I need some guidance as I develop loads for my new 6.5x55

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have just purchased a nice used Merkel drilling in excellent condition, 20 ga. 3" / 6.5x55. I've never owned or hand loaded the 6.5x55 cartridge before. I am a very experienced reloader, but this project has me nervous. I'm trying to create some traditional 160 gr. RN loads which I think will pair nicely with the open sighted drilling for bush hunting for medium sized game. I bought a box of Hornady 160 gr. RN Interlock bullets to start. I have two powders, RL22 and H4831SC that seem to be in the correct slow burn rate suggested by most sources.
But reload data is highly variable depending on the source. For example:

Hornady 8th edition:
H4831 42.3 gr. Max for 2300 fps 29" barrel
No RL 22 Data

Hodgdon 26th ed:
H4831 45gr. Max for 2454 fps 28" barrel
RL 22 47gr. Max for 2605 fps 28" barrel

Lyman 50th ed:
H4831 46gr. Max for 2388 fps 24" barrel
RL 22 46gr. Max for 2361 fps 24" barrel

meanwhile Norma, the Swedish company with what I presume has the most experience with the cartridge, suggests the following with the Hornady 160 gr. RN
Norma MRP ( some sources say it is the same as RL22?) 46 gr. for 2533 fps with no barrel length specified.

I think I trust the Norma data the most but can't get MRP. Various sources say RL22 and MRP are different lots of the same powder from the same factory - but I don't know how differently they burn. In your experience is RL 22 close enough to MRP to substitute?

I'd like to get near maximum performance from the little cartridge, perhaps 2500 fps with the 160 grain, in case I would have an opportunity to use the drilling for moose or bear. But I have no idea how to approach working up towards maximum loads in a break action gun. It would certainly seem different than the usual approach with a bolt action rifle. I'd want to quit increasing the powder charge long before the kind of pressures that would give a bolt action sticky bolt lift or very flat primers. I usually use velocity measured by chronograph as another guide and as an indicator of pressure, but the published velocities are all over the place.

I purchased some Norma "whitetail" ammunition with 156 gr. RN bullet to compare with. Box claims a velocity of 2559 fps, again with no barrel length specified. I will compare that factory load velocity claim with actual results from my rifle and chronograph as a starting point.

Your experienced thoughts please?

@Longwalker
The two 6.5x55 gurus on this site are @sgt_zim and @Shootist43 . Both are 6.5 tragics and with their combined knowledge you could write what they don't know about it on the head of a pin
Bob

 

[FlyGuy]

For close range bush work, look no further than the 156gr Norma Oryx.
If you have access to Vihtavuori N160 powder, you're golden.
2550-2600 fps should be comfortable, without putting unnecessary strain on the action.

 

[sgt_zim]

@Longwalker
The two 6.5x55 gurus on this site are @sgt_zim and @Shootist43 . Both are 6.5 tragics and with their combined knowledge you could write what they don't know about it on the head of a pin
Bob

Well, I learned what I know from @Shootist43, so there's that.

 

[KEIVEN]

I've had good success in several military and commercial 6.5x55 with 43grains of IMR4350 using either the 160 grain Hornady or 156 grain lapua bullets

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

I recently acquired a 6.5x55 as a hunting rifle for my children. I am currently doing load development. Using the Hornady ELD-X 143gr bullets.
Using South African Powder Sonchem S355 i managed 2550 and 2520 from the first two combos.

Still need to refine them a little. But it is a sweet little cartridge

Good luck in with the process

My personal best
Gerrit

 

[Frederik]

Gerrit, before going to far with Somchem S355 unless you have loads of it rather switch over to international powders. S355 was not known for its consitency of batches and as not been available in the shops for last 3 years.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

Thanks @Frederik i totally understand. My problem is i am loading 375H&H, 7x57 and now the 6.5 with 355. Still have a few cans to work through but when they are done i will move to simething else. Just not looking forward to the that process when it comes

 

[Longwalker]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Many good tips and ideas to try when I get to shoot my new acquisition. However, now I have another challenge. The drilling arrived in the mail and upon inspection it’s in wonderful condition. Fits me like a fine bird gun and has superb balance and handling. But … even though it’s been used very little the head of the stock has been soaked with oil in storage and oil is now seeping out if the wood. And the stock wood shrank just enough in our low humidity so that there is a little bit of wiggle room between stock and action. So it’s going to a gunsmith to have the oil removed and the mating surfaces of the stock bedded in epoxy. I suppose another couple months won’t hurt me, but it’s difficult to be patient!

 

[sgt_zim]

Thanks @Frederik i totally understand. My problem is i am loading 375H&H, 7x57 and now the 6.5 with 355. Still have a few cans to work through but when they are done i will move to simething else. Just not looking forward to the that process when it comes

If you can get one of the 4350 (IMR, Hodgdon, Accurate), I see loads for all 3 of those cartridges using one or more those powders.

In any case, I have a subscription to loaddata.com. They have load data for just about everything you can imagine. When the time comes, ping me, let me know what powders you have access to and I can look it up. Or any of us who use QuickLoad or Gordon's Reloading Tool. I don't think any of us would have an issue with giving you a starting load. What you do after that...like the rest of us...is entirely on you.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

Thank you Sir

 

[shark_za]

Gerrit, before going to far with Somchem S355 unless you have loads of it rather switch over to international powders. S355 was not known for its consitency of batches and as not been available in the shops for last 3 years.

S365 is pretty much 4350 from various makers.
Works well in 6.5x55

 

[sgt_zim]

S365 is pretty much 4350 from various makers.
Works well in 6.5x55

Yep. I use H4350 with the 160 gr Woodleigh and 155 gr Lapua pills. If I ever get around to testing Norma 156, I'll use 4350 for that as well.

 

[RichieG]

I’ve had success with H4350 with 143gr Eldx, 156gr Oryx and 160gr Hornady RNSN. No need to chase velocity in the 160 in my experience. It is a formidable round. Enjoy!

 

[Inkgardener]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Many good tips and ideas to try when I get to shoot my new acquisition. However, now I have another challenge. The drilling arrived in the mail and upon inspection it’s in wonderful condition. Fits me like a fine bird gun and has superb balance and handling. But … even though it’s been used very little the head of the stock has been soaked with oil in storage and oil is now seeping out if the wood. And the stock wood shrank just enough in our low humidity so that there is a little bit of wiggle room between stock and action. So it’s going to a gunsmith to have the oil removed and the mating surfaces of the stock bedded in epoxy. I suppose another couple months won’t hurt me, but it’s difficult to be patient! View attachment 656594View attachment 656595View attachment 656596View attachment 656597

That’s very nice! After you shoot it we need a write up and more pics!

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Very nice,thanks for sharing!