Hello all, I just bought my first reloading book, the Nosler Guide #8, yesterday, and I've been downloading load data charts from various manufacturers such as Hornady, VihtaVouri, Lapua, etc. I just got a Sako 85 in 6.5x55SE, and it is my favorite rifle I've ever owned. Took it to the range for the first time today, as a matter of fact. My best 5 shot group was roughly 2/3" at 100 yards, with Lapua 139 grain Scenar OTM factory ammo. Considering that I'm a pretty poor rifle shot, I am ecstatic with the group:


But now I've been bit by the caliber bug, and want to start reloading 6.5x55. It's really the only caliber I have an interest in loading at this point. My question for you guys is this:
I want to avoid buying different powders for different bullets. I want to try out 120, 123, 136,and 139 grain Scenar/Scenar L's, 120 gr E-Tip, 140 gr Accubond, 140 grain Naturalis, 120gr GMX, etc. The problem I've run into is that the only powder I've bought so far is Viht N550, which was recommended as being best on the 130-140 range of bullets. But my Nosler reloading guide only lists one bullet/ weight with data for the N550, whereas pretty much every weight can use the IMR 4350. According to Viht, on the other hand, the N550 can be used for almost everything. So it leaves me wondering, if IMR 4350 is safe to use in a boatload of weights, and FIVE different bullets at 140 grain alone, then why would N550 be bad to use for a 120 grain E-Tip or a 140 grain Accubond?

Being brand new to reloading (having not even started yet), I'm not trying to be one of those "push the envelope" kind of guys. I'm just trying to avoid buying an excess of components and stick with the least number of changing variables.

Any help would be appreciated.

It probably wouldn't be "bad". It may be that Nosler found that it didn't work too well with certain bullets. Or, they only tested it with one bullet weight. Use Viht's load data and you should be fine.

Welcome to AR and reloading.

Thanks Craigster! I appreciate it.

I second craigsters remarks. You need several reliable sources of load data.

quote:

But now I've been bit by the caliber bug, and want to start reloading 6.5x55. It's really the only caliber I have an interest in loading at this point. My question for you guys is this:
I want to avoid buying different powders for different bullets. I want to try out 120, 123, 136,and 139 grain Scenar/Scenar L's, 120 gr E-Tip, 140 gr Accubond, 140 grain Naturalis, 120gr GMX, etc. The problem I've run into is that the only powder I've bought so far is Viht N550, which was recommended as being best on the 130-140 range of bullets. But my Nosler reloading guide only lists one bullet/ weight with data for the N550, whereas pretty much every weight can use the IMR 4350. According to Viht, on the other hand, the N550 can be used for almost everything. So it leaves me wondering, if IMR 4350 is safe to use in a boatload of weights, and FIVE different bullets at 140 grain alone, then why would N550 be bad to use for a 120 grain E-Tip or a 140 grain Accubond?

I like the Nosler manual in that it gives what they found to be the most accurate load with each powder listed. You will however, get other recommendations on best powder from other manuals.

You want to try EIGHT different bullets at least and yet you only wish to buy one powder and have one manual. It's not realistic to expect one powder to be the best with all those bullet weights and you are limiting yourself with one manual.

I would:

1. Decide on what you wanted the bullet to do. Do you want it for target or hunting? Select an appropriate bullet type.

2. Select one bullet weight. I usually start with a Nosler or Sierra match bullet and then if I have a good load and want to use it for hunting, I'll use the data gathered with a hunting type bullet of the same weight.

3. Buy one or two more reloading manuals (since you'd be saving on the cost of bullets you should be able to afford it. I'd suggest the Lyman and/or Hornady manuals.

4. Based on recommendations from the manuals relating to the bullet weight chosen, select one or two powders to try.

I appreciate the replies.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:

I like the Nosler manual in that it gives what they found to be the most accurate load with each powder listed. You will however, get other recommendations on best powder from other manuals.

You want to try EIGHT different bullets at least and yet you only wish to buy one powder and have one manual. It's not realistic to expect one powder to be the best with all those bullet weights and you are limiting yourself with one manual.

I would:

1. Decide on what you wanted the bullet to do. Do you want it for target or hunting? Select an appropriate bullet type.

2. Select one bullet weight. I usually start with a Nosler or Sierra match bullet and then if I have a good load and want to use it for hunting, I'll use the data gathered with a hunting type bullet of the same weight.

3. Buy one or two more reloading manuals (since you'd be saving on the cost of bullets you should be able to afford it. I'd suggest the Lyman and/or Hornady manuals.

