In the past I have found differences between one reloading manual to another, but not this much
Loading for 6.5 x 55 Swede, 129 gr. Hornady, Lapua brass. My Lee book gives me 43.1 grains of RL 19 as a starting point. The other book (strictly 6.5 x 55 data) gives me a max of 44.8 ??? Same book gives me 45.4 grains of RL-22 as a Max with a velocity of 2700 fps and I have shot loads with 47 grains without any signs of pressure. Rifle is Swiss military rifle, 24 inch barrel....this has me worried Anybody reload for the 6.5 using RL-22 ??

In you manual do they tell you the test rifle for their data. That may be the reason for the difference.

The book dedicated to 6.5 data only uses a Mauser Model 1896....Lee does not list a rifle but my guess is that its not a small ring mauser....Should have looked at that first...

My first question is which round are you asking about, as you mention a Swede round but a Swiss military rifle. Assuming you meant Swede military rifle and not Swiss, here goes. RL-22 is my fav powder in the military Swede, particularly in the M96 which is the 29" model. Sounds like you have the M38 with the 24" barrel. You may want to look at page 27 of your 6.5x55 specific book, and see the data from Alliant Powder. It specifically lists the 129gr Hornady over 48g of RL-19, predicting 2815fps @ 44,500 CUP. Running some numbers through QuickLoad I saw some equivalent loads using RL-22 which I tend to believe would give better accuracy than the 19. I hesitate to post my current match load for military Swedes as it wasn't taken from a published load manual, but I'd tell you what I do use if you PM.

Eric

Oki,
The discrepancy you noticed occurs throughout loading data for all calibers and powders to some extent. One answer is to own more manuals and use powders for which data is widely available.
You can often compare burning rates for a sanity check but do not use the burning rates to develop your own data. I try to find 3 to 5 sources of data that reasonably match if I can.
I know of one manual from a well respected bullet manufacturer that had a typo for IMR4320 powder in the 30/06 data. It listed a max load for 4320 the same as the max load for 4350. Without other manuals I would not have known the difference. I was a greenhorn when I discovered it.

IR2 makes an excellent point, that each source usually comes up with slightly different data for each cartridge. It is important to recognize the type of firearm used to develop data, as well as barrel length.
I think more people should invest in chronographs if they are serious about load development. While not as foolproof as strain gauges and pressure measuring equipment, they do give you a pretty good idea about relative pressure and the most important rifle in the world - yours!
Clearly, velocity is a function of pressure, and if you are getting numbers close to the published data, you can be reasonably sure you are running similar pressures. If your velocity is noticeably higher than the published data and you have a similar firearm and barrel, you may consider backing off a bit, particularly if you are noticing difficult extraction, flattened primers or cratered primers.
Still the best advice, as given in all the loading manuals, is to start low and proceed with caution until you reach what you feel is a load that provides sufficient velocity and accuracy for your uses. If you aren't satisfied with the performance, try other powders, or maybe a different cartridge. Don't try to make a .223 into a 22-250, or a .270 Win into a 7mm Magnum, and you should be fine. The 6.5x55 was never intended to be a long range, high velocity cartridge. Enjoy it for what it is, a very mild recoiling, very accurate and effective medium game, medium range cartridge. My 2¢ worth.

Different data source = different powder lot, different bullet lot, different primer, different case (maybe), different chamber it was tested in, different bore, different test equipment, different operator reading test equipment. Whewwwwwwww . Start low and work up. The books are simply guide lines and should not be trusted as cut in stone.

You are missing out on one of the best powders I have found for my 1919 Swede and the 129 Hornady. I use 37.5 gr's of Varget and my largest group from the last session was .436 at 100 yd's. I didn't chronograph it because it shoots so good I didn't care.
That is not bad for a pitted bore!
I will never use a slower powder because I had an SEE event with a published load of 4831.(46 gr's.) The primer was GONE and I had to beat the bolt open. Luckily there was no damage to the gun. I had shot hundreds of these loads before but one time was enough. My friend had the same thing happen to his Swede, thats two times. Take it with a grain of salt.

Remember the Swede has a long freebore. You are better off with a faster powder.

quote:

Originally posted by bfrshooter:
You are missing out on one of the best powders I have found for my 1919 Swede and the 129 Hornady. I use 37.5 gr's of Varget and my largest group from the last session was .436 at 100 yd's. I didn't chronograph it because it shoots so good I didn't care.
That is not bad for a pitted bore!
I will never use a slower powder because I had an SEE event with a published load of 4831.(46 gr's.) The primer was GONE and I had to beat the bolt open. Luckily there was no damage to the gun. I had shot hundreds of these loads before but one time was enough. My friend had the same thing happen to his Swede, thats two times. Take it with a grain of salt.

