3031 with 6.5 Swedish Mauser/Jacketed?

[Mark Daiute]

I have some 140 grain Jacketed bullets and 3031.

Anyone using this combination in their Swedish Mauser? The IMR website does not have any data for this combo.

Thanks,

Mark

[HollowPoint]

For some reason I've never had any luck with 3031 powder even for cartridges that do have data listed using this powder. That's not to say it won't work for the Swedish Mauser cartridge. I use 4831 in my 6.5 Swedish.

I've come across several posts stating that 3031 is an excellent powder for various cartridges but, neither of my Hodgdons manuals list that powder for any bullet weight they list in this chambering.

HollowPoint

[swheeler]

IMR Handloaders Guide has published data(2002)

6.5x55, rem brass, rem 9.5 primer, 140 gr Sierra spritzer BT, 24 inch barrel, 3.00 COL

IMR 3031- 34.5 grs-2355 fps-45800 cup ( reduced 10% and work up)

[leebuilder]

Agreed, 6.5x55 is finicky with certain powders. Like BLC2 and 3031 these are the best examples I have tried and they consistently avoided the x ring. As HP said, 4831 is one of the best I like Re19 for my hunting load, 4895 will work with tweeking. Some guys use 414 to great success.
Be well

[Don Fischer]

3031 and BLC/2 have been great powder's for me in the 308. But I think the 6.5x55 has more capacity than the 308 and 3031 sounds like it might be a bit fast for it. In my 6.5x55 with 140gr jacketed bullet's I use RL-22 and it works well. Slower than 3031.

[Motor]

Hornady usually has a wide variety of suitable powders listed in their data and they do not list 3031for the 6.5x55

I like IMR-3031 it does work really well for most WWII era 30 caliber cartridges. It was originally made for the 303 British hence the name. 3031(303 1)

Motor

[swheeler]

Mark, I am not using this combination in the Swede, but I just grabbed Sierra Manual and opened it up, 3031 data for bullets from 85 to 140 grs

140 gr Sierra-3031 29.7 start, 36.7 max, 2100-2400 fps

[swheeler]

Yep, just grabbed Speer #11 off the shelf
140 gr Speer-3031,32.0 start-36.0 max

Hornady third edition
140 gr Spire point-3031,30.9 start,36.0 max

Lyman 47th
140gr-3031,33.0 start-37.0 max

[swheeler]

Looks like there is plenty of published data, give it a try and let us know.

[JTCoyoté]

When it comes to .30 cal mid capacity cases with 160 to 220 grain bullets, IMR-3031 is the goto in my powder-magazine. The 30-30, 300 Savage, 303 British and 30-40 Krag I shoot all perform accurately and efficiently with 3031 using jacketed bullets in every reasonable application even though their grain weight of water powder capacity varies from 45gr for the 30-30 to 58gr for the 30-40. The only controlling factor I can reason is a combination of caliber, bullet weight, and the fact that IMR-3031 sits right in the middle of the burn rate chart.

I also have a Norwegian Krag in 6.5x55 Swedish which has a case capacity equal to the 303 British at 57gr yet with an equal load of 3031 shooting a 139 grain SP in the 6.5x55, and a 172 grain SP in the 303, the velocity and accuracy is sub par in the Norwegian. Using a slower burn rate powder as per the manual like IMR-4831 or H-414 with the same bullet, accuracy is much better with less variability in velocity, and it zips along 150-200fps faster.

I'm not saying that IMR-3031 is strictly for 30 cal... it works beautifully with jacketed as well as the cast paper-patched 330, 385, and 450 grain bullets I fire from my Rossi Rio Grand in 45-70. ~JT

[M1fuzz]

I know shooting jacketed through a M1 Garand I had a lot better luck with IMR3031 than I ever had w/ H4895, Varget, BLC2, and AAC2520, and just a little better than IMR4064.

[Stewbaby]

3031 does ok just like 4064, 4895, and Varget but you’ll find IMR4350 (around 38.5) and R22 (around 44.5) best in my experience with a 140 bthp match.

R22 is the supposed modern equivalent to the powder Swedish surplus m/41 ammo used.

[smithnframe]

I use 38.5 grains of 3031 with 120 grain jacketed bullets in my Swede.......excellent accuracy!

[boatbum101]

I've seen 4895 work with 140 jacketed in a 1896 Swede Mauser it was accurate but ssllloooowww . Generally I reach for nothing faster than 4350 in the 6.5x55 . Heavier the bullet the slower the speed powder .