I had my Remington 700 rechambered from 30-06 to 6.5 X 55 Swedish in a Shilen barrel topped with a 4.5 x 14 Leupold Var X III scope. I was very pleased with its performance right "out of the box" as it shot a 3/4 group at 100 yd.. I'm interested in shooting this gun out to 1000 yds.+ and would like some help with bullet selection and powder. Any ideas?

I could only hazard a guess as to charge weight, but I do know my loads would revolve around Berger's VLD bullets and a Vihta Vuori powder.

work up on this load, but it has proven quite safe in all of my 6.5 x 55s....

140 grain bullet, 50 grains of IMR 4350, Large rifle primer...

I recommend Remington or Lapua brass...

if your rifle was an American made bolt action and was previously an 06, then use the Rem brass... Rem brass has the head size of a 30/06 ( .473)... Winchesters and Lapua's don't.. they have the proper Swedish dimensions..

it doesn't matter if your rifle is claw extractored... but if it is a push feed, then the Remington brass will always extract...

I did one in a push feed model 70 featherweight, that had been previously a 30/06...Winchester brass doesn't always extract... Remington's does...

the above load of 50 grains of 4350 is from Speer Manual 7, which was using short 18 inch barrels, and in an older Mauser....

but they considered it safe back then.. and I use it in my Model 70, my Ruger 77 and my Mauser ( 1920 manufactured ).....

each of those are long throated.. and I seat the bullets to magazine length...so remember to work up....

good luck..
cheers
seafire

Good choice! another 30-06 of the streets.

Your 6,5x55 is easy to load: use 140g bullets and you'll have a lot of fun!!!
Faina

Wouldn't the 'smith who cut the 6.5x55 chamber in new Shilen barrel have used a SAAMI specs reamer? If so, wouldn't the chamber have cut the correct 0.479" case diameter just ahead of the extractor cut, rather than the 0.471" case diameter of the 30-06 family?

Jeff

Barrel twist and length would help in figuring a good load. That said, if it is a 8 or better twist, 142gr Matchkings (NOT 140's) 139 Lapuas, 140 Bergers, etc. are your 1,000 yd pills. If you can use Lapua brass, you are much further ahead than mucking about with domestic stuff.
The Swede seems to like slower powders, my best results have come with H4831SC and RL-22 (highest velocity with the Reloader) but of course bbl length and such will make a major difference. Also, keep in mind that the reloading manuals are usually written for the older military actions (Mauser & Krag) and thus have lower pressure limits. I hesitate to post my actual powder charge in my match load, but in a 30" tube it drives a 142SMK at a comfortable 2940.

Eric

I would be very happy with 2940 FPS. The barrel is 24" and I've decided on the 140 Bergers, mainly for the BC. I tried the Lapua brass and my Remington does not want to eject the cases very well... something about the thickness of the base. Remington brass works well and someone else suggested the H4831SC. The barrel twist is 1 in 9"and Shilen says the 140's should work OK, but it's right on the border of being too slow. We'll see.

quote:

Originally posted by 260remguy:
Wouldn't the 'smith who cut the 6.5x55 chamber in new Shilen barrel have used a SAAMI specs reamer? If so, wouldn't the chamber have cut the correct 0.479" case diameter just ahead of the extractor cut, rather than the 0.471" case diameter of the 30-06 family?

Jeff

Possibly, but the worst that would happen is what happens when you fire remington ammo in a military swede.... you get a slihght bulge in the case.

Personally if I were rebarreling a remington 700LA to 6.5x55 (which I'll likely do ... eventually ((SMILE ROGER!))) I'd want it cut with the americanized chamber and not throated as long as the Mil swede's are.

BTW, I'm not sure that the 6.5x55 has an official SAAMI dimensioned chamber except as the remington version... But I could be wrong.


AD

4831sc or RL22 with the 140's has been superb in 6.5x55AI bench rifle. VERY ACCURATE