Tight group in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser?

[DavidTiller]

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to load cast bullets behind tight group powder? If so can you give me a min and max powder weight to use?

Thanks!

[Scharfschuetze]

Welcome aboard David.

My use of Tite Group in squib rifle loads has not included the Swede round. That said, Tite Group acts very much like Bullseye powder when used in the very light (squib) rifle loads with cast bullets. I'd proceed from that standpoint.

I've used it in very light 30 calibre rounds like the 7.5 Swiss and the 308 Winchester with velocity goals of about 1,100 fps using plain base cast bullets up to 130 grains. While case capacities on these rounds are similar to the Swede, the expansion ration is completely different due to bore size, so I won't guess as to a starting load for you.

Don't try and get much more velocity than the sound barrier from it. It will, like Bullseye, spike your pressures pretty fast if overloaded in a rifle round and that small 6.5mm bore of the Swede may exacerbate that propensity. As you know, much care must be exercised in loading very fast pistol powders in rifle cases in order to preclude a double charge. On the positive side, ballistic uniformity and accuracy are usually very good with Tight Group in these squib applications and there is no need for a filler.

Case shrinkage (case head to datum line) may result from any very low pressure load in rimless-bottleneck cartridges after a few firings. I segregate my squib load cases and drill the flash hole out slightly to prevent this. It helps to equalize the high pressure in the primer pocket with the lower pressure in the case hull on firing. Ballistic uniformity is often enhanced with squib loads by this also.

Plan on raising your Swede's rear sight to 400 or 500 meters to zero with these very light loads.

[Larry Gibson]

What cast bullet ?

[mrrch]

I use Titegroup with my cut down Lee cruise missile boolit (150g) in my Swede M96. Works well for my plinking needs.

[leebuilder]

Hi. So far 6.5 to 10 grains.

163gr Noe 7gr best accuracy in M38 and shortened M38
Traditional lube only, stilled showed yaw on paper hits.

54gr Noe 7.3gr awesomest, like a 22 on steriods. M38, short M38 and M96.
Traditionall lubed and PCED
Traditional lube had the tightest groups.

Both sized to .268

Lower than 6.5gr, loads started to soot the necks up and blowback.

Range 66m.

Be safe

[DavidTiller]

Thanks! What do you drill out your primer holes too? I will separate out a number of my cases for use as squib loads. Love these Swede rifles! I have two, one sporterized and one stock. They are a lot of fun to shoot.

[DavidTiller]

Hi. So far 6.5 to 10 grains.

163gr Noe 7gr best accuracy in M38 and shortened M38
Traditional lube only, stilled showed yaw on paper hits.

54gr Noe 7.3gr awesomest, like a 22 on steriods. M38, short M38 and M96.
Traditionall lubed and PCED
Traditional lube had the tightest groups.

Both sized to .268

Lower than 6.5gr, loads started to soot the necks up and blowback.

Range 66m.

Be safe

Thanks for the data! I have a ton of titegroup so this will be the powder I will be using.

[Scharfschuetze]

What do you drill out your primer holes too?

A number 29 drill bit works well.

[leebuilder]

I drilled out 20 rounds, found no gain in accuracy or blowback.
I had no choice but to use titegroup, all we could get up here.
They are lots of fun, well made and with hand rolled ammo they can be insanely accurate.
Be well

PS, most rounds after firing had enough neck tension to be reloaded without resizing.

[DavidTiller]

Thanks! I will try this out and see what I can get from these old war horses! I will have to separate half of my cases for each of my two swedes for reloading purposes and give the tight group a try in each rifle.