6.5x55

[cavemanforester]

I'm loading 47 gr of h4831 sc in a swedish mauser. The gun has been sporterized and the barrell shortened to 22 inches. Velocity is disappointing, just short of 2600 fps with a 140 grain bullet. Is there a barrell lengthto pressure relationship that would allow me to up the charge a bit to eek out a little more velocity? I think I know the answer, but had visions of a little more velicity when I bought the gun. It is a sweet little gun, sporterized by Kimber of America.

 

[Jim Watson]

There is no "barrel length to pressure relationship". Chamber pressure in the 22 inch barrel is the same as it would have been at 30 inches.

You are almost exactly at the Hodgdon figures, they show 47 gr H4831 and a 140 gr Speer for 2586 fps MAXIMUM, and that from a 24 inch barrel. You can shop the data and gain maybe 100 fps with another powder, but will the game notice the difference?

 

[243ackley]

That velocity is about right. The best way to improve it would be to load lighter bullets maybe with faster powder. Maybe 129 gr ? The 140 at 2600 will remain a potent hunting load with good penetration thanks to excellant sectional density,

 

[NCsmitty]

I believe that you should be pleased with your current max load's velocity. The pressure limits imposed by using a model 96 Swedish Mauser does not detract from the 6.5x55 ability to kill game and targets alike, at long range. The 6.5 series of loadable bullets possess equal or superior ballistic coefficiency compared to most other calibers.
The recoil factor, or lack of, is another plus.
Here we are, 110 years after being designed, using a cartridge that was way ahead of the curve and it still is a viable choice for hunting or targets.
You can indeed increase the pressure of this beautifully designed cartridge in more modern, stronger actions that are available, but you do need to adhere to a lower pressure level using an original Swedish Mauser.



NCsmitty

 

[627PCFan]

I tried H4831 and only was getting 2600 fps out of a 26 inch barrel with 140 Nosler CC's. Im switching over to IMR4831, although everyone swears by RL22, you might give it a try.

 

[USSR]

I tried H4831 and only was getting 2600 fps out of a 26 inch barrel with 140 Nosler CC's. Im switching over to IMR4831, although everyone swears by RL22, you might give it a try.

+1. I have a 28" Obermeyer, and I also could never get any velocity out of H4831. Powders I would recommend are RL22 and N160. I get velocities of 2925 - 2950fps out of these two.

Don

 

[Kernel]

I’m not sure an even slower powder is the answer. Based on a Powley analysis the ideal powder speed is closer to RL19 or H450. Even then, with a 22” barrel I think it will be a struggle to get much beyond 2,700 fps with 140 gr bullets.

 

[cavemanforester]

Thanks everyone, I guess I should be happy with 2600. I'll feel better after I harvest a critter with it and see how it performs. Right now, its still a PETA gun for me.

 

[sumpnz]

2600 isn't bad with pressure limitations of a M96. With my CZ 550 I can get 2700ish with a 140gr Hornady using 38.5gr of Varget (didn't chrono it yet though). NOTE: THAT IS OVER BOOK MAX - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I want to try it with my IMR 4831. See what happens.

When I could still get the 140gr Barnes XLC's I was getting 2850 (chrono'd that load) using RL-19. I can't remember the powder charge, but 49gr sounds familiar.

 

[cavemanforester]

I'll see how this load performs on a deer and decide of I need more velocity. I'm a 3006 guy and love the way it performs and was hoping for something with less recoil and similar trajectories for my daughter. I lan to take the first critter with it though.

 

[sumpnz]

FWIW, I did connect on a fork-horned blacktail deer this year with those 140gr Hornady Spire Points (maybe 150# live weight). Range was an estimated 50 yards. I took 3 shots. First I think I pulled and missed clean. Second would have been quite enough as it went through a rib and exited just behind the off side shoulder. But it was nearly dark so I put one through the front shoulders on a straight broadside as an insurance shot to keep him from running away (I was an idiot and left my headlamp in my truck which was parked at my FIL's house).

That third shot did spectacular damage to front legs. Both legs were literally shattered. When I was cutting and wrapping there was a 2-3" hole through the bullet path on the off side leg. There were bone fragments strewn throughout the bullet path on both legs. I only found a couple small jacket fragments. The exit wound in the hide indicated that either the bullet fragmented into up to 4 pieces and/or bone fragments were carried out through the hide.

Given all of that I'd have no hesitation in using your somewhat slower load. In fact, I think that it was too much damage with my load, and either a longer range or a lighter powder charge would be called for if I were to design a purposful blacktail load. That said, I'd intended it to be a mule deer load, and that would have involved significantly longer ranges (150-400 yards typical where I went). So I'll probably stick with that load for now.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Tryuseing 120 gr bullets in place of the heavies. The 120 gr has a SD of .247 the same as a 165gr .308 cal bullet and the BC is in the same ball park depending on the bullets style.
The 120 will drop any deer here in the states from a Swede with less recoil then a 140 and a flatter trajectory too. I use them in both the 6.5x55 and 260 Rem here on whitetail. If I was going after larger animals such as Caricou or Elk too (yep the Swede willl take on Elk) I`d then go to the bigger bullets, 140-160 gr.

 

[sumpnz]

In my case I was somewhat limited as I had 129gr and 140gr Hornady Spire Points, and due to job loss and difficulty finding replacements didn't really want to go and buy a bunch more. I did have a really nice lite load for 120gr CorLokts though. So I did a quick accuracy test with a couple different powders and charge levels and the 140gr turned out to be the best in that department. With more time, and the ability to afford more load development, I'd ceratinly go to a 120gr load for blacktail. Mulies I might stick to 129-140gr though as they're a fair amount bigger and stouter than the western-Cascade blacktails. For Caribou I'd definitly want 140gr, and though I have used the 6.5x55 for cow elk it's not my favorite as it doesn't leave as much power margin for such large animals as I'd prefer.