Load suggestions for 6.5x55 swede and 223

gonziii · April 14, 2007, 08:32 PM

Hello,

I am just getting into reloading and am going to start with these two calibers. Any suggestions on loads I can start with? I bought a rockchucker supreme kit, which included the speer manual, but I would like to start out by loading with Hornady or Sierra bullets.

A few questions I have are:

Can you use the same bullet weight and powder weights from the speer manual with other bullets?

What size primers to they both use? 223 is small rifle, but I am not certain on the 6.5.

Any general tips for a beginner?

Dave R · April 15, 2007, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Can you use the same bullet weight and powder weights from the speer manual with other bullets?

Not necessarily. Part of what creates pressure is bullet resistance. Differ bullet shapes create different resistance, and therefore different pressures. One factor affecting shape and pressure is "bearing surface," the amount of bullet that contacts the bore and rifling. In fact, Speer has some loads where it recommends a different powder charge for different bullets of the same weight.

Quote:

Any general tips for a beginner?

Yup. Stick with published loads and don't mix components. There are many sources for loads, including online sources from most of the powder manufacturers. Hodgdon has a nice bunch of loads on its website.

And regardless of what loads work well in someone else's rifle, each rifle is an individual. Your rifle will have its own favorites.

All that said, I'll tell you what load works for me in my .223: 45gr Speer softpoint over 26gr. of H335, lit by a CCI 250 small rifle magnum primer.

Its a varmit load, and it works well for that.

ETA: I don't know much about 6.5X55, but Wildalaska does. He has posted his favorite load(s) here. You might find them with the search function.

steve4102 · April 15, 2007, 06:03 AM

Published load data is Not a recipe, it is only a guideline. It would be impossible to follow load data to the letter and treat it as a recipe. To do so would require the same powder and lot #, same primer and lot #, same brass and lot #, same bullet and lot #, same exact rifle or test chamber, same weather conditions (temp, altitude, etc. ) as those used to acquire the data. This is impossible.

Load data is only a guideline and should be treated as such. The best and safest way to do that is gather as much data as you can and "Start Low and Work Up" looking for signs of high pressure along the way.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Accurate%203-1.pdf

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...terfire%20Load

http://www.ramshot.com/powders/

http://www.lapua.com/fileadmin/user_...ngData2006.pdf

http://www.hodgdon.com/HomePage.php

My 6.5 Swedes like R-22/ 140gr Partitions, Fed 210M Primers.

sneaky pete · April 16, 2007, 04:43 PM

My 2 mil-surps ,an m-96/38, and a gevar m-41/B Sniper like VihtaVouri N-560(dual-based powder) and Lapua 108gr,123gr, and 139gr Scenar Silver(Moly) and yesI do use the Target bullets for Killing Paper and occasionally animals. I do load rather HOT and I recognise that PEOPLE have said that you have to be careful because they are OLD rifles and can't take the preasure. BUT, I have talked to other people that don't agree for reasons given . I guess you have to find out about that for yourself. The main reason I like shooting Moly with the Vihta N560 powder is that the combination is easy on the bore and preasure. Works for me. P.S. Get a "Reloading Guide for Centerfire Cartridges"From VihtaVouri, It' Free and you can get it on their website-WWW.vihtavouri.fi. Those people are very cooperative and will answer your questions via "E"-mail . I think that you can also get a copy for free from the importer--Kaltron-Pettibone in Bensenville Ill if you want their # send me an "E"mail and I'll return it to you. Also Vihtavouri's reloading Manual is very good --for purchse.. The reason I'm partial to VihtaVouri/Lapua The 6.5x55Swed is from Scandanavia and those people have been dealing with with then for over 100years. Before 1996 when the Sweds opened the door for export big-time to the US they wern' very popular. THANX--SNEAKY

cracked butt · April 20, 2007, 02:29 PM

All of my swede like 43-46 gr RL-22, federal 210 primer, 140-142gr Sierra match kings. I also shoot a lot of 140 gr remington corelokt bullets for plinkers- they shoot amazingly well though. I bought 1000 of those for very cheap 5 or 6 years ago.

gonziii · April 23, 2007, 09:14 PM

Thank you for the replies. Everthing I have read so far seems to have loads in the 44 to 47 gr range of RL 22 behind 140 gr bullets for the 6.5. I have everything I need, but don't have a bench setup. I hope to get this one this week so I can reload on the weekend. A bit nervous since it will be my first batch, but I know it will be worth it in the end since ammo is going to be hard to find for the swede. I will start on the low end, I think 42 to 44 grs for the first batch and then maybe slowly work it up from there.

