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6.5x55mm Favorite Loads
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Looking for a good all-around load for the 6.5x55mm

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
Posts: 223 | Location: Houston, Texas | Registered: 26 April 2016Reply With Quote
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Picture of Mike_Dettorre
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This load is for a modern rifle and should be worked up to.

45.8 grains of H4350 under a 130 Barnes TSX seated 60/1000 of the lands.

You should start at 44.2 and work up in .4 increments.


Mike



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10055 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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140 hpbt - H414 - 41.5 fairly light.
 
Posts: 6386 | Location: NY, NY | Registered: 28 November 2005Reply With Quote
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I have a CZ 550FS and found a nice load with the 130gr Swift Scirocco.

I use 43.0grs of Reloader 17 with a Federal 215M primer and Norma cases. I get a littler over 2700fps from the 20.5" barrel and a three shot group around 3/4".
 
Posts: 743 | Location: Las Vegas | Registered: 23 June 2009Reply With Quote
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I found the following 6.5x55 load that was developed by Ross Siegfried and Terry Wieland wrote that he also uses this load.

140gr Nosler Partition
48.0grs IMR-4350fps
Velocity = 2840fps
 
Posts: 223 | Location: Houston, Texas | Registered: 26 April 2016Reply With Quote
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I don't have my load book for my Swedes handy but I always had best success with 139-142 grain bullets and either RL22 or IMR 4320. I shoot Swede 96's and a CG63 as well as one of the Ruger 77 International carbines. I have some 156 grain RN Hornady bullets that I am gonna work up a load for but am in the process of moving so it will likely be a while on that.


Grumpy old man with a gun,,,,Do not touch.
 
Posts: 51 | Registered: 14 August 2022Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike_TX:
I found the following 6.5x55 load that was developed by Ross Siegfried and Terry Wieland wrote that he also uses this load.

140gr Nosler Partition
48.0grs IMR-4350fps
Velocity = 2840fps


That load is 4 grains over published loads. People should use caution when duplicating loads from the internet.
I'm averaging 2793 fps with 44 grains of IMR4350 I'm pretty sure 4 more grains is not attainable in my rifle.
 
Posts: 5603 | Location: Eastern plains of Colorado | Registered: 31 October 2005Reply With Quote
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My favorite load is 47.0 grains of IMR 4831 topped with a 129 grain Hornady soft point. I think it is fairly mild but the game animals don't seem to know it.
 
Posts: 33 | Registered: 31 January 2011Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Snellstrom:
quote:
Originally posted by Mike_TX:
I found the following 6.5x55 load that was developed by Ross Siegfried and Terry Wieland wrote that he also uses this load.

140gr Nosler Partition
48.0grs IMR-4350fps
Velocity = 2840fps


That load is 4 grains over published loads. People should use caution when duplicating loads from the internet.
I'm averaging 2793 fps with 44 grains of IMR4350 I'm pretty sure 4 more grains is not attainable in my rifle.


No doubt - would only use in a modern rifle and I would reduce and work up.
 
Posts: 223 | Location: Houston, Texas | Registered: 26 April 2016Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by TexasJohn:
My favorite load is 47.0 grains of IMR 4831 topped with a 129 grain Hornady soft point. I think it is fairly mild but the game animals don't seem to know it.


My standard load too. Not hot, excellent accuracy (in my Ruger 1A), excellent case life, and a grim reaper among the deer population.
 
Posts: 329 | Location: Annapolis,Md. | Registered: 24 January 2006Reply With Quote
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I used to like the 156gr round nose Norma loads. Distances in the NE woods aren't long, so trajectory wasn't a concern. They sure flatten a Whitetail.
 
Posts: 20086 | Location: Very NW NJ up in the Mountains | Registered: 14 June 2009Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Biebs:
I used to like the 156gr round nose Norma loads. Distances in the NE woods aren't long, so trajectory wasn't a concern. They sure flatten a Whitetail.


Yep… don’t discount round nose bullets. They can be very effective in the right circumstances. I use quite a few in my 6.5x55, 7x57 and even in my 30-06.


Shoot Safe,
Mike

NRA Endowment Member
www.Marionroad.com
www.mausercentral.net
 
Posts: 944 | Location: Middle Georgia | Registered: 06 February 2011Reply With Quote
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I found a good load the other day. norma brass, 140 grain nosler partition, 24.99 a box ammoshop.com.


No matter where you go or what you do there you are! Yes tis true and tis pity but pity tis, tis true.
 
Posts: 571 | Registered: 09 November 2008Reply With Quote
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If you like heavy RN bullets, try:

Hornady 160 gr. RN with 45 gr. R22.

This comes from the German Wiederladen manual, which loads to CIP industry pressure level, not the reduced SAAMI specs. It's always best to work up to a new load.

It's sub 1" and 100 yards and goes end thru end on deer, black bear and hogs.

Good Hunting!

Steve
 
Posts: 109 | Registered: 05 January 2018Reply With Quote
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140 Gr. Nosler AB
45.5gr. of RL22
Rem. Large Rifle primer
3.03" OAL

I'm getting 2700-2710 fps, 3/4" accuracy with a 22" barrel.

