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Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

AyeGuy

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 23, 2006
41
0
59
Sacramento, CA
I bought a couple of battlepacks of surplus 6.5X55 Swede from SAMCO. The cases have a slightly coroded look; is this ammo okay to shoot? Will I get uneven pressures/velocities?

65x55.jpg
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

I don't know about the damage, so this will probably be a little OT...

That is actually a pack of genuine 6,5x55 Swedish Army issue. Prickskytte is swedish for "sharpshooter" or what is widely referred to as "sniper". I don't know the load, but accuracy should be good.

I was unaware that the swedes were allowed to sell surplus ammo to the US being a non NATO member.

/END OT

-R
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

I know a lot of the guys over here (http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49) are shooting this from time to time, when available, I handload, and if I were to ever get any of this, I would save it as memerobilia, and save it.

Ask these guys, Anders, Swede, or Dutchman are the go to guys for all things Swedish Rifles. I have got a lot of good information of my little (crown
grin.gif
) jewel M96.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

The blow up happened to a friend of mine in Carlin NV in 2006. He was shooting surplus ammo, but I do not know the source. The previous round fired fine and the bullet struck the target (no bore obstruction) followed by the blow up. He specifically went out to shoot his new rifle and was just shooting the surplus ammo, so an ammunition mix-up is unlikely. The blood is from the cocking piece hitting him in the forehead. He was wearing glasses so his eyes are fine. I think he was damn lucky that the bolt stayed in what was left of the receiver ring...

Considering the breaching on a '96 Mauser and the lack of a safety lug on the bolt I would put that ammo in the cartridge collection and stick with new factory stuff or careful reloads.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: treebasher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't know the whole story on this rifle but I do know that he was shooting surplus ammo when it let loose on him.

96%20Mauser.jpg

</div></div>
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

I've heard there is some bad Danish made 6.5x55 surplus floating around that has bad bullets that come apart and leave the bullet jacket in the bore which leads to disaster with next round fired.

Don't shoot any Danish 6.5 surplus, Danish load uses older round nose bullet, headstamp will have HA.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?


This is the headstamp of the Danish 6.5x55 that has soft bullet jackets and should not be fired.

ha1-vi.jpg


The jacket material was so soft it stripped off in the bore and caused excessively high pressure which destroyed some rifles.

The Danish ammo destroyed this Ag42b Ljungman rifle.

ag1-vi.jpg
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AyeGuy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bought a couple of battlepacks of surplus 6.5X55 Swede from SAMCO. The cases have a slightly coroded look; is this ammo okay to shoot? Will I get uneven pressures/velocities?

</div></div>

Though the brass is discolored, it will shoot fine. It's all non corrosive primed, like all military Swede 6.5X55 ammo.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike Hull</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Though the brass is discolored, it will shoot fine. It's all non corrosive primed, like all military Swede 6.5X55 ammo. </div></div>

+1 on what Mike said.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

This ammo is sold sealed in the original plastic battle packs, with the cartridges in 20 round cardboard boxes. Should I remove all the bullets from the boxes? Maybe something in the cardboard is causing the corrosion.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AyeGuy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This ammo is sold sealed in the original plastic battle packs, with the cartridges in 20 round cardboard boxes. Should I remove all the bullets from the boxes? Maybe something in the cardboard is causing the corrosion.</div></div>

I would remove it from the boxes as they may have gotten moisture before they went into the battle pack.

As far as shooting? Not if you're worried about the rifle...or your face. When I shoot the super-hot Turk 8mm ammo, I do it in a rifle I paid $89.00 for and there are plenty more. I also use a sandbag in front of my face. Most other surplus 8mm I just shoot.

Working up your own loads is not only fun and less expensive...you know what you have when you put it through a rifle.
wink.gif
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

My wife shoots a mouser for the military benchrest competition and we have seen this surplus ammo a lot. When I first opened the box I was really worried since they all seem to look just like your's with the corrosion on them. The old guys next to us said that's just how a lot of it looks now. They handed me some steel wool and told me to clean it off a bit before we started shooting and it would be fine.

I think we have shot well over 500 rounds of this still and have not had a single problem. My handloads work better but you can't beat this stuff for the price.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

When I first got my M38 (dated 1915) I ran a bunch of that ammo thru it. It all shot fine with no issues. It's been a while but I believe it was 129gr.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

A "mouser"?
Is that a rifle specifically designed for shooting small rodents?

I have a "Mauser" rifle, 1908 7mm, if you decide to shoot that ammo, you will learn one thing. European ammo is HOT compared to the wimpy U.S. ammo. It also normally shoots much better.
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

I think the corrosion is caused by the surfuric acid left from making the paper box.

They didn't wash it out as well as thy should have.

Surplus is that for a reason

It's hard to get more body parts
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fdkay</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A "mouser"?
Is that a rifle specifically designed for shooting small rodents?
</div></div>

Holy crap...
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to shoot?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MinorDamage</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You could always tumble it to shine it up
duh.gif
</div></div>

NEVER tumle live ammo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you tumble live ammo you can break up the deterant coating on the powder and cause it to become faster powder people have left ammo in tumblers over night then gone out and blown the rifle up the next morning. I used to shoo tthat ammo all the time it is very accurate ammo i would as mentioned above get some steel wool and give them a light clean or a 3m cleaning pad they work great to make sure you dont have any tarnish wearing your bore. It is some of the most accurate ammo you will get clean it and shoot. if you find any ammo with pit holes in them then disguard them but i am sure they will be OK it is best to clean them a bit. Also NEVER use brasso on cases as it can eat the zinc out of the brass and cause pin holes in them
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to sho

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wild_Bill</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
NEVER tumble live ammo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
</div></div>

Bill,

I was being sarcastic...notice the smiley at the end of the comment. I guess I should have put a disclaimer at the bottom. Anyway, shoot it, it should do fine.

Josh
 
Re: Surplus 6.5X55 Swede ammo: is this okay to sho

I did notice but some people do do it that is whay i clarified it. To many problems have come through people taking half a post and then not reading the rest and wondering how things went wrong. No problems this end just wanted to make sure no one thought that it might have ment tumble it and you will be a happy camper.

Have a good one