6.5x55 starting (pet) loads

[me26245]

Just got a M96, I need some suggestions as to starting load for this rifle.

I want to try a few rounds to see what she'll do before setting up the 550 for loading.

I have: Rem 140 grain PSP
Sierra "seconds" of various weights mostly 140grain HP

New Rem brass

several different powders, but mainly Accutate and surplus.

Federal primers

Has anyone used these components and had good loads? I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks

[rewster]

I got a load off a guy on another fourm on the web that was 37.8 gr of IMR4895 behind 140 gr bullet. He claimed it was dead on at 100 yards. I came up with the following.

37.8 gr. IMR4895
140 gr Sierra Match King #1740
Graf brass - new unfired
Trim To 2.155
COL of 3.050

I went straight to it without working up to (already had tried heavier loads) and it worked great at 100 yards (just like the guy advertised !). Your milage may vary. It didn't work half as well in my M38 Swede. I'm still working on that one


regards....roger

[pogue]

I'm using the same bullet as Rewster, but get groups like this with 35gr of 4895.

Dropped many a Texas Hill Country whitetail with it.

[smlekid]

I really like H4350 in my Swede's (they seem to like it to!!) 42gr with the sierra 140gr Matchkings seated to touch the rifling (might not be possible in the M96 but can be done on my M38) shoots better than I can hold them

[AJDshootist]

I use 41.5gns of H4350 with Noslers version of the Match King in my 1943 M38 with very good results Win Brass and Win Primers or CCI am just about to load some new Brass Neck Sized only and CCI Bench Rest Primers to see if i can get the 5/8inch group any smaller at 50metres my M38 has a
Pecar 4x81 scope on a QD Mount from the 40s or 50s. When i bought the rifle it had a 6 1/2 pound trigger so i had my gunsmith fit a 2lb Timney Trigger my trouble is the last stroke i had has left me with a weakness in
my fingers and i could not pull the old trigger.

[smlekid]

I use 41.5gns of H4350 with Noslers version of the Match King in my 1943 M38 with very good results Win Brass and Win Primers or CCI am just about to load some new Brass Neck Sized only and CCI Bench Rest Primers to see if i can get the 5/8inch group any smaller at 50metres my M38 has a
Pecar 4x81 scope on a QD Mount from the 40s or 50s. When i bought the rifle it had a 6 1/2 pound trigger so i had my gunsmith fit a 2lb Timney Trigger my trouble is the last stroke i had has left me with a weakness in
my fingers and i could not pull the old trigger.

My club was in the process of getting a bulk lot of the new Noslers we didn't end up doing it as they seemed to be blowing up in midair at 2600fps I stood behind someone using these and the odd bullet would turn to shrapnel and not hit the target but would cause dust all over the ground over a wide area maybe we got a bad batch? any else struck this?

[JeepsAndGuns]

I have pretty good luck with the hornady 140gr A-max and the starting load of 38.6gr of H4831. See my post in the sweedish fourm.

Here is the 140gr load: http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=66140
And here is a 160gr load: http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=63591

I found that it does the best with the starting load. Any higher and the groups open up a tad.

[AJDshootist]

To the SMLEkid my clubs range is about 150 to 200 feet above sea level and when i cronographed my loads was getting around 2475 fps now the barrel on my M38 is showing some wear but still shoots better than i can. I only shoot 5shot groups with the rifle then leave it to cool down whist im waiting i shoot one of my ManSch 6.5x54 as they are sporting guns with very light barrels i shoot 3 shot groups with them all my shooting is done from the bench as i now have poor balence.

[kikir]

I load Sierra 140gr. HPBT Matchking with 37.4 grs of Vihtavuori N550, CCI BR2 primers and Lapua brass OAL = 3.060". I use this load in my M96 and have shot and avarage score of 198 out of possiable 200 in my club's Military Match at 100 yds.

[AJDshootist]

Just been to my clubs range this morning trying a new load 43.5grns Rel 19 with 140 grn Noslers shot very nicely 1/8 inch higher than my H4350 load but very pleasent to shoot bullets were seated to max AOL. WW new Brass neck sized CCI Large Rifle Primers all in all a nice load, weather wet and windy if OK will try some more 2moro.

[AJDshootist]

Has anybody got any experience of using Accurate 4350 i have just bought some as it is a lot cheaper than H3450, i have found that it does not meter through my Redding Powder Measures very well so throw light then trickel charge. Have given up on the Rel 19 in my 6.5x55 will save it for my next project a 7x57 or 275 rigby next year,going to have a friend build me one.

