6.5X55 Loading advice

Rotwild

Well-Known Member
Hi chaps,
I'll try and explain as best as I can, please bear with me! Been using Nosler partitions 140gn to good effect but not wanting to pay £50 for 50 bullets so have decided to go with Sierra game Kings 140gn at £28 for 100, I have been reloading the Noslers .020" off the lands but come to measure the overall length with the Sierra game Kings and found that the taper off the boat tail is halfway up the neck of the case whereas the nosler were flat bottomed and have full contact around the bullet from the neck of the case, what would you advise regarding the Sierra game King's! Shall I have the over all length measured so that the neck of the case has full contact with the bullet and the boat tail is below the neck of the case, or shall I use the overall length of the chamber with the boattail half way up the neck of the case which I'm not too happy about.


Kindest regards
Gary
 
Simple seat the Sierra bullets so that the base of the bullet is at bottom of the neck and see how they shoot. You can work in/out for shorter/longer OAL from there.

I am still not convinced that bullets close to the leade shoot best as so far NONE of my own rifles have shot best with the bullets seated so and as I own a "few" rifles I would suggest it's been a fair test ;)..

Edit:- Ok just checked my notes and I have not used the Sierra bullet but did load some of the Sierra HPBT Match bullets in 6.5x55 at a COL of 3.100 (79.0mm). The Speer 140 grn #1441 was loaded to 3.064" (77.84mm) OAL.

Hope this information might be of some use.
 
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As Brithunter has said I've tried various different oal in my tikka t3 6.5x55 using the scierra 120g hpbt which I use for practicing and range use etc ,and the Barnes ttsx 120g and I've noticed very little poi change so for hunting use just try backing off and go from there, I no what you mean about the price of bullet heads that's why I use the scierra for practice and the Barnes for hunting, one other thing I tried the 140g but preferred the 120g 2775 fps approx flatter shooting and just as deadly IMO hope this helps a little.......
 
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Rotwild,

Not sure if you've got this, but I've got a Stoney Point OAL gauge and the 6.5 x 55 case, camparator and calipers if you want to measure your max OAL with the scierra bullet. I use the 120 grain scierra's and think they're good.

Up the Rams,

Bob
 
It might be an idea to give either/both the Sierra 120gn ProHunter and the Hornady 140gn Interlock a go.
Both have flat (Spitzer) bases rather than a boat tail & I know in my rifle (A different Cal.) the Prohunter works well seated close to the lands.
If you prefer the heavier weight, the Hornady would be the one to look at closely. ATB
 
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