I just got a pretty cool deal on a Winchester M70 push feed 6.5X55 FWT. When I went to measure the throat, I was amazed at how long it is, and I mean lllloooooooonnnnggg. What's the concensus on how it affects accuracy????

There has to be more than one right answer to this. I have a few rifles with "Mauser" type tapered throats and they shoot so well that I can't believe it. I am not sure if your throat is just long or long and tapered too. In any case go for it.

I bought the same rifle, used, off a rack for my son who was 12 at the time. I loaded some 120 gr. Ballistic Tips and the throat was so long I couldn't reach the lands and still seat the bullet adequately! Anyhow I took the gun to the range, and the first group shot measured .77". I shot sub 1" groups all that day. To this day, that gun rarely shoots over an inch with any load. Don't worry about the throat !

Yep long throats . I have a newer classic m70 6.5x55.
Yeah you cant get a 120 gr bullet close to the lands . I load 120s just enough into the neck to hold the bullet firm. They are still very accurate in my rifle.

140 gr bullets are long enough to fit in the neck good and touch the lands. Long throats for the 160 torpedos !

I compared a m70 throat to the swedish mauser throat . My m70 is .030 longer than my 4 swedes throats.

I like shotting 140s in my 6.5x55 rifles the most anyway.

With just about all bullet lengths I seat long, with just enough bullet in the case to give it support. If it will not fit in your magazine you'll have to shorten it a bit or load single shot. I have a Remington 700 Classic and even with that I've noticed the throat is ridiculously long, but the rifle is still accurate so there's no real cause to complain. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Yeah,
They all have long throats. That cartridge and the 140 grain bullet just go together well.

I have the same rem700 classic and I can reach the lands with a 120gr NBT having it's heel at the shoulder junction. I measured it twice with the Sinclaire tool. I must have gotten lucky with that throat.

I have seen rifles do well at .050" and more off the lands. Don't fret it,..just seat em enough to have good nk tension, and work a load.

I seat the bullets in my 6.5 x 55s about a 1/4 of an inch in the case is all. if that Winchester is not accurate with a bullet seated way out there, then it is THAT rifle, not the caliber.

That rifle will run with a 270 in field performance all day long!

Cheers
seafire

Ken Waters in his book "pet Loads" with the 6.5x55 update using a Win Model 70 such as yours with a 22" barrel recommends the 120gr Nosler BT with 48gr of RL22 seated to 3.00 OAL as the most accurate load in his particular rifle. This load chronoed at about 2770fps.

I was having no success with factory ammo in my CZ550 American which I had glassbedded. The best groups came from the Sellier & Bellot 131gr SP but 3 shot groups were still in the 1.25 to 1.50 range. Tried the above load recommended by Ken Waters and the first 3 shot group at 100yds measured C-C........0.548". This load was 2.0grains under what he considered to be close to max. Worked for me!

Ol' John

Long throats and bad accuracy is mostly myth although some rifles may not shoot well with them. All mine have shot fine with long throats and even with light bullets that take a jump...

All my 21 and 22 Brnos had long throughts and would seat a 175 gr. Hornady half way to the cannalure, but they shot 120 and 130 gr. bullets into an inch or better.

Push feed is not a problem except on dangerous game rifles IMO....