The deer man
Well-Known Member
After a lot of frustrating trial and error of the usual copper bullet brands I tried Yew Tree Fieldsports. Given the sudden learning curve we're having to take onboard to transition from lead to copper I thought I would share these successful loads and the more comments and ideas the better...
Yew Tree 112gr 6.5x55 loads
I've worked up two loads. Started using a fairly generic COL based off a Yew Tree 112gr bullet length (BL) of 1.200" and ended up with a working COL of 2.985" with this length bullet. I would suggest this COL may be suitable for many rifles which includes SAKO and Tikka T3(x) although I have no scientific data to validate this, just a hunch and am sure individual rifles can be tuned either side of this COL.
Loads as follows:
Lapua cases (once fired, FLR, Trimmed to length 2.158", NS & Chamfered)
Federal 210M Primers
COL 2.985" - BL 1.200" - RS60 45.1g - Expect velocity 2,945 fps - Velocity range 3 fps
COL 2.985" - BL 1.200" - N550 43.3g - Expect velocity 2,892 fps - Velocity range 5 fps
Both these loads have produced 14mm/15mm groups consistently and much better. These cases have a lower H2O volume than most so you should be safe using other case makes except if you use new cases with lower volume which will increase pressures/velocity beyond what may be safe. So work up the loads from below mine as cannot guarantee they are safe in anybody else's rifle.
What's more from my limited hunting experience with them so far I shot a Fallow buck last w/e with very good results using the RS60 load, they work!
Yew Tree 112gr 6.5x55 loads
I've worked up two loads. Started using a fairly generic COL based off a Yew Tree 112gr bullet length (BL) of 1.200" and ended up with a working COL of 2.985" with this length bullet. I would suggest this COL may be suitable for many rifles which includes SAKO and Tikka T3(x) although I have no scientific data to validate this, just a hunch and am sure individual rifles can be tuned either side of this COL.
Loads as follows:
Lapua cases (once fired, FLR, Trimmed to length 2.158", NS & Chamfered)
Federal 210M Primers
COL 2.985" - BL 1.200" - RS60 45.1g - Expect velocity 2,945 fps - Velocity range 3 fps
COL 2.985" - BL 1.200" - N550 43.3g - Expect velocity 2,892 fps - Velocity range 5 fps
Both these loads have produced 14mm/15mm groups consistently and much better. These cases have a lower H2O volume than most so you should be safe using other case makes except if you use new cases with lower volume which will increase pressures/velocity beyond what may be safe. So work up the loads from below mine as cannot guarantee they are safe in anybody else's rifle.
What's more from my limited hunting experience with them so far I shot a Fallow buck last w/e with very good results using the RS60 load, they work!
