6.5x55 Swede

B

BoogieMan

New member
Thinking of putting together 110 long action chambered for the swede. Anyone reload for it? Any known issues with loading for it? My basic plan is to buy up some PPU ammo and use for plinking and breakin. Then use the brass to reload and see what I can make happen.
 
No issues, other than the load manuals tend to be pretty conservative for this round. The Swede likes slow powders: Reloder 19 and 22, IMR or H4350, Vihtavouri N560. I have loaded everything from 85 Sierra Varminters to 160 Woodleigh, shooting a 22" Model 70 Classic Featherweight.

My best groups :

120 Nosler BT/47.0 H4350/COL 3.10 puts 5 shots in 1/2" at 100 going 2,937 (same bullet does 2,998 with 52.2 VV N560, but I haven't shot for group yet).

140 SGK/"old Speer manual max" Re-22/COL 3.05 does <1" at 100 going 2,758.
 
Own a few 6.5x55 rifles, military and a Stevens 200 I put a Shaw 6.5x55 barrel on.

As mentioned by ligoneirbill, its also been my experience that slower burning powders as he mentioned do quite well in the 6.5x55. Actually, I prefer Ramshots Magnum powder, which is even slower than any he mentioned. Have tried some Accurate Magpro, that's smilar to Magnum but have not shot enough with it to comment about it being good or bad for me when it comes to accuracy.

Agree with comment made about most reload data being "pretty conservative." If you check some of Alliants load data for the 6.5x55, you'll find military rifle and commercial rifle loads. What is max load for a military rifle is below start load for a commercial action rifle.....like my Stevens 200.

Mentioned this to a fellow shooter who owns a serious custom long range bench rifle that's basically a 6.5x55 A.O. Most of the time, when trying a powder new to him, he starts his load at max and works up from there.
 
The only thing I might add has been my futility of trying cast lead bullets with the 6.5x55 as well as the 6.5 Rem mag and .264 Win. Even those as light as 120 gr will not stabilize (unable to find any lighter (shorter) 6.5 cast bullets). However 90gr jacketed and on up do very well for the calibers mentioned. Have been using the Speers and Sierras. The 90gr have been terrific with the Swede.
 
Im thinking medium range, 600ish. I need to build my skill at that level before walking backward anymore. All that I have read on the cartridge says that it is very capable out to 1000+. For some reason people in the US tend to overlook it. Maybe because its not new.
 
I wouldn't say the US overlooks it. It is very popular for a foreign military round now discontinued.

I mean, odds are I can buy some 6.5x55 at any decent size sporting good store with an ammo counter.

Can't really say the same for 8mm Lebel (rifle or pistol variants). Consider the popularity of the 30-40 Krag, introduced around the same time frame, and consider that the 6.5 Swede is more popular than the older Krag round, even on it's home turf.

Jimro
 
The 120 to 140gr bullets work so well that I'm not surprised the 160gr bullets are getting harder to find.

Jimro
 
One of my favorite rounds and has been for many years......below are a couple loads in just two of 6.5x55'S I have that will easily do under a inch off bags at 100 yds.

Rem. Mdl. 700 Classic.
41.5 grs. RL22
Hornady 129 gr.

Thompson Center Encore (scoped 15" pistol barrel)
47.0 grs. H4831SC
Sierra 120 gr. HPBT

To be honest I shoot the Encore a little better than the Remington 700.
 
I have gotten what I think are good results with a middle of the road load using IMR 4320, and the Speer 140gr in a 1917 Swede long rifle.

Have not grouped it, but the only way to miss the 300yd gong (with the sights set all the way down) seems to be to look the other way when you pull the trigger. :D

Remember that the 6,5mm Swede is a ~45Kpsi (max) level cartridge due to the old rifles still extant. (I have an 1897 Krag in 6.5x55 and won't push anything "hot" through it, or through my 1917 swede).

As much as I love the Swede, if you are building a modern rifle, and "looking to see what you can make happen", I don't think the Swede is the best choice.

You probably want top end performance, and in a modern action you can run 50-55Kpsi rounds easily. In a modern rifle, you CAN do that with the Swede case, but I don't think you SHOULD do that with the Swede case, because of the (remote??) possibility of that ammo finding its way into a weaker action.

Better would be to use the 06 case (or something else that floats your boat). The 6.5-284 or the 6.5-06 would allow maximum performance at full modern pressures, and neither can fit into an antique Swede rifle, even by accident.
 
The 6.5 Swede is a great choice. One great thing about the 6.5 is there are plenty of choices of bullets. Most standard 6.5 Swedes love bullets of 140 grains and over. Having owned several of these rifles and handloading, I notice groups tend to shrink proportional to the increase in bullet weight.
Barrel twist on most are 1 in 8.
 
Reviving this thread since I am considering the very same thing: Old Savage 110 from a pawn shop, rebarrelling to 6.5x55. I considered .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor, but why not take advantage of the long action?
So, have you done it yet?
 
I considered .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor, but why not take advantage of the long action?
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One thing to consider with the choice between a .260 and a Swede is that using that long-action 110 you can chamber very long bullets in your .260 and seat them out to the lands without worrying about them not fitting into the magazine.
 
No issues, get you some reloader 22 and some 140 grain bullets and have fun. My opinion one of the best calibers for new shooters too due to it's variety of bullets and soft recoil.
 
If you really want to take advantage of the long action, look at 6.5-06.
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I have considered it, but I'm not sure I want to go to a wildcat for which I would have to make the brass. I can get factory PPU 6.5x55 for 67¢ a pop, then have good fireformed brass to reload.
Also, I don't think I need that kind of power. I am not intending to hunt with this rifle. Barrel life is also reputed to not be the greatest.
 
I'm not sure I want to go to a wildcat for which I would have to make the brass.
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It is a wildcat, but barely so. All bullet and powder manufacturers list load data, dies are available off the shelf, and brass can be made by neck sizing 25-06 with no other work involved.

Barrel life is not great though.
 
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