6.5x55 barrel wear

[Sweet 6.5]

Hi

What kind of barrel life should one get from a 6.5x55? I know the barrel
is already old (96) but is still in good condition.

I was just now wandering if I should hold back or is it just about impossible
for me to wear it out at these mild speeds?

Sweet

[Kmrere42]

Hi,


The 6.5x55 is not high pressure round.  The biggest wear factors were cleaning rods and the corrosive primers.  If you keep the pressure in the sane range your grandchildren might get there.


Try a load with the 129gr Hornady at around 2600fps.

The Sweed is not a magnum capable rifle.  Treat it with respect and your great-grandchildren will still be putting meat in the table with it.


Paul

[Mikey]

Kmrere times 2, absolutely.  Mikey.

[ringo]

I agree, my Swede barrel is 100 years old, it was made into a sporter years ago, my daughter shoots sub MOA with it.  She uses it as a deer rifle, with 129gr bullets and IMR 4350 powder.  It still puts venison on the table.

[Glanceblamm]

Sweet 6.5
While it is sounding like your caliber is capable of achieving a rich old life, I cant help but to think of what a mentor (J Charmichael) said on the subject.
Jim say's (If You Can Shoot Out A Barrel, Go Ahead And Do It) as the overall experience will out weigh babying the thing along over several years. Just dont get that barrel too hot at any givin time.

[Kmrere42]

Hi glanceblamm,



The biggest wear factor today is the pressure level of the cartridge.  Today's barrel steels mitigate that somewhat but as pressure increases, barrel life decreases.  When the swedes were made, both formulation of steel alloys and their heat treating were delicate arts.  129gr @ 2600 or even 2700fps is still modern ballistics, just not magnum class. The pressure limit for the 6.5x55 ensures a very long life. 


 Ultimately the issue later will be, can one still get a turned replacement barrel for the rifle at a reasonable price.  When the last of the supply is gone an original condition rifle will be valuable again as they really will be history.


Paul

[beemanbeme]

I agree with the use it but don't abuse it school.  Don't try to hot rod it and avoid heat when shooting from the bench.
 You could have the best of both worlds by buying a good condition take-off barrel NOW from a smith that was using the action as a project and putting it up "just in case".
I would imagine one could be had for $50.00 or less and then when and if you needed it, another $50.00 to have it spun on and head spaced.

[rickt300]

I have a Swede 96 make on 1907. I don't know if it was ever rebarreled at an arsenal. The bore is pretty dark, sort of a shiny grey actually but has no pits and the rifling is strong at the chamber end. I have put maybe 600 rounds thru it and it seems to have gotten better with the shooting and cleaning.  It has always been and is a 1 1/4 inch shooter using Hornady 140 grain RN's and Spire points pushed to near 2500 fps with IMR 4350.  This load has rendered quickly dead everything shot with it and I have only recovered one bullet which I found in a hogs knee cap after it went thru a 220 pound hog quartering towards me.