6.5x55 Swede

[hunkyfish]

I'm looking for loads for my 6.5x55 Swede with 18in barrel
I didn't have much luck with IMR 4831
but I have a decent load for CFE-223 under 120gr Sierra MK HPBT

 

[RT2506]

Get one of the 4350s Accurate, Hodgdon or IMR and with 120 gr bullets work up to max of 46 grs and with 140s work up to 44 grs if using Hodgdon and 45 grs with the others and you should find what you are looking for.

 

[hunkyfish]

Thx
I haven't seen any IMR or Hogdon but my LGS just got a couple of lbs of Accurate 4350 I'll grab

 

[scottishkat]

Get one of the 4350s Accurate, Hodgdon or IMR and with 120 gr bullets work up to max of 46 grs and with 140s work up to 44 grs if using Hodgdon and 45 grs with the others and you should find what you are looking for.

With an 18" barrel you should concentrate on faster burning powders than 4831. 4350 should be a good spot to start varget would be worth a try. You can look at your data and pick the faster burn rates and try them. Slower burn rates and short barrels don't go together well.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

 

[su37]

With an 18" barrel you should concentrate on faster burning powders than 4831. 4350 should be a good spot to start varget would be worth a try. You can look at your data and pick the faster burn rates and try them. Slower burn rates and short barrels don't go together well.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

Faster burning powders will make no difference in a shorter barrel. Whatever powder is fastest in a 24" will be the fastest in an 18".

 

[scottishkat]

Faster burning powders will make no difference in a shorter barrel. Whatever powder is fastest in a 24" will be the fastest in an 18".

What are your thoughts on slower burn rate powders not burning completely prior to the bullet exiting the bbl?

Shoot straight

Bob

 

[su37]

What are your thoughts on slower burn rate powders not burning completely prior to the bullet exiting the bbl?

Shoot straight

Bob

"The common notion that faster powders will work better in shorter rifle barrels is wrong, primarily because all the powder that's going to turn into gas does so inside the first few inches of a barrel. (Muzzle flash is not unburned powder kernels flying out of the muzzle, but hot powder gas re-igniting when it hits the oxygen of the atmosphere.)

The same powders that get the highest velocity in longer rifle barrels get the highest velocity in short barrels too. If you want some proof, look at various loading manuals that list the same cartridge data in both rifles and handguns. You'll find the same powders getting the top velocities in both, or at least powders in the same burning rate range--slow
for the cartridge and bullet.

The least amount of velocity loss in a shorter barrel is typically with heavier bullets and slow powders." ...John Barsness

 

[scottishkat]

"The common notion that faster powders will work better in shorter rifle barrels is wrong, primarily because all the powder that's going to turn into gas does so inside the first few inches of a barrel. (Muzzle flash is not unburned powder kernels flying out of the muzzle, but hot powder gas re-igniting when it hits the oxygen of the atmosphere.)

The same powders that get the highest velocity in longer rifle barrels get the highest velocity in short barrels too. If you want some proof, look at various loading manuals that list the same cartridge data in both rifles and handguns. You'll find the same powders getting the top velocities in both, or at least powders in the same burning rate range--slow
for the cartridge and bullet.

The least amount of velocity loss in a shorter barrel is typically with heavier bullets and slow powders." ...John Barsness

Thanks for the response. I had an experience with a 270 win with a carbine length barrel that shot faster with 4895 than with 4831 which has been the opposite of my experience with a 24 accumark that I own.

I have since sold the carbine length rifle and kept the accumark. But the carbine length rifle shot significantly better with 4895 than with my old standby load of H4831. I had thought it associated with barrel length but perhaps it was only the powder rifle combo.

All in all I believe I would still try a faster burning powder in the swede. What are your thoughts? I owned a 270 win mountain rifle that really liked I4350 better than 4831 as well.

Good luck and shoot straight all

Bob

 

[su37]

Thanks for the response. I had an experience with a 270 win with a carbine length barrel that shot faster with 4895 than with 4831 which has been the opposite of my experience with a 24 accumark that I own.

I have since sold the carbine length rifle and kept the accumark. But the carbine length rifle shot significantly better with 4895 than with my old standby load of H4831. I had thought it associated with barrel length but perhaps it was only the powder rifle combo.

All in all I believe I would still try a faster burning powder in the swede. What are your thoughts? I owned a 270 win mountain rifle that really liked I4350 better than 4831 as well.

Good luck and shoot straight all

Bob

Sure, the faster powder may be faster for speed, but, at a what pressure? Could be higher.


In a modern rifle there is no reason to not load the 6.5x55 Sweede to higher pressures of which I do in my Forbes 24B. I'm burning 48.0 of IMR 4831 pushing a 140 Berger VLD at 2,900 mv. ES of 8. Lapua brass FED 215 primer. 24" barrel.

With 15 pcs of Lapua brass I am on my 10th loading. No reason this cartridge can't be loaded to 6.5x47 pressures, and I do.

 

[hunkyfish]

Thx guys
My frustration with working the 4831 lead to me looking at the CFE-223 I had laying around,,,, made a very accurate 120gr load at 41.4gr, a ballistics calculater, can't remember which one, showed it at 2475fps out of the 18in barrel, but I'm afraid of pressure with a 140gr.
When loading the IMR 4831 I ended up above max load without finding a node or any pressure signs, I might try some IMR 4895 or R-15, I keep them around for .308

 

[Deleted member 46119]

IIWM H4350. Yes other powders will work but I believe it will be H4350.

Loads on Take Aim at Rifle Reloading Data | Hodgdon Reloading

 

[benchracer]

This seems like a situation tailor made for RL-17 and 140 class bullets.

 

[ramrod79]

I use 45 GR of H 4350 ,and Barnes 127 LRX Fed 210 primers out of my Sweed shoots the lights out, I get about 2950 from my 23" Lalija

 

[RT2506]

Like I said in my other post. Get one of the 4350s. I like Accurate 4350 myself best. You might get a little more velocity with powders slower but I have fooled with the Swede for a long time and it don't matter what barrel length I got better accuracy at high velocity with 4350s. For slower velocity accuracy IMR4895 is really good but you can get 200 to 300 fps more with 4350 with the same accuracy.