6.5x55 velocity question

[Vleder]

Can the 6.5x55 safely reach 3 000fps with the 140g Accubond or Berger VLD in a 26" barrel?

 

[fj40mojo]

Depends on the strength of your action. What is it built on?

 

[Vleder]

I am still in the building/deciding phase, will most likely be single shot and RSA action?
Stock will be a solid aluminium custom job and action fitted with 2 massive screws.

I am looking for a 6.5 that will push the 140g to 3 000fps safely and still have some sort of barrel life. I will not be shooting looooog strings and will clean regularly, mainly for LR hunting and some local competitions (grouping and target), sau 300 - 400 rds p.a.
What sort of barrel life can I expect given the above with
6.5x284
6.5x55

I was also actually looking at the 260 Rem, can I reach at least 2950fps with the 140g?

 

[Loner]

Check speers manual with reloader 22. They list two different sections for the 6.5x55.
One for the old Mausers at lower pressures and one for the newer actions. 3000 fps is
a little unrealistic but you can get close. (2850) It will easily push to 1300 yards supersonic at
reasonable pressures. 6.5 bullets offerings are really long. Look at some of the 160's
out there as well. Lapua brass is available for the Swede as well. It is the correct base
diameter and not the fubarred stuff win. and rem. shove upon us. The 6.5x.284 is the
fastest of the crowd but is a known barrel burner. The 260 is not going to accept in a magazine the
long heavy vld's in a short action anyway so I would stay with the versatility of a Swede
in a 1:7 or 1:7.5 twist. If you keep your speeds down at 2800 you will see 3000 to 4000
rounds of barrel life. If you can afford it go with a 6.5-06 and you'll get your 3100 fps
and 1800 yards supersonic. Have fun buying barrels though.

 

[fj40mojo]

Check speers manual with reloader 22. They list two different sections for the 6.5x55.
One for the old Mausers at lower pressures and one for the newer actions. 3000 fps is
a little unrealistic but you can get close. (2850) It will easily push to 1300 yards supersonic at
reasonable pressures. 6.5 bullets offerings are really long. Look at some of the 160's
out there as well. Lapua brass is available for the Swede as well. It is the correct base
diameter and not the fubarred stuff win. and rem. shove upon us. The 6.5x.284 is the
fastest of the crowd but is a known barrel burner. The 260 is not going to accept in a magazine the
long heavy vld's in a short action anyway so I would stay with the versatility of a Swede
in a 1:7 or 1:7.5 twist. If you keep your speeds down at 2800 you will see 3000 to 4000
rounds of barrel life. If you can afford it go with a 6.5-06 and you'll get your 3100 fps
and 1800 yards supersonic. Have fun buying barrels though.

It can be done-I think. With 2 more inches of barrel and a heavier contour I think you can get there or darn close but I wouldn't get hung up on a specific velocity. My 6.5x55 is built on a commercial Mauser '98 action, 24" Douglas 1:8 twist #2 contour and was chambered with PT&G's Match reamer which is SAAMI spec except for the throat is optimized for 140gr bullets and controlled round feed ie must feed from the magazine. I'm able to load the long secant ogive bullets right to the lands and still feed from the magazine. The load I settled on is Lapua brass, Fed primers, 140grn Hornady SST and 45.5grns of H4831, 1.5 grains under listed max for Nosler's book. I average 2862 with this load and shoot <1/2MOA groups but have gone to the max and beyond (47.5grns) with no pressure signs and edged right up to 3000fps but accuracy suffered as loads became compressed and I went back to my accuracy node which seems to be right around 2875fps regardless of the powder used to get there. R22 and IMR4350 got me there too but I've got so much of the H4831 available for cheap that it just made sense to go with that powder. I'd still like to try some Vit N560 but haven't found any available locally. If you absolutely must reach 3000fps muzzle velocity have you considered the 6.5x55BJAI Ackleyized Swede? Ackleyizing the Swede minimizes the brass growth by getting rid of a lot of the body taper (annoying!), gets you some more case capacity something in between the Swede's 58grns of H2O and the 284's 68grns of H2O, reduces bolt thrust, and would make it easy to reach 3000fps I'd think. Had I known that such an animal existed at the time I built mine I would have had it chambered for the AI rather than the 6.5x55 Match.

 

[RT2506]

I am getting 2850 fps with 140's out of a 96 Swede 29" barrel with 65,000 CUP loads 45 grs AA 4350. With a long barrel you should be able to get 3000 or very close with a stronger action. But 3000 fps with 140's in anything will not promote long barrel life. I get right at 3000 fps with 120's and 46 grs AA 4350.