I'm looking for suggestions on best powders for 6.5x55. I've tried IMR 4831 with mixed results with 140 and 125 grain bullets. What has worked best for you?

H-414 has worked well for me. I tried it because I had a lot of it on hand and it's a winner here. H-4350 is also a fine powder for the Swede.

I load this for my friend, he has luck in his rifle with IMR 4350 in both Hornady weights (129 and 140 grn bullets)

I would give Hodgdon 4831SC a try. It will give excellent velocities in all bullet weights and works great for a multitude of other cartr. This powder which is actually made by Australian Defence Indus. is a small grained extruded powder which measures very well.

The slower powders are best, however I have had good luck with about every powder from IMR 4895 to IMR7828. I have a M96, M-38, and a cavalry carbine, and all seem to shoot best with 140s, or heavier. That lo-ong bullet is the 6.5s ticket to success.

I prefer VihtaVuory N 560
Just MHO
muck

p.s. The Swede is sweet

4831sc so far, and am running the ladder with RL22, but with 120gr NBT's IMR4350 has been fine as well. I have both the AI and the standard, and 4831sc is bad azz.

There is no really " bad" powder in the 6.5 x 55.

I prefer Mid range burn rates like RL 15 and IMR 4064 and IMR 4895. Both H 4350, IMR 4350, Reloader 19, 22, 25, H1000, IMR 7828, IMR 3031, H 380 and H 414, W 748 etc have all given me excellent accuracy...

It is just a darn good cartridge!

cheers
seafire

R22. same powder used in swedish ammo

Ramshot Magnum has worked well for me behind Core-lockts and Barnes XFB. (140 grain bullets)

R-22

Re-22 has provided the best blend of velocity and accuracy in a number of 6.5x55 rifles in our household.

In the very, very similar 6,5x57 mi personal pick is:
Norma 203-B for 100gr bullets (Re-15)
Norma 204 for 120-125 gr bullets (Re-19)
Norma MRP for 129-140 gr bullets (Re-22)

Both speed and accuracy-wise.

regards,

Montero

H4831 and Re22.

RL 19 with NBTs, but want to try RL 22 to see if I can get a little more speed.

I wonder why everyone is picking the slower powders, which may give more velocity... but that is contrary to the original design of the 6.5mm cartridges that will do strong penetration, at lower velocity.... lower velocity meaning less recoil and therefore greater accuracy for the average shooter.....

I can see an argument for bumping it up for larger game like moose/elk, or for flatter shooting like antelope.... but for most deer hunting the average deer taken is still taken at well under 100 yds.....

Just my personal thoughts ( not an argument invitation!)

Cheers
seafire

H4350 which is also made by ADI I found that H4831SC didn't get quite as high a velocity or accuracy as H4350 (thats AR2209 and AR2213CS for us Aussies)

I have a Remington Classic in 6.5x55 as well as several older M96 Swedish mausers. They have different barrel twists and prefer different bullet weights which of course means different powders. My preferrence with the heavier bullets is VV-560 and Reloder-19 whereas with the 85 and 100gr. bullets IMR4895 and IMR4064 do quite well. It's always advised to check out your barrel twist before buying powder for this caliber. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Seafire,do ya mean R22 as the slower powder?

Its still a low velocity load. Its the cats meow for the swede!!!

Hi,
When I had a 6.5x55 I used to load it with Australian AR2209 which it's sold in America as H4350. Under 140 grain bullets it was accurate

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
I wonder why everyone is picking the slower powders, which may give more velocity... but that is contrary to the original design of the 6.5mm cartridges that will do strong penetration, at lower velocity.... lower velocity meaning less recoil and therefore greater accuracy for the average shooter.....

I can see an argument for bumping it up for larger game like moose/elk, or for flatter shooting like antelope.... but for most deer hunting the average deer taken is still taken at well under 100 yds.....

Just my personal thoughts ( not an argument invitation!)

Cheers
seafire

I prefer to use the slowest powders that will produce the velocities I want with acceptable accuracy. The main reasons for this preference are that this way you get the lowest peak pressures, plus the charge takes up all or most of the space in the case, giving greater uniformity of ignition. This often (but not always of course) gives better accuracy as well....