April 14, 2007, 08:32 PM	#1
gonziii Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Posts: 67	Load suggestions for 6.5x55 swede and 223 Hello, I am just getting into reloading and am going to start with these two calibers. Any suggestions on loads I can start with? I bought a rockchucker supreme kit, which included the speer manual, but I would like to start out by loading with Hornady or Sierra bullets. A few questions I have are: Can you use the same bullet weight and powder weights from the speer manual with other bullets? What size primers to they both use? 223 is small rifle, but I am not certain on the 6.5. Any general tips for a beginner?

April 16, 2007, 04:43 PM	#4
sneaky pete Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2004 Location: Florida Keys Posts: 510	What works for me W/my 6.5Sweds My 2 mil-surps ,an m-96/38, and a gevar m-41/B Sniper like VihtaVouri N-560(dual-based powder) and Lapua 108gr,123gr, and 139gr Scenar Silver(Moly) and yesI do use the Target bullets for Killing Paper and occasionally animals. I do load rather HOT and I recognise that PEOPLE have said that you have to be careful because they are OLD rifles and can't take the preasure. BUT, I have talked to other people that don't agree for reasons given . I guess you have to find out about that for yourself. The main reason I like shooting Moly with the Vihta N560 powder is that the combination is easy on the bore and preasure. Works for me. P.S. Get a "Reloading Guide for Centerfire Cartridges"From VihtaVouri, It' Free and you can get it on their website-WWW.vihtavouri.fi. Those people are very cooperative and will answer your questions via "E"-mail . I think that you can also get a copy for free from the importer--Kaltron-Pettibone in Bensenville Ill if you want their # send me an "E"mail and I'll return it to you. Also Vihtavouri's reloading Manual is very good --for purchse.. The reason I'm partial to VihtaVouri/Lapua The 6.5x55Swed is from Scandanavia and those people have been dealing with with then for over 100years. Before 1996 when the Sweds opened the door for export big-time to the US they wern' very popular. THANX--SNEAKY Last edited by sneaky pete; April 16, 2007 at 05:02 PM. Reason: thought of more information

April 15, 2007, 06:03 AM	#3
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,955	Published load data is Not a recipe, it is only a guideline. It would be impossible to follow load data to the letter and treat it as a recipe. To do so would require the same powder and lot #, same primer and lot #, same brass and lot #, same bullet and lot #, same exact rifle or test chamber, same weather conditions (temp, altitude, etc. ) as those used to acquire the data. This is impossible. Load data is only a guideline and should be treated as such. The best and safest way to do that is gather as much data as you can and "Start Low and Work Up" looking for signs of high pressure along the way. http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Accurate%203-1.pdf http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...terfire%20Load http://www.ramshot.com/powders/ http://www.lapua.com/fileadmin/user_...ngData2006.pdf http://www.hodgdon.com/HomePage.php My 6.5 Swedes like R-22/ 140gr Partitions, Fed 210M Primers.

April 20, 2007, 02:29 PM	#5
cracked butt Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2001 Location: southeastern wisconsin Posts: 537	All of my swede like 43-46 gr RL-22, federal 210 primer, 140-142gr Sierra match kings. I also shoot a lot of 140 gr remington corelokt bullets for plinkers- they shoot amazingly well though. I bought 1000 of those for very cheap 5 or 6 years ago.

April 23, 2007, 09:14 PM	#6
gonziii Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Posts: 67	Thank you for the replies. Everthing I have read so far seems to have loads in the 44 to 47 gr range of RL 22 behind 140 gr bullets for the 6.5. I have everything I need, but don't have a bench setup. I hope to get this one this week so I can reload on the weekend. A bit nervous since it will be my first batch, but I know it will be worth it in the end since ammo is going to be hard to find for the swede. I will start on the low end, I think 42 to 44 grs for the first batch and then maybe slowly work it up from there.