Want to build a 6.5x55 swede.

[CarJunkieLS1]

I'm seriously looking at building a 6.5x55 swede. This will be a range toy 300yards $1000+ for a custom full board build. I am on a budget but I'm not exactly sure what my budget is for the rifle only.

What action is a qualtiy action that doesn't break the bank?
I'm thinking just buying a complete rifle in a compatible caliber/action and rebarreling it. I will replace the stock with an aftermarket stock though. I've never done anything like this before so if I'm not on the right track please give me any suggestions. Also if I've left out important info I can answer those questions too. BTW I will be reloading for this rifle.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Here's my 6.5x55mm. It is on a Gew.98 (1899) Mauser receiver, Bold trigger, FN bolt sleeve, B&C synthetic stock with Mossyoak camo dip. Scope is a Nikon Buckmaster 3x9x40 with Butler Creek tip up covers in Talley base/rings.

 

[horsemen61]

I'd suggest a 98 Mauser action if you can find one this is the route I went I'd shy away from 96 Swedish Mauser actions they aren't as strong

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

I'm not against using old Mauser actions but I don't really know much about older military rifles and sporterizing them. I wouldn't know which action is suitable for full power modern loads. I'd prefer a modern action that way I will be sure of the strength/reliability of the action. I've heard that some older military actions are and aren't suitable for modern ammo pressures. I wouldn't want to take a chance on getting an action that isn't as strong as it needs to be.

BTW that is a good looking rifle. I hope the one I build looks as good as that one does.

 

[EchoM70]

When I was figuring out my build I initially wanted a 6.5x55. The fact it had to be a long action led me down the .260 Rem path. The modern ballistic twin of the swede in a short action. Unless you really want a swede Id give the 260 a look.

On a budget build Savage rifles are hard to beat, especially if you get ahold of a Stevens 200 action. Same as the model 10/110 but without the accutrigger. Prefit barrels by numerous reputable companies and you'll have a plethora of stocks to choose from.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Any large ring 98 Mauser is more than adequate for the hottest 6.5x55 load you would care to feed it. Nothing wrong with the Swedish military Model 96 but the 98 has more safety features. I have a K Kale Turkish Mauser (large ring small threads) that I had intended to chamber in .257 Roberts but Midway has a Green River short chambered barrel in 6.5x55 for $89(also fits the Model 96) so I may go that route instead.

 

[JerryMander]

Norma uses 96 actions to test their loadings, it is plenty strong.

It's the older 94 and 93 that you have to worry about.

Either a 96 or a 98 would be fine. Why not get a 96 or 38 swede mauser?

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

I looked at the .260 Rem once before and I bought a 7mm-08 instead. I really just want a 6.5x55 becasue I just want one. I also seem to have a preference for Long Action calibers...don't know why though.

I like a nice trigger, I'm not against an aftermarket trigger, but a nice adjustable factory trigger will be easier for me. I'm thinking if I can find a used Savage 110 .30-06 or .270 for a good price then that will have the action and trigger that I can use. All I'll need after that is a barrel and a stock...right?

Also what length barrel will best serve the 6.5x55 for 300yrd max range. What twist rate I'd likely shoot the light for caliber bullets up to the 140gr.

 

[horsemen61]

Well with the swede to get optimum speed aka Fps id go with at least 24 inches and 300 yards ain't even stretching the swedes legs so it is a fun round to load and shoot I think you will enjoy it

 

[horsemen61]

As for twist rate I have no idea

 

[viking499]

1:8 twist is good.

I already have two 6.5's and have thought about picking up a Savage action and doing another 6.5. The two 6.5's I have are Tikkas. The reason for the Savage is that i can do all the work and no have to pay a gunsmith to do something.

 

[Float Pilot]

I own a few Swede Mausers in 6.5x55mm as well as a Winchester M-70 and a Sako.

The most accurate is my CG-63 Swedish target rifle.

 

[Water-Man]

Start with an m96 Swedish Mauser.

 

[TRX]

Heh. The Swedes chambered their version of the BAR in 6.5x55; that'd top my list of desirable actions...

Seriously, you have two practical choices: find a Mauser that's already chambered in 6.5x55, or rechamber something else.

For the first, even if you don't keep the original 6.5 barrel, the magazine and feeding lips are already set up for 6.5x55, guaranteeing that the rifle will feed smoothly and reliably.

