Is it ok to make 6.5X55 brass outof 7X57 brass.
They are real close in size. Has anyone done this?

Whales Don't do it.The diameter of the 6.5 case just forward of the extractor grove is larger than the 7x57.That means the case will be unsupported in that area if you form a 6.5x55 case from the 7x57.New brass is readily availble from Rem & Win at very reasonable prices. Why take a chance??

Yes Whales, it *is* possible, but truly there is no reason to. Snowman is correct about the difference in size, but I wouldn't recommend Rem brass because it has the same size as the 7x57. The difference in case head size is .002, with the Swede being larger. I shoot 6.5x55's in a variety of rifles, including one in competitions. After trying a lot of different brass, I have settled on Selier & Bellot as my best choice. It is inexpensive, is the correct size, and comes loaded to normal European specs.

Whales,

try to get brass from Norma, Lapua, SAKO or RWS, which all are made to correct specifications. I think they are available from Huntington�s.

Fritz

Winchester and Remington brass in 6.5x55 Swede work fine and give no problems. I suggest you buy a hundred or so from Midway or some other discount mail-order firm and save some money that then can be spent on other components.

Exercion,

You mention using Sellier and Bellot brass
for reloading for the 6.5 Swede. Have you
ever shot any of their factory ammo? What
type of velocity could I expect from it out
of a 22 inch barrel?

Regards, Royce

Exercion
Where can I order the Selier & Bellot brass from?

Thanks everyone for the HELP
Whales

Royce,

I chronographed the S&B 131 gr. soft point at 2400 fps from my 18" Swede. You should be able to get another 100 fps or so in your 22" barrel.

FWIW,
Cannon

I just got a box of Lapua 6.5x55 in the other day, and am looking forward to loading it. It was on sale last month from Midway.

Unlike American manufacturers, Lapua didn't polish off the annealing colors. I like that - I can see exactly how far down the case body the annealing progressed.

I haven't measured the head diameter yet, but I hope it's larger than the Rem and Winch 6.5x55 I already have. I'll put light loads only in them.

There seems to be an implication that somehow 6.5x55mm Swede Remington and Winchester brass is unsafe. I am here to tell you that I have shot many and many 6.5mm Swede handloads in R-P and W-W cases that developed 60,000 to 63,000 psi with no problems at all.

Now before someone jumps up and starts shouting that these pressure levels are way too high for the Swede, I will say that they certainly are. However, my rifle is a Remington M700 with a 26" Douglas Premium barrel which, of course, can easily handle pressures in the 65,000 psi range. I would not even think about taking ammo to these pressure levels if it was going to be fired in a Swedish Mauser or a Krag-Jorgensen.

6.5 X 55 brass of U.S. manufacture has the typical .473" This doesn't pose much of a problem unless you have a very sloppy chamber.

OKShooter is correct as to the strength of U.S. cases. They will take higher pressures with no problems.

I shoot higher pressure loads with no problems in the M96. I resize so that it barely bumps the shoulder and many of my cases have 10 or more reloads on them. The primers are still tight. I have gotten some of my best groups with U.S. brass that was carefully sorted and prepped. Lapua brass is more uniform though.

Scott

My 6.5x55 has a tight enough chamber that it actualy prefers the smaller rem brass. I have been impressed with it. Everyone goes on about extra accuracy from other makes. All I can say is that for the sporting shot RP brass seems a good compromise.

Sorry for the long delay here. A couple things:
One, I never meant to imply that the Rem 6.5x55 brass is unsafe. However, I have noted a bit of a difference in brass life between the Rem and other brass that *is* the proper dimension.
Second: I buy my S&B 6.5 ammo from an outfit called Cheaper Than Dirt. Accuracy is fine with this ammo, I used it in a few matches before I switched to handloads.
I haven't clocked it but perhaps I can today when at the range, though all my rifles are full length M96's

If you really want to find out what your 6.5x55 will do, try a box of Lapua's target ammo (Norma's Jaktmatch is good too).

Lapua cases are the larger diameter, but more importantly, Lapua are the most uniform cases I've weighed or measured for runout.

Wish all my cases were Lapua!

jpb