I just picked up my Ruger No 1 that I had rebarrelled to 6.5 x 55 AI with a Kreiger heavy barrell. Does anybody have any load data to share?

Check out 6br.com as some 1000 yds shooters use the swede ai over the 284 case for efficiency/bbl life and it gets the velocity range that is a sweet spot for accuracy with the 140-142's.

Thanks 6.5 br I have checked out this site for about a year now and I have found reference to it but no data. I will start at the max for 6.5x55 and see where it will take me.

I play with loading for 6.5x55 alot and was looking at the 6br.com and see they like H4831 and H4350 with 6.5-284

Ive been useing R22 . Just tryed H4831 and liked it. Now I am loading some 140s with H4350 to play with.

Rasp65


Try the 6% rule on the powder charges, That should bring you close to your max charge. I use 44 gr. with A 140gr. bullet, 6% will give you 46.6gr. use A little at a time see what happens. 6.5 SWEDE

6.5 SWEDE
Thanks I filled a fire-formed case and an unfired case with H870 and found a difference of 5,9%. It looks like the 6%rule is good.

Rasp, just curious but what are your expectations speed wise for an improvement over a standard 6.5x55? Who's brass and dies are you using for the AI?
I've heard folks say that the AI's will get close to a 6.5x284, or better thana 6.5x57 but the big deal seems to be better barrel life than the 284 conversion and a couple hunnrt FPS in the 6.5AI over a standard x55 making it closer to or mebbe just a scootch better than a 270WCF speed wise bullet weight for bullet weight.
I have just acquired my first 6.5x55 about a month ago in a Tikka T3 Swede and am about to begin the 6.5's learning curve, with a 40 year history in 270WCF's as a base of comparison, so any info would be appreciated.
Ron

I am thinking around 2900fps. I am going to use Lapua and Winchester brass and I have a set of Lee collet dies that work with the AI without any mods. I havn'thad a chance to put it over a chrono yet but will as soon as I get to the range. The case volume of the 6.5-284 is a lot more than the 65AI and I don't necessarily want to push the pressures too far as I am more interested in efficiency.

I am a little curious about the 6.5 swede AI. I recently purchased a Krag-Jorgenson that is chambered for the swede. In order to upgrade it to an Ackley can I just have the chamber reamed or do I need a new barrel?

Jimmywax Yes you can have the chamber reamed to 6.5AI. It won't change the length of the case. It takes the taper out of the case and gives it a 40 degree shoulder. Acording to P.O. Ackley the minimal taper will cause less bolt thrust which would be good for the Krag action.

Thanks for the answer there Rasp65. I think I'll have to start talking to my gunsmith at Capital sports.

Just as a reminder, it is because of the remaining Krag-Jorgensons in operation today that commercial loads and commercial handload recipes for the 6.5x55 are on the mild side. Pressures must be kept low in that action. M96s are stronger and commerical actions (CZ 550, Ruger 77, Winchester 70, Sako 75, etc.) even more so. If it were my Krag, I would leave it as is.

JimmyWax

It would be a wise thing to lisen to BlackHawkI, The rifle that you have is best left alone, pick modern day action for the 6.5X55 ackley imp. The A.I. is a hot rodding of a cartridge, or a + P of that cartridge. Not ment for the Krag.
6.5 SWEDE

Well that sucks. Oh well I guess. It will still be fun to shoot around with. I would like to get ahold of one of those m96's kimber sporterized.

They are right if it is at all collectable. You don't want to be tempted to push the old rifle beyond what it was ment to handle.

GSP7

Use H4831SC with 140's and H4350 with 130 and down. 120's and 125's love 4350 both powders are perfect in the Swede and are temperature insensitive.

Thanks I have used IMR 4831 with excellent results from my 96 Swede. I have never used H4831 but it seems to be very popular with the benchrest shooters. Do you find any difference between the SC and the regular other than metering?

I have a .260AAR(.257 Roberts AI necked up to 6.5) which should give almost identical results to your 6.5 Swede AI. I have used RL25, RL22, IMR 7828SSC and H4831 for the 140's and normally use RL19, IMR4831 and H4350 for the 130's and 120's. I use 4064 and Varget for the 85g Sierra, which is scary accurate in all my 6.5's and makes a great varmint bullet.

Nice shooting. I have just finished fireforming 80 Lapua cases. I used 15 gr. of Unique, filled the case to the bottom of the neck with oat bran (my wife wants to make sure that I get enough fiber)and put a plug of paper towel on top. Although the shoulders are slightly rounded the case is blown out to .465".

skip the half way forming method and work your load ladder during forming. I jamm my pills into the rifling by maybe .010" and load a ladder for accuracy. You will find that even during forming, the accuracy load will be within 1 increment on formed brass from where it was during forming. Also,..forming with a jammed pill gives sharp shoulders the first time, every time.

I used to have an M1912 Norwegian Krag in 6.5X55. I used old, original milsurp H4831 in it with 140 grain bullets.

The Norwegian is a much stronger action than the US Krag. It is made of better steel, AND the bolt guide rib is a locking lug as well as the one on the bolt head. My loads ranged from 45 to 48 grains, depending on the brand of bullet. MV with a Sierra 140 and 48 grains of that old H4831 was 2800 FPS (24" barrel).

Accuracy was excellent..... Killed my first big mule deer with that load. I sold that rifle, and have been kicking myself ever since!

Jimmywax - if you decide to try the AI, make sure the case will still go thru the magazine and up into the receiver opening! The magazine and follower look to me like they are pretty specific to the 6.5X55mm standard cartridge case shape. The AI might feed OK, but it might not.

The Norwegian action should probably be limited to no more than 45,000 PSI loads. However, as regards improved cartridges, they actually put less stress on the bolt lugs than a standard tapered case. The straight sides grip the chamber walls and therefore exert less backthrust on the bolt face. This was a feature of Rocky Gibbs' cartridges, which permitted the bolt to "literally be opened with one finger" (per Jack O'Connor), even when loaded to what we today would call excessive pressures.

If you used a 6.5X55mm AI in the Norwegina Krag, it would allow you to use more of a very slow-burning powder, and obtain good performance levels even without exceeding the pressure limitations of the action. Remember, the Norwegian Krag is NOT a US Krag, and only resembles the ones made in USA in shape alone!

Regardless of the rifle in question, when developing loads for a rifle, one has to use common sense when selecting powder type and weight for a given bullet.