That load is a grain under book max but I felt that was my realistic limit.

Rifle is a Merkel Helix.


Regards,

Robert

******************************
H4350! It stays crunchy in milk longer!
 
Posts: 2313 | Location: Greater Nashville, TN | Registered: 23 June 2006Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike Ray:
I found a good load the other day. norma brass, 140 grain nosler partition, 24.99 a box ammoshop.com.


I have also been shooting these - haven't had time to work up a load yet. I have killed a couple of pigs with these with bang flop performance.
 
Posts: 223 | Location: Houston, Texas | Registered: 26 April 2016Reply With Quote
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My best load is with RE16 and 140 grain Bergers, accurate and performs very well on game.


.
 
Posts: 41769 | Location: Crosby and Barksdale, Texas | Registered: 18 September 2006Reply With Quote
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I loaded up 140s speer HC bullets using 38.5gr of IMR 4064 @ 3.035 OAL and it seemed to do the trick...
 
Posts: 603 | Location: Texas, USA | Registered: 10 March 2017Reply With Quote
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My police officer son never fails to bag Montana Mule Deer with a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 with my reloads of Barnes 120g in front of Vihta Vuori N160 or N165. Range 250-450 yards.
 
Posts: 5 | Location: Dublin, Georgia, USA | Registered: 13 February 2024Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by pjinterrogator:
My police officer son never fails to bag Montana Mule Deer with a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 with my reloads of Barnes 120g in front of Vihta Vuori N160 or N165. Range 250-450 yards.
 
Posts: 5 | Location: Dublin, Georgia, USA | Registered: 13 February 2024Reply With Quote
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My police officer son never fails to bag Montana Mule Deer with a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 with my reloads of Barnes 120g in front of Vihta Vuori N160 or N165. Range 250-450 yards.
 
Posts: 5 | Location: Dublin, Georgia, USA | Registered: 13 February 2024Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by pjinterrogator:
My police officer son never fails to bag Montana Deer with a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 with my reloads of Barnes 120g in front of Vihta Vuori N160 or N165. Range 250-450 yards.
 
Posts: 5 | Location: Dublin, Georgia, USA | Registered: 13 February 2024Reply With Quote
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I have had great luck with 120 gr. nbt, and reloader 22, 120 sierra just as good. these are so good I never saw the need for 140's


No matter where you go or what you do there you are! Yes tis true and tis pity but pity tis, tis true.
 
Posts: 571 | Registered: 09 November 2008Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike_TX:
I found the following 6.5x55 load that was developed by Ross Siegfried and Terry Wieland wrote that he also uses this load.

140gr Nosler Partition
48.0grs IMR-4350fps
Velocity = 2840fps

That load is excessive--way over max, as Snellstrom has pointed out. I plugged the data into QuickLoad, and it indicated something on the order of 74,000 PSI pressure (via the modern piezoelectric method) for 48 grains of IMR 4350 with the 140-gr. Nosler Partition. A load with 44.0 grains showed a pressure of close to 60,000 PSI (with MV of 2728 fps), and so that's where I'd stop with that bullet/powder combination (and work up slowly from lighter charges, checking for signs of excessive pressure as you go).

I don't sense that folks here are loading for maximum velocity, and that makes sense. However, if you are looking to get the most, velocity-wise, from your 6.5x55, the powder to try is Alliant Re26. By my QuickLoad calculations, this magical powder will give you about 75-100 fps higher velocity, at completely safe pressures, than any other powder with any given bullet weight. As just one example, for the Nosler 140-gr. Partition noted above, QuickLoad shows about 2900 fps at safe pressures with Re26 from a 24" barrel (putting it right on the heels of the .270 Win.). The best I can do with Re22 at the same safe pressures is about 2825 fps, and with H4831, about 2770 fps. Re26 shows the same velocity advantage for many other cartridges like the .270 win.

Of course, other considerations like accuracy are important, and so I'm not advocating that we always load for maximum velocity.


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Posts: 163 | Location: Vancouver, BC Canada | Registered: 17 April 2015Reply With Quote
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The Nosler reloading book max load with 125 NP and IMR 4350 .02 off the lands. .75 inch accuracy and 2893 FPS,

Mark


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Posts: 12865 | Location: LAS VEGAS, NV USA | Registered: 04 August 2002Reply With Quote
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FWIW I use the Barnes manual book max of IMR4350 47 grains behind a ttsx 120 grain today.

Bolt lift was hard, primers are flattened and accuracy looked like an improved cylinder. By the Chrono 3150fps. I do believe I'll back off some.
 
Posts: 9089 | Location: Dillingham Alaska | Registered: 10 April 2006Reply With Quote
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Scott,

Also try seating the bullet a little deeper. The TTSX likes a healthy jump to the lands.

Mark


MARK H. YOUNG
MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES
7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110
Office 702-848-1693
Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED
E-mail markttc@msn.com
Website: myexclusiveadventures.com
Skype: markhyhunter
Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716
 
Posts: 12865 | Location: LAS VEGAS, NV USA | Registered: 04 August 2002Reply With Quote
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