6.5 Swedish Mauser loading tips?

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  • Warpspasm

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2010
    1,771
    Harford, Co.
    I'm finally getting a 6.5 Swedish Mauser and it should be delivered tomorrow. It's supposed to be a Target model military 96, so I'm expecting a good shooter. I've never loaded for this caliber, so any tips on bullet weight, powders etc. would be greatly appreciated. I plan on shooting PRIMARILY at 100 yards, but I will also be shooting 200 and 300 yards from time to time, so I'd want a load good for those distances. Thanks in advance.
     

    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    Hodgdon has a great on-line data center.

    Plug in bullet weight, plug in powder, and the calculator will do the rest.

    Super easy.

    Buy several different bullet weights that were manufactured by several different companies and then settle on what works best in your barrel.
     

    atblis

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    2,011
    Typicall 140 gr bullets slow powder 4831 4350 etc. H4350 would probably be my choice. 4831 is a good 6.5x55 powder.

    100 to 300 yard requires no special effort. That's actually fairly short range.

    That being said, lighter bullets and medium powders also work well. Might try 120 gr bullets and maybe some 4895 for a light plinking loads for fun. 120 gr will get you to 300 yards no problem.
     

    Bolts Rock

    Living in Free America!
    Apr 8, 2012
    6,123
    Northern Alabama
    It will excel with 140-142gr bullets. The powder I used to load in the 96 that worked from 100 to 1000 is no longer made but look for something around the burn rate of the old Accurate 3100 and it should work. PPU, Norma or Lapua brass. Fed 210M primers.
     

    Warpspasm

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2010
    1,771
    Harford, Co.
    Thanks guys. I was wondering because I was seeing recommended bullets weights all over the place. I noticed that regular PPU ammo is 139gr, but they also sell PPU Match ammo and it's only pushing 120gr. That's what made me start to question the best bullet weight for target shooting.
     

    antco

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 28, 2010
    7,044
    Calvert, MD
    Mine is all target shooting out of a very modified modern R700. I hesitate to publish this if you intend to run it in a 90 year old rifle.

    140 grain Sierras
    Lapua and Nosler brass
    45 grains Accurate 4350 powder

    The above has been very successful for me, shooting <.2 MOA consistently over 600 rounds. It's likely too hot for your old receiver so please back down the charge to 39-40 grains of powder or switch to a powder with a slower burn rate.
     

    Jerry M

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 13, 2007
    1,688
    Glen Burnie MD
    Mine is all target shooting out of a very modified modern R700. I hesitate to publish this if you intend to run it in a 90 year old rifle.

    140 grain Sierras
    Lapua and Nosler brass
    45 grains Accurate 4350 powder

    The above has been very successful for me, shooting <.2 MOA consistently over 600 rounds. It's likely too hot for your old receiver so please back down the charge to 39-40 grains of powder or switch to a powder with a slower burn rate.

    Yes DO NOT use this load in a 122 year old rifle...
     

    atblis

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    2,011
    Yes DO NOT use this load in a 122 year old rifle...
    Ehhh, that's the max published load in AA's manual and is listed at 48kpsi. That's not modern 308/243/260 hot and is most likely just fine in a 96 action. AA's 308 loads top out at 61kpsi. Downloading below min published is not a good idea either. H4895 is one of the few powders that can be down loaded.
     

    Jerry M

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 13, 2007
    1,688
    Glen Burnie MD
    Ehhh, that's the max published load in AA's manual and is listed at 48kpsi. That's not modern 308/243/260 hot and is most likely just fine in a 96 action. AA's 308 loads top out at 61kpsi. Downloading below min published is not a good idea either. H4895 is one of the few powders that can be down loaded.

    Please don't take this personal.
    I would not use the maximum load to start; but the minimum on such an old rifle. I would not go below minimum with a slow powder, I read P. O. Ackley's book:D

    Good luck

    Jerry
     

    atblis

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    2,011
    I am not saying to start at the maximum. Of course, follow normal established loading procedures. What I am saying is that there's no reason to avoid loading to that maximum published by AA. SAAMI max 6.5x55 pressure is 51,000 psi and the AA load is under that. 51,000 psi was selected in deference to the older actions. For reference, SAAMI maximum for 308 is 62,000 psi. 51,000 psi is the "reduced" load. Reducing it again would be ignorant.

    What I personally do, is use a chrongraph to achieve a reasonable velocity (while staying inside the published loads) and call it good. I've had some lots of powder that achieved velocities that didn't fall in line with the published data and ultimately proved too hot (specifically a batch of Longshot).
     

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