Just loaded some rounds for a swedish mauser w/ 120 gr Nosler BT. Low starting loads using IMR 4350...Did my usual routine of seating a bullet in an empty brass and chambering it find out where it contacted the lands then I was gonna back it down 25 thousandths and start looking for the sweet spot. I couldn't make contact the lands w/ the bullet seated way out...I've seen on some of the threads where I should be loading hot. But I am scared to load an old rifle hot...Anybody got any experience?

The M96 Mauser was throated for the long 160 gr RN military bullet. The fact you can`t reach the lands isn`t really a problem, just seat out as far as possible keeping about 0.26" of the bullet shank in the case neck. Try this COL in your rifle and if fits and feeds work your load up from here, then drop down after finding the max load in 0.005" increments to fine tune the seating off the lands for best accuracy.

I have used 44gr H4350 with a 140, that is max on the hodgdon chart. For a 120gr, 46gr h4350 is max on the hodgdon 6.5x55 load chart

I shoot 47gr of R22 or h4831 with a 140 in my swede m38

I've got a sporterized 96 swede that doesn't seem to like max or near max loads at all, starts showing little pressure signs early on, mine has generous headspace.

I had the same trouble and couldn't seat out to the lands so I just duplicated the OAL of factory S&B 131 grain bullets I had, that with 39 grains of IMR-4064 and Rem 140 Cor lokts gave me tiny little groups at 100 yards. This load always shoots under an inch and I've shot a group as small as .268" with three shots.
My advice: don't push the old swedes, start off easy and work your way up watching for pressure signs, who cares about "book" velocity yours will shoot what it will shoot.

The interesting fix to the excess freebore is to rechamber the 6.5 X 55 barrel to 6.5-06 and then screwing the barrel on a K. Kahles '98 Turk Mauser.

Amazing cheap rifle that shoots like a .270 and sometimes better!

Hey Vapo
Can I just run a reamer in my M96 for a 6.5/06 and be done with it?
What is the operating pressure of 6.5/06?
I'll have to check and see if '06 brass cycles through the magazine.
Your fix would cure my generous headspace in my 6.5x55!

It takes all of about ten minutes to fix the excess headsapce in that swede. In fact, I'll bet once you fix it the early signs of pressure will disappear. Excess headspace can cause flattened primers often giving the impression of high pressures where none exist.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
Hey Vapo
Can I just run a reamer in my M96 for a 6.5/06 and be done with it?
What is the operating pressure of 6.5/06?
I'll have to check and see if '06 brass cycles through the magazine.
Your fix would cure my generous headspace in my 6.5x55!

I do not work on Mausers of model prior to 1898 so I do not know, But I suspect your "Swede" will not hold the 6.5-06 round. Further, I'd not rechamber to the 6.5-06 unless I was very confident in the ability of the action to consistantly hold pressures of the .270 Winchester and I'm one of the folks that subscribe to the statement "There were no strong Mausers prior to the model of 1898" (Roy Dunlap) "Modern Gunsmithing"

My suspicion was that its design isn't conducive to .270's pressures.
It is a nice action however for the 6.5x55 range of cartridges and I will just keep it as such.
My regular gunsmith doesn't have on hand a reamer and guages for something as mundane as the 6.5 swede so I haven't fixed the "generous headspace" on mine. I wish I could find someone to treat me like my usual gunsmith does that would set the headspace right on this one I wouldn't ever think of rebarreling it to anything else as the only thing this set up lacks is correct headspace.
I have a "no go " guage that goes in it but I don't have a "go" guage or reamer for it.
Thanks everybody.

Sorry about the hijack!

Since most Swedish Mausers can be loaded with the 140s being able to hit 2800 fps MV.. why would one need to ream it out to 6.5/06?

It is an exercise in diminishing returns.... the 06 case holds more powder, but then that is offset in the fact that the bullet must be seated down into the powder room, and in the long run you gain little if any more MV....

Most 6,5 bore bullets are made for the Swede's MV and actually faster velocity is counter productive...as the bullets penetrate better at the lower velocities....

The Discontinued Sierra 160s would actually touch the lands on a Mauser... but its tip was of a wider diameter than the Hornady is...

I have a 6.5 x 55 on a Model 70 action... and can push many of the 120s faster than 3250 fps... however, their accuracy and their penetrating ability actually declines..

As I have been told by Sierra's tech boys, the best MV is 2900 or so... and that proves to hold true in all of my experiences with the Swedish Mauser...

I wouldn't let the freebore both you... In fact the corelokt 140s when seated to the lower cannelure... is a good example of Max COAL.. and will work just fine in the Swedish Mauser...

In fact that bullet is actually more accurate in my S.Mauser and my 260s and my 6.5 x 57 than a lot of the same loads with the 140 and 142 Sierra Matchkings... go figure!!!

quote:

I have a "no go " guage that goes in it but I don't have a "go" guage or reamer for it.

The no go gauge don't always mean that the headspace needs attention.....often there is also a "field gauge" that is the telling agent...it's about .004 longer than the no go and if this goes then you might want to deal with the headspace.

If the cases are not FL sized in reloading then this headspace issue is almost a "NON-ISSUE".

I also agree with Seafire that the free bore should not interfere with your shooting either...it's not likely hurting a thing.....we reloaders get a bit anal about touching lands and often for nothing!

I dont thing a 6.5-06 reamer will even clean up a 6.5x55 chamber. The swede chamber is wider near the base.

I have found that my 96's have very long throats because they were originally for 156 gr bullets. I have found that they will shoot those bullets thebest.

Here is an article about 6.5X55 headspace guages.
Apparently the Swedish armorers gauges were a little longer than the US standard. I have several of the Swedes both M96 and M38. None of them were fired much before I got them and all seem to have headspace a little longer than what you would expect.

6.5X55 Headspace Gauges

This is my number one sporter I built off of
an M96. I call it my "Black Stick of Death".

125 grain Nosler Partition at 2900 FPS kills
everything well. Just seat the bullet as far
out as you can. With 49 grains of AA3100 and
this bullet this rifle is MOA.

dxr

Doc,



perfect!

Thank you gentlemen...most enlightening.

I have used the very same load as DRXRING and have had great results as well.

My loading technique in my 1942 M38 Husky is to either:
a)load the bullets to the maximum length that will fit in the magazine (this works well for 140's)
or
b)Load the bullet atleast one caliber deep into the case neck
(flat based 120's)

Other than that the rifle shoots everything well enough to get "minute of deer" every time it's been fired at a deer.

AllanD