[FlipFlop]

I reload for 3 different M96's. I have used 140 grain bullets by Sierra and Remington with such powders IMR4064, H4831, IMR4350 with very good results. I have found the Swede M96 shoots good with just about anything you put in it, but will do much better with the right combinations of powder, bullet, OAL etc. You just have to keep looking for that right combination for your particular M96.

[AJDshootist]

Mine is a 1943 M38 and have tried a number of different powders H4350 so far has been the best but over here in the UK it is exspensive £36 to £38 a 1lb where as the Accurate was £28.50 am going to try H380 as that meters so well and is a great powder in my 6.5x54 Msh.

[hopper]

I got a load off a guy on another fourm on the web that was 37.8 gr of IMR4895 behind 140 gr bullet. He claimed it was dead on at 100 yards. I came up with the following.

37.8 gr. IMR4895
140 gr Sierra Match King #1740
Graf brass - new unfired
Trim To 2.155
COL of 3.050

I went straight to it without working up to (already had tried heavier loads) and it worked great at 100 yards (just like the guy advertised !). Your milage may vary. It didn't work half as well in my M38 Swede. I'm still working on that one


regards....roger

+1 for this load out of two of my swedes
I also have used 4064 with close to the same results.

[AJDshootist]

Continuing my search for a good load for my Swedish M38 i have now settled on 42.6grns of H4350 i have no idea what vel its doing as my chrono died and i have yet to get a new one,but with Nosler 140grn match i got 5shot group measuring .706 which when you subtract the bullet dia of 264 gave me a group size of .442 and that is not bad from an 1943 rifle with orignal barrel and an c1949 old fart firing it,the cases were new Win neck sized, CCI BR primers Nosler 140grn Match all loads weighed i use RCBS dies and a Redding Powder measure, lenght set long at 3.085 as the barrel has a long ie worn throat.

[Ordtech]

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

http://www.accuratepowder.com/reloading.htm

http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/disclaimer.php

http://www.nosler.com/?p=15&b=6.5mm

[doctorxring]

.

Nosler 140 gr
37.5 grain IMR 4064


I use this same load in both my M52 and my M69

[oscarflytyer]

I have a Win M70 fwt. It has shot a truck load of deer (me, my buddy, my son - German Reh and US whitetails) in the last 20 years. The only bullet I have ever used is the Speer 120 grn Hot Cor. It has a flat base. Such a bullet is not supposed to be that accurate, but I have turned in a group under .7". I use the same bullet - 180 grn Hot Cor - in a 300 Win Mag - and have turned in multiple goups b/n .4" and .7".

And the 120 grn 6.5 is a hammer on deer. Only 2 have run at all. One I goofed and shot low in the heart. Other bullet passed clean thru a whitetail - took out both lungs, but hit nothing but hide/lungs. Both ran maybe 30 yds max. Many have literally dropped in their tracks!

I use IMR 4064 powder and Norma cases.

[tenntex32]

......typically becomes an issue at longer ranges, say 300yds and out. I also have had a number of inexpensive flat based hunting bullets hold their own with the pricier match bullets at closer distances. My range is only 250yds so it happens often! Of course this probably isn't the issue as velocity slowdown creeps up on the flat based bullets at longer ranges. Kinda makes it hard to justify them high dollar match buulets at the distances I usually shoot. I find the soft point boattails to be a good compromise in price, accuracy and useabilty, assuming I may ever want to hunt with them at longer ranges. The only downfall with them is not being able to seat them out farther, if you are really tweaking for accuracy, like you can the flat based bullets. That's another reason I think the FB bullets can hold their own in long throated military rifles, when compared to the boattails at closer ranges.

Dale

[roofrat]

I really like H4350 in my Swede's (they seem to like it to!!) 42gr with the sierra 140gr Matchkings seated to touch the rifling (might not be possible in the M96 but can be done on my M38) shoots better than I can hold them

DITTO, 41 OR 42gr in my 42 husky38 is the same, (serious doesn't matter). Best 3 shot group is .6 at 200yd and always inside of a 2" sticky. Using a leopold 2.5X40 LER scope mounted on the rear sight base:D

I only wish I hadn't let my buddy sling it while I drug out a kill.

Skratched the crap out of an otherwise beautiful original stock

Next time he does the work!:D

[cuffkey53]

My load is like some of the rest of the fellas on here 40.5 grains of imr 4064 it has droped alot of michigan bucks i just love the 6.5x55 round
good for most of what you would want to hunt all over most of this country you will find that the 140 grain bullets fly nice out of your rifle :D

[ramosthompson]

Hello doctorxring, I realize this is in response to an old post, but what kind of sights were you using here?