6.5x55 sweed

[etisll40]

I'd go right to 6.5x284 or stick with the 6.5x55, it is pretty close, there is a lot of brass and loaded ammo available in 6.5x55, I like that. The round has been more popular for 100 years so the gun will always be valueable.

 

[Lonestar]

What would be the best barrel length for my 6.5x55 build and why
Also what would be the best rate of twist to use

 

[wbm]

I have built a few modern action swedes on Savage actions. Two were with 26" Shilen barrels and one with a 24" Criterion barrel. Go with a 1-8 Twist. In a 26" barrel the 260 or 6.5 Creedmoor will not outperform the old Swede. I built two 6.5 Creedmoors and they are IMO more accurate than the Swede. Modern loading data is the biggest frustration with the 6.5x55 but Lapua/Vihtavuori and Norma both have load data for modern actions. 6.5x55 Lapua brass is more expensive but worth it in the long run. It lasts a long time!

 

[Lonestar]

What was the twist on the 24 in and would a 22 in barrel be to short

 

[wbm]

All were 1-8 twist. What action are you going to use? 24" is, to me at least, the minimum I would go on the Swede. One of the Shilen barrels was in a heavy hunter contour and 26" was just right for the field. The others were heavy varmint match barrels and were just a tad too heavy for comfort in an all day carry. Of all the rifles I have built I think the Swede is still my all time favorite. The 260 and the 6.5 Creedmoor are great choices but "New" doesn't always mean better!

 

[Lonestar]

I'm planing on using a rem 700 la I've got a .270 doner rifle but I'm thinking of a nwactionworks they have rem 700's that are tried and they have had some other work done for $615 ish the barrel is going to a shellin in the Sendaro contour I think it will be ok for all day carry I've got a Sendaro in a 7 mm and I can carry it all day the sweed should be fine what part of NM are u from ??

 

[CapDog]

1-8" twist will let you shoot the long heavy bullets. My barrel is 24" and I have no problems getting the speed I need. Some of the country I hunt is tight cover and I don't like barrels longer then that.

 

[wbm]

Since you are going to use a Remington 700 action I would really consider a Criterion REM/AGE barrel. These barrels come with a barrel nut like the Savage. Once you go that route you no longer have to have a gunsmith re-barrel your Remington when and if you want to change calibers. With a little learning, and a few tools you can do it yourself. Jim Briggs at Northland Shooter Supply sells these barrels and they are catching on with Remington shooters.

 

[benchracer]

The Swede performs best with slow burning powders, which makes barrel length helpful in getting the most out of the cartridge. I recommend 26" because I consider it the maximum practical length taking into consideration the barrel profile needed to ensure a reasonably rigid (read consistent) barrel, overall rifle weight, and balance.

I have a Swede with a #4 Shilen and a Swede with a #2 Shilen, both 26" in length. I haven't shot the lighter of the two yet, so I cannot evaluate it for accuracy. The #4 is lighter and easier to carry than my Remington 700VS in .308. It is accurate, delivering consistent .5 MOA three shot groups to 300 yards (the furthest distance I have shot with this rifle so far). The #2 feels nicely balanced and I expect it to be very pleasant to carry afield. If it yields the same accuracy as the #4, I would consider it an ideal carry rifle.

I don't think that a 24" barrel would represent a serious disadvantage in a Swede, but I suspect that the performance penalty for going much shorter than that would be more apparent with the Swede than with the smaller cased 6.5's. I don't have any real world data to back that up, though so keep in mind that I am taking a WAG on that particular aspect of the Swede.

Where twist is concerned, the consensus seems to be that an 8 twist will allow you to shoot anything up to the 140g VLD's with good performance. I have 4 6.5's ranging from my two Swedes up to a .264WM. The .264WM and both Swedes have 9 twist barrels. My 6.5-284 has an 8 twist.

The 6.5-284 has shot both 123g and 140g AMAX's very well under all conditions. Many people say that the 9 twist will not reliably stabilize the 140 class VLD's. My personal experience with my Swede has not borne this out. It delivers consistent accuracy with Berger 140g VLD's under varying atmospheric conditions down to an altitude of around 900 ft. ASL. The jury is still out on my other Swede and my .264 WM.

In short, an 8 twist should work with everything you would conceivably shoot out of a 6.5. The 9 twist may or may not work. It has worked for me so far, even with VLD's. However, I was prepared to go with something else if the VLD's didn't work out. If you have your heart set on shooting 140 VLD's, the 8 twist would be the safe choice.