Bullet drop for a 6.5 x 55

stuey

Well-Known Member
Re-zeroed my tikka t3 6.5. x 55 yesterday with some Federal Ammo.

At 100 yds it was spot on with 3 shots covered by a 10p coin. Moved the target out to 165 yds and the groups was just under 1 1/2 inches but I was surprised the bullet dropped so much. It was 3 inched below point of aim. so at 200 yds I'd be guessing at a bullet drop of 5 inches.

Is this normal for the 6.5 x 55, or is this due to the lightly loaded Federals that I have head about?

cheers

Stu
 
I guess you were using 140gn's? if so that's about what i'd expect.
a 150yd zero was 1.5" high @100 and about 2.5 low at 200.
now i reload with 129gn sst's and it's a lot flatter. tomorrow i'm of to Brock Norris to buy a box of 120gn sierras as i loaded a few of these last week with a near max load of N160 and i was amazed how flat they were.

Ezzy.
 
Yep, 140grainers. No complains with the accuracy, just seem a little loopy.

Am just in the process of buying my reloading gear and was going to move to the 120 grain Scierra's infront of some N160.

What sort of figures were you getting?

cheers

Stu

p.s. what should i be paying for the 120 g Scierras? Are they boat tails?
 
Stuey

If you shoot at modest ranges go for a 150yrd zero with the federals. That gives a POI an inch high at 100yrds and 3inches low at 200yrds.A 200 yard zero will give a POI of 2-2.5 inches high between 80 and 150yrds.

The trajectory of a 6.5x55 is a bit bowed beyond 200m so get a rangefinder and stick a wee laminated trajectory table to your rifle butt....or buy a 270/25-06/3006/etc etc

regards
 
thanks chaps.

How much of the loopy characteristics have people been able to dial out with reloading?

cheers

Stu
 
My 6.5x55 has only abut 21" of barrel, and after being surprised by the 200yds drop compared to the manufacturers' data I chronographed a number of loads and got another series of surprises!

Armed with my actual MV figures, rather than the manufacturers' ones which are measured from barrels 24-29" long, I was able to work out more accurate trajectories.

They are rather loopy, of course, but no bullet is gravity-expempt and as long as you know where it's going it works fine.
 
Stuey

If you zero at 200 yards then the difference in trajectory between a 100g and 140g bullet, out to say 300 yards, is not that significant with regard to hunting ammunition for deer.You will need to know hold-over/click adjustments for any bullet at ranges over 225 yards so I would find a bullet that kills well and is accurate then spend some time on the range with it.

regards
 
I got a new toy off this site , Tikka Varmint 6.5X55 , tried these few re-loads last week and it shows promise .
The 140gr bullets were seated in full neck length for this first test with new Lapua brass .
A goodish start but I am sure things will get better .TRIPOD 001.jpg

HWH.
 
I too found the same, I was using factory 140 feds and surprised by the bullet drop at distance. I changed to 120 grain Sierras also with N160, cant rembember the chrono reading but think it was just under 2900 fps though my Tikka. Totally transformed my shooting and alot flatter. I zero at 150 with them. I use 49 grain of powder and no pressure signs. Remember you wont get the head near the lands as the throat is deep to allow for the heavier grain heads.

Pete
 
I'm trying some more loads in the morning. 120gn sierras with 48.5-49-49.5-50gns of N160
I did a few last week and they were plenty flat enough for me. i'll post some results/comparisons next week.


Ezzy
 
I brewed up a few more with the bullet seated about one calibre depth and apart from one cock-shot with a watery eye they were OK . They are just touching the riflng now.
I am getting a lift out tomorrow morning to try to zap a carrion or two. [Preferably more !]
HWH.

65x55SWEDE002.jpg
 
Had a good morning and met a few of my farmer friends again , they said I was missed as I was zapping about 160 Carrions a year previously .
I got four shots and middled three of them , number three bird took off as I was twitching the trigger and was a miss .
The 140gr softpoint Hornadys made a good hole in them and I am happy with both the new toy and results .
Pic. below of two of the victims and the rifle .
HWH.
65x55SWEDE007.jpg
 
Re-zeroed my tikka t3 6.5. x 55 yesterday with some Federal Ammo.

At 100 yds it was spot on with 3 shots covered by a 10p coin. Moved the target out to 165 yds and the groups was just under 1 1/2 inches but I was surprised the bullet dropped so much. It was 3 inched below point of aim. so at 200 yds I'd be guessing at a bullet drop of 5 inches.

Is this normal for the 6.5 x 55, or is this due to the lightly loaded Federals that I have head about?

cheers

Stu

a friend of mine tried his 6.5x55 @ 300 yds recently, zeroed 1.5 inches high at 100 the bullet (100 grn) dropped about 14 inches @ 300!!
 
The thing is with using commercial rounds you have to rely on the information given to you by Federal, Norma or whoever as being correct. Well if each and every round was loaded in exactly the same manner with the same powder and components every time then you would be on safe ground. Is each and every round loaded identically? I doubt it very much, after all they are in business to make money and if they run out of one type of powder or primer will they halt the run until they get restocked, or will they use what they have to hand? I am of the opinion that they will make do with what they have, it will of course be done safely and every effort made to duplicate the specifications of the original load, but it will vary. What won't vary is the figures listed on the box but I bet there is a clause covering it somewhere. Having said that even if they do vary it is not by enough to make a huge difference, they will still do the job they were intended for.

The best way to ensure that you know what your round is doing downrange is to load your own, know the MV and plot your differing zero's from there. You can use a ballistics program like Point Blank, it is free and will give you all sorts of info. You can have your velocity, muzzle energy and bullet drop every for every five yards if you want. I am afraid though that access to a chronograph is essential, otherwise a lot of target moving and measuring will be involved.

John
 
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