Just Curious to see who loads for this CZ 550 FS 7x57 or CZ 550FS 6.5x55 rifle...

Could anyone share any thoughts on load development, powder, and bullet choice?

I got two beautiful rifles that I want to have some fun with...

Thanks a bunch!

I have a CZ 6.5X55 American and in that I use 129Gr Hornady Interlocks, 45 gr H4350 Lapua brass and CCI LR primer. I have never chrono'd this load but, it is a one shot load on Sika stags, which are for some strange reason hard to kill. Probably the hardest deer that we have in the UK to kill. I cannot really fault the calibre, and it is all that I have used on deer in the last two years. Can't help you with a FS, sorry.

John

I don't have a CZ in 6.5X55 but I do have two other modern rifles in that caliber. My favorite load( very accurate) is 49 gr. RL 22, Fed. 210 primer, 140 gr. Swift A-Frame. I get 2775 fps., no pressure signs, very accurate. Your milage may vary.

Geronimo

JAYB and Geronomo,

Thanks for the info as I'm just trying to see what different guys are shooting in these rifles...

Anyone else?

My CZ 550 FS 6.5x55 shoots just about everything well. I settled on 47gr of DP 86/140gr Nosler Partitions,2750fps. When my batch of DP 86 is gone I will go with R-22.

Roland: I reloaded and chronographed the loads for my little brother, who owns a CZ 550 FS in 7x57. His hunting buddy also owns the same rifle in the same caliber, so I handloaded some for him too. It is the same load I use in my CZ 550 American in 7x57mm. In Duffy's rifle, the load is 48.3 grains of H414 powder, Remington-Peters Cases, Federal 210 primers and Nosler 160 grain partition bullets. With this load he shoots 3/4 inch three shot groups with proper cooling between shots. The chrono gave a 15-shot average of 2,686 fps. The other load is exactly the same components and amounts except the bullet, which is a 162 grain Hornady SST. It chronos at 2,670 fps. That load provides 5/8 in groups at 100 yards, also with proper cooling between shots. By the way, have you seen the new CZ 550 Americans yet. It has a new style stock and is just a tad lighter than the regular CZ 550 American. It really looks to be a keeper. Have a great day ... Tom

bloomer -

i have a cz m500 7x57 (american model). i've been SLOWLY working on load development for it (click here).

results so far show promise, and i should be hitting development ahrd when it warms up a little here!

I'm shooting 120 Northforks in my 6.5 X 55 and using 48 grains H-4350 for 3,025'/sec in a 21" barrel.

I have no clue about the pressure but there are no signs in my gun.....and it's so flat shooting it reminds me of my .25-06

Using premium bullets allows me to downgrade on weight to up the velocity. It sure kills deer!

Roland..

I have a couple of Rugers, with long throats in them, that are really picky in 7 x 57..

however, from 139 to 175 grain bullets, a charge of 40 grains of IMR 3031 turns both rifles into real tack drivers...that load works well across the board...

I have a 7 x 57 Model 70 Featherweight and that seems to shoot anything you feed it well...

My hunting load on that one has been 44 grains of IMR 4895 with a 140 grain Ballistic Tip over the last several years.... MV is 2800 fps which is plenty good enough...

For Elk loads, I have dropped that to 40 grains of IMR 4895 and have loaded a 160 grain Speer Mag Tip....

As far as 6.5 x 55.. depends on whether you want to rocket the MV or just shoot a milder load that fits into the old Model 94 and Model 96 Mauser specs...

Folks like the 140 grain bullets alot in the 6.5 x 55... 40 grains of any of the following are accurate in my rifles and give an MV of 2800 fps... IMR 4064, IMR 4895, IMR 4320, RL 15, Varget, H 380...

Same powders and charges also work well with the 120 grainers, 125 Nosler Partition, the 129 Hornady ( haven't tried the accubond or the Barnes TSXs but they would be a good pick)...you can up the charges to another 4 grains depending on powder and bullet weights, but all will be pretty darn accurate...

For a nostalgic load in the 6.5 x 55, to duplicate the old original military loads, that is actually a joy to shot...

30 grains of RL 7, and a 160 grain RN...
MV is in the original 2200 to 2300 fps range..
recoil is very very light...it is a highly effective 200 yd load...

I have some rocket velocity loads also for the Swede, but that is out of an older Speer Manual... but should be more than handible in a CZ action.. they work just fine in my Ruger and Winchester Actions...

cheers
seafire

I shoot the following in my 6.5x55 FS:

Lapua Brass
Hornady 140gr SP
46.5gr Re-22
Fed 210

Seat bullet to top edge of cannelure and give medium crimp (Lee FCD).

Very accurate in my rifle and dispatches whitetails quickly with minimum bullet burger. I have yet to recover one, complete pass-throughs on all deer shot.

Wow...This thread is really turning out very interesting and quite informative...Thanks for all replies thus far...With more and more people shooting these fine cartridges I just thought it would neat to have a post where everyone could list their loads and we all could have a reference...

IMO the 6.5X55 will shoot just about anything well. Those old model 96s are kind of like potato chips -ya' can't have just one. I have used everything from IMR4895 to IMR4831 with 140s and 160 -they just plain old shoot. 45.5 grains of IMR 4831 and Remington's 140 Core-lokt makes a good all-round load.
My old rolling block in 7X57 likes 44.0 grains of IMR 4350 and Hornady's 175 grain round nose.

I have a CZ 550 in 7x57 (FS). I have had mixed results, with limited ability to duplicate promising loads.
Peter.

I was out today with the 6.5 x 55 Ruger...

one load was a 120 grain Sierra Match, with a charge of 44 grains of IMR 4064.. MV of that is 3100 in my rifle..the charge is one grain over Max listed in the Hodgdon Manual # 26, and a the Speer Number 7...

the other load was a 140 grain corelokt over a charge of 40 grains of IMR 4064... MV waz 2850 out of the Ruger's 22 inch barrel..

Both are tack drivers...

The 120 grain Match King load was shot into a tree just for effect, actually with about a 12 inch diameter, and it penetrated the entire thing and did it real cause a lot of debris on the exit side...blew wood into tooth picks, about 10 to 12 inches above and below the point of exit for the bullet... tree was an Oregon manzanita for informational purposes...

Loads were also fine according to the primers...