My wife is going to be shooting a 7x57. If I were to make a 6.5x55.

Is it possible to load the wrong cartridge in the wrong gun and have an unsafe situation?

I could see the 6.5x55 going in the 7x57 but I don't think it would be unsafe would it?

The 7x57 would not chamber in the 6.5x55, so we are safe there, I believe.

Obviously we would not put the wrong cartage in the wrong gun on purpose. It's just Murphy's Law that "one day". I would like to not maim one of us.

Allen

quote:

Is it possible to load the wrong cartridge in the wrong gun and have an unsafe situation?

IMO you'd not have a dangerous situation if the ammo was confused.

FWIW: http://www.saami.org/Unsafe_Combinations.cfm

Don't know that the Swede would fit, being somewhat fatter at the web. If it did, it'd be kinda like loading a .270 in a 30-06. More embarassing than anything. IMO.

delloro, thanks for the saami link based on that it looks like we should be ok.

stillbeeman, I didn't think about the Swede having the big butt! I would think it would be hard to mess them up without really trying.

I just wanted to make sure that was not a potentially a bad combination.

It looks like I'm good to go. I just found a real clean Mexican 1910 to day and it's going to become a 6.5x55.

Allen

quote:

Originally posted by stillbeeman:
Don't know that the Swede would fit, being somewhat fatter at the web. If it did, it'd be kinda like loading a .270 in a 30-06. More embarassing than anything. IMO.

US factory or brass is generaly standard 30-06 web/rim dimensions. With a CRF I think it would be possible to load, chamber and fire a US brassed 6.5x55 in a 7x57 but not vice versa. How dangerous this would be I don't know.

You are right to be concerned ... Over concerned? Good question.

As said, the Swede rim area is supposed to be slightly larger than the Mauser standard which is also what was adopted for the .30/'06. (0.473 inch as I recall.) At one time, when 6.5 x 55 was rare, making cases by shortening '06 military was recommended by the NRA.

This might stop a Swede round from going into a 7x57. At the same time, chambers tend to be sloppy in militaries and if the 7 was originally a military... You can try to see. No danger.

Obviously, the 6.5 x 55 is 2 mm shorter than the 7 x 57 mm case. 2 mm is about .08. Excessive headspace starts over about .06. Chances are if you put a 6.5 into a 7x57 the firing pin should not reach the primer. Should not. Obviously, the .264 bullet rattling down the .284 barrel is not going to create great pressure and/or danger there.

More risky, if you should be able to get a 7x57 into a 6.5 x 55... One would think the .284 bullet should not enter the throat of a .264 rifle, but who knows. And the case is longer, 2 mm. But... ??? Now that should raise pressures if you can get the bolt closed and fire the gun.

It might be possible, since you probably won't be taking these rifles out for varmints, to find nickle plated cases at slight additional cost for one to make obvious the different calibers. Then it just remembering which gun to not put the silver cases in. luck.

quote:

Originally posted by iiranger:

Chances are if you put a 6.5 into a 7x57 the firing pin should not reach the primer. Should not. Obviously, the .264 bullet rattling down the .284 barrel is not going to create great pressure and/or danger there.

If it's a CRF the extractor will hold the primer against the firing pin enought that there is a very good chance it will fire.

The danger issue is not bullet obstruction but catastrophic case seperation allowing gas to enter the action. Whether this would happen and what the consequences would be I don't know.

I have a Winchester M70 in 7x57 and a Ruger in 6.5x55. The Winchester M70 will not close the bolt on a 6.5x55 cartridge, and the Ruger 6.5 will not close the bolt on a 7x57. These are my handloads, factory rounds could be differant.