Dusting off a old 6.5 swede sportster, advice wanted.

Thanks for the tip about the brass blade, I'll watch to see if affects my shooting.

I talked to the local smith about putting a stock on her & asked me how I want it bedded. I have no idea about that stuff. And there doesn't seem to be many stocks available for the small ring versus the large ring. Seems odd, as the small ring action makes all the large ring actions I've seen look like dumptrucks. I want to make sure whatever I get has a low enough comb that iron sights are comfortable.

I've freaking scrubbed this barrel until my arms are numb with hoppes & a nice brush. About the third patch after that will be spotless yet I can still see what appears to be copper on the edge of the lands.
 
Scrubbing only goes so far. What you need is to soak the bore with a copper solvent, let it work for a while, then scrub, then patch until clean. Repeat the process a couple times a week until you see the results you want.

I don't know if you can still get it, I haven't found any in a long time, but the best product I know of is RB-17

I don't know what's in it, but it doesn't smell bad, is non toxic, and it takes out everything!

Hoppes is good, but get a copper solvent (one that specifically claims to remove copper deposits), and use it.

Copper fouling is better than lead in the bore, copper actually smooths rough spots, and can actually improve accuracy, but there comes a point when this stops and the fouling reduces accuracy.
 
I've finally found a stock. It wasn't anything fancy, just a small ring mauser walnut stock from Brownells. My only concern is the comb being low enough for iron sights. Fingers crossed.

Thr Varget / SMK loads shot okay (2") but as far as I'm seating the bullets out there's a lot of space left in the case & there's sure not much bullet in the neck. I think next I'll move on up to about 45gr of Dupont 4350 per several sources. Hopefully the slower burning powder will take up some case capacity.

If the slower powder doesn't work, considering the other issues with the barrel, I'm probably going to order a new Shillen for her. That will take care of all the unknowns about the factory barrel. Then there shouldn't be any reason for this to be an inaccurate rifle.

More to come!
 
Before you go spending big bucks to accurize that Swede, check out the crown. A bad crown could easily cause your larger-than-normal groups. If it is lightly burred, you can polish it nicely with a brass round-head screw chucked up in a drill using Flitz for a polish.
 
The 6.5x55 is inherently very accurate !!
Original military load would be 156 gr.
Use a powder that burns like 4350 and use a 140 to 160 bullet .
Get the proper cases not the stupid American ones .They had the 260 why screw up the 6.5x55.
Make sure the crown is OK.
Trigger was a very good idea.
When I made my custom 6.5x55 first try gave me 7/8" groups with iron sights !! Didn't go farther as it was a hunting gun which I used for deer for 25 yrs ! 140 , 4350 all you need . :D
 
The stock came in already! & holy freakin' crap this thing nowhere begins to fit the rifle. I've got the bottom metal done & most (as far as I can tell) of the receiver. Started on the barrel channel but I'm starting ti get a bit tipsy from all the foriegn lagers I've drank. Whew.

But this will SO be worth it. There's nothing like an old steel & wood bolt action in my mind.

mete, I hope soon that I have the fortune you do & can hold a rifle that steady. Does your rifle still have the factory barrel? & what length is it? I just happened to load me up a batch of 142 SMKs over some 4350. American cases though. We'll see...

44 AMP, I did pick me up another bottle of hoppes, as I'm about out, but it specifically says it's for removing copper. Has a gold & brown label.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Until next time!
 
Kawasaki, my rifle is a custom M98 Mauser. 24" barrel. My load was 140 Hornady with 4350 producing 2750 without any pressure signs.work up the load that works for your rifle .BTW Finn Aagard called the 6.5x55 the perfect deer rifle , I agree !! :)
 
We need to make up some bumper stickers saying "I agree with Finn"...

He was a great gunwriter, and obviously had it dead on about the 6.5 X 55.

I also agree with Mete... IMR 4350, 140gr Hornady interlock, load it to about 2625 fps.... magic happens. Mine shoots that load into about an inch, day in, day out. Never had to shoot more than once with it, and never had to walk more than about 20yds to start field dressing. Kills deer as dead as disco...
 
65 swede Husky lightweight(1/8 twist) 120 TSX

46.5 grs.IMR 4350, Win.cases necked .002, Rem. lr.magnum primers, bullet- Barnes 120 TSX boat seated to the middle of the top pressure band. Modern action/vicious results...clovers...work up from 44grs..Elvis has left the building.
 
Something interesting to note. My dad stumbled across an uncut numbers matching 1942 Husky M38 online. He's an OTR driver so he calls me to go pick it up...

Not only is this thing pristine, but the throat isn't a mile long like the 1919 Gustav M96 I'm tinkering with. I went to chamber one of my loads with a 142 SMK seated WAY out there (3.200" oal) & the bolt wouldn't even begin to close on the round. Upon inspection it was clearly obvious the lands were striking the ogive. I tried one of my leftover Amax loads (3.150" oal) & the bolt would just close, but snugly. So the Huskies clearly have a shorter throat than the Gustavs.

I got some Hoppes copper solvent that says it's specifically made for removing copper fouling. I plugged the chamber poured a bit in & got to scrubbing after I let it soak about an hour. I don't know what this stuff is made of but a good whiff just about made me fall over! Bad thing is it looks like there's more copper in the barrel now! Looking in the muzzle atleast half of the lands & grooves are copper colored. I must be uncovering decades of neglected rifle bore here.

Midway had the bottom feeder Chrony on sale so I popped for one. Once the snow melts I'm going to go out with all the extra loads I have to see how consistant they are.

I still feel the rifle likes the Amax over the SMK but about the only heavier bullet I can find lately is the SMK. I ran across an article about duplicating the M41 load with SMKs & R22. I'll see how the 4350 load runs first & go from there.

Until next time!
 
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