For the second, you might have to do some work to make it feed right. More conversions than people like to admit are finicky feeders, or even single shots. But since the 6.5x55 isn't a high pressure cartridge, any "long" action you like, or get a deal on, will do.

Personally, I'd start with a '96 or '98 Swedish Mauser. Yes, there are "better" actions out there now, depending on your definition of "better"... but it's a well-known platform, with books, forums, and generations of gunsmiths you can turn to for help, with a huge established aftermarket for any piece you might want, from replacement parts to stocks, scope mounts, or prefit match grade barrels. It's a reliable, battle-proven platform, cloned by dozens of manufacturers over more than a century. Turning your back on that would be hard to justify.

 

[Limey46]

I have a spare 96 action if you decide to go that route.

 

[JayPee]

If you are going to load full power hunting loads that exceed military pressure levels in your 6.5X55mm Mauser build, DO NOT use an M94/M96 action. In my build, from 1992, I used a brand new, commercial Mark X Mauser Whitworth action. The 6.5X55mm cartridge can be loaded to just slightly below .270 Winchester performance, and such pressures are a death sentence for an original M94/M96 action.

The problem with using the M94/M96 action is that the receiver is very soft while the bolt and its locking lugs are rock hard. Once you start shooting loads that are appreciably more powerful than the military-pressure loads, the hard locking lugs start setting back in the soft locking lug recesses. This creates a fatal headspace problem. Repeat, fatal.

My favorite load in my Mark X Whitworth action, which has a 24 inch Shilen medium/heavy barrel, fires a 120 grain Ballistic Tip bullet traveling at .270/.280/.30-'06 velocities. I worked up this load very carefully and it doesn't show any sign of excessive pressures in my particular rifle. This load, however, would ruin a military Swede action in very short order. So, emblazoned across every page of loading data I have compiled is the legend "Mark X load only. Not for military Swede actions." This notation is also made on any ammunition box I may happen to store this load in.

I would strongly recommend using a very strong commercial action if you intend to exceed military pressures in your loads. Military M98 Mausers can have their own set of disappointments. First among them is the fact that their original cartridge, the 8mm Mauser cartridge, dissipates pressure faster than any known cartridge, and once manufacturers discovered this they decided to reduce costs by reducing the degree of heat treatment of the action - thus you can get the exact same fatal setback problem in an M98 as you get in the Swede actions. Outdoor Life's shooting editor, Jim Carmichael, once wrote in one of his books that he and a friend had purchased a number of brand new military Mauser M98 actions, and upon barreling them for cartridges such as the .270 Winchester, they all developed a catastrophic degree of excessive headspace because the actions had only been heat treated to withstand 8mm Mauser pressures - all were ruined.Thus, back in the heyday of military conversions, the 50's, 60's, and 70's, the experts always advised that before using a military M98 action as the basis for an expensive sporting rifle, the shooter should first have the action tested for Rockwell hardness. That is still awfully good advice in my book if you insist on using a military M98 action. Hope this helps.

JayPee

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think I've decided I want to use a modern action. It will take the velocity that I would like to push this round to. I think I'm gonna go with either a Rem 700 ADL action or a Savage/Stevens action. Either of them will have to be long action calibers of course. I will actually prefer to have a blind magazine in this rifle too. Is there anything in the modern actions that will make it a better or easier choice than other actions.

 

[headoftheholler]

If you are going to load full power hunting loads that exceed military pressure levels in your 6.5X55mm Mauser build, DO NOT use an M94/M96 action. In my build, from 1992, I used a brand new, commercial Mark X Mauser Whitworth action. The 6.5X55mm cartridge can be loaded to just slightly below .270 Winchester performance, and such pressures are a death sentence for an original M94/M96 action.

The problem with using the M94/M96 action is that the receiver is very soft while the bolt and its locking lugs are rock hard. Once you start shooting loads that are appreciably more powerful than the military-pressure loads, the hard locking lugs start setting back in the soft locking lug recesses. This creates a fatal headspace problem. Repeat, fatal.

My favorite load in my Mark X Whitworth action, which has a 24 inch Shilen medium/heavy barrel, fires a 120 grain Ballistic Tip bullet traveling at .270/.280/.30-'06 velocities. I worked up this load very carefully and it doesn't show any sign of excessive pressures in my particular rifle. This load, however, would ruin a military Swede action in very short order. So, emblazoned across every page of loading data I have compiled is the legend "Mark X load only. Not for military Swede actions." This notation is also made on any ammunition box I may happen to store this load in.

