IMR 4350 or H 4350 will get you there. Load manuals should list it. Each rifle will vary, so try starting out at 44 grains and work up to about 48 grains.
Hodgdon's manual for 2950 fps lists 46 grains of H 4350. However i have found that they are a little generous for velocities with their powder and a little shy for velocities with IMR powder.
RL 15 also gets a lot of use in my 6.5s, as does H 380. Don't get hung up on velocity and every little last fps, 6.5 bullets are very flat flying and very deep penetrating.
You can't got wrong with either bullet, so go for accuracy and shot placement.
With 120 grain bullets on up, I use Re-22 almost exclusively. It affords the highest velocity potential at very reasonable pressures -- and accuracy is generally outstanding.
Also keep in mind that 2900 fps is indeed a top-end load for the 6.5x55 and that 2800 fps with a 125 grain bullet stills gives you a flat-shooting, hard-hitting load.
Posts: 9441 | Location: Shiner TX USA | Registered: 19 March 2002
I will second Reloader 22. One of my favorite loads is a 125 gr Nosler Partition 49 gr or RL-22 in a Norma Case and a Federal Bench Rest 210 primer. I shoot this load in my ULA-24 It groups less than 3/4 inch. Its plenty fast and with a 200 yard zero its plenty flat shooting enough to hold on hair well past 300 yards. I took a Carabou last winter with this load that was about as far as I have ever shot on big game. Work up carefully. Your rifle will tell you what it likes. Its been my experience that you can't put enough RL-22 into a 6.5 x 55 case to get you into any real trouble. Most rifles will like between 47 and 49 grains with the 125/129 gr bullet.
Posts: 1070 | Location: East Haddam, CT | Registered: 16 July 2000
I can't say about a Swedish military rifle. I personally think the actions are much stronger than we give them credit for. I have 3 old M96s and load them up to maximum. I also have a Remington Classic in 6.5x55. The loads I'm giving you are for that rifle. It's as strong an action as you can get. However, none of these loads exceed max. Sierra 120gr. HPBT Match, Rel-19 51grs. 2875fps., prints .822" (5 at 100yds.) OAL-3.062". Hornady 129gr. PSP, Rel-19 48grs., 2815fps., prints .601" OAL-3.081". The best of the bunch in my Remington is Lapue 123gr. Scenar, VihtaVouri 550 43grs., 2800fps., prints .485" OAL-3.085". It's quite the accurate caliber. I've used it successfully on moose in Ontario so it's rather potent with the heavier bullets. Best wishes.
The M96 is good for about 52,000 PSI, and the M98 is just fine at 60,000 PSI.
I'll be getting to the range this weekend, to do some measurements with my new instrumented 6.5x55 M98. It looks like you should be able to go up more than a couple of grains. 2900 fps should be easily possible.
RL22 is a great powder for the 6.5, no doubt about it. But they seem to have a lot of batch to batch variation, so I'm working up loads based on H4350.
Posts: 2281 | Location: Layton, UT USA | Registered: 09 February 2001
If you're talking American components in a 6.5x55 your best bet may be with the Hornady 129gr. PSP. I use Reloder-19 48.0grs. for a velocity of 2815fps, and an OAL of 3.081". It will print .601" (not every time) for a 5 shot group at 100yds. in my Remington Classic. The bullet is not particularly streamlined or anything, but it does the job. Best wishes.
roger
