Pushing a 6.5x55

[buckfever 1]

A fellow re loader and hunter has told me he feels very comfortable pushing a 6.5x55 up to Max. powder loads and slightly beyound, because the loading books are very conservative because of the age of the caliber and older firearms.  Again he said if you have a new firearm in this caliber gettin 3000 ft/sec. and slightly higher out of a 120 grn. bullets has never bothered him.  The calibers SAMMI pressure limit is 46,000 well below what new calibers and actions perform at today.  Is he accurate in his assessment?  He says his 120 grn loads are around 3100 fps and he has never had any signs of problems.  He admits he is somewhat over the 46,000 pressure limit.   Thoughts?      Buckfever

[AtlLaw]

Thoughts?  I got a lot of them!     But I gotta go to work.  and this could be a looooong reply!     Later

[james]

I've gotten some good groups with max loads but I can usually get near the same accuracy with a little less powder and my brass lasts longer.  I like the Swede because of the mild recoil, little muzzle blast and lethality.  If I want 3100 fps and a headache, I'll use the 7 mag which is better suited.

[Larry Gibson]

buck fever1

Be advised the "46,000" you quote is the old CUP pressure.  The new "PSI" with piezo-electronic gauges is 51,000 psi for SAAMI and 55,000 psi CIP (european test house) for the 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge.  These are MAPs that take into account the older mauser actions still widely available for this cartridge.  If you do have a 6.5 Swede in a modern action that recularly is cahmbered in cartridges that have MAPs of 60-62,000 psi then it is possible  (FOR THAT RIFLE ONLY) to load the 6.5 Swede up to those MAPs providing other pressure problems (with cases for example) don't present themselves. 

I load the Hornady 140 gr to 2750 fps right at 54,500 psi (I measure the pressure with an Oehler M43 PBL) for hunting. I also load the 120 gr bullet to 2925 fps at the same pressure.  and the 100 gr HP to 3200 fps at the same pressure.  Your friend's 3100 fps load with the 120 gr bullet may or may not be over the top for a modern action. 

Larry Gibson

[don weber]

Some of the military Swedes such as the Carl Gustaf were proofed with load developing up to 66000 psi breech pressures. The modern rifles are safer because of gas venting holes.