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Thread: 6.5 Carcano

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    6.5 Carcano

    Just wondering if anyone has tried the 6.5 Swedish mold, that Midsouth shooters sells in a 6.5 Carcano. It seems a little skinny and I thought I might have to beagle it a couple thousands bigger. Ideas?

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mrz View Post
    Just wondering if anyone has tried the 6.5 Swedish mold, that Midsouth shooters sells in a 6.5 Carcano. It seems a little skinny and I thought I might have to beagle it a couple thousands bigger. Ideas?
    I tried it in my carcano and it was fat enough. The carbine just hated it. So far I haven't gotten good results with LEE's bullet out of a handful of different 6.5 rifles.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy iron brigade's Avatar
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    If that's the lee cruise missile, I would move on to the Lyman 266673 150 grain moulds or one of the excellent Noe 6.5 moulds.
    That cruise missile is probably the worst 6.5 bullet you never want to try.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I use the Lee cruise missile in my M91 gain twist rifle cut down to 150gn, I could never get it to work in its original configuration.Click image for larger version. 

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    ukrifleman

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Not to discourage you but casting, a smaller sized bullet, and sizing with out bending or distorting the bullet, is not a real easy task.
    The length of the Lee Cruise missile mold will complicate this, and a carcano rifles in general will make you pull out your hair, when it comes to accuracy.
    I wish you luck, but if it were me, I would take a hard look at a more forgiving combination.

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
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    Thanks everybody. I think I’ll look for one of the NOE molds.

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
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    Ciao , sparo il Cruise con 15,5 grani di Vectan SP 3 in un '38. Provate, resterete a bocca aperta !

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by poverocane View Post
    Ciao , sparo il Cruise con 15,5 grani di Vectan SP 3 in un '38. Provate, resterete a bocca aperta !
    Ciao, qual è Vectan SP 3 paragonabile a quello che possiamo ottenere negli Stati Uniti?

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

    leadhead's Avatar
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    I did the same thing ukrifleman. Now it shoots great.
    leadhead

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    I’ve just started playing with a Type 1 Carcano the Italians built for the Japanese in 6.5x50 and with all the … less than stellar … conversations about the Cruise missile, I reached out to Matt’s Bullets. He’s got a copy of the Lyman 266469 (150 grain round nose) (Maybe it’s NOE? I can’t remember) but if you call him, he can whistle up some sized .269. I grabbed a couple boxes to play with to see what this gun will actually do with cast before going too far down any rabbit holes - my bore slugs .267. I’ve got the first test loads done, but have spent the better part of the last two months fixing all the stuff Bubba did to the gun. It’s never going to be original, but at least now it looks like a well-built sporter instead of a mistake.

    You might give him a call just to get some ideas - the Carcanos are fun, but the gain twist rifling in the early ones can make it frustrating to get “normal” cast to run in guns where the barrels have been shortened - I didn’t see what model you’ve got, so I’m not even sure if that point is relevant.

    Good luck-
    Cree

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Several years ago, I tried the Lee mold in a 6.5 Swed and could not get acceptable results. Ended up selling the mold. Since then, I have found a 6.5 Carcano rifle in great shape. I decided to try a NOE 270-165-FN mold. I have been playing with Lee Dipper loads of 0.5cc and 0.77cc of 2400. Attached are some groups with those loads at 50 yards with iron sights from a bench. Looks like both loads will hold 2.5" at 50 yards. Boolits are loaded PC as cast with a GC. Seems to seal the bore very well. No leading.

    https://imgur.com/kYySUUV
    https://imgur.com/KQB2Hfs
    https://imgur.com/9zxSZCr

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cree View Post
    I’ve just started playing with a Type 1 Carcano the Italians built for the Japanese in 6.5x50 and with all the … less than stellar … conversations about the Cruise missile, I reached out to Matt’s Bullets. He’s got a copy of the Lyman 266469 (150 grain round nose) (Maybe it’s NOE? I can’t remember) but if you call him, he can whistle up some sized .269. I grabbed a couple boxes to play with to see what this gun will actually do with cast before going too far down any rabbit holes - my bore slugs .267. I’ve got the first test loads done, but have spent the better part of the last two months fixing all the stuff Bubba did to the gun. It’s never going to be original, but at least now it looks like a well-built sporter instead of a mistake.

    You might give him a call just to get some ideas - the Carcanos are fun, but the gain twist rifling in the early ones can make it frustrating to get “normal” cast to run in guns where the barrels have been shortened - I didn’t see what model you’ve got, so I’m not even sure if that point is relevant.

    Good luck-
    Cree
    Don't believe all the BS you hear about the Cruise Missile. If you don't know how to load it (not meaning you specifically) it's NEVER going to shoot for you. I've shot it out of many 6.5 cartridges including the 6.5 Swede, 260 Remington, 6.5 Jap, 6.5 Carcano, and the 6.5x54 MS. I've had pretty good success in many of those listed.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    I can't help but connect the word Carcano with the Kennedy assassination and the sight of that FBI agent holding the scoped model they said Oswald used.
    Never happen capn..
    All those should have been donated to the viet cong and the rest to the taliban.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
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    The carcano is a .268 groove nominally. So 264 to 266 bullets might not work. That .270 Noe sounds like a winner. Shorter lighter bullets could shoot better. Or jwords.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gobeyond View Post
    The carcano is a .268 groove nominally. So 264 to 266 bullets might not work. That .270 Noe sounds like a winner. Shorter lighter bullets could shoot better. Or jwords.
    Are you referring to a NOE bullet mould for the 270 caliber such as a 270 Winchester? I hope you know that his 270 mould cast at .277. I don't see a .270 listed on his site. Could you clear this up for me?

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy iron brigade's Avatar
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    I don't think he is. If you look at the 6.5 moulds you will see several designs at .270 diameter

  17. #17
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    I'll have to check them out.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by iron brigade View Post
    I don't think he is. If you look at the 6.5 moulds you will see several designs at .270 diameter
    You and he are correct, I checked them out. Thanks

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check