|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
December 23, 2015, 12:36 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
Longest bearing surface bullet in 264/6.5
I'm about to start load development for a Swedish Mauser that has a super long chamber throat.
These rifles were originally chambered to shoot a long 156 gr bullet. So naturally the box of 140 gr Core Lokt rounds I got with the rifle were a country mile from the lands. I know that's not always a terrible thing but the rifle is nothing special in the accuracy department with this load and I'm fairly certain I can wring some more accuracy out of it with a longer bullet seated closer to the lands. I should note that this rifle's chamber and bore look pristine. I pulled one of the core lokts and dumped the powder, then barely started the bullet into the case mouth and chambered to see what my OAL would have to be to touch the lands. It doesn't put much of the bullet in the case, only about 0.110". So I want to find a 6.5 bullet with a longer bearing surface than these core lokts. I don't have a fancy measuring device but they have about 0.630" of bearing surface. Simply finding the longest 6.5 will not solve my problem because the Core Lokt is a flat base bullet and all the long, high BC 6.5 bullets are boat tail, therefore having less bearing surface assuming all other aspects were equal. Lapua makes a 155 gr round nose that I may end up using but I'd prefer a spire point and and like to use a little cheaper bullet if possible. The Lapuas are 50 cents apiece. That's not outrageous but a little high for plinking by the time you figure the cost of a loaded round. Hopefully somebody can steer me in the right direction, thanks in advance.
__________________
DEO VINDICE |
December 23, 2015, 05:06 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 11, 2010
Location: South East Pa.
Posts: 3,364
|
I have been using Sierra 160 Grain semi-round nose for years. They seem to be out of stock everywhere, so I latched on to some Hornady 160 Grain round nose. I use the gun for hunting and that is all, but it sights in O.K. Why worry about the excess freebore if you are plinking anyway? If it really bothers you, look at some of the copper solids. They are usually longer to make up the weight.
*Last time I was looking, Lapua heavy 6.5's were back ordered everywhere too. |
December 23, 2015, 07:08 AM | #3 |
Member
Join Date: July 31, 2005
Posts: 36
|
Have you considered cast bullets?
|
December 23, 2015, 08:49 AM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 4, 2015
Location: Perryville MO
Posts: 426
|
The bullets I use in Swede I believe to be the corelock bullets. It has been so long since I bought them I cant rememeber for sure. The have 2 canallures on the bullets. I load them pretty far out but do not remember the COL. Both cannallures are out when loaded. The accuracy has been very good with this load. As good as I can do with open sights anyway. I also use 4350 powder but do not know the weight. I can check it all when I get home.
|
December 23, 2015, 08:59 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
Gunplummer- I saw the Hornady but it seems to be discontinued, as it has been out of stock everywhere for a while. That's a real bummer because they are a lot cheaper than the Lapua.
The freebore doesn't really bother me while plinking, but I forgot to mention my local gun club has a vintage military rifle match a few times a year that I'd like to compete in. And plinking is a little more fun with a rifle that shoots MOA or better The Copper solids are more expensive than the Lapua 155 gr and I've yet to find any in 6.5 that are much longer than the cup and core choices. I may just have to bite the bullet (pun intended) and get the Lapuas. Lee S. Forsberg- I have never loaded any cast bullets, I guess it's not out of the question but I'll be shooting the rifle up to 300 yards regularly, I would think the reduced velocity of cast loads would be dropping off pretty sharply by then. Also I don't really have any suitable powders except for 2400, and I try to reserve that for my .357 loads only since it's a little hard to find locally.
__________________
DEO VINDICE |
December 23, 2015, 09:38 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
98 220 Swift- What is the COAL with those core-lokt loads and how close are you to the lands? I wonder if the throat in your rifle is as long as mine. I don't mind seating a bullet with very little in the case but I worry about the bullet getting set-back or wiggling loose. As long as there's enough neck tension I guess it would be ok.
__________________
DEO VINDICE |
December 23, 2015, 10:47 AM | #7 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 4, 2015
Location: Perryville MO
Posts: 426
|
Quote:
|
|
December 23, 2015, 12:33 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 23, 2014
Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA
Posts: 1,753
|
With regards to cast bullets and lowered velocities with the Swede, I haven't been able to stabalize even the 120 grains and can't find any cast bullets shorter than that. But everything up to 160 jacketed with normal loads are fine. For reduced loads with Trail Boss, anything from 100 to 140 jacketed are also good. Seems strange about the 120 cast bullets and reduced loads.
__________________
Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with?? |
December 23, 2015, 10:26 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 4, 2015
Location: Perryville MO
Posts: 426
|
My COL is 3.220" hope this helps
|
December 23, 2015, 11:47 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
98 220 swift- Yes that helps thank you. With the core lokt bullet I would have to load to around 3.240 to hit the lands in my rifle, but I always start my load development at .005 off and back off in .005 increments till I find the sweet spot.
