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Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth - Range Pics in OP

battlestick

battlestick

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 21, 2007
147
1
Austin, Texas
Pics streaming in from Mark Pharr's operating room at Tumbleweeds Custom Rifles. I will be a new daddy here soon.

22 inches of Bartlein.
Barrel_Smith.jpg


Opening up the stock channel on the B&C.
Barrel_Channel.jpg


This just in. - Mounted to the 700 LA to seat the 140's WAYYYY out there.
smile.gif

Test_Assembly.jpg




Here she is ready to go. Will be at the range tomorrow doing load development. More updates to come.

R3.jpg


L1.jpg


The better groups of the range results. I had no pressure signs at all, so I want to try to push the 4831 up to the next node. I will analyze more later, but wanted to post these up for now. Whaddya thunk?

Rl22_440.jpg

RL22_455.jpg

Rl22_445.jpg

4831_445.jpg

My favorite. I want to see what the next node up will do. But I am going to work around this for sure.
4831_440.jpg
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Awesome! One of the most versatile calibers. Great choice! Stretch it out at Best of the West and tell us about it.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Idaho CTD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice. I've thought about doing a 6.5x55 AI. </div></div>

I've thought about a 7x55ai!

Speaking of these improvements, I *believe* it's actually called a "BJAI". Do you know if that is correct?
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Please provide an update I keep thinking about doing this caliber. If you could provide group pics velocity and bullet you settled with I would greatly be appreciated. Great looking rifle btw.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

I am having great results with 130gr Scirroco II's and Berger 130gr VLD's over 50gr of VV N560. Kicking the butt's of the 6XC's and 308's at Holland Long Range Shooting school with those combos. And that was three different shooters using the same loads.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

I just got done loading some stuff up for tomorrow's range session. I have 123 AMAX's over RL 22 and 140 AMAX's over both RL22 and H4831. I will load the 123's over H4831 next time.

I will be happy to post the outcome of what I get in testing. I have a habit, maybe bad, of not running over a chrono until I find the best node. I will gladly use the fastest node, but until I get the load tuned I don't even worry about velocity.

I will be happy to provide group pics and load data. Hopefully it will help some others out there. I can't find shit for load data in a modern action. I am starting at the book minimums and going up in .5 gr increments until I hit pressure signs. Then I will take the best nodes, and load all around it with the same OAL to find the best powder charge. Then I will play with seating depth to see if I can tune it up any more.

For now, it's bed time for me.

ETA: I also have some 139 Scenars I will load up next time as well.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Here is my 6.5x55, it's built on a M700 long action too but only has a 20" tube. About the only groups I shoot with it would be groups of hogs. I singled this one out last Monday morning at 366 yds with a well placed 140 Berger VLD behind some H4350.

oct5hog.jpg
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

I load 48.0 gr. of RL-22 and 140 a-max, which was the max load in the OLD Alliant manual, now it's down to 45.0, same as RL-19, go figure. So what happens in the timelapse of the publications? hope it won't be me? All this in M96.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Oh good. Now I am not so hesitant about my 47 gr loads. LOL. That is as far as I went thinking if I see no pressure signs I will go for more.

What is your MV by the way?

Gordo, I have seen your rifle pics around the site as well. That is a bad ass stick.

Off to drop off the kids then to Eagle Peak Range for a bit. I will bring back some data, and hopefully some great news.
smile.gif
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

I ran RL22 in my 6.5x55 for a while and was getting excellent velocities. Then winter came and my velocity dropped by almost 200 fps. I'm talking Texas winter on the coast, where it only gets down to the 50's. I quit using any Reloder powders. If you decide to use them, check them hot and cold and see if you can live with the temp swings. I was not willing to. I only use Hodgdon Extreme powders now.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ddavis</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I ran RL22 in my 6.5x55 for a while and was getting excellent velocities. Then winter came and my velocity dropped by almost 200 fps. I'm talking Texas winter on the coast, where it only gets down to the 50's. I quit using any Reloder powders. If you decide to use them, check them hot and cold and see if you can live with the temp swings. I was not willing to. I only use Hodgdon Extreme powders now. </div></div>

