I recently purchased a new CZ 550FS in 6.5 x 55 SE. It likes the published maximum load of 47 gr H4831 with a 140 gr. bullet. There are no pressure signs. Will I be shortening the barrel/throat life of this rifle if I continue to use this load? TIA.

You're right up there at what I consider max...

H-4831 From 35.0 grains to 47.0 grains
Remington 9-1/2 Primer

I have the same rifle, same chambering. I've loaded up some test loads using RL22 and Hornady 140gr SPs in Lapua brass. They stop a little shy of Alliant's published max. I haven't tried them yet, but I will hit the range this weekend and touch a few off.

6.5 Swedes are not horrendously overbore magnums or hot varminters but you can shorten the life of just about any barrel by constantly shooting large quantities of max/redline loads and overheating a barrel. Remember to let the barrel cool between shots or short-string groups. If your using the rifle just for big game & predator hunting and occasional range work, the day you will be changing barrels will be long way off.

This brings me to a question that I have wanting ask for a while. Is it safe to load the swede hotter than max (with shorter bullets)? I ask this because Swedes are chambered with a long throat for lengthy 160 grain bullets. This is essentially a fairly large freebore. In my sako I cannot get a 120 grain bullet to come close to the rifling. I have loaded my swede about 2-3 grains over max with RL-19 and have absolutely no pressure signs. Lou

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lou:
This brings me to a question that I have wanting ask for a while. Is it safe to load the swede hotter than max (with shorter bullets)? I ask this because Swedes are chambered for long 160 grain bullets. This is essentially a fairly large freebore. In my sako I cannot get a 120 grain bullet to come close to the rifling. I have loaded my swede about 2-3 grains over max with RL-19 and have absolutely no pressure signs. Lou

No! Remember the data was developed in a barrel with a long leade the same as yours (I know there are minor variations). I`d stay with the max listed in the books and not try to make a magnum out of a cartridge that made its mark as a mild, light recoiling round.
If you want faster get a 260 Rem or go all the way with a 264 mag.

quote:

Originally posted by Ol` Joe:
No! Remember the data was developed in a barrel with a long leade the same as yours (I know there are minor variations). I`d stay with the max listed in the books and not try to make a magnum out of a cartridge that made its mark as a mild, light recoiling round.
If you want faster get a 260 Rem or go all the way with a 264 mag.

Ditto. The 6.5x55 is not a magnum, it doesn't need to be. Those long bullets (i.e. 140 SPs) at moderate speeds will shoot fairly flat due to high BCs and penetrate very well. No need for steroids. True, you may load them overmax with no pressure signs, but is it worth taking the chance of picking shrapnel out of your face?

quote:

I recently purchased a new CZ 550FS in 6.5 x 55 SE. It likes the published maximum load of 47 gr H4831 with a 140 gr. bullet. There are no pressure signs. Will I be shortening the barrel/throat life of this rifle if I continue to use this load? TIA.

With such a small-ish case for the caliber, and such a relatively light load of slow burning powder, (Max. load for a 6mm Rem. & a 100 gr. bullet is 46 grs., mind you) I doubt this is really a high pressure load. I honestly think it'd take thousands of rounds along with a good measure of barrel neglect (no cleaning) to damage your rifle with this load.
35W

quote:

Originally posted by spritzen:
I recently purchased a new CZ 550FS in 6.5 x 55 SE. It likes the published maximum load of 47 gr H4831 with a 140 gr. bullet. There are no pressure signs. Will I be shortening the barrel/throat life of this rifle if I continue to use this load? TIA.

spritzen

I'm really not wanting to get into the "it's an old weak action and your going to blow yourself up" discusion so I will just tell you what I load for hunting in my sporterized M38. I have shot close to 1500 rounds of this load without any appreciable throat wear and no pressure problems what so ever. I will continue to use this load. I developed the load after comparing Norma reloading data and using a comparable burning rate of powder. I selected H4831SC because of it's burning rate and it is an "extreme" powder and less temperature sensative across varied hunting conditions. You may do with this information as you wish.

Hornady 140 SPBT Interlock
49 gr H4831SC
W-W 6.5 cases
WLR primers
2710 fps (M38)
MOA Accuracy

The bullets are seated so the base of the bullet is even with the base of the neck. This is just short of magazine length.

Larry Gibson

I couldn't tell you about the loads but you should be able to get , with approprate powder, about 2850 with a 140 gr .That will work fine, it's not a magnum.

Try looking at the Ramshot interactive load guide for the 6.5 Swede. Even if you aren't using Ramshot powder, they have loads in the hotter range listed, topping out around 2800fps, +/-, along with the associated pressures.

Pressure is velocity, so equivalent pressure "should" lead to equivalent velocities. I've loaded my Win M70 6.5 Swede to 2800 fps, and not seen pressure signs, but that doesn't mean much, as the signs don't really appear until you're above 70,000 pounds, IIRC. I don't know about the action, but it certainly shortens case life to be that high.

The pressure figures quoted in reloading manuals are average, not static figures, so some are above and some are below. If there are wide variances, the manuals allow for that, and back off the pressure of the max loads. It's possible the variances are not linear throughout the range, and if so, you might not be able to guess what powder is best at higher, non-published, ranges.

Though I now use Hodgdon Extreme line powders almost exclusively, if I were to want to go hotter than they publish, I'd move to Ramshot, just because the pressure figures are available.

Jaywalker

I am looking for a load that will give me a solid 3000 fps with 120 grain NBTs. I have been using 49 - 50 grains of RL-19. Nosler lists 48.5 as max for 3002 fps. I have never chronoed any of these loads but I have not experienced any signs of high pressure. My Lapua brass is on its third cycle and the primer pocket, etc. are still like new.