Range Report 6.5x55 and IMR 4350

[nashlaw]

Went to the range with a Swede on a Mod 70 action. Been hard to find H4350 in my AO, but the IMR is abundant. Running 39-43g, the OCW seems to be 42.0g under a 140g NCC. A bit under .5" at 100.

Thought I would mention this as H4350 is scarce in many parts.

 

[Layton]

Can you find any h4831? If so you should be able to get a good load worked up with it. I shoot it with 140 hybrids.

L

 

[nashlaw]

Can you find any h4831? If so you should be able to get a good load worked up with it. I shoot it with 140 hybrids.

L

Have some H4831 and H4831SC. What charge wts are you running?

 

[Layton]

I'm running 51.2g of 4831SC throwing 140 hybrids at 2970pfs with great consistency. I have ALOT of freebore though.

L

 

[stealthgoat]

I am also running low on H4350 - is your IMR4350 load similar to what you were running H4350? ?

My CG/63 Military Match load was 140smk & 42.0g H4350 with FN target brass in winter but come August in 2nd string rapids the bolt got heavy... I moved down a node to 40.0g which is slower but still accurate at 200 yards, and no issues with heavy bolt.

Layton & Nashlaw, what do you two have for free-bore??
Both my military & factory M70 have long throats, so I load long. However I just got a Win 70 6.5x55 custom with a real short throat (a 123smk is 3.080 into lands with Stony Point, a 140smk is 2.970 ). It shoots really well loaded short, but I am still debating having it throated so I can use more case...

 

[Layton]

I have .365" free-bore. I had it cut that way though so I could maximize the capacity of the cartridge in a long action. imho 4350 is too fast for 6.5x55.



edt: if you decide to get it re cut, Moon at Crescent Customs did mine and has that reamer sitting on his shelf. He already has a couple of more out there just like mine now and are hearing really good reports back. The other guys shooting are using almost the exact same load the only diff being what's sitting on top but all 140s class. Moon has one of my Winchesters now btw. Second pic is my best 5 shot group to date with mine @2970fps.

140 Hybrids @.010" jump. I've had them over 3k but it was a little too hot.

 

[Rustybroadhead]

Take this with a grain of salt because I am brand new to reloading but I couldn't get H4350 to shoot at all out of my Win 70. It was the first powder and load i have ever tried to work up in anything.... Thought I just really sucked at reloading! HA!

Second load with H1000 shot much much better!

There is hope!

 

[Rustybroadhead]

Layton, what length barrel are you running on that rig?

Great shooting by the way

 

[Layton]

Thanks Rusty. That's a 8.5tw 26" Bartlein. M24/40 profile.

L

 

[Rustybroadhead]

Good info! I am having a 26 brux screwed onto an action as we speak. I was curious what kind of velocities to expect.

Thanks Layton!

 

[Layton]

I tested H1000, N560 and H4831SC. Got the best performance out of the 4831. LOOONG throat though.

L

 

[Rustybroadhead]

I haven't found N560 anywhere... I have been looking for a load with H4831SC so I am going to use your data and see what happens in my hunting rig. I think the factory Win 70's are 1:9 twist barrels though so I am not sure what kind of results I will get with the 140's.

The one I am having built is a little different animal but it will be throated for the 140's. Should be getting a copy of the reamer print soon....

 

[EasyGravy]

Most the 6.5 barrels i seen have been 1\7.5 or 1/8

 

[Rustybroadhead]

nashlaw, is yours a custom or a factory gun? If it is factory, do you know the twist rate?

 

[Layton]

8.5 is fine to sea level where I'm at. I did the math beforehand and Moon assured me it would be ok with the 140s and it is. 1800 of them through this barrel. I had a concern with going 8.5 but after plugging possibilities in there just wasn't a scenario where it didn't work.

L

 

[nashlaw]

nashlaw, is yours a custom or a factory gun? If it is factory, do you know the twist rate?

Mine is custom to the extent that it has a Douglas barrel and is in a B&C stock with the bedding block. Nothing fancy at all. I had it spun up because I had the mod 70 action lying around and wanted a 6.5x55... or, more correctly, another 6.5x55. It is hard to make a Swede not shoot and I just love those long bullets.

The twist is 1/8.

 

[nashlaw]

I am also running low on H4350 - is your IMR4350 load similar to what you were running H4350? ?

My CG/63 Military Match load was 140smk & 42.0g H4350 with FN target brass in winter but come August in 2nd string rapids the bolt got heavy... I moved down a node to 40.0g which is slower but still accurate at 200 yards, and no issues with heavy bolt.

Layton & Nashlaw, what do you two have for free-bore??
Both my military & factory M70 have long throats, so I load long. However I just got a Win 70 6.5x55 custom with a real short throat (a 123smk is 3.080 into lands with Stony Point, a 140smk is 2.970 ). It shoots really well loaded short, but I am still debating having it throated so I can use more case...

Not sure of my freebore, but the smith that did mine is known for throating most everything loooong. All he has built for me has been accurate, so i can't really complain.

 

[Layton]

I haven't found N560 anywhere...

I found 560 a little too slow for a 26" barrel. I ended up running out of barrel to burn powder and velocity plateaued. 4831 seems to hit it dead on. I'm still gaining velocity when I start seeing pressure and I'm just slightly compressing.

 

[nashlaw]

StealthGoat, yes, my load for the IMR powder was the same range I used for the Hodgdon. Here is a funny note: I have been rolling my own for over 30 years and cannot remember having anything more than a couple instances of flattened primers. The one time I do recall the issue was with a rifle that gave flattened primers with a load (not near max) with a particular powder-bullet combo. Well, I bought 100 pieces of Lapua brass for my new rifle and ran them through a Hornady FL sizer. I have used the Hornady FL die when reconditioning brass from factory rifles so it would fit in a custom chamber. First range session with new brass and rifle yielded high primers. Next trip with neck sized brass yielded perfect primers.

The Hornady FL dies takes brass down further than RCBS and can cause headspace problems. Just something to file away.

 

[stealthgoat]

thanks guys, I appreciate the input. Also I also scrounged up a pound of H4831sc to try.

 

[TeaRex]

I used 45.9 gr IMR 4350 beneath 140 Hybrids. No sights of pressure, but I never chronograph end it either.

RP Rifles in Houston cut my rifle with .199 freebore, 24" bbl.


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