I would strongly recommend using a very strong commercial action if you intend to exceed military pressures in your loads. Military M98 Mausers can have their own set of disappointments. First among them is the fact that their original cartridge, the 8mm Mauser cartridge, dissipates pressure faster than any known cartridge, and once manufacturers discovered this they decided to reduce costs by reducing the degree of heat treatment of the action - thus you can get the exact same fatal setback problem in an M98 as you get in the Swede actions. Outdoor Life's shooting editor, Jim Carmichael, once wrote in one of his books that he and a friend had purchased a number of brand new military Mauser M98 actions, and upon barreling them for cartridges such as the .270 Winchester, they all developed a catastrophic degree of excessive headspace because the actions had only been heat treated to withstand 8mm Mauser pressures - all were ruined.Thus, back in the heyday of military conversions, the 50's, 60's, and 70's, the experts always advised that before using a military M98 action as the basis for an expensive sporting rifle, the shooter should first have the action tested for Rockwell hardness. That is still awfully good advice in my book if you insist on using a military M98 action. Hope this helps.

JayPee

CIP max pressure for 8mm mauser is 56K, how is this not safe to use a 270 in? SAAMI's max 8mm loads are 30-30 levels.

 

[JayPee]

CarJunkieLS1, I wouldn't forget the Winchester Model 70 action, (with the large claw extractor) as it was once chambered for the 6.5x55 cartridge in the Featherweight model.

The Remington M700 and Savage actions MAY be a problem in that the 6.5x55 case has a larger diameter head than any of the other Mauser-derived cartridges, and I don't know just how well these actions' extractors will mate up to the 6.5x55's base. Also, any bolt designed for the basic .30-'06/270/280/.308 head size cartridges, (referred to above as "Mauser-derived cartridges,) and which fully enclose the case head, may just be a bit snug for the 6.5x55's base, which is slightly larger in diameter. I can't say this for sure, so I'd get some gunsmith advice before buying any of the actions that enclose the case head or have the small extractor claws.

Hope this helps.

Headoftheholler, the problem wasn't the 8x57's pressure. It was the unusual speed with which the 8mm's pressure was dissipated. When the military actions I referred to were heat treated only to tolerate the 8mm's rapid dissipation of pressure, and then were faced with cartridges of similar or greater pressures that did not dissipate as fast, the effect on the soft metal in the receivers with skimpy heat treating was the same as excessive pressure. The hardened bolt set back the soft locking lug recesses in the action and created excessive headspace that could not be repaired. Not all military Mauser actions suffered this problem. But enough of them did that this was a very common topic of conversation for the gun writers of the 50's,60's, and 70's, who frequently issued the warning to have Military M98 Mauser actions tested for Rockwell hardness before sinking a lot of money into converting them to sporters.

JayPee

 

[Curator]

CarjunkieLS1:

I built 2 6.5X55 mauser rifles, the first was from a "junk" M96 barreled action (re-barrel-new stock) Then I got the 6.5X55 bug and found another "junk" action, this time a 1908 Brazilian 7X57 made by DWF. This one got a bull barrel and laminated stock plus double set triggers. I opted for the 1 in 9" twist since I usually shoot cast bullets at targets. Picture is M38 Husqvarna, my M96 Gustuv sporter, and my M98 DWF bench rifle

 

[JayPee]

Very, very nice.

 

[Slamfire]

Find one of these and have it properly bedded. The glue that Winchester used as bedding material is a disaster!.

Otherwise, it is a great rifle. Modern steels, claw extractor, wing safety, and old trigger.

 

[Float Pilot]

While I have hot-rod-ed my M-70 6.5x55 loads a few times. There was not any real reason to do so. The super ballistic coefficient of the 6.5mm bullet does not need to be pushed.

Being super accurate at 2,700 fps is much more exciting than being semi-accurate at 3,000 fps.

