Hey - I´m geting 2930 fps with 120grs NBT out of a 22" Barrel! Its not a high pressure load - so easy going. I use Norma brass, Fed. 215M GMM and a good dose of MRP (max load by Norma...)! No recoil and no signs of pressure (not a bit on primer and no case head swelling).
Did a little reloading/shooting this weekend. All with 140g AFrames and once fired Nosler brass, CCI 200s. Seated 0.0625 off lands, per Swift ballistician suggestion. Lands measured using Hornady OAL tool. Two 6.5x55s - a CZ 550 with full Mannlicher stock and Nikon Monarch 3, 3-15-50. Also a TC Encore with EABCO 22” barrel. Vortex Viper 4-16-50. Both rifles hated RL19. Tried 44.0g and 45.0g, groups in the 2-3” range, std dev too high on 45.0g. No problems ejecting or flattened primers. Velocity in the 2570-2600 range. Not much vel pick-up with 45.0g. Maybe 25 FPS. Both rifles shot sub-MOA with IMR4831. Much lower std devs. Interestingly, both 44.0g and 45.0g shot faster out of the Encore than the CZ - about 75 FPS faster. Again no pressure issues. 2660 FPS from CZ and 2735 FPS from Encore with 45.0g load. So here’s my go to load for now in both: 45.0g IMR4831, CCI 200, 140g AFrames, seated 0.0625” off lands. I may monkey with the seating depth a bit at some point.
You SHOULD be safe with 48grs of 4831 - this powder uses approx. the same data als N560!!! I load even more.... but every reloader is self responsible - so you have to decide what to do. every gun and lot of powder is different.
I have two loads for my CZ 24” barrel with Norma brass and Nosler AB 140 gr bullets. Both loads are on accuracy nodes for this rifle. First is 2580 f/s and the second is 2770 f/s. The next node falls in unsafe prssure so no reason for me to chase it with this rifle and 140 gr AB.
Kind of reviving this old thread but in the curious case of the 6.5x55 swede you should look at SAAMI specs per cartridge and you will come away with one outstanding question> WHY? 45k when so many standard cartridges are at 60k or higher? Everything is based on fear of shooters using in old rifles not modern rifles even though they say it. I know of many who run with 58-60K pressures as run through quickload. http://www.lasc.us/SAAMIMaxPressure.htm I am just suggesting that there is not a manufacturer out there that is going to put themselves in position of potential litigation by publishing loads that are over either SAAMI or CIP pressure specs. That is the conundrum of the 6.5x55 swede.
Southwind, your observations are exactly why Nathan Foster calls the 6.5. X 55 Swede. a handloaders dream, and why that 120 year old sweetheart has been my go to rifle for 25 years.
I really late to the show! I have a Ruger M77 in 6.5x55. I’m getting 2769fps. I’m not getting this with a book load... I determined what was safe by shooting the rifle and watching the chronograph, cases and targets. I’m loading Lapua or GFL brass fit to the chamber with a cbto 0.001” short of feeling it in the bolt lift. I use federal GM210M primers cause I had them. I did a ton of research on 6.5mm rounds looking for what powder would allow me to safely and accurately hit 2800+ fps. I load my load 0.030” off the lands because that shot best with the 140gr Accubonds. The cases have no pressure signs. This load was just much more accurate than slightly hotter loads. I may try to go a bit hotter in search of the next node. The thing is, this shoots!
Bruce your point is well taken. While the 1896 Swedish Mauser can handle them with ease, designs and rifles previous to that cannot.
I don’t know if I would shoot these in anything not made within the last 60 years and chambered for other normal pressure rounds. btw, I’m using h4831.
My take on it is the 6.5x55 is't a round to be throwing bullets fast. That's why I like it. My pet load for my Sako is 44.5gr of RL22 under a 140gr Hornady SST seated at 3" in PPU brass and using a CCI primer. It's accurate and will knock down any deer we have in the UK. If I want to shoot flat I take my 7STW!
Looks as if Lapua loads a couple of sport shooting bullets to two different velocities in 6.5x55: https://www.lapua.com/cartridges/6-5x55-se/ (7.8 g Scenar-L and 8 g Scenar) One of the 8 g Scenar loads is a little slower than the same bullet in their, 6.5 Creedmoor - one is clearly faster. The 6.5x55 test barrel is longer, though.
