6.5 x 55 swede loads or foreend attachment issues????

[hankster76]

I  just got a 6.5 x 55 swede barrel. Shooting different hand loads with bullets ranging from 120 to 140. All my loads were with RL22. I shot it today and couldn't get anything better than 3 to 4 inches @ 100yds. If anyone is having success with this barrel Please help me out on the loads you are using. Thanks

[rdh]

I have one I got from midway usa 26" blued. My barrel shoots under an inch with 140 nosler partions or 130 accubonds . I am using hornady or norma brass with remingon 9 1/2 primers and 45.5 grains of reloader 22 powder. I have tiried some 129 hornady sst but they didnot shoot real well I think it likes the heavy bullets . I also have a 264 winchester magnum barrel the same as this one that shoots under an inch with the partitions as well. Hope this will help let me know if you need anymore help

[Lone Star]

RL22 is probably not the best powder for your barrel.  You will need to try other powders in different ranges of burning rate, like Varget for the 120s and H414 for the 140s.  Have you tried factory loads as an accuracy control?  Different seating depths?


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[hankster76]

No I haven't tried any factory loads. I am going tonight to pick a box of those. I have a 24" what powders do you think would be good starters?

[Davemuzz]

140 grain Berger VLD over 46gr of RL-22. Target was at 100 yards and this was shot from a Savage M-12 action with a new Shilen 1-9 twist barrel. At the time, the barrel had about 40 shots down the tube.

[hankster76]

Thanks guys for all the advise, That was another concern of mine, what is the most accurate and efficent was of attaching the factory foreend to the encore barrels. When I got home to clean the gun I noticed the forend screws were pretty tight. Any tips or tricks on these foreends? Maybe that is my issue...

[Davemuzz]

I floated my ProHunter forend using a piece of Uncle mikes tube from one of their "strap kits". I cut the tube and then epoxy it to the forend. If your going to float the forend, use metal and not rubber (MHO). Rubber will change the tension every time you change out the barrel and give it a different POI.

Here are some pics of my float:

[hankster76]

UPDATE! I did all the forend work! laoded 9 different loads and went to the range today.Exact same results. Best group was about 4 inches. My only idea now it to try a different scioe. At what point do I know I have a bad barrel?

[Davemuzz]

Did you take any of LoneStars advice and try factory loads? How about Varget powder? How about different seating depths? I can tell you T\C will not have a discussion with you until you shoot some factory loads down the tube and see how they group. They don't even want to hear the words "handload" come out of your mouth.

Dave

[hankster76]

I did try different seating depths but no Varget as of yet. I didn't want to buy a whole pound for a couple of loads so I am asking around. As much as it pains me I am going to stop and get some factory loads tomorrow. I swapped my scope out tonight as well. I guess I'll give it another crack this week sometime.

[james]

 Hankster,
I put a list of things I did to my Encore on the your "Med bore" thread.
james

[hankster76]

After exhausting all of my other options I changed my scope and shot a couple of the RL 19 loads over again. Turns out my new Nikon Buckmaster would not hold a point of impact. I put a cheap 3-9 Bushnell and my 44grn load shot about 5/8". Thanks for everyones help I think I'm going to like this little 6.5 after all.