness in relation to the velocity in the 6.5mm. LLS

I see someone else understands the cause of Swede inaccuracy at higher velocities. Another big problem is the brass you have to work with along with the larger Swede chamber neck. Lots of slop with commercial cases which lets the boolit tilt out of line with the bore when it gets hit in the rear.

[felix]

............

Use Lino, seat to almost engrave, single-load your rounds, and stay under 1600fps and you can make ragged holes at 100meters with cast.
Gear

Denature that Lino somewhat. Ideally, with some WW, just enough like 1/4 of total mix. Reason: If that Lino is pure, or darn close, it won't heat treat. Lino by itself is close to BHN 22; Screwed up Lino heat treated can go as high as 30.

... felix

[StarMetal]

The issue with Karlinas is the 1 in 7-1/2" twist. It also makes them tack-drivers at low velocity.

Cast large, size large, and don't ruin your boolits when seating because your expander ball is made for j-words. Get a large enough expander, or better yet, a Redding or Sinclair neck sizer die and turn your case necks to fit chamber and boolit dimensions (after you've cast your chamber).

Use Lino, seat to almost engrave, single-load your rounds, and stay under 1600fps and you can make ragged holes at 100meters with cast. Just throw them together with a standard die set, guess at size, seating depth, use soft alloy, and you will make keyholes at 50 yards, if your target is big enough to see them.

I use H414, but there are plenty of other good, slow powders like have been mentioned that will work.

I won't recommend charge weight due to the vast differences in gun dimensions, just work up from Lyman's or other's established minimums.
Gear

Gear,

How you explain my ragged hole at 2300 fps with 50/50 ww/lead aircooled and not loading to engrave the rifling?

Joe