125gn and 129gn IMR4350 a little slower and very accurate. RL19 a little faster and not as accurate. These bullets are deadly on hogs and deer under 200lbs. capt david

quote:

Originally posted by Mohawk:
I'm looking for suggestions on best powders for 6.5x55. I've tried IMR 4831 with mixed results with 140 and 125 grain bullets. What has worked best for you?

You might want to try 38gr.WCC846 and 140gr Rem psp w/2c.In a military mod. 96, 7 shot 1" grp. at 50yds.2400fps.
From what others have told me there is some what of a wide variation in burning rate so you may want to start 5% lower even though my loads were not hot.

This powder is proving to be accurate in a number of rifles but unless you use a reasonably large charge and magnum primers it can prove dirty. It is one of the best buys on the market today if you don't mind a little extra cleaning.

I have the best results with IMR4350 and H4350 with bullet weight 120-160. I have had some luck with IMR3031 with 85gr bullets.

So far, my best results in my Howa 1500 Lightning in 6.5x55 have been with IMR-4350 and IMR-4064, with the velocity edge going to IMR-4350. Best accuracy so far has been with Hornady 129 gr Spire Points, with the 140 gr Spire Points close behind. Am still trying to get the Nosler 120 gr Ballistic Tips to group, have loaded some fairly stout loads with Reloder 22 and the Nosler 120 gr B-Tips to try next trip to the range. Not sure if I will be able to get my hoped for 2800 fps with MOA accuracy that is my goal. Closest I have come is the Hornady 129 gr SP with 46.0 gr of IMR-4350 which averages under 1 inch at 100 yards, but only chronos about 2650 fps. Guess my Howa's 22" barrel is a little slow.

I4350 and H380 are my powders of choice with 140 gr bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by GSP7:
Seafire,do ya mean R22 as the slower powder?

Its still a low velocity load. Its the cats meow for the swede!!!

Yeah GSP: I have had such luck with the other powders, and have had erratic accuracy with RL 22.... Have chalked that up to some of the bad batches that were floating around, as several pounds I had were within those bad lot numbers....

But a lot of people still hot rod up the 6.5 x 55, and its reputation was set at lower velocity and the bullets made for it are meant to perform at those velocities...

The 6.5 is flatter shooting that most shooters give it credit for....

Both Sierra and Nosler told me that the best velocity for most 6.5 mm bullets above 120 grains is at about 2800 to 2900 fps for accuracy.... all of my testing has concluded that, even when I can push the velocities higher....

I have ran 120 grainers up to 3250 fps and 140 grainers to 2950 fps.... Granted the loads are a little warm, but I found that the extra velocity did nothing for me that down around 2800 fps wouldn't do for me in the real world.....

Less powder also equates to less recoil....
To me that is a good thing and reason for picking the 6.5 bore.....

Cheers
seafire

Folks always talk about the 140 grain bullets in the 6.5 x 55. However, people ought to give a look at the 125 grain Partition and the 129 grain Hornady...

both bullets are fully capable of taking down an Elk with a Swede.... and will give you more velocity if you need it... I think the 125 grain partition is the best overall "do everything" bullet in the Swede, followed by the 129 grain Hornady....

cheers
seafire

Re 22 and 140 gr Hornaday bullets give me litterally one hole groups. I must admit I quit load development right there. Good hunting

Thanks to everybody for all the great information. I have a much better idea of what to try. My rifle is a sporterized M96 Mauser so I don't push the loads too warm. It seems to shoot the heavier bullets a little better due to the twist. I have tried the 125 Partition and it is not as accurate as I like but it is minute of whitetail. This rifle is not as accurate as most in this caliber. I'm hoping that by utilizing the great info. from this thread that I'll develope a load it really likes. I love the fact that I can shoot it all day and never notice the recoil and it absolutly flattens deer and hogs.

Mohawk, How far out are you seating your bullets? My Howa displayed very mediocre accuracy until I started loading the cartridges to an overall length of 3.15 inches. If you are seating the bullets deeper, it may be that they are too far away from the rifling.