You learned your lesson the hard way like i did. I wish the powder companies would work harder at coming up with temp insensitive powders with the same burn rates as their current line and quit producing the old line.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Here's mine:

IMG_0017-1.jpg


My load


1st

140 gr A Max
Lapua Brass
Fed Primers 210
H4350 - 45 grains
O-give 2.32 (with Sinclair O-give tool)
COAL - forgot to write it down. I always measure to the O-give(shoulder of the bullet)
MV - 2709

2nd

130 Norma Gold line
Lapua Brass
H4350 - 45 grains
Fed Primers 210
O-give 2.32 (with Sinclair O-give tool)
MV - 2723
COAL 3.050
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Since this has turned into a show and tell thread. Here's mine, a Sako L691.

15f588dcdb069554ffd191b79c0c5477.jpg
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

Just put an order in for mine. Gonna be a 6.5X55 Swede on a Stevens 200 Action, 26" Criterion barrel, Manners T-5A stock. Simply cannot wait. Jim at Northland told me 13-15 weeks on the barrel. Manners told me 16 weeks on the stock. Still thinking on what glass to use. Thanks for putting up your loads, that will help me get started quicker once I am ready to start working up some loads.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

I love the pic of the goose and the rifle. Reminds me that spring isn't that far away and it will be time to shoot cranes again (as the river freezes over outside my window.)
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

thank you. shot this fall in Norway. 130gr Norma VLD in 815m/s from 20" barrel (easy load). Would love to have a river by the window that i could hunt on:)
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shooter McGavin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here's mine:

IMG_0017-1.jpg


My load


1st

140 gr A Max
Lapua Brass
Fed Primers 210
H4350 - 45 grains
O-give 2.32 (with Sinclair O-give tool)
COAL - forgot to write it down. I always measure to the O-give(shoulder of the bullet)
MV - 2709

2nd

130 Norma Gold line
Lapua Brass
H4350 - 45 grains
Fed Primers 210
O-give 2.32 (with Sinclair O-give tool)
MV - 2723
COAL 3.050
</div></div>

Oh dear Lord. My dream rifle chambered in my favorite caliber. Outstanding.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

My 140 gr loads for my Tikka 6.5x55

140 gr Nosler Partition:

Alliant Reloder-22
50.8 gr
Velocity 2892 fps

Vihtavuori N560
51.2 gr
Velocity 2994

Hodgdon H4831 SC
49.7 gr
Velocity 2885
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Idaho CTD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice. I've thought about doing a 6.5x55 AI. </div></div>

I've thought about a 7x55ai!

Speaking of these improvements, I *believe* it's actually called a "BJAI". Do you know if that is correct?</div></div>

from what I have read that is correct nomenclature for the cartridge
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth - Range Pics in OP

311973_10150337102184690_1150745632_n.jpg


My 3 shot group with T3 and 139 Scenars @ 100 meters.
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth - Range Pics in OP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ddavis</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I ran RL22 in my 6.5x55 for a while and was getting excellent velocities. Then winter came and my velocity dropped by almost 200 fps. I'm talking Texas winter on the coast, where it only gets down to the 50's. I quit using any Reloder powders. If you decide to use them, check them hot and cold and see if you can live with the temp swings. I was not willing to. I only use Hodgdon Extreme powders now. </div></div>

Hi i use magnum primers (fed 215) my load is 46gr N160 sirocco II 130gr 2950fps .. and have fund out that the magnum primers is crucial for winter use.. my rifle is a RPA Highland Stalker
 
Re: Hell Yes - 6.5x55 birth - Range Pics in OP

Have to tag this as I'm patiently waiting on my mine. Hopefully some time early next year. Will be a Sako M995 and 26" Bartlein in a MCM A3.
 
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