6.5x55 swede

[Westy]

Picked up a 6.5 swede in Tikka recently and decided it was time to start reloading it,I'm using 120Gr sierra's and i'm not sure ofthe over all length of the bullet??? My Leman loading book reckons it should be 80.00mm\3.150" Reminton factorys are 73.56mm\2.896" and the highlands are 75.60mm\2.976" anyone who reloads this Cal please help me out on this one???

Cheers westy

[Carter]

3.150" max COAL from my book also.

[Vati]

"Maximum COAL" according to cartridge specifications and what will actually fit in a rifle are often two different things.

There are plenty of magazines which won't fit a bullet seated for max COAL, Tikka (and Sako) included in this.

Factory ammo's made to sell. They won't sell much if people can't load it.

[Lorgar]

You're right, the max COAL for 6.5x55 swede is 3.150. That' is maximum length though, not mandatory length.

As explained above though, in some cases a magazine may not be long enough to fit a cartridge which is at max COAL, even if this would otherwise be ideal for the rifle. This is why manufacturers make shorter rounds.

For your reloading, first thing I'd say to do is load up a dummy cartridge with a bullet only (no powder/primer) as your test one.

Seat the bullet for a COAL of 3.150" as above and see if it will fix in your magazine at all and how easily it chambers.

That will give you a starting point for determining the best cartridge length for your rifle specifically.

If it fits in the magazine fine but is too long to chamber easily, then you can start working it back to fine the seating depth which is just off your lands.

Obviously if it won't even fit in the magazine 3.150" then you'll have to work it down to fit in before anything else. It may be that your magazine determines your max COAL, not your actual rifle.

Hope that helps.

[Westy]

Thanks for that guys will do, and will let you know how it turns out in the next few days!!!Once again thanks

[Herdsman]

Thanks for that guys will do, and will let you know how it turns out in the next few days!

Let us know how you go