4. Based on recommendations from the manuals relating to the bullet weight chosen, select one or two powders to try.

I'm sure you're right, Grumulkin, it probably makes sense to narrow down the bullets and also to be open to more than one powder. I hope I didn't give the impression that I only want one manual, I'll happily buy more manuals.

My goal for the bullet is primarily target shooting, but I'd like it to be able to do double duty as a hunting round, and I'm hoping for something a little larger than deer. Black bear and elk are what I have in mind. I've read that the 6.5 is well suited to game slightly larger than typical deer, so that's the load/ bullet I'd like to shoot for.

Being a Californian, I'm limited for the hunting bullet, since it has to be lead free. I believe E-Tip, GMX, and Naturalis are three of the common options. So for target shooting, I want a bullet that will approximate whichever of those three that I end up going with. My rifle has a 1:8" twist, which is faster than the 1:9 used by Nosler in their load data. So my rifle would probably prefer the heavier bullets, I'm guessing. I'm a little bit dumbfounded on why only Lapua chose a 140 grain for their monolithic bullet. Hornady and Nosler both chose a 120, which in my limited understanding seems strange for the caliber.

I like the idea of a heavier bullet for not only my barrel, but for elk/ black bear sized game. But if a 120 grain monolithic could have the same penetration and effect on an animal that size as a 140 grain Lapua, then I'd happily go with it. I'm not thrilled about the horrible BC of the Naturalis compared to the other two. So as far as your second bullet point (pun intended) is concerned, if I want a target bullet to approximately my hunting bullet, I'm really limited to either 120 or 140 grain.

These are all my musings as a novice. Please feel free to correct me in my errors in thought process or reality. And in fact, any thread-drift towards the 6.5x55 in specific would be more than welcome. I'm trying to learn everything I can about it.

No reloading manual can list all possible powders and loads; they have to limit it somehow. Don't get all bogged down in minutiae; start with a common bullet and load and go from there. It is easy for a newbie to get stuck with so many options.
It was easier back when we used black powder cartridges; your rifle used one bullet weight and one powder charge. Mostly.

Run your numbers here, http://www.jbmballistics.com/index.shtml. No guarantees, but it will give you an idea of what to expect.

I try to use the fewest number of powders for each cartridge but it never seems to work out.

In my 375 H&H alone, for three 300 grain bullets I have three different powders. I have another powder for the 270 TSX and a fifth powder for the 260 grain Partition and I'm about to start experimenting with the 250 grain TTSX.

I never have less than 15 - 20 different rifle powders in the cabinet at any time.

I just did a quick count of the powders I use, or have used, in rifle applications. 25. I surprised myself.

You got yourself a most accurate caliber. I handload for a 115 years old Swedish Carl Gustav M96 (anno 1901). It groups around 2 MOA at 100 meters, using the issue iron sights and my 68 years eyes. Its petload is 140 SMK/N160/44.0. In your modern rifle you may use hotter loads (see 6,5x55 SKAN) than permitted in my veteran.


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quote:

Originally posted by Jedi5150:
My goal for the bullet is primarily target shooting, but I'd like it to be able to do double duty as a hunting round, and I'm hoping for something a little larger than deer. Black bear and elk are what I have in mind. I've read that the 6.5 is well suited to game slightly larger than typical deer, so that's the load/ bullet I'd like to shoot for.

Since you need to use lead free bullets for hunting, I'd go for 130 grain Barnes TSX for hunting but work up the load with the less expensive Sierra 130 grain MatchKings. I've done a similar workup with several different calibers of TSX bullets and no change in powder weight was needed. I also think that crimping Barnes bullets in one of the grooves with a Lee Factory Crimp Die helps accuracy.

And Andre, nice looking rifle.

Jedi As others have pointed out one powder will NOT be optimum with all bullet weights. I have found that IMR 4350 is hard to beat with bullets weighing 125 grs and less. Bullets weighing 129 grs and more I have had success with RL 22. I'm sure other have found a "sweet" load using other powders and bullets. Hope that helps.

Try this link...

http://forum.accurateshooter.c...-5x55-loads.1470460/

Also, Google 6.5x55 vs. long range shooting, long range hunting, etc.

I second snowman, I Load 43.5grs of imr4350 120gr sierra spritzers. cbc cases for my 96 swed. it likes velocities at about 2700 to 2800 f/s.

Grumulkin is spot on. One thing that influenced me to buy a 30-06 because of the large selection of bullet weights. In reality, I found my preference to be 150 grainers, really, trying to adjust your scope for different bullet weights and remembering which one is a pain. Most likely, you'll do the same, settle on one weight. By all means have several manuals.

