More on the 6.5 X 55 S.E.

**Brick** · October 26th, 2017, 06:53 PM

Please note these charge weights are intended only for strong modern actions.

Please look over the attached photo and PDF. Powder used was Norma MRP, the bullet was Hornady's 140 gr. SST. I must say I am very happy with the performance of Norma's Powder! Using MRP for the "heavier" bullets in this caliber I'm getting performance within 100 fps of equaling the new "wonderful" 6.5 Creedmore. And that from a basic cartridge designed more than 100 years ago!

A note about today's chrono work. 10/10 cloud cover, no sun but reasonably bright with diffused light no shadows. Sky screens not used Screens set 5 yds. from muzzle. (hey Bang do you like that better?)

C.O.A.L. is set at 3.040" putting the bullet ogive 0.010" from the rifling.

**Steeltrap** · October 27th, 2017, 03:50 PM

Here's a typical group shooting the Hornady ELD Match 140gr from my Savage action (single shot bolt) with a Shilen bull barrel. The target is 200 yards....so the group is Sub-MOA. In both "directions" the group is 1-3/4". I would have to check my load info but I believe the bullet is seated 0.60 or sixty thousands from the lands. Oh yes.....this is the Swede cartridge!!

jbYr4ff.jpg

Cwn3idF.jpg

**Brick** · October 27th, 2017, 07:10 PM

Good one! Since this is a "century cartridge" I often wonder why we trying so hard to reinvent the wheel! As I understand it the S.E. or SKAN is to separate the modern actions from the early military Mauser action. According to Vihta Vouri the working pressure for loads for the new guns is 380 Megapascals, which converts to 55,000 psi compared to something around 45,000 psi for the old actions. AFAIC the Swede is a winner!
Just to be sure though, you're saying you seat the bullet 60 thousandths from the lands. That's 0.060", your number above is 6 tenths. Decimals get me in trouble too! That is why I was so thankful that the Civil Engineering program at Manhattan College allowed the use of the then "new-fangled" handheld calculators! I'd have never made if I use slide rules!

**Steeltrap** · October 28th, 2017, 07:42 AM

Yeah.....I seem to have trouble unless my calipers are in front of me. Sixty Thousands or 0.060. NOT the Six Hundred Thousands I posted earlier. DOH!!

**Brick** · October 28th, 2017, 05:58 PM

Steeltrap, don't let it bother you!
Come to think of it a friend of mine has a 6.5 X 55 Ackley Improved. Maybe I can talk him into chiming in here!

**exercion** · December 24th, 2017, 07:45 PM

I've burned many pounds of RL-22 and 4831SC shooting 6.5 Swedes for fun and competition in everything from original Mausers to my Remmy 700 action F-Class rifle. With RL-22, my 30" tube on the Remington is launching 140gr class bullets comfortably above 2900fps. I certainly won't feed that load to my military Swedes, not because I think they'd blow up (the Swedes sure know how to make steel) but because I don't want to abuse such beautiful pieces of history. It has always impressed me that they got the twist rate so correct 125 years ago that with modern bullets these rifles still perform perfectly.

Eric

**Brick** · December 26th, 2017, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by exercion

I've burned many pounds of RL-22 and 4831SC shooting 6.5 Swedes for fun and competition in everything from original Mausers to my Remmy 700 action F-Class rifle. With RL-22, my 30" tube on the Remington is launching 140gr class bullets comfortably above 2900fps. I certainly won't feed that load to my military Swedes, not because I think they'd blow up (the Swedes sure know how to make steel) but because I don't want to abuse such beautiful pieces of history. It has always impressed me that they got the twist rate so correct 125 years ago that with modern bullets these rifles still perform perfectly.

Eric

well you're certainly invited to post winning load recipes and chronograph test results here! The more the merrier!