Based on a lot I read on this chat board, I am really getting the bug about " Old Stuff" working just as well as all of these new high velocity calibers.

The 6.5 x 55 is one of my favorite cartridges.
However, in the USA, because we have MORE lawyers than people who have common sense; this cartridge is loaded way down, because of older imported rifles.

Our load manuals also only recommend loads far below the cartridges potential. In Scandanavia, what kind of velocity do you see in Modern loads for the 6.5 x 55, in modern rifles. I will be carrying a Ruger 77 Mk2 or a custom barreled Winchester Model 70 Featherweight ( with a 26 inch barrel) so the rifle will take much higher pressures. Both are also throated out to take a full length 160 grain Round Nose.

Would appreciate any info from my scandanavian hunting brethern. ( Also have both Norwegian and Swedish blood in my family background, but I am sure my ancestors were probably kicked out of Europe, like the rest of most " Americans" were!)

Thanks Friends!

I have used the Norma factory loading with 140grs Partition (Vo 850ms/2786fps) in my sporterized CG63. This fall I will try the 156grs Norma Oryx (Vo 780ms/2557fps). My hope is that it will kill faster than the Nosler!

My father use Norma 156grs Alaska (Vo 780ms/2557fps) in his sporterized Carl Gustaf M96. The Alaska bullet is a RN oldtimer. I think the new Oryx is a more reliable bullet.

Even if the 140grs partition have a lower SD than the 156 grain bullets it seems to penetrate better. Many times the 140grs Nosler goes through the mooses.

When Norma introduced factory loadings in 6.5-284 they at the same time reduced the velocity in the 6.5x55 Nosler loading to Vo 820ms/2688fps. And then the 6.5x55 Nosler loading is not legal for big game hunting in Sweden anymore. If Norma reduced the Nosler load because of high pressures or because as a PR trick so the 6.5-284 would have a bigger speed advantage over the old 6.5x55 I don't know.

The original loading ( 1960s ) was 156,44.2 grains of Norma 204, 2493 f/sec, 47100 psi ,MAX.

In my 6,5x55 I got appr. 2600 fps from the 156 gr Oryx with 50 gr MRP-2. Norma lists that load as max. I think, and please do believe them...it was ok in my rifle and accuracy was great. Worked great for me hunting reindeer too, I am sure it will take most medium to large game efficently.

I never got much more than 2700 fps with the 140 gr bullets, and I think the Swift is the only really good choice for large game with this bullet weight.

Tron

I'm not European but I have also played around with the heavy weights in a 6.5x55 my personal favorite. One trick, I was told to use Federal 215 mag primers instead of WLR I usually use. Norma also has that on there sight, and I have read that it will boost velocity as much as 150 fps over standard variety.

I couldn't find Norma powder so I went with reloader 22 and got very close to 2500 fps out of my 20" barrel on a sporterized 96 mauser. I also went with the Norma Oryx because it is almost the same price as the Hornady or Sierra RN, but also more of a spitzer and bonded. www.grafs.com is the only place I have found them though.

I'm about to start to work of a load for my new Win 70 featherweight in 6.5x55, 22" barrel. You can bet the above combiantion is wher I will start!

I do not have or use a 6.5mauser, but here you have one reloading database on a Swedish forum. I would belive that you should find what you are looking for.
Reloading database

Biathlonman:

Good luck on your new Featherweight in 6.5 x 55.

I bought a Featherweight in 30/06 7 or 8 yrs ago, with a factory laminate stock ( called Win Tuff). It had a 6.5 x 20 Leupold scope on it. The barrel was shot out, and the price was $600.00 and I fanagled them down to /$500.00

I had the rifle rebarreled to a 6.5 x 55 PacNor Barrel, with a one in 8 twist. Every tho it is on a featherweight stock, I went with a 26 inch barrel for long range capabilities. I have another 6.5 x 55 in a Ruger for closer hunting.

With 120 grain Ballistic tips, I get 3250 fps with W 748 powder with the longer barrel. It also shoots one hole groups at 100 yds, and shots still touching at 200 if you can hold it steady enough. I had the throat made to where I can seat bullets out to fit the magazine. It will swallow 160 grain Military loads.
Topped it off with a Leupold 3 x 9 matt finish scope. Definitely is one of my favorite rifles.
good luck with yours!

The consensus here in Norway seems to be to avoid magnum primers in the 6,5x55. I disbelieve that it increases velocities out of proportion to chamber pressure, I mean higher velocity=higher pressure. Accuracy often suffers with magnum primers in medium capacity cartridges, why Norma used them in their pressure test I do not know, but every other load table I have seen lists standard primers. I have had excellent results with R 9 1/2.

By the way, I think Reloader 22 = MRP, they are if not identical then very, very close and both are Bofors powders. If you want to fool around with powders and heavy bullets for the 6,5 try out Vihtavouri N-165, worked great for me.

Tron