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Ideal barrel length for 6.5 X 55 Swedish Mauser

25K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  KAIFS 
#1 ·
Hi All,

I was given a 1898 Swedish Mauser,6.5 x 55 a while back and have been dutifully getting it set up for myself. The rifle had already been sporterized and D & T'd for a scope. The rifle was set up for a woman with a short LOP and a shortened barrel to make it lighter to carry. The barrel now measures 16.5 inches and while it shoots okay I believe I am loosing velocity due to the short barrel.

My question is what is the ideal barrel length as far as the 6.5 is concerned? I am considering a barrel change and would like to be at or slightly longer (within a inch) of the correct length.

Thank you for your help

Carlos G
 
#5 ·
I am hoping that when it gets back to warmer weather here that I can chronograph some loads out of my 24 inch barrels and compare that to my 29 inch CG 63 rifles. Also have a nice FN-HVA action that I have been thinking of putting a 26 inch barrel on, just to see how it performs.
 
#8 ·
I suggest thinking outside the square - there are a heap of factory rifles now that have 16-18" barrels and they all perform well. I purchased a 7x57, and a 308, with shorter barrels, both were well balanced, pointed well, and were accurate. So I did my research, particularly with some hunters that are shortening barrels and fitting suppressors. There are plenty of choices of quality powders available and I did some load development using faster burning powders, sometimes powders considered much faster than the norm. Long story short I was able to develop some reloads that shot as fast and accurate as those in a longer barrel. The 6.5 is such a neat, well performing cartridge, excellent for a whole heap of game. Try some faster powders, try some Barnes TTSX projectiles, I think you will be somewhat amazed what can be achieved. I also suggest you get hold of a chrony, 2600 is perfectly achievable from a 16" barrel, and with a high BC projectile is plenty flat enough to shoot out to 300-350.
Cheers, Al
 
#10 ·
Hi All,

Frodo, I am measuring from the chamber face to the muzzle for barrel length.

Backcountryal, I am new to the reloading hobby and my next major purchase will be a chronograph. As with anything else I would like to get some time in the hobby before I try and go out onto uncharted territory as it were. Basically I would like to have an understanding of what the heck I'm doing so that I can continue to count to ten with my fingers :)

I would like to start with a "stock" length barrel to learn how to reload for my rifle with standard load tables available in reloading books.

Keep those comments and suggestions coming!

Carlos G
 
#11 ·
i had a custom 25 in Douglass ....Mark 10....handy accurate...laminated stock low muzzle flash with Norma 156's
didn't have it long too heavy but ballenced.....
saw something i wanted more... a 6000 HVA...tunnel quick detachable mounts, 8 x 42 Pecar, double set triggers 7 mag....
 
#12 ·
Unless I was to use it as a bush/thicket cartridge for deer (Francis E Sell, bless you Steve for sending me that book. Just another of all the things I will never be able to repay you in this life), I would try to stay near, I would try to stay near 25,5" or so. But I use the cartridge a lot for the traditional capercaillie winter hunting. Ranges are usually stretched out a bit. the target is small, and the fact is, if you want to get the most out of this cartridge, ballistically, don't cut her down below 23,5", if you want to get the best out of her.
She's a great long range cartridge, and a good penetrator on moose, if you just give her a good start in life. :)

Pettson
 
#14 ·
Generally, I've never encountered a Swede(or any other milsurp for that matter) that was cut down that worked as well as an original. I hate Bubba'd rifles. They can look good but the vast percentage don't work. That's been my(limited, since I don't buy them anymore)experience.

-i also have a 6.5x55 with a barrel extension, its 18 1/8 inch
mine shoots just fine, i have only shot at 100 yards, no problems, so i can not say if it shoots good at 300
where are you measureing the barel from?-

Ahh, that would be a model 94 that was modified to get into the country. That addition is no longer required(16" minimum barrel length now). A valuable carbine if not messed with.
 
#18 ·
And there is the noise factor.

Interesting that in this entire discussion of barrel length, there was not one reference to "sight radius" as a consideration. Obviously scopes do rule...
Just an observational take.
On the range, slow-fire, I can take my time and get a pretty consistent sight picture with my 1894 carbines. Shooting rapid fire, well the groups open up a lot. With a scope this is not an issue, but noise is. Back about 1970, Remington went from 22 inches to 20 inches for barrels on the Model 700 for standard calibers and then changed back after just a couple of years. There are applications where the convenience of the short barrel is real (I have an iron sighted 20 inch barreled 9.3x62) but I'd rather have 24 inches than 20 if I couldn't have 22 on a general hunting rifle. And if you fire many rounds in the field without hearing protection, the short barrels are really hazardous to hearing.
 
#19 ·
For a custom job, personally, I would go with 24-26" barrel. With that said, .264 bullet has quite the surface to stabilize even in a shorter barrel, thus even at 100m shooting (velocity aside) your stock m94 with under 18" barrel outshoots 16" AND 20" barreled modern Saiga (7.62x39). So for me, deciding factor would be - what is the rifle for? Target shooting= as long and as heavy as possible; brush gun= light, short, fast target acquisition. Scoped military rifle= different stock, for me, with a proper cheek rest. 200ft of velocity ??? Thats the 2gr difference in your powder, give or take - add another ~50-100 in primer difference(magnum / non-magnum).
So for a versatile rifle, get the barrel that does not break the bank and spend extra money developing a load for it - with 6.5x55 you will hit IT out to 300m with just about anything - its a terrific caliber!
 
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