I am looking for information on the Improved versions of the Swede.. Seems there are two versions, maybe more, one has the .455 shoulder, other has the .465 shoulder.
My question is, does any one have any fact load data? FPS, Powder preferences, accuracy, etc... Or can the Swede not be improved?

Thanks...

It certainly can be improved, MK. Midway even sells the reamers, as do most of the other reamer makers (yes I know Midway doesn't make their own reamers). I started a thread on this some time back, but didn't come across anyone who owned one. Having a few 6.5 Mausers around, I think I'll order a reamer and whip one up, just to try. - Dan

You going for the .465 shoulder, or the .455 shoulder? I think the .465 shoulder is a BJ. I am not sure what BJ stands for; I hope it is some ones initials....

What do you think this improvement will bring?

I did a search, on many forums, probably found your thread as well. I too found no one willing to give any information.. Maybe it is such an improvement that the manufactures do not want this to get out... Case capacity and shape of charge may be real close to the new hype...

6.5 medium magnums?
I gotta know...

[ 11-24-2002, 21:53: Message edited by: Mauserkid ]

I'm not sure which shoulder I'll end up with MK. I'm going to phone around to the local 'smiths and see if anyone has a reamer in town/province, but I doubt they do. If that's the case, then I should be able to specify which shoulder from the reamer manufacturer. BJ is indeed someone's initials (at least in this context), but for the life of me I can't remember the name. Thanks for the heads up on the 788 magazine by the way, I've been in touch with Brenden, and we'll do a deal on Tues. - Dan

Keep me posted... I will be on the edge of my seat....

Thanks...

Hi all

I looked at a SAAMI table the other day and noticed that the allowable pressures for a 6.5x55 were in the mid 40s and the pressure for a round like the .260 were in the low 60s.

I assume the low pressure is due to the old actions. I would postulate that the new "improved" versions allow for a more "modern" load level and would be SAAMI approved for much better performance.

Jim B.

IMHO i'd opt for a 6.5-284 reamer instead of the improved swede.....tons of load info from target to hunting. 85 grainers to 140's.

One problem with converting a 6,5x55 to 6,5-284 is case bottom which is not the same. Feeding is also problem because the case is thicker and has a different shape. The most popular conversion here in Sweden is to convert to a 6,5x55 AI. Generally no feeding adjustment is necessary.
The gain in power is quite high and as i have understood similar to 6,5-284.

regards

I wouldn't "improve" a 6,5x55. I would much rather go with a faster round, ie 6,5-06 or 6,5-284, to get a substantial increase in performance.

You can of course, with care, load the regular 6,5x55 to much better performance (in a modern action) than the milder factory loads.

[ 11-25-2002, 22:33: Message edited by: Wachtel ]

By mistake,by mistake my friend.
But on the other hand one doesn't want to have black cases

I have found 2 reamer sites that list a 6.5X55 Arch. Imp.? I wonder if they could e-mail you the dementions.

web page

For those who are not sure, use this reamer spec. sheet program.

You could get lost in a whole different project, so be carefull..

By looking at the dementions of the 6.5X55 BJ it now looks like the hot ticket. Damm so many good choices.

I contacted web page Kenny Dickerson at Four D, his email stated he stocked the .465 shoulder. It is not listed as the BJ on his web site..

Mauserkid,
I don't have any load data for the 6.5x55 Improved, but I would increase the standard 6.5x55 loads by 5% and work up from there watching for any signs of high pressures. The Swede is under loaded any way in modern bolt action rifles.
The improved 6.5s are not too popular or there would be more load data for them. I guess that people wanting more than the 6.5x55 are going with the 6.5x284 and the 6.5 06. The main benifit the 6.5x55 improved has over these other wildcats is that you can still fire factory ammo if you want.
Sorry I can't give you any more info on the 6.5 x 55 improved.
Dale

When the poster mentioned the ARCH thought it was a typo... But I found it to be a European hunting round, (Elongated datum line?)

What, was the case not round? I understand they made it so it would not fit a Mauser 96 and such (weaker firearms). What does it look like????

The SKAN is a Scandinavian version.

Maybe some of our friends could take some pictures of these cartridges and share.

MK, I'm not sure who Arch was, but in the Ackley books his versions of cartridges are mentioned. A whole series of max improved wildcats on the 6.5 X 55 case, plus a few others. I guess his "magic" shoulder angle was 45 degrees. If you're looking at these take the ballistics with a large grain of salt, there's a lot of blue sky there. - Dan

I do not have any Ackley books,,, Looks like I need to locate some. From what reading I have done on the Internet, the ARCH chambering was a fix to eliminate hot loads in weak actions. Like the 45 colt vs. 454 Casull..

I was just curious how one would elongate a datum line. That seems to be the differences in the standard 55 vs. 55 ARCH..

Ok, a little more info. The Arch in the name was a Dr. Arch from Wenatchee Washington. Did a series of wildcats based on a minimum taper improved 6.5 X 55 case with either a 44 or 45 degree shoulder (44 according to Ackley, 45 according to the reamer dimensions). They ranged from 6mm to 30 cal. He also did a 30-378 Short, an extremely shortened 378 Wby case necked down to 30 and Improved. According to Ackley, he did all his wildcats (and a 264 Win Mag) on "Swedish military actions" with no apparent problems. Says a lot for that Swedish steel, I guess. Perhaps some of our Washington posters have some more info on him. - Dan

Bob Jourdan did a write up in the 1993 precision Shooting Annual about the 6.5's, and his 6.5 x 55 BJ AI. It's case capacity is just about equal to the old 256 Newton. Bob was able to get 120 grain bullets over 3300 fps and 140 grain bullets to 2950 fps out of a 27" barrel. The 6.5x55 case has lots of room for improvement, so I would imagine close to 9% greater velocites with the improved chamber.

"He named it 6.5x55 BJ Ackley out of respect for the old guy whose idea of improving was used in the construction of said wildcat."

He may have named it after P.O. Ackley, but Ackley himself never did an improved version of it. And P.O. liked to improve everything!

Ackleys statement on the 6.5X55 was that it was a perfectly designed cartidge, and there was no improvement that could be made to it, so he left it alone.

Of course that won't stop todays' breed of faster is better...

I was looking at Midways site and they list a 6.5X55 Imp reamer but I didn't know what one it was so I sent them an email asking what the dementions were. They replied with the phone # of the place that makes them so I talked to thier reamer builder guy. He stated that the only one to get it the BJ Ack. one and that is the one they sell. so to make a short story long if you are looking to buy a BJ Ack. reamer then Midway has them for a good price. I will be ordering one as soon as X-mas is over.

I contacted 4d reamer rentals, the email I got stated it was the .465 shoulder dimensions.
We should be receiving it by the weeks end....

Second part of this post....
Can some one please measure the bases of the different manufactured brass? Remington, PMC, Winchester, Lapua, Norma, etc..
I have been told that the Lapua is the best, but I have no idea what the dimensions are.

Thanks for your time.