I have a M96 Swede, sporterized, re-contoured barrel cut to 22" that is shooting 140 grain Rem Core Lokt handloads in tiny little groups. I want to work on a lighter faster load to add to the versatility of the rifle and was thinking about Nosler 100 grain partitions or Ballistic tips. Anyone have any experience with the lightweights in the Swede?
Does the Swedes twist stabilize these bullets?
Thanks

Seafire can help you! A buddy had a "Kimberized' 22" M96 that shot GREAT with 85 HP's. Something to see a rifle shoot min to max bullet wt. well and the Swede often does well if the twist is fast enough.

I think there are more 'accuracy problems' when twists are too slow, and a heavy bullet won't shoot, vs spinning a light bullet too fast. 100 ballistic tips should do fine, as the Hornady 100, and the 85's. I am not sure about 90gr TNTs, not heard much about them in 6.5, but other calibers do very well.

Thanks 6.5 I'll touch base with Seafire. Mine is a "Kimberized" Swede also with a Nickle plated reciever, bottom metal and bolt shroud that I've put a Timney trigger and a cock on open kit/ speedlock on it. I then bedded it from stem to stern and the thing is un-believeable with 140 grain handloads. Funny thing is when I got it I had no high expectations for accuracy as the bore was very dark and a little rough looking but the rifling appears very strong and distinct.
Thanks

I had a good experience with these bullets in a Model 70 Featherweight. I was going to Scotland in August to stalk roebucks. I had never shot bullets lighter than 140 grains in this rifle, but thought I would experiment. Somewhere on this forum I read where a shooter in the UK recommended the 100 grain 6.5 mm ballistic tip at 2950 fps for roe deer. I picked up a box. These bullets are short and I could not get them seated anywhere near the lands, so I was not optimistic. So I decided to just seat them about a bullet diameter in the case neck (if memory serves) and see what would happen. The overall length is 2.900 inches. 47 grains of H4350 in Lapua brass gave me 2960 fps. The average of four three-shot groups was 1.16 inches, and the collective target (another target repeatedly placed behind each of the four) measured 2.18 inches. I loaded the rest of the box this way and went to Scotland as a happy camper.

Hope this is some help,

Al

I have some experience with the 100 grain BT in a handgun, not in a rifle. It isn't as explosive as the 85 Gr Sierra but is still primarily intended as a varmint bullet. It will work on deer-sized animals but the 100 Gr Partition would be a better choice as it is tougher and ment for big game hunting.

The Sierra and Hornady Interlock 100 Grainers are also tougher than the 100 BT in 6.5. I believe the Hornady SSTs are closer to the BTs generally but hang together a little better because they are a soft Interlock type bullet. I got great performance out of the 140 Gr SST out of my 6.5 13 inch barreled handgun at 2,500 fps Mv on a better than 200 Lb. buck. He dropped right where he was hit...Rusty.

I took a deer last year with my Ruger in 6.5 x 55 with a 100 grainer...

I just tossed a load of 44 grains of IMR 4895 together, and seated the bullet about an 1/8 of an inch inside the case is all....I think MV was about 3100... I know I could have wrung more velocity out of it.. but it was giving one hole groups at 100 yds, so I left well enough alone...I think I have seen load data to up to 47 grains of IMR 4895 with the 100 grain bullets... but 44 was accurate so I flew with it...

Recoil was light enough that when I took the deer with a neck shot at 100 yds, running in a thicket.. the recoil was light enough, that I never lost sight picture of the buck in the scope, which was a Leupold set at 4x.....

on antelope sized deer, the Hornady is a better choice, due to the ballistic tip has a bad habit of blood shot meat on the smaller ones... on larger animals, it isn't that bad....

44 grains of RL 15, or IMR 4064, IMR 3031, or W 748, or BLC2 should give you close to the same results...Benchmark is also accurate with 43.5 grains....

IMR 4895 just proved to be the most accurate out of my Ruger.. which is a pretty accurate rifle....factory stock out of the box....

good luck..
seafire

I have been using the 95gr V-max bullets in my 6.5x55 and am very happy with them. They easily reach 3100+ Fps with book loads and are devastating on prairie dogs well past 600 yards.

I did also test some 100gr Bal-Tips and the 85gr Sierra HP's, but my Blaser R93 Semi-weight shot the 95gr V-max bullets sub 1/3MOA with the first loads tried I didn't see any reason to spend a lot of time working with the other bullets.

I would guess that the 95gr V-max bullet's would be ok for small deer and antelope, despite the fact that it is a varmint bullet.

I would advise against using the 95gr Vmax on any animal larger than a coyote (and we don't have these in OZ!!!!!!) my experience with them is they are an excellent varmit bullet but when they disintergrate bunny rabbits I think they a a little soft for larger game I have found in my Swedes with the lighter bullets use a faster powder I personally use Varget with great results only so so accuracy and velocity with H4350 with the lighter bullets
I have used hornady and sierra 100gn pills and would suggest the hornady for deer it is made as a medium game bullet while most of the others are varmit style I cant comment on the Noslers I have never used them

I have used the 100gr. Hornady SP in the 6.5X55 M96 that I have,Worked good on Antelope,have not tried it on deer.I like the 129gr. Hornady SP. for that job.

Hey Swede I was wondering in your M96 what is the accuracy like with the 100 grain bullets?
My biggest concern was if the light bullets stabilize. I'm pretty confident that some of the bullets are made stout enough if they are accurate enough I will try them on deer and antelope.

quote:

Originally posted by WoodsyAl:
Somewhere on this forum I read where a shooter in the UK recommended the 100 grain 6.5 mm ballistic tip at 2950 fps for roe deer.
Al

Twas me!

I've had great success with this bullet for deer up to 150lbs. The BT is not a varmint bullet in this weight - I have noticed little difference in terminal effect twixt this and the 120gr BT.

You might improve your accuracy with Viht N150 or IMR 4064 or Varget.

1894mk2:

I haven't figured out how to do the "quote" thing.

Thanks for the advice! The bullets at that velocity worked perfectly and I had excellent results on three roebucks -- my first ever. You are correct in that these are hunting bullets, not varmint bullets.

I am having a 257 Roberts built that I think would be ideal for roe deer, but it was not ready in August. I decided to try the lighter bullets in the 6.5x55 "in the meantime." Great and successful trip.

Thanks again,

Al

Snellstrom,my M96 is not milt. it has A douglas BBl.A new trigger, A cock on open kite in it, A sunny hill bolt shroud, drilled and taped on center of reciver.then it sets in A bell-carlson stock, just A hunting rifle. But the 100 hornadys, the nosler BT. shoot nice in it,RL-22 or H-4350 seem to work for me.

WoodsyAl,

You simply hit the yellow folder with the " at the bottom right of the post you want to quote.

quote:

Originally posted by 6.5BR:
WoodsyAl,

You simply hit the yellow folder with the " at the bottom right of the post you want to quote.

Thanks! That was easy enough!

Al

I have two 6.5 X 55's here at present - one a "sporterized" M96, the other a M93 re-barreled with a new M96 tube from Kebco. Both shoot anything you put in them with boringly predictable accuracy provided the min. COL is 2.80" It's my favorite varmint to deer cartridge.

My 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser K-95 Stutzen Blaser just came back from being fitted together. I used some of my previously loaded 100 Bal-Tip's for barrel break in, It was shooting three into 3/4" at 100 yards right out of the box. I will run them through my corno' and get a velocity, but I suspect the are running a 2950-3000fps.

This is the only Stutzen barrel Blaser has ever made in 6.5x55 and it only took eight months from order to the range.