Post by drhenley on Sept 22, 2020 18:09:09 GMT -5
Started off well enough. Cool enough to check zero on deer loads at the range, and the one that really shined today was 6.5x55.
For some reason, my notes are really sketchy about the load I was using. But the final load was noted using Swift Sirocco 130 grains.
A quick background note is in order. This Czech Mauser that I had chambered in 6.5x55 was meant to be a light woods rifle. It has a $90 Brownell's barrel, plain Jane laminated Boyd's stock, and an ancient Leupold scope. It still has the military trigger. There is nothing whatsoever "match" about the gun. BUT it turned out to be a real shooter.
So although I originally indended on using the cheapest 140 grain soft points in it, and loading it with mild loads for ranges up to 150 yards, I decided it might just make a long range rifle. So I switched to the Swift Siroccos and worked up a hotter load than before.
First shot went right where it was supposed to. I mean RIGHT where it was supposed to. I had loaded two different brands of brass to see if one were better than the other, so the second shot I used the other brand of brass. That hit within 1/2" of the first shot.
DONE! Ready for the woods!
Except for one little thing I needed to look into. I was getting some primer flattening, not something you expect with a 6.5x55 which has a pretty low max pressure. So when I got home I looked up Hodgdon's load data just to check. I couldn't find a load listed using that powder. That was odd, I'm pretty sure I used Hodgdon's load data when I was working it up.
So I tried to look around for load data using that powder elsewhere - the powder is IMR 4007 SSC - and I found out that ALL IMR 4007 SSC powder has been recalled! ALL - every lot ever produced! And this is not one of those "Oops we put the wrong powder in the can" kinds of recalls. No, this powder breaks down and can spontaneously ignite!!!
MAN talk about a downer! I've got this perfect load and I CAN'T USE IT!
Not only that, Hodgdon says I need to pull all the rounds and dump the powder. I still had a bunch of rounds left from when I was using 140 grain bullets.
When I go to pull the bullets using the impact pullet, I had to hammer the thing so hard I pulled the rim off! I'm thinking that shouldn't have happened, maybe I'm using the wrong shellholder, but nope, that's the shellholder Lee says to use. But it is not very tight. Wouldn't you know...I crimped them real good with a Factory Crimp Die!
So next I use the puller die. Dang near pulled the rim off using that! Man those bullets did NOT want to come out.
On the first one I had to use a tubing cutter to cut the case in half in order to get the powder out!
I finally figured out how to get the bullets out. Fortunately the bullets had a very long bearing surface and a good bit of it was out of the neck. So I put a case in the seating die and seated the bullet deeper to push the cannelure down below the mouth and break the friction, and still had a good bit of bearing surface left. Then I was able to pull them using the puller die.
So now I've got to contact Hornady and get my replacement powder. Looking at the load data, it looks like 4831 SC is going to be THE powder (crossing my fingers, LOL)
And now I have to START ALL OVER AGAIN ON A NEW LOAD
For some reason, my notes are really sketchy about the load I was using. But the final load was noted using Swift Sirocco 130 grains.
A quick background note is in order. This Czech Mauser that I had chambered in 6.5x55 was meant to be a light woods rifle. It has a $90 Brownell's barrel, plain Jane laminated Boyd's stock, and an ancient Leupold scope. It still has the military trigger. There is nothing whatsoever "match" about the gun. BUT it turned out to be a real shooter.
So although I originally indended on using the cheapest 140 grain soft points in it, and loading it with mild loads for ranges up to 150 yards, I decided it might just make a long range rifle. So I switched to the Swift Siroccos and worked up a hotter load than before.
First shot went right where it was supposed to. I mean RIGHT where it was supposed to. I had loaded two different brands of brass to see if one were better than the other, so the second shot I used the other brand of brass. That hit within 1/2" of the first shot.
DONE! Ready for the woods!
Except for one little thing I needed to look into. I was getting some primer flattening, not something you expect with a 6.5x55 which has a pretty low max pressure. So when I got home I looked up Hodgdon's load data just to check. I couldn't find a load listed using that powder. That was odd, I'm pretty sure I used Hodgdon's load data when I was working it up.
So I tried to look around for load data using that powder elsewhere - the powder is IMR 4007 SSC - and I found out that ALL IMR 4007 SSC powder has been recalled! ALL - every lot ever produced! And this is not one of those "Oops we put the wrong powder in the can" kinds of recalls. No, this powder breaks down and can spontaneously ignite!!!
MAN talk about a downer! I've got this perfect load and I CAN'T USE IT!
Not only that, Hodgdon says I need to pull all the rounds and dump the powder. I still had a bunch of rounds left from when I was using 140 grain bullets.
When I go to pull the bullets using the impact pullet, I had to hammer the thing so hard I pulled the rim off! I'm thinking that shouldn't have happened, maybe I'm using the wrong shellholder, but nope, that's the shellholder Lee says to use. But it is not very tight. Wouldn't you know...I crimped them real good with a Factory Crimp Die!
So next I use the puller die. Dang near pulled the rim off using that! Man those bullets did NOT want to come out.
On the first one I had to use a tubing cutter to cut the case in half in order to get the powder out!
I finally figured out how to get the bullets out. Fortunately the bullets had a very long bearing surface and a good bit of it was out of the neck. So I put a case in the seating die and seated the bullet deeper to push the cannelure down below the mouth and break the friction, and still had a good bit of bearing surface left. Then I was able to pull them using the puller die.
So now I've got to contact Hornady and get my replacement powder. Looking at the load data, it looks like 4831 SC is going to be THE powder (crossing my fingers, LOL)
And now I have to START ALL OVER AGAIN ON A NEW LOAD