This group was with a Swedish GF aperture sight at 100 yards from sand bags using a Swedish CG-63 rifle.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Those a some very pretty rifles. I'm jealous and I have a feeling that the Winchester in 6.5x55 swede will be more $ than I am able to spend. I also understand that many people use unchanged Savage and Rem 700 actions for the 6.5x55. I believe that the head diameter for US made 6.5 brass is closer in head diameter to .30-06 etc than the European made 6.5x55 brass. The few that I have talked to have reported no issues in using unmodified long actions. I appreciate the responses it has given me alot to think about and decide what I want to do.

 

[Float Pilot]

My featherweight M-70 only has a 22 inch barrel: So I worked up loads that seemed to work OK in that rifle. The Winchester is much more picky than any of my Swedish Mausers. You are correct in that the US made brass has the wrong head size. Lapua Brass is the best for 6.5x55mm. Followed by Norma. They will last for 15 reloads so in the long run they are not really any more expensive than the 5 reload Winchester brass.

6.5x55mm Winchester MODEL 70 LOADS ONLY

Federal factory 140gr Soft Point: = 2,375 fps, 0.50 inch group.120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip: 46.5gr RL-19, Lapua, CCI BR-2, 3.085 col= 2,560 fps and a 1.0 inch group120gr Sierra Match King: 46.0 gr RL-19, Lapua, BR-2, 3.085 col= 2,508 fps and a 0.50 inch group.

120gr Hornady A-Max, 48.8gr IMR-4831, ww,ww, 2.964 col
= 2,925 fps and a 0.75 inch group Lee Crimp. High Pressure

129gr Hornady SST, 47.3gr IMR-4831, WW, WW Stand, 2.942 col
=2,808 fps and a 1.5 inch group. no crimp. Cratered primers
140gr Rem Accu-Tip, 47.0gr RL-22, Lapua Brass, CCI-200, 3.970 col= 2,640 fps and a 1.0 inch group140gr Nosler Partition, 47.0gr RL-22, Lapua Brass, CCI-200, 3.950 col= 2,569 fps and a 1.5 inch group140gr Hornady Soft oint , 47.0gr RL-22, Lapua Brass, CCI-200, 3.850 col= 2,575 fps and a 2.0 inch group140gr Hornady SST. 46.5 gr RL-19, Lapua, CCI-200, 3.090 COL
= 2,570 fps and a 1.0 inch group

140gr Hornady SST, 44.5 gr H-4350, Lapua, CCI-200, 3.090 col
= 2,608 fps and a 1.5 inch group

140gr Hornady SST, 44.5gr H-100V, Lapua, CCI-200 3.090 col
=2,669 fps and a 0.50 inch group.

140gr Sierra Game King, 44.5gr H-100V, WW, WW, 2.930col
= 2,675 fps and a 0.55 inch group Lee factory Crimp, no pressure signs

140gr Hornady Soft Point, 44.5gr H-100V, ww, ww, 2.945 col
=2,680 fps and a 2.5 inch group. Lee Crimp. Some pressure signs

140gr Hornady R. N. 44.5gr H-100V, WW, WW 2.975 col
=2,620 fps and a HUGE Group, lee Crimp

140gr Hornady SST, 46.5gr IMR-4831, ww,ww, 2.995 col
=2,700 fps and a 0.75 inch group, primer flow

160gr Hornady Round Nose: 45.0 gr RL-22, PMC, Rem 9.5, 3.100 col= 2,288 fps and a 1.5 inch group

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 6.5x55 Swede Mauser.*This rifle has been glass bedded. At 100 yards, light snow, 32F. 6-8 knot wind.

Federal factory 140gr Soft Point: = 2,375 fps, 0.50 inch group.
120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip: 46.5gr RL-19, Lapua, CCI BR-2, 3.085 col= 2,560 fps and a 1.0 inch group
120gr Sierra Match King: 46.0 gr RL-19, Lapua, BR-2, 3.085 col= 2,508 fps and a 0.50 inch group.
140gr Rem Accu-Tip, 47.0gr RL-22, Lapua Brass, CCI-200, 3.970 col= 2,640 fps and a 1.0 inch group
140gr Nosler Partition, 47.0gr RL-22, Lapua Brass, CCI-200, 3.950 col= 2,569 fps and a 1.5 inch group
140gr Hornady Soft oint , 47.0gr RL-22, Lapua Brass, CCI-200, 3.850 col= 2,575 fps and a 2.0 inch group
160gr Hornady Round Nose: 45.0 gr RL-22, PMC, Rem 9.5, 3.100 col= 2,288 fps and a 1.5 inch group