I have just started reloading for my 6.5 x 55 Swedish. Using 140 grain projectiles I have been using a O.A.L. of 79mm (3.110inch.) and have been having great success.

I decided to try some Remington 120 grain to see if I could get any decent results as I have heard that the lower weight projectile will not work in all rifles.

The Remington projectiles when crimped in the groove have a O.A.L. of 72mm (2.84inch.) which is below the minimum I have been given which is 76.8mm (3.025inch.) Has anybody any experience with firing cartridges of this length. I am going to the range tomorrow and I am uncertain what to do.

Aussie Frank

I have used Nosler 100 grain bullets in this cartridge, and they come up really short, but do shoot well. I am now trying Lapua Scenar 123 grain at OAL 3.14, and they are promising great things, I wouldn't personally (but don't take my word!) be too worried about your loads being quite short on OAL. Many 6.5s have a lot of freebore, so you never get near the lands anyway.

Patrick

No problem with short OAL, I use 160grs LAPUA mega for hunting and it has two crimping grooves, one at the back (for normal OAL) and one in half for deeper seating. I use this one and I am happy with it (for this bullet I use 43grs of 4350) at 150m it has almost same accuracy as NOSLER BallisticTip 120grs with 46grs. Lapua is really great bullet. If you are not hunter you should try their SCENAR bullets, they are also great.

Aussie Frank,
which bullet do you use? I'm going to test 120 sierra with new loads, but I'm mantaining the same OAL. If it is possible, why not? The problem that you explain, happen in the old swedish mauser, G.Gustav and Husqvarna, due the rifle step (too short). Modern rifle should not be affected by ths problem.
bye

I would ignore the crimp grooves on the bullets and seat bullets where they work best . I dont crimp for the 6,5x55 - not necessary .
Most of my 120 gr's get seated at about 3,03-3,04".

Ben

Yspen,

I would say that light crimp if you use your load for hunting would be good, to make it strnger when being long time and long walks in magazine. And it makes it also more resistant to water.

The Sierra 120SP works well and groups tight but is frangible at ranges under 35 metres. Examples of no exit on deer when put through the near shoulder are not uncommon. Thankfully the deer drop like a sack of cement! I have used various bullets from the Norma 77SP to the Hornady 160 RN and they all shot well but the most consistant for my use (Roe and Fallow deer in the 60 to 120lb on the hoof weight) were the 120 and 129 weights sat at between 3" and 3.11" depending on the sweet spot. As for crimping the only one I crimped was the 160RN (after I missed a deer, unloaded the rifle and found the bullet in the next cartridge in the mag' had disappeared into the case!!! Scary or what? I hope this helps you to enjoy a truly classic and underrated calibre.

Frank, if you have been using the 140 Remington bullets you have probably never been close to the rifling yet anyway. These are two dimension bullets (at least they were when I bought mine a year ago) and the front of the bullet is a smaller diameter than the lands and behind the crimp groove is larger. Try placing a bullet point in the muzzle of the rifle and see if yours are. If it drops in up to the crimp groove, then certainly don't worry about 120 grains because they are single diameter bullets. I get excelent accuracy with both.

I routinely shoot the Rem 120's with an OAL of 76.0mm (BTW, they don't shoot well for me either). Since I'm fairly conservative with OAL, I would imagine 76.8mm would be just fine.

Hi Guys

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I am of to the range again to morrow with my latest reloads which are COL 78mm (3.07inches) 120 grain Reminton PSP. I have 5 different charge weights using ADI powder AR2209. I will keep you posted on how I go. I have also loaded some 80 Grain Taipan Hollow points just out of curiosity to see how they shoot.

Aussie Frank

Hi Guys

To answer a few other questions, I shoot at my local range and I also hunt for feral pigs,goats and dingos. I use a light crimp using a Lee crimp die and have found accuracy has improved slightly since using it. Using 140 grain Hollow points I can usually get 3 shot groups into 0.8 MOA which I cinsider quite good for a 100 year old action and a new shortened military barrel.
I use a COL of 80mm for 140 grain projectiles.

Aussie Frank

Norma's factory loaded practice ammo is a little less than 2,9". So there shouldn't be any problems... I have however experienced some feeding problems during rapid fire sessions, but this could be a result of the ammo/rifle/shooter combination I have never had any problems when using ammo with longer OAL (ie Prickskytte).