I appreciate the added insight, Gents. I'll give up on the "one powder" idea. And Grumulkin, thanks for the heads up on the Barnes 130 grain. It's nice knowing there is a lead-free option in that weight range.

Andre, thanks for sharing your rifle. Absolutely gorgeous! And your shooting is very respectable for iron sights. I tried out my Yugo M48 again yesterday with the v-notch sights and even with good ammo, my group was huge.

Here is my new Bavarian in 6.5x55:

Jedi, you might want to consider subscribing to Ammo Guide and/or Load Data.

Each has far more loading data, culled from a wide number of sources, than any manual I've ever seen.

There is a caveat: IMO, the manuals generally provide a better step-by-step explanation of the process of reloading than I've found on line.

JFWIW

Since you asked, let me make a few suggestions

First - buy the Lyman manual and read the chapters in the front (not the load data). Just understand the issues about pressure and what affects pressure.

Second - Remember that the 6.5X55 is a low pressure round of 46000 cup / 52000 PSI originally. In your Sako you can load it to 54000 cup / 63000 psi without any problems.

All the reload data will not give such high pressure. So you will find it confusing and frustrating when you chronograph your loads! 6.5X55 is probably not the ideal cartridge to start / learn reloading for!

Thidly - get a chronograph. It is dangerous to reload at the higher velocities without a chronograph.

I had a Sako AV & Winchester M70 in this caliber and developed many loads.

I would not worry about too many bullets.

139 / 140 gr Hornady is great. Also Accubonds.

125 gr Nosler Partition makes this caliber perform like a 270 Win! No jokes!

120 to 130 TSX or TTSX will also be great. Again in the 270 class.

I had great results with Re 19, N160 and the old IMR 4831.

N560 should also do well. I would be interested in trying the newer Re17.

You should get minimum 2750 fps with 140 gr bullets but start at 2650 fps and go up carefully. I got 2950 fps with the 125 gr Partitions - adequate for any deer out to 300 meters or more.

I carefully measured the case head expansion of every shot for over 200 rounds before I was confident of the pressure levels I was getting from my loads.

I actually did load some hot ones that expanded the primer pocket or shaved brass off the bolt head etc.

So be careful & be safe.

Last point - use the chronograph and see what velocities your factory ammo are giving. You may be surprised that they are not very fast! Still very adequate for deer.

Edited: Some of the loads mentioned above & on the websites were for the M96 Swedish Mauser & 29 inch barrel - so a load of 46000 cup pressure still gave 2750 fps or more with 140 gr bullet. In your rifles those loads will not do more than about 2500 fps!

PM me if you want my 15 year old records / loads mostly using N160 & Re19.

Nakihunter, I appreciate it! Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response.

140 Nosler Partitions and RL22 works for me since 1991.

Some people swear by Re22 & MRP. In my 2 rifles they just did not give the velocities that I got with N160, Re19 or old IMR 4831.

All my final loads were very accurate - 100 meters 5 shots in 0.5 inch to 1.25 inch.

Each rifle varies. Mine were a 1 in 9 inch twist barrel IIRC.

I also got good results with the Hornady 160 gr Round nose - 2600 fps. These bullets are exceptional even on large game like Sambar, elk, bear, kudu, eland etc. They penetrate very deep. The Scandinavians have shot millions of moose with this or similar bullets over the last 100+ years.

Good luck.

A 160 grain at 2600 fps is really moving along! In the VihtaVouri guide the fastest max load for even a 156 grain is 2539. I keep reading that folks load the 6.5x55 much hotter in the Scandinavian countries than here in the US, but I figured the VV guide would be on the hotter end of ammo, for that reason.

I'm intrigued by the 140-160 grain bullets in the Swede. There are lots of cartridges that fire small, fast bullets very well...but it seems to me that what the Swede brings to the table is its ability to fire heavy bullets well.

The Swede was originally designed for the 160 gr bullet and even the smaller 6.5X54Mannlicher Schoenauer was.

The 7X57 was originally loader for the 173 gr bullet. The 303 was loaded with 215 gr bullet.

The lighter faster loads came out much later as smokeless powder improved in reliability.

The Sako & Winchester loads of 2600 fps with 160 gr bullet are safe loads in my rifles giving more than 10 reloads with firm primer reseating. It is possible that they aright on 63,000 psi or there abouts. Case head expansion was withing limits - I cannot remember exact readings.