The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Small Calibers Rate of twist in a 6.5mm CustomGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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One of Us |
The gun will be a 6.5X54MS or 6.5X55SE and will shoot only 140 grain (non-lead) bullets up to 160 grain jacketed round noses such as those offered by Hornady. What would be the best rate of twist. 7.5 8 8.5 9 You tell me? | ||
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One of Us |
My vote is for 1-8" | |||
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| One of Us |
Anyone else. Iahd been told from 7.5 to 9, but some of the Euro ammo companies told me 7.5 for the 155/156 grain bullets. | |||
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| One of Us |
333-okh, I saw your comment regarding bullet usage in the reloading thread. If all you are going to shoot in that 6.5 are longer and heavier bullets, then the 1-7.5 twist will do just fine. The Swede 96,38 & 94 Mausers chambered in 6.5x55 are twisted for 1-7.5. The military load was usually a 156 gr bullet. But, the 1-8" will also work fine. I know what you are going through, been there. I had one of the earlier Mod 70 fwt XTR's that was twisted 1-7 1/8", it would only shoot the 156-160gr bullets accurately. But that was before the 140gr. Barnes X was introduced. When Winchester reintroduced the FWT in 6.5x55, they went with the 1-8 twist because the former twist would not shoot the lighter bullets accurately nor stabilize them properly. I hope this helps. Trenton | |||
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| One of Us |
It does. I was just wondering if the 1:8.5 would be best for regualar 140gr bullets should I choose to shot them? | |||
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| <9.3x62> |
I'm am currently having a 260 put together and I am using a pac-nor barrel with a 1-8.6" twist. | ||
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| One of Us |
Both the 8 & 8.5 twist will shoot the normal 140 gr bullets just fine. But if I was just going to shoot the Sierra 142 or 155 MK, Lapua 139 scenar or any of the Berger vld's, I would stick with the 1-8" twist. For your std 120-140 bullets Nosler, Hornady, Speer Sierra (even the 140gr Mk) The 1-8.5" will do just fine. I just like the 1-8 becuase it gives you an opporunity to shoot the whole spectrum of bullets available for the 6.5.. I have shot the Sierra 160 Gk in the 1-8 twist and have good luck with it. But I have gone back to 140gr bullets to gain a flatter trajectory. Have you consulted with the Bbl manufacture regarding there recommendations? If you have, how many of them have you talked to? If just one, I would talk to a few more to get some sense of what they think. Good Luck and if you could, Let me know what you have decided on. Trenton | |||
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| One of Us |
The 1 in 8 will shoot the 140s and even 155 grainers just fine....If you are putting a barrel together, if the one in 7.5 is available.. I'd go with that.. it would handle ANY of the 6.5 bullets... that is what Mauser used for the Swedish Mauser.. 6.5 x 55.... Yet the other bullets available on the fragile end, will also take that twist and not come apart.. at the speeds driven by 6.5s, except the Remington and Winchester 6.5 Mags... and maybe a hot 6.5/06..... cheers seafire  | |||
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| one of us |
I have 1:8's in both my 6.5-06AI and 6.5x55AI and the 140gr pills are very stable. If I went to 1:7.5 I would go for less grooves, like maybe 3 or 4 to keep jacket intrusion down with the rpm's that would generate. Difficulty is inevitable Misery is optional | |||
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| One of Us |
Like I said this will shoot a lot of 155/156 grain load at current factory level velocities. The hotter load will be X-bullets of 140 grains. These are as long as the 155s. In fact the Lapua 140 grain Naturalis is considerably longer than the 155 grain Mega. | |||
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One of Us |
1 in 8.6 is the twist rate CZ uses for 6.5 X 55mm. I like the slower twist for 120 & 125 gr. bullets and it still stabilizes the 140s.  "No one told you when to run; you missed the starting gun." | |||
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| One of Us |
What about hte 155/156/160 grain loads? If the 140 is the lowest and the 8.5" is made to stabilize the small bullets too, will it provide top accuracy with the longer bullets. I have about 500 originaly Barnes 150 grain spitzers to use up! What is the rate of twist on an 1896 Carl Gustav Mauser? I have one made in 1906 that shoots the heavies like a lazer! | |||
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| One of Us |
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| One of Us |
Okay, the selection of twist has been narrowed down due to the barrel maker I will be using. Pick either the 7.5 8.5 for the barrel? That is the actual choices. | |||
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one of us |
My 6.5x55 has a 1 in 7.5 and I shoot 90% 125 and 129gr. bullets in it. It is iron sighted but have benched it at 75 yards and put 3 129gr Hornadys into .75". I would concern myself with stabilizing the longest bullet you plan to shoot and the shorter ones should be fine. --------------------------------- It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it | |||
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one of us |
My .260ai wears a PacNor 1-8. It shoots extremely well w/ the long 142grSMK & also handles down thru the 85gr equally well. Of the two you are set on, I would cheat & go down to the 1-7.5 but I think you would be fine w/ a 1-8. LIFE IS NOT A SPECTATOR'S SPORT! | |||
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| one of us |
My 6.5x55, 6.5x284 and 264WM all have the 1 in 9" twist and I have no problems with any bullets. For the choices you have given, the 8.5 will do nicely. Larry "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading" -- Thomas Jefferson | |||
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| One of Us |
