Nearly choked in my Latte

Acquired another 6.5, this time a 6.5x55 T3 Tikka, bought it to get the scope and then onsell the rifle, but decided I quite liked the way it "felt", so thought I'd give it a chance, bought some Superformance 140SST cause I wasn't gonna invest in dies and cases until I had a better feel for it.

Superformance my arse! 2500fps!. Stopped after the first 3 rounds:sick:, went home and pulled the projectiles, weighed the charges, sacrificed one round to be the powder doner, and rebuilt the remaining loads, got them up to 2850 and just starting to get extractor, so backed it up to 2800 even and the thing shoots really well, like the fact this rifle likes the 140's because my .260 doesn't (it likes the 120's and 130's)

So, who is running what loads in 6.5x55 and killing cleanly at what ranges?

N560. Fed 210 primer. 140 AMax and SST (same oal). Norma cases. 2830 fps. Out to 500 yards, but slow killer at that range. More comfortable holding it around 300-350. Anything over 350 and the kills start getting a bit delayed.

Shoots very tight little groups. Mainly used on Reds and Tahr.

PM me if you want the powder weight.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

N560. Fed 210 primer. 140 AMax and SST (same oal). Norma cases. 2830 fps. Out to 500 yards, but slow killer at that range. More comfortable holding it around 300-350. Anything over 350 and the kills start getting a bit delayed.

Shoots very tight little groups. Mainly used on Reds and Tahr.

PM me if you want the powder weight.

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Is that out of a t3 tahr?

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

Is that out of a t3 tahr?

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Shultz & Larsen Classic. Guess its about 12 years old from new. 21.5" barrel. It will go .5 grn higher, but I think "whats the point".

Have you done a bit of fencing for Malc at 'kune?

This is it.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...l/P1010161.jpg

Ya finally someone who wants to take advantage of the case capacity. Im using 48gr 2209 with a berger 140

Long throat on my tikka too mmmm

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Shultz & Larsen Classic. Guess its about 12 years old from new. 21.5" barrel. It will go .5 grn higher, but I think "whats the point".

Have you done a bit of fencing for Malc at 'kune?

This is it.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...l/P1010161.jpg

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Yep did a fence out at erua for him to fence of the airstrip from the bluff thats collapsing.
Im running 45 of 09 in my tikka and have tried much hotter but thats a good place for accuracy and performance

N560 49.2gns, , 210m, 140 amax, lapua brass, oal at coal. 2730fps
Mostly use for shooting wallaby across gullies.
Took a large nanny tahr at this xmas past, 408 meters, shoulder shot, good kill.

Two lighter alternatives
1- 123gr amax 48 flat 2209,fed 210m primer, lapua brass and 120gr BT same load but with federal brass can't remember oal with out looking it up. These two loads on the warm side
all accurate.
Rifle, 85 Finn. standard 22 and 3/8th" barrel

AR2209, 210M, 140 amax, Lapua Brass, Suppressed Tikka T3.
Clover leaf groupings at 100M, and it seems to work on deer (Fallow and Reds) just fine. Haven't bowled an animal past 250m, just because I haven't needed to.

6.5x55 Swedish factory ammo is poop. I guess they need to cater for the old and service rifles, that cannot handle the higher pressures that a modern rifle can.

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Originally Posted by quentin

AR2209, 210M, 140 amax, Lapua Brass, Suppressed Tikka T3.
Clover leaf groupings at 100M, and it seems to work on deer (Fallow and Reds) just fine. Haven't bowled an animal past 250m, just because I haven't needed to.

6.5x55 Swedish factory ammo is poop. I guess they need to cater for the old and service rifles, that cannot handle the higher pressures that a modern rifle can.

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The American stuff is pretty piss weak, but i tried that Norma/sierra hpbt stuff which is being sold on Trademe occasionally ($80/50 rounds, 120gr and 140gr) and it's like night and day. Roughly the same price as the Norma brass is new too

Yep good ammo!
I bought a couple of hundred rounds to shoot comps and then reloaded it for the real thing!

factory loads for the 6.5x55 suck if you want true peformance its a reloaders only cal haveing said that evryone is anal about speed if you hit a deer or pig in the shoulder with a 140 going 2500fps man trust me that thing is going to fall over stone dead trust me ive seen the exit holes on goats with fed blue box out to 300m easy to put a fist inside
ive had a few 6.5s from m96's to bsa's to tikkas and they all shot fantastic i have a 260 now as of last friday and cant wait to see how that goes in comparason to the x55

I have been using a 6.5x55 for a few years now. Love it.

I use a plain old 129g Hornady interlock, Fed primer, 45ish grains of 2209 powder, Lapua brass.

Goes bang and stuff falls over at normal hunting ranges. I’m looking at relacing the Kahles with a compact Nightforce and switching to a projectile with a better BC.

Here it is:

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psemjb0crw.jpg

Good photo too

47.5gr 2209 for 2745fps from 20 inch Blaser. Everything I shoot with the 140gr amax at about that muzzle velocity or a bit less seems to just fall over dead without taking a step if I hit it in the right place.

20" blaser also. N560, CCI BR2, Lapua brass and 130gr Swift. Goes bang, things between 0 and 30m haven't run away so far.

you guys are running hot loads - I was being too conservative chickening out around 46.5gr of 2209!

Now I'm inclined to do a bunch more hotter loads and see how it groups up to ~48 or so.

Got a good working load for the 6.5x55 : 50gn IMR7828 is giving 2800fps with the 140 Berger VLD without obvious pressure and really tight grouping, although it is tempting, no point trying to drive it any faster, it is what it is, the 125 Nosler partition might be alright at 2900, might try to get that one a little faster though, they shoot to the same windage and elevation at 110yds, might be a good close/long distance combo

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Originally Posted by chalkeye

you guys are running hot loads - I was being too conservative chickening out around 46.5gr of 2209!

Now I'm inclined to do a bunch more hotter loads and see how it groups up to ~48 or so.

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I'd be carefull
48 2209 behind a 140 is stiff
Please make sure you have a modern action.

I am budget build shopping at the moment. Really keen on a 6.5 Howa long action 22" stainless, very encouraging comments. Anyone have experience with the "walnut" stock being sold - is it just a Boyd's or real wood? Any idea on all up weight.

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Originally Posted by jakewire

I'd be carefull
48 2209 behind a 140 is stiff
Please make sure you have a modern action.

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You say "stiff" I'd say stupid!