Ruger 77R in 6.5 x 55 Swedish/J-words

[9.3X62AL]

Yesterday's Burrito Shoot provided some time to run loads through the Ruger Swede that have languished for several weeks awaiting test drives. The bullet involved was the 140 grain Nosler Partition--the rifle had yet to find a 140 grainer it didn't like, and the Noslers did as well as the Speer, Sierra, and Hornady offerings in that weight.

I stair-stepped 10 rounds each of several powders--IMR's 4320, 4350, and 4831 and WC 860. With one exception--WC 860 and Fed 215 primers--all loads (5-shot groups @100 yards) shot 1"-1.25" groups, usually with four rounds well under an inch in each cluster. To say that I'm pleased understates the case considerably. Pet load with the NosPart 140 is 45.0 x IMR-4831.

[Bret4207]

Al, give Reloader 21 a try with the 140's if you get a chance. That 6.5 like Sloooooow powders for some reason. A max load works great for me with Sierras 140GK in my '98 rebarrel.

[sundog]

Good report Al. My Swede seems to like the 140 condums also. I've shot several hundreds with X counts in matches using Hornady SPs (lowly ole flat base hunting bullet) and H4831SC and a mag primer. When I finally get back around to playing with the Swede again, I'm planning on trying DP86 as it seems to be doing very swell in '06 and .308 both with cast. sundog

[9.3X62AL]

Buckshot had predicted that WC-860 would provide on-spec ballistics for the 6.5 x 55 , and with the Hornady 140's a full case of the powder (55.0 grains) did very well, almost 2500 FPS. The 45.0 x 4831 achieved just under 2700, and a grain more was a bit much. I didn't chorongraph the Partition bullets, but I imagine the velocity results were fairly similar. The point of impacts between the Hornadys and the Partitions varied less than an inch to the right for the latter bullets.

I really like this rifle and its caliber.

[BD]

Hi Al, I don't know if there's any of the slow WC852 left out there, but it's been great behind the 120's and 140's in all of my swedes with the condoms. I shot the best group of my life using WC852 under a Nosler 120 gr, BT in a cut down M96. I took the biggest buck of my life with a case full of WC860 under a 160 gr, Sierra RN. IMHO the great thing about the 6.5 x 55 is that it's so easy with condoms. It likes a wide variety of powders and bullets, and doesn't require the high priced stuff at all. It operates at a pressure level which lets the brass live forever. And, if I sight mine in for the 140 grainers at 200 yards, the 120's are good to a little over 250 yds and the 160s are on at 100 yds.
BD

[9.3X62AL]

BD--

That sighting arrangement with the 3 bullet weights is intriguing to consider. I used the 160 RN's in a Mannlicher 1903 (6.5 x 54), and about all that bullet could do safely in the 19" carbine full-stock barrel was 2100 FPS......I'm thinking the 160 could go to 2450 or so in the 6.5 x 55, but 2200 might be better--considering its design specs (for the 6.5 x 54 M/S).

It's pretty easy to design a bullet to behave well in animated targets at velocities at or below 2200 FPS, which is real key to the 30-30's popularity I believe. If you run those same bullets at 2500 FPS, things could get a little poetic performance-wise......and yer not shooting across canyons with RN bullets anyway, so what's the point of max velocities?

[BD]

Al, I call that cut down swede the "Ugly Gun", I bought it with a cracked stock and ruined crown about 9 years ago, cut it to 22" and bedded it into a slightly modified $49 Ramline stock, added a home made scout mount with a leopold scout scope and it lived behind the seat of my truck in Maine. With three stripper clips, (120 BTs, 140 grain Speers and 160 grain Sierras), in the glove box I was good to go for under $250. And if it was left in the gun rack I figured it was so ugly nobody'd want to steal it. I even shot a tactical match or two with it before I sprung for an AR. I certainly didn't win, but I wasn't last either. The only real drawback is that the M96 bolt throw is so long that the bolt hits my nose if I don't take it of my shoulder a bit between shots.
BD

[Dutch4122]

Al-

Just curious, does your rifle have a walnut stock or the older style Ruger black synthetic stock? I have one in 6.5x55 myself that I picked up in late '02 which has the older style synthetic stock. It was suposed to be part of a custom run for Davidson's in a number of non-standard (for Ruger) calibers. Haven't done anything with it yet besides mount a scope. This thread reminded me that it was in the back of the safe patiently waiting for my attention.