Interesting, I have read a whole lot of posts regarding loading the 6.5x55, and almost all of them recommend the slower burning powders, especially Reloder 22 and H-4831. While I never had particularly good results with 4831, I did have pretty good results with IMR-4350 and Reloder 22. I also had some good success with IMR-4064, which was hardly ever suggested as 'go to" powder for the 6.5x55, except in the Sierra manual. Yours is the first post I have ever seen relating a problem with a slow burning powder, and I have to wonder if it was caused by a "perfect storm" of hotter than usual primer, slightly oversize bullet, tight necked case and whatever other variables factored in on a one in a million coincidence. I have now settled on Accurate Data 86 surplus powder for my 6.5x55. It has a similar burning rate to Accurate 3100 and works well with 47.5 gr and the Hornady 129 gr SP.

It is baffling to say the least and the 46 gr loads were always listed as the most accurate--and it was. I made sure it didn't happen again by increasing the charge to 47 gr's but accuracy was then poor.
I used new, once fired Remington brass, neck sized, Fed 210 primers and the Hornady 129 gr bullet. My friend was using the exact same load in Norma brass. The only thing we can guess at is the bullet stopped at the end of the freebore for a split second. A much longer bullet might also prevent it. I seat bullets out pretty far.
We have shot that load for years without a problem and I wore out a lot of Norma brass plus some cases formed from 30-06 brass when no cases could be found. It was my go-to load. I once shot a .430" group while it was still in the military stock, open sights, at 100 yd's.
But now I am afraid of it!
Varget brought back the accuracy very easily and I am happy with it.

Further reading (bout time) I found several different rifles used. Will try to stay with the one using a M38 which should closely duplicate my M96 that has been cut down. Accuracy wise I have used H1000 that they swore buy on one thread...and it is accurate for the 140, but too slow for the 129, I get gas back around the neck of the case unless I use mag primers.
I am using the RL22 because I have it but want to be able to work up a good load for the 129 and 140 using IMR 4064 becaus I use it in my 06 and 35 whelen. But only time will tell. Thanks for all the help....

I load 40 grains of IMR 4064 with the 129 grain bullets in my 6.5 x 55s...

I also do it with the 140s, which is over book maxes.. but the bullet is long seated as all 3 of my 6.5 x 55s are long throated...

If you try this, tho, work up.. I believe 35 grains is what is listed in a lot of manuals with operating pressure about 44,000 CUPs...

using some old reload data from the 1960s... I loaded up some 120 grain Sierra HPs behind 45 grains of IMR 4064... in a 29 inch barrel Mauser it gave MVs of 3115 to 3150 fps... and it was highly accurate also...

48.5 grains of IMR 4350 and a 129 grain Hornady, gave MVs of 3090 and 3092 in the same rifle.. and once again, 1960s load data, which they used an 18 inch barreled rifle.. so I chronographed them with the 29 inch barrel... accuracy was superb in my Mauser...

47.5 grains of IMR 4350 with the 140 grain Corelokts gave 2940 fps chronographing 3 shots...all 3 readings were 2938 fps...

Work up as I did, if you try this stuff...

good luck..
seafire

Lost Oki, what reloading book that is dedicted to the 6.5x55 are you using. Thanks

nash22,
I don't know about him (but would guess it's the same) but I have a couple different ones from Loadbooks USA, one in 6.5x55. The series is called One Book/One Caliber. They have a whole bunch in all kinds of calibers.

Eric

Tahoe, thats what I thought, good little books. I've got a couple of them in 7x57, 30.06. Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Lost Oki:
In the past I have found differences between one reloading manual to another, but not this much
Loading for 6.5 x 55 Swede, 129 gr. Hornady, Lapua brass. My Lee book gives me 43.1 grains of RL 19 as a starting point. The other book (strictly 6.5 x 55 data) gives me a max of 44.8 ??? Same book gives me 45.4 grains of RL-22 as a Max with a velocity of 2700 fps and I have shot loads with 47 grains without any signs of pressure. Rifle is Swiss military rifle, 24 inch barrel....this has me worried Anybody reload for the 6.5 using RL-22 ??

As Bob Hagel said in his book GAME LOADS & PRACTICAL BALLISTICS FOR THE AMERICAN HUNTER, "All rifles are individuals. What may prove to be a maximum load in one might be quite mild in another, and vice-versa."

As far as maximum loads are concerned, those printed in manuals are maximum loads for the ONE gun in which they were developed, and no other! That's why there's so much disagreement between loading manuals. As a matter of fact, I would become worried if there were identical loads in two manuals from different sources!

quote:

As far as maximum loads are concerned, those printed in manuals are maximum loads for the ONE gun in which they were developed, and no other! That's why there's so much disagreement between loading manuals. As a matter of fact, I would become worried if there were identical loads in two manuals from different sources!

One other thing to keep in mind when loading the Swede is that different manuals load this cartridge to different pressure levels. There are books that keep them down for the old M96 and Krags out there, and some load them to more modern pressures. (Speer and Nosler both warn they are doing this in their manuals and that one should adjust their load to match the rifle they are useing)
The data in all the various manuals are showing the max they found in their lab and at the level they have decided to call max.