Some digging around online has led me to believe that the Hornady Interlock 140 gr has a bit longer bearing surface than most other flat base 140 gr bullets, so I think I'll order a couple hundred of them to try. Also ordering some Prvi Partizan brass cause it's cheap and seems to be of decent quality. RL22 and IMR 4350 are the front runners for powder of choice but I have a few more that would be suitable if I can't get a good load with those two. Feel free to throw out some pet loads for old Swede's
__________________
DEO VINDICE |
December 24, 2015, 04:21 AM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 11, 2010
Location: South East Pa.
Posts: 3,364
|
Wow, Hornady discontinued the 160 Grain? They have been hard to get from any company for a while. I have to find a hunting bullet. You, I am guessing can use anything to shoot at the matches. I believe Hornady also dropped their .257 117 Grain RN bullets too. I have been having problems getting good bullets from all the sources. Please do not respond with websites for all the new "Improved" bullets or cast bullets. They usually do not do well in old rifles with cut rifling, and if I want to cast bullets I will buy a muzzle loader.
|
December 24, 2015, 04:53 AM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 18, 2006
Posts: 7,097
|
I use Nosler Custom Competition 140gr BTHP bullets for my Swedes. Target shooting only (NRA vintage sniper). Total length Nosler CC 1.31" but I load them to mag length.
Getting close to the lands is probably not in the cards for you, Sierra's old 155gr matchking was probably the absolute best bullet for the old Swedes with their over sized chambers, but Sierra hasn't marketed that bullet in years although you can still find data for it. So your best bet is a tangent ogive spitzer bullet that can tolerate some jump. Nosler CC, Sierra Matchkings, or decent spitzer hunting bullets. Honestly I've had good luck with Remington Core-Lokt bullets in 8x57, so I wouldn't hesitate to give them a shot in 6.5x55. The two crimping cannelures on the 140gr Core-Lokt bullet seem to be put there so that you can crimp to the bottom one for longer throats. So I recommend you try using the bottom crimping cannelure on the Core-Lokts and seeing if you can't play with the powder charge to get an accurate load for your Swede. If that doesn't work, then try the Custom Comp bullets with more jump. Jimro
__________________
Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one. |
December 24, 2015, 10:41 AM | #13 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
DEO VINDICE |
||
December 24, 2015, 04:03 PM | #14 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
|
Steve, sorry if I missed it, I read most but not all of the above... have you tried loading a few long? If touching the rifling leaves you 0.11 seating depth then going 0.050 back (a very common starting point) puts you at 0.160. I load a number of rounds that way (.204Ruger, .22-250, 6mm Rem) and have never had any trouble.
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley |
December 25, 2015, 12:25 PM | #15 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
Quote:
I pulled one bullet, dumped the powder, barely started the bullet back in the case, then stuck it in the chamber and closed the bolt on it. That gave me my 0.110 seating depth with the Core-lokt bullet. I've ordered some 140 gr Interlocks to try, (along with some Prvi brass and Lee 3-die set) their shape differs slightly from the core-lokt, giving the Interlock a little longer bearing surface. I usually start .005 off the lands and work back .005 at a time till I find a sweet spot, but I've always ended up closer than .050. That's not to say .050 or further back is bad, I've just never found the need to try it in my load testing. Most of the time I will find a sweet spot between .010 and .030 and call it good there. I may very well be missing out on more accurate loads by doing it this way.
__________________
DEO VINDICE |
|
January 3, 2016, 10:51 PM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
|
For anyone who's still interested...
I got my bullets, brass and dies and loaded a few rounds to try. The Interlock proved to work much better than the Core-Lokt at reaching the lands. You can tell in the pic below that the Interlock definitely has a longer bearing surface. And I can get the bullet sufficiently seated in the case with bullet length to spare. The round in this pic is about .010" off the lands with an OAL of 3.170" I also noticed that RL22 is made in Sweden. Coincidence, I think not! Excellent metering my a$$
__________________
DEO VINDICE Last edited by steveNChunter; January 3, 2016 at 10:57 PM. |
January 13, 2016, 01:11 PM | #17 | |||
Senior Member
Join Date: April 16, 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 209
|
steveNChunter,
If you are looking for a long shanked bullet for the 6.5x55 the Remington Core-lokt is one of the worst choices. It was designed as a 2-diameter bullet to reduce pressure for use in the .264 Win Mag. Any other flat based 140g bullet (140g Speer HotCor, 140g Hornady Interlock, etc) would be a better choice. I see you went with the 140g Interlock. How have the new loads shot? Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
|
|||
January 13, 2016, 06:00 PM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 15, 2007
Posts: 1,707
|
SteveNChunter, will that round feed from the magazine?
|
|
|