Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
Articles
Latest reviews
Author list
Classifieds
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
6.5X55 95 VMAX/RL-17 LOAD DEV
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="benchracer" data-source="post: 1344893" data-attributes="member: 22069"><p>Over the years I have seen people ask for load information for the 6.5mm 95 VMAX, or make general inquiries about what sort of accuracy to expect, on a periodic, but infrequent basis. Invariably, the response to such questions seems to be the internet equivalent of a shrug and a blank look, leading me to believe there aren't many folks who have worked with this bullet.</p><p></p><p>Awhile back, a good friend of mine gave me an unopened box of 95 VMAX's, which I promptly forgot about. I happened to stumble across them recently, while looking for something else. I have been doing some other load work lately and needed something else to shoot while letting the barrel on another of my rifles cool. This seemed like a good opportunity to have a little fun.</p><p></p><p>My 6.5 Swede is built on a Zastava Mark X Commercial Mauser action, so there are no strength concerns and no reason to use book data as anything but a starting point. When working with any of the old military mauser cartridges in a modern action, I have learned to treat them like wildcat cartridges and develop my own data.</p><p></p><p>I decided to begin with a seating depth test, using a modified version of Berger's recommended test. Since there was no way this bullet was going to get anywhere near the lands, I decided to base my test on book length and go from there. Hornady book length for the 95 VMAX is 2.905". At that length, there is only .180 of the shank in the case neck. If the bullet were seated out another .040, there would be .140 of the shank in the case neck, just over half the bullet diameter. I decided that would be the practical limit for OAL and set the test lengths accordingly: 2.945, 2.905, 2.865, and 2.825.</p><p></p><p>From prior experience using Hornady 6.5x55 data in my rifle, I knew that even max listed loads in the 9th Edition are very mild loads. I had decided to use RL-17 for my initial development and chose to begin at 45.0 grains, one grain below listed max.</p><p></p><p>Here are the results of the seating depth test:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH]81298[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Right off the bat, the 95 VMAX doesn't appear to be particularly finicky about seating depth. I decided to go with 2.865 as my chosen OAL.</p><p></p><p>ETA: The primers used were standard Federal 210's. I don't know why I wrote down 210M and didn't notice that I had done that before I posted the target pic.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="benchracer, post: 1344893, member: 22069"] Over the years I have seen people ask for load information for the 6.5mm 95 VMAX, or make general inquiries about what sort of accuracy to expect, on a periodic, but infrequent basis. Invariably, the response to such questions seems to be the internet equivalent of a shrug and a blank look, leading me to believe there aren't many folks who have worked with this bullet. Awhile back, a good friend of mine gave me an unopened box of 95 VMAX's, which I promptly forgot about. I happened to stumble across them recently, while looking for something else. I have been doing some other load work lately and needed something else to shoot while letting the barrel on another of my rifles cool. This seemed like a good opportunity to have a little fun. My 6.5 Swede is built on a Zastava Mark X Commercial Mauser action, so there are no strength concerns and no reason to use book data as anything but a starting point. When working with any of the old military mauser cartridges in a modern action, I have learned to treat them like wildcat cartridges and develop my own data. I decided to begin with a seating depth test, using a modified version of Berger's recommended test. Since there was no way this bullet was going to get anywhere near the lands, I decided to base my test on book length and go from there. Hornady book length for the 95 VMAX is 2.905". At that length, there is only .180 of the shank in the case neck. If the bullet were seated out another .040, there would be .140 of the shank in the case neck, just over half the bullet diameter. I decided that would be the practical limit for OAL and set the test lengths accordingly: 2.945, 2.905, 2.865, and 2.825. From prior experience using Hornady 6.5x55 data in my rifle, I knew that even max listed loads in the 9th Edition are very mild loads. I had decided to use RL-17 for my initial development and chose to begin at 45.0 grains, one grain below listed max. Here are the results of the seating depth test: [ATTACH]81298[/ATTACH] Right off the bat, the 95 VMAX doesn't appear to be particularly finicky about seating depth. I decided to go with 2.865 as my chosen OAL. ETA: The primers used were standard Federal 210's. I don't know why I wrote down 210M and didn't notice that I had done that before I posted the target pic. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
6.5X55 95 VMAX/RL-17 LOAD DEV
Top