Just got a 6.5X55 to play with. probably gonna shoot 120 gr Barnes x's. Best powder??? Pet loads???

H414 44gr. 120 NBT
IMR 4831 47gr. 142 SMK
IMR 4064 40gr. 160 Sierra

May not be appropriate in you chamber.
Reduce 5% minimum to 8% for staring loads.


Edited

I had great luck with Nosler 120 BTs and Re 19; can't recall the load, though.

Best powder? Any of the 4350s. roger

I prefer Re-22 and the 140s. It will work for 120s as well, but so will H4350, N160and Re-19.

You don't need a premium projectile with this round. The high SD coupled with the moderate velocities combine to allow cup and core bullets to perform exceptionally well. One of my favorites is the Sierra 140 grain GameKing.

If you don't mind me, asking what make & model ?

With 120 grain Barnes triple shocks I am getting good accuracy with H380, same powder with Nosler Ballistsic Tips in 120 grain. For 140 grain bullets IMR 4064 is doing well. I shoot a "Kimberized" M96 that we've made some other "mods" to.
Good luck with yours!

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
Best powder? Any of the 4350s. roger

yup.....and the 120 IMO is the right bullet for deer.

quote:

Originally posted by Boarman:
If you don't mind me, asking what make & model ?

One is a sporterized Mod. 96 and the other is a screw on barrel to a Stevens Mod. 200. Both have good hunting accuracy but in all honesty I've only used 140 grain bullets of various manufacturors cause that's what I use to hunt with. roger

I've sporterized M96 with original 6.5 Swede barrel and a SR Mexican M98 that I put a new milsurp Swede barrel on. I use H4831SC under the hornady 140 SP at 2725 fps. I also push the 120 Sierra Sp and the 120 Nosler BT to 2925 fps with Varget. Both are deadly on light game and varmints. The 100 gr Sierra HP at 3225 fps with Varget is very deadly on varmints. Accuracy with these loads are moa with both rifles.

Larry Gibson

Bartsche: Where did you get the screw-on barrel for the Stevens?

I've played with the 6.5 x 55 a lot...

Just like the 223, I have trouble finding a powder that doesn't work well in it...

it is not an overly finicky cartridge at all..

with the case capacity I prefer mid rate and faster burn rate powders than most other guys seem to, but it has never handicapped me at all....

for the 140s, I have a habit of liking a charge of 40 grains of the mid burn rate powders... IMR 4895, IMR 4064, RL 15, Varget, W 748, BLC2..

frequently I use the same with 120, 125, and 129 grain bullets also...

the Swede doesn't need high velocity, as it's claim to fame is accuracy, and high sectional density of its bullets..

for my Miiltary Mauser made in 1919, I enjoy a charge of 30 grains of RL 7 and a 160 grain bullet..MV is 2200 fps, recoils like a 22.250 and works just fine for 200 to 250 meters, which is about as far as I can see with its open sites anyway...

quote:

If you don't mind me, asking what make & model ?

Mine is a Winchester M 70 F W controlled feed. All factory.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
I had great luck with Nosler 120 BTs and Re 19; can't recall the load, though.

+1

i use a 140 grainer with just enough powder to push it out at 2550 fps. something around 43.5 grains of RL-19. i shoot a steyr sbs and hornady a-max bullets. really does the job on deer and groundhogs.

I have two 6.5x55mm Swedish on M98 actions.

Lapua cases, WLR primer, 129 Hornady 2620 with 49gr of H4831 and Lapua cases, WLR Primer, 120 Corelockt with 46 gr of H4350.

49 gr. of RL-19 under a 120 gr. Nosler BT. in a Ruger.

Hi just tried new load Vithavori N-160, 50,5grains and Sierra 120 pro hunter. My Sauer 202 turns that in to 1/2 inch groups on 120 meters. You can also try N-560.

RL 19 with 120s
H4831 with 140s

ledvm: Since you have a modern gun you can forget the "swedish" reduced loads for this cartrigde. Use modern (scan) load data.

Just like the 30-06 the 6,5x55 has steadily increased its velocity since it was designed by the Norwegian-Swedish comission in the early 1890`s.

There is something about the 6.5 Swede - threads on it often come up and those threads are always popular! There must be something to the 'Swede'. I want one! (But then what would I do with my Brits?)

I load from 87gr hp's to 160gr sp's. sorry I can only do a right hand type, my hound needs a butt scratch.