Reloading for hunting season

[sumpnz]

So my go to bullet for my 6.5x55mm rifle for last several years was apparently discontinued a couple years ago. I had been using the 140gr Barnes XLC, which even before the hoarding started I had been unable to find. I had a goodly stash of that, but target practice/sight in had eaten through a bunch of that, and I now find myself with an insufficient quantity remaining (8 loaded rounds) to get through sight in and practice, nevermind the hunt. I had used those as they worked well enough on a cow elk that I figured they'd be a good primary deer round and backup elk round (primary on elk is my 9.3x62mm).

So, I went through all my stuff tonight and found that I have (43) of the 129gr Hornady Interlocks, and (39) of the 140gr Hornady's. I also have close to 80 or 90 of the 120gr Speer HotCor's. Of these I'd think that only the 140gr Hornady's would be at all suitable for backup duty when elk hunting. But the elk hunt this year is not likely to be conducive to bringing an extra rifle along anyway, so that is less of a concern.

Rifle is a CZ-550 American, if that matters to anyone.

Deer hunting is most likely going to occur in the area near Mazama, Washington. High elevation, potential for 300 yard shots, but mostly <150 yards. Mule deer there that are known to see live weights in the 200-300+ pound range, though 250 would be a pretty reasonable upper end estimate.

For powder I have about a half pound of Varget, and probably close to the same each of RL-15, H380, and AA4350, a little RL-19 (though probably not enough to consider that powder), and over 3# of IMR4831.

I have several hundred CCI 200 primers, and more brass than I can really justify.

In the past for cheap target practice purposes only I had found great accuracy with a very light load (40gr) of the IMR4831 over a 120gr Rem Corelokt. The Speer 120's were comperable for accuracy with that load. I never chrono'd that load, but I'd hazard a guess at 2300fps.

What I'd like would be some recommendations on which way to go given what I have on hand. Going out and buying more stuff is not really going to be a great suggestion as I'm unemployed right now. Also a good reason to try to get it close enough on the first try so I don't run out of bullets or powder. My first instinct would be to use the Varget and the 129gr bullets, but then I found the stash of 120's. Given that I have more of them, and a lot of IMR4831, trying that out, but with a stouter powder charge than that taget load, is tempting too. And the 140's have been calling out for me to find a good use for them for a while now.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

you didn't say if you had the Rem slugs on hand but if you do I can say that the corelokt do well on large whitetail judgeing by the exit holes of a 150 gr from my Ruger '06 and my handloads.
120 seems a little light to me but of course placement is everything I have no doubt that they would bust the neck/spine/base of skull.
I have no experience with the Hornady but lots of hunters useing them can't be wrong.
I have used Speer but not the Hotcor. just the spitzer 150 gr sp in handloads for my Mini 30 to fill doe tags. shots were all around 75 yds and they expanded fine. I only recovered one though.

 

[sumpnz]

I have a small number (<10) of 120gr Rem Cor-loks but that's it. The only 140's I have are the Hornady's.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I`ve used both the 140gr Hornady and 129gr Hornady SP on 1/2 dozen deer and have yet to recover one. All deer have dropped on the spot. One doe hit about 3/4 ribs from the rear had a 129 gr travel through the rear of one lung, a full Rumen (sp?) part of the liver, and exited out the off side ham, but hit no further bone then the inital rib. The exit was quarter sized and the deer went nowhere. This was at ~ 70 yds driven at 2750 fps from a 260 Rem.
Finn Aaguard wrote an artical in the American Rifleman on the 6.5 Swede and claimed a 140 gr Sierra SPBT will out penetrate a 180 gr 30 cal Cor-Loct from a 30-06. I`d use any 140 gr and personally don`t see any difference in preformance with the 129 gr hornady from a 140gr.
Fancy "premium bullets are not needed in the Swede due to its mild velocities, std cup and core bullet are plenty.

 

[Slamfire]

I developed a load with AA4350, which is identical to IMR 4350, in the 6.5 Swede that is close to Swedish ball. Data below.

With surplus WC852 I was able to push Rem 140’s to 2600 fps without any pressure signs, but at 2650 fps, I got slight bolt lift resistance. So, I think you could bump the load up a half a grain without trouble.

I feel the load shoots well enough in a light barreled rifle.


M700 22" Barrel

140 gr Hornday Spire Point 43.0 grs AA4350
R-P new brass CCI-200 OAL 2.990"

2 Feb 2008 T = 52 °F

Ave Vel = 2512
Std Dev = 27
ES = 72
High = 2547
Low = 2475
N = 5


143 gr FMJ Swedish Ball 1986 headstamp

2 Feb 2008 T = 54 °F

Ave Vel =2470
Std Dev =18
ES = 48
High = 2491
Low = 2443
N = 5

 

[dakotasin]

i don't have anything useful to add here since i've never loaded for a swede. but, i did want to comiserate w/ sumpnz regarding the - emmm, wise decision makers at barnes for discontinuing the xlc, and leaving me high and dry w/ my 300 win mag. i'm down to my last 10 loaded rounds of the blue meanies, and have been saving them forever. i stretched them as long as possible by shooting the tar out of hornadys (which impact the target nowhere near the blue meanies)... i just finished my final 300 win mag sight in today, so this is my last year for the xlc's. fortunately for me, i have a great load already worked up w/ the hornadys which will become my regular load.

anyway, you weren't the only one that got stung by barnes...

 

[sumpnz]

I get why Barnes chopped the blue pills, but it still torques me. They don't have a TSX in the 140gr weight for the .264's. I asked them a while back and they said they might do an MRX in that weight, but so far they haven't. And yes, I've noticed that the POI on the XLC was waaaayyyy off the POI of the jacketed bullets.

I think that once the employment situation improves I'll work up a 130gr TSX load. That would be hell on deer out farther than I'd ever be willing to shoot, and with a careful shot could work in a pinch for elk.

SlamFire1 and Ol' Joe - Thanks. That's the kind of info I was hoping for. I think I'll probably try a couple receipes. Since I have so much IMR 4831 I'll probably try that and some Varget with the 129's, and I'll see what I can get from Varget and AA4350 in the 140's. Have to just hope that the 5 rounds or so of each results in at least one combo that's good enough.

 

[azar]

sumpnz,

I also have a CZ 550 American in 6.5x55 SE. If I were to pick one of your bullets that I'd use for deer and as a backup for elk it would be the 140 Hornadys. I got a fairly decent load out of them with IMR 4350.

I'd try the 140 Hornadys first IF you really believe you will be using it as a backup elk gun. Otherwise, I think you'd be good to stick with your current plan of the 129's and either the 4831 or Varget.