Thread: Reloading 6.5x55

What sort of performance would you expect form the old cartridge in a modern firearm?

Same performance as a Creedmoor.

Last time I ran one (one of many over the years) I ran Sierra 130gn TMKs with 48.1 of 2209 for an honest 2900fps. Tikka T3, Lapua brass and shot beautifully. As always work up, this load would be too hot for a '96

Tikka 595 (22 inch barrel), RL22, 139gr Hornady. Most accurate load around 2750ft/sec.

Originally Posted by Pommy

Same performance as a Creedmoor.

Better performance than a Creedmore, more capacity. Under rated, in a modern rifle with modern barrel they are bloody good (but not trendy)

Originally Posted by Shearer

What sort of performance would you expect form the old cartridge in a modern firearm?

It depends on what you are after? As a "bang flop" cartridge I think a 308 has the edge,for flat shooting and mild recoil/little blast the old Swede is hard to beat. I have a couple and have had a few,they are cheap to reload for,have decent case life and a good choice of projectiles.

Over here they call the 6.5 Creedmore the "6.5 Costmore" as it dosnt do anything the 6.5 cant do except fit in a short action.

The God of chamberings!
On my third factory barrel on my tikka.
I have swapped from the 143eldx to the 147eldm.
2720 and is more accurate than I can shoot.

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

Have used mine a bit again recently. A modern Schultz and Larsen. n560 powder and 140 Amax (or gold dot). 21.5" barrel. 2840 fps.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Last time I ran one (one of many over the years) I ran Sierra 130gn TMKs with 48.1 of 2209 for an honest 2900fps. Tikka T3, Lapua brass and shot beautifully. As always work up, this load would be too hot for a '96

That load would be far too hot for any rifle with todays AR2209 which is significantly faster than the pre 2000 stuff.
Regards Grandpamac.

My Tikka loves both 139 Scenar and 143 eldx. Pic shows eldx @ 100.

And 139 Scenar. I reload using Lapua brass, ADI 2209 powder and Winchester primers (as all I could find at the time)

Greetings All,
I did quite a bit on this a few years back which I wrote up in a couple of articles in NZ Guns. The Hodgdons data seemed to fit the powder I had well including my older AR2209 but the pressures were low. My current lot of AR2209 gave close to 100 fps more velocity than the older lot, equivalent to 2 more grains of powder. The 129, 130 grain projectiles seem to give decent velocity in the mid 2,800 fps range. Will look out my notes and post more later.
Regards Grandpamac.

Grandfather of the 6.5s

With the CIP max pressure of 55,100psi. ~2750fps with a 23" barrel, 140gr projectile, and single base powders like AR2209.
3" of barrel is ~100fps unless you're shorter than 20".
-10gr of projectile weight is ~+100fps.

Your best bet is to estimate performance with Gordon's Reloading Tool or Quick Load.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

That load would be far too hot for any rifle with todays AR2209 which is significantly faster than the pre 2000 stuff.
Regards Grandpamac.

Current 2209. My load workup was done with a fully calibrated GRT calculation, running at a calculated 62,000 psi, well within the limits of brass and rifle, even though over "book max" As I mentioned very important to work up and be aware of all factors when going above book max (which I dont make a habit of but the 6.5x55 just cries out for it). A previous modern 6.5x55 (a Heym SR-20) that I ran in the early '80s never got to this velocity with 130 as the tools (GRT) just weren't available then, and the ones we had like the Powley conputer (an internal ballistics calculator like a slide rule, and there was a paper based one too) were not sophisticated enough to fully explore anything above "book max".