333_OKH, Given those choices, I would choose the 7.5 twist, although the 8.5 twist will work also, but, because you have claimed that you will shoot primarily the heavier 140-160gr. bullets I would opt for the 7.5 twist. The 7.5 twist will work fine for the lighter 85-130gr bullets as well, the only thing that I have found with most rifles chambered for the 6.5x55, both military and commercially produced rifles, is that the throat is cut long for the longer bullets. You might experience a little less accuracy with the lighter bullets because of the seating depth. It will all depend on how the throat and chamber are cut in your rifle bbl.and how the rifle is assembled to determine the accuracy potential of your new rifle. BTW: Winchester, Ruger and The Rem 700 Classic chambered for the 6.5x55 Swede all have a ROT of 1-8" with the exception of the "XTR" Mod 70 FWT.. It has a ROT 1-7 1/8". The Ruger and Win. still utilize the 1-8" ROT.. All Swede Military Mausers, whether Carl Gustav Or Husqvarna utilize a ROT of 1-7.5". I have no idea what the CZ ROT is. My understanding is 1-8.5" or 1-8.6"..? The beauty and benefit of having a rifle built for yourself or building it yourself is, You get to do what you want... The hard part is determing, "What do I want"..? It can be frustrating and fun all at the same time... | |||
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| <9.3x62> |
The 6.5x55 classic has a 9" twist, as do all current and past production 6.5mm rifles made my Remington. Ruger used to make 9.5" twist, but I see they have since switched to an 8" twist. Not sure about Winchester or CZ... Anyway, all this is way too academic. Anywhere from a 7.5-9" twist will serve you just fine. | ||
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| One of Us |
I know the 140 grain bullets wil lbe fine, but I want to make sure the long 156grains are stabilized. Norma suggested a 1:8.5 as the European standard, but why then were the Swedish Mausers all in 1:7.5? We all know how accurate these rifles are too. | |||
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| <JOHAN> |
Simple, for 140 non-lead and conventional 155-160 grain 1-7.5 would be my choice. Cheers /JOHAN | ||
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| new member |
I've got a Kirkale Turk I'm inhte process of sporterizing, and the Shaw 6.5x55 barrel I'm using is 1:8.5. I expect good success with everything from 100gr to 160rg with that, per my smith's reference material and Shaw's recommnedation. Shael | |||
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| One of Us |
Johan-- I was thinking the same, but got worried since everyone seems to use 1:8.5 or 9 inch now on rifles. But I want to use traditional bullet weights of 140 grains and better. I asked Norma and they said 1:8, Lapua said 1:7.5 was good but no less than 1:8.5, too bad my manufacturer doesnt have a 1:8 huh? | |||
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One of Us |
Loads listed at normal velocities for those rounds you chose; bullets of 140 (non-Lead) and 160 RN lead core, the 1/7.5 would be best I would think and the 1-8 would probably work fine too. Like was mentioned before, the Swedes made zillion of that class of cartridges and bullet choices and choose what? I have a 260 and it shoots the 160 RN fine with a 1/8 twist at 2500 fps to 2600 fps. the 6.5x54MS at 2100-2200 fps might be a different story. these were made with 1/7.5 for a reason. "The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights." ~George Washington - 1789 | |||
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| One of Us |
In my experience with the 6.5 bore the 1 in 8 twist (all Krieger barrels) is the do it all twist for 6.5mm. In all three of my 260's and my 260 A.I. they handle everything from the 85/90 gr. bullets to long 140 gr. class match bullets and the 160's extemely well. I really surprised me how well the in 1 in 8 twist shoots the light bullets. All of them shoot the either the 85 gr. Sierra or the 90 gr. Speer TNT sub. 5 MOA I can seen no need for the anything faster. I know other shooters that use 1 in 8.5 twist Krieger barrels with the same results. I had a 1 in 9 twist Douglas barrel that didn't like the 140 gr. class match bullets. I didn't try the 160 gr. bullets in that one. Go with a 1 in 8 and you won't be dissapointed. PaPa 260.......May I Be Half The Man My Grandsons Think I Am | |||
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| new member |
Keep the twist short buddy, 1/7.5-8. I have a Remington mod. 7 with 1/9" It has its hands full with most of the 140 grainers. The longer ones as f. ex.hornady sst are left alone out there without any "group feeling" at all. Best group at 120 yards is apr. 3 inches. normaly around 6" don`t go there..  | |||
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one of us |
333OKH, The European styandard twist for 6.5 mm rifles was 200 mm (7.87") back in the days when the rifles were used with long, round-nosed bullets. The most common US twist for .264" barrels is 9". I have a 9" twist Shilen barrel on my 6.5-'06, and it will stabilize bullets up to the 160 grain round nose, but has trouble with the 165 Barnes semi-spitzer (a long bullet). I would choose the faster twist just because it will let you shoot some long bullets, if you decide to do that. jim if you're too busy to hunt,you're too busy. | |||
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| One of Us |
When I was putting together my 6.5/06 a call to Sierra in question about their 142 MK's brought out the response 1:8. That's what I did and have been very happy with it. Haven't tried it with shorter or longer bullets but it should work fine. Don | |||
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| One of Us |
Just a gentle reminder that the velocity Pills are launched at matters and you asked about a 6.5x54MS as one choice and the 6.5x55 as another. It will matter what you choose what the most likely answer should be but 1/7.5 is wrong in neither with 160 RN. "The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights." ~George Washington - 1789 | |||
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