I just finished building a 6.5 x 55 swedish mauser for my 9 year old son. Shorter barrel, thinner contour, cut down stock etc. Now I am looking for reduced loads. I have some 100 gr bullets but don't know where to start. I have always looked for the fastest most accurate load and now will be working in reverse. How do I pick a powder for the least amount of recoil? Do I just start at the slowest load? Is there a pistol or shotgun powder I can use for really light loads? Where do I start. I am really looking for mild recoil then will work him up to something that he can shoot a small cariboo with this winter. Thanks Smokey
Try 11-13 gr. of Unique, or 12 gr. Red Dot. If you lke misurp powder, got to www.gibrass.com, and get a jug of WC860. Load around 35 gr for MV of around 1600-1700 fps. These are cast bullet loads I shoot, and are real accurate. should work fine with condum bullets.
Hi Smokey Personally I think that with the Swede it is unnecessary to revert to Shotgun/pistol powders . The recoil in the swede is very light if you use the lower end of the reloading data as listed in the manuals . If you really want to use a fasterburning powder and want the velocity very low ,SR4759 work very well and I would suggest you look at the data in the Speer #13 ( they dont have a 100 gr though )
Last week I loaded some rounds for a friend ( very small framed young girl in late teens ) to shoot in my Steyr 6,5x55 - I used 44 gr Rel 22 and the 140 gr Hornady SP . I expected velocity of around 2400 fps . She loved the shoot and managed a three shot group sub-MOA at 100 meters with her second string .
I'm with Yspen on this one. The 6.5 x 55 is considered suitable for recoil-averse shooters, and should be fine as is. If you down-load it, you will just run into problems with obturation, sooty cases and so-on. With a 100-grain bullet it should be VERY gentle. I'd let the lad try it with a "normal" load.
I favourite light load of mine is 46 grains of Reloader19 with a 100 grain bullet. It hardly kicks at all.
personally I would shy away from a very slim barrel as it will heat up quick and the lighter the rifle the more felt recoil. Also I always go for accuracy rather than speed. 2600 is plenty fast enough imo - unless you are into long range stuff...
Hope he enjoys the rifle!
Posts: 1978 | Location: UK and UAE | Registered: 19 March 2001
Nosler lists a start load of 38gr of VVN150 for the 100gr ballistic tip. I shoot 40gr which gives 2,800fps and this is very mild allthough I'm not sure if a 9yr old would like it.
Personaly speaking if my son starts I will not be using anything other than published data and I would be extremely wary of pistol powders due to the risk of double charging.
Good choice!
[ 09-04-2002, 15:42: Message edited by: 1894 ]
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
Try starting a 100 gr. Nosler Partition or Ballistic Tip at 2800-3000 fps, this was very light recoil in my 8 lb 260. I would say this bullet at this velocity would have plenty of pop inside 200 yards on a caribou. Check the reloading manual for the sugg. charge for this velocity, maybe faster powders like 4895 would do it.
2,800fps and change with a 100gr bullet is very effective on deer, I shot a roe this morning that was further away than I thought after an exhausting stalk. I hit just above the bottom line of the chest say about an inch and half above and just back from the heart. The exit was fist sized and the expansion cracked the heart wall, no follow up shot needed. Range 225yards no holdover, bullet drop about 2.5 inches from 100.
I saw the reaction of the deer to the shot and remember thinking afterwards that there was literaly no recoil.
Try 39gr of VVN150 with 100gr ballistic tips, I really do think you'll be pleased.
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
