140- to 160-grain bullets.

just used up the rest of my imr 4831 in first load developments for my m-96 sporter with 21-inch barrel.

when i previously handloaded for this chambering, an earlier m-96 sporter thrived on aa 3100 and 140-grain bullets.i figure no more than 2500 fps for that load. that has been nie on 10 years ago. powders have changed; development has changed, at least a bit, i reckon.

so what now? considering h414, h4350, h4831, rl 19, rl 22, ww 760, imr 4350, imr 4831 (couldn't tell much from first loads over the weekend; getting two shots a half inch apart, then a third an inch away or more; don't think it was me every time; guessing oal not quite right).

i am not looking for blinding speed. 2500-2600 fps with hornady 140-grain spire points from the mil-twist 21-inch tube would be mighty pleasing.

this little sporter shoots winchester factory 140-grain hunting ammo (anemic fps of 2400 or so) into tidy little 5/8ths-inch triangles.

many thanks ahead of time. i am leaning toward rl 19 or 22 at this point. budget allows one pound of powder right now.

I've had very good luck with RL19 under the 120 and 140 grain Barnes XLCs I use for my hunting loads. I don't know the velocity, but the Barnes manual makes some impressive claims. I know that RL19 shoots very accurately with these bullets in my Sako. Other than IMR4831 with 129 grain Hornady SPs, that's the only powder I've used.

It's funny I am running into you over here instead of the campfire.

R22 has been my go to powder for the 6.5x55. If I could buy just one pound that's probably where I would be looking. Recently picked up N160 and it is showing a lot of promise with the 160gr. bullets but I haven't had a chance to work it out with the 140gr. bullets. It comes in 2lbs contaniers though and is quite a bit more expensive. I would think you should be able to hit 2500-2600 without any trouble. Norma's factory ammo went over 2600 out of my 20" barrel.

b-man:
no norma powder at the store here in bessemer. only alliant, imr, hogdon, winchester in one-pound containers. vihtavouri only in 8-pound containers, i believe.
anyone else?

Just got my first 6.5x55 in a Blaser R93 (yes I'm aware of the rumors) so have very little experience with it. Threw together a load with components I had on hand for a friends Rem Ti .260 and for what it may be worth shot the smallest three-shot group I ever have in a sporting weight rifle:.35". The components are IMR 4350, 45 grs, 140-gr Sierras, CCIs in Norma cases. The Chrony read, on average, 2620fps. The average of three groups was well under MOA.
Obviously, though, I need to pursue this with some more shooting.

GDV

Load manuals always run people to the slower powders. YOU use more of the powder quicker, and all that extra powder reduces pressure vs a quicker powder, but more powder also increases recoil and also adds to throat erosion quicker.

So for 140 grain bullets in a 6.5 x 55, I use the medium range powders. RL 15, IMR 4064, IMR 4895, IMR 3031 and H380 make decent powders. All of them provide excellent accuracy with any bullet weights. With 140 grain bullets, 2600 is easily obtained. I have obtained 2800 fps with 140 grain bullets with the above powders. PLEASE NOTE, I also seat my bullets out to fit the magazine as the throats in all of my 6.5 x 55s ( I have 3) will take a bullet out that is barely seated 10% of its length into the case. I use a Remington corelokt 140grain bullet seated to the first cannelure, not the second, as an example.

I have actually found better accuracy with the above powders over the ones in the H 414, 4350, 4831 RL 19 & 22 range.
Just my experience and observation.

Cheers and Good shooting
Seafire

I've used h-4831 & h-4350, but now I am using R-22 and the gun (3, two original config milsurps and one sporterized) love the R-22. They shot well with the others, but the R-22 has been fantastic.

I only shoot 139 and 140gr pills. The Nosler and Sierra 140 have the same POI in all 3 guns. I practice with the SIerras and hunt with the Nosler.

interesting choices here. my swede did not care at all for 40 grains of 4064, which seems to be a universal suggestion. perhaps 't'was the oal. but at the same oal, 45, 46 and 47 grains of imr 4831 showed more promise. i have seen several suggested h380 loads in my internet wandering.

i made up some loads with imr 4831 and 140-grain hornady spire points, but with a rim-to-ogive length to match that of the sweet-shooting (but slow) winchester factory ammo. the actual oal with the hornadies is a full millimeter longer. hope to shoot at lunch-time wednesday.

still ruminating. keep' em coming, boys. thanks.