[Scrounger]

Going back to when I was 18 or 20 years old with my Swedish Mauser Carbine, I've had a funny fascination with that caliber. Naturally I let the carbine get away from me, don't even remember what I sold/traded it for. Over the years since then I've owned 8 or 10 more but just never found enough reason to keep them. Which is strange because I do find them intriguing... Finally figured out that there wasn't a dang thing that cartridge would do that the .270 couldn't do just as well. And that's probably why no 6.5 ever became a keeper with me.

[9.3X62AL]

It has a standard walnut stock, a Model 77R Mark II from about 1994 or so.

I suspect the 270 Winchester in a modern rifle is probably a bit more than the 6.5 x 55. As a practical matter, there isn't much to choose from with either one or the 260 Rem/263 Waters. All will create venison or elk filets with a competent operator.

[waksupi]

Just something that may be of passing interest. Rumor has it, that Ruger will be making a run of .358 Winchesters in the near future.

[9.3X62AL]

Oh, how awful THAT would be! :-)

[StarMetal]

Thats dispicable....but me like.

Joe

[StarMetal]

Rick Jamison said that if he had to pick the perfect whitetail deer rifle, it would be the 260 Rem. So to me that means the 6.5 Swede too if every manufacture cataloged it.

Joe

[NVcurmudgeon]

Reports on the 6.5 X 55 with J bullets in modern rifles are of great interest here. IMR 4350 is about as good as it gets in my 700 in .260, but apparently it takes the slightly bigger 6.5 X 55 case to use IMR 4831, et al to good advantage. Keep the 6.5 reports coming, interested hitchhikers want to know. I have always privately called the .260 a naturalized 6.5 X 55.

[StarMetal]

Bill,

I believe if you pack them both to the hilt, the 6.5 Swede beats the 260 Rem. It holds alittle bit more powder. I say this even owning a 260 which I like. Another one is the 7mm-08 and the 7x57 mauser. The 7x57 will beat the 7mm-08 in a strong rifle. I own the 7mm-08 too, my favorite round of all the newer ones.

Joe

[9.3X62AL]

I have about 40 more rounds left of my 140 Partition trials loads, these will get the chrongraph maybe next Tuesday.

I got the Hornady 140's well past 2700 fps safely in hot weather in the Ruger Swede using both IMR 4831 and 4350. I ran them past 2800 FPS, but that was a little intrepid for my taste with the 4350--fewer pressure signs with 4831, but both were past the tip-over point at 2800 FPS or more. 2725 FPS is a good safe average maximum with the Ruger Swede and IMR 4831.

Bill--following your stream of reasoning, that the 260 is a naturalized citizen--the Ruger Swede should be called Leif "Mojado" Ericsson, ja?

[NVcurmudgeon]

Si, y con papeles legales tambien, by yiminy!


I have about 40 more rounds left of my 140 Partition trials loads, these will get the chrongraph maybe next Tuesday.

I got the Hornady 140's well past 2700 fps safely in hot weather in the Ruger Swede using both IMR 4831 and 4350. I ran them past 2800 FPS, but that was a little intrepid for my taste with the 4350--fewer pressure signs with 4831, but both were past the tip-over point at 2800 FPS or more. 2725 FPS is a good safe average maximum with the Ruger Swede and IMR 4831.

Bill--following your stream of reasoning, that the 260 is a naturalized citizen--the Ruger Swede should be called Leif "Mojado" Ericsson, ja?