My grandfather just gave me a custom built 6.5x61 S&H on a Mauser action and I cannot find any reloading data what-so-ever. I have dies and enough 7x61 S&H brass for my life but dont know where to start. Any help would be great. Also looking for a good bullet to start with.
Need reloading data for 6.5x61 S&H aka 6.5x61 Super
- Thread starter BamaPse
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Well I have done a little bit of research for you. I compared the 7mm Remington Mag to the .264 Winchester, both are pretty much the same case and both have right around 82gr of H20 case capacity. This is like comparing the 7x61 to the 6.5x61, both are the same case, just different diameters. Now the 7x61 S&H has about 10gr less capacity than the 7mmRM but the brass marked 7x61 Super is only 5gr less capacity. If you compare the 7mm Rem. Mag to the 7x61, you will see that with the same bullet weight and powder, the 7x61 uses about 5gr less powder. So, in theory, if you compare the 6.5x61 to the .264 Winchester, the 6.5x61 should need around 5gr less powder. If you cannot find solid data for the 6.5 Super, to be safe, you could use .264 Winchester data and REDUCE the charges by 10%.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
what are your intended powder/ bullet choices??? My sierra manual has 7 s@h data and it looks like the data is similar to the 7rem, but not identical... The s@h uses a different shoulder angle (44 degrees- vs. 30 degrees) and a slightly different body length so you will have to start 10 to 15% down for any loads you use from other data...
the 6.5m diameter bullet sure does put a caveat on this, doesn't it... I think Jud96 is on the right path as to using 264 win data as a baseline though...
the 6.5m diameter bullet sure does put a caveat on this, doesn't it... I think Jud96 is on the right path as to using 264 win data as a baseline though...
Belted case or not?
There are a couple ways to make this cartridge...and call it a different name.
I would HIGHLY recommend contacting Hodgdon directly. They could be a lot of help.
Looked thru all of the old and moldy reloading books that I have....the only thing close is a 6.5x57.
It is a belted case. Very similar to the .264 WIN except it's a tad bit shorter and has a sharper shoulder.
So so sorry for it taking so long to get back with you guys! I have 135 pcs of 7x61mm S&H brass and I have an RCBS custom FL sizing die. I got some of the 7x61 S&H brass resized tonight and noticed that even after FL sizing, the case .030-.070 short of the case length that it states in the Ackley Vol. 2 on page 163. It is saying the case length should be 2.500 but all my cases range from 2.430- 2.470 after resizing. Will I get the extra length after loading and shooting them? I haven't loaded much wildcat stuff so any info will be a huge help. After several more days of research I have found that this cartridge is also called the .264x61mm Shannon or 6.5x61 super. I have attached the page from Ackley's Vol. 2 about the cartridge. My goal is to shoot a 140gr Nosler partition or BT or 140gr. berger with it. Would also like to shoot imr 4831 or hodgen 4831sc.
Attachments
After looking at you diagram the case length of 2.500 is the MAX length which is the same for the 7 and 264 Win mag. The trim to length for these cartridges is 2.490. I think that when you fire these cases a time or two you will be at the proper lengths. As for load data I would just start at STARTING LOADS for the 264 Win mag and work up SLOWLY. If you have a chronograph it will help greatly so you can see what velocity you are actually getting. This will assist you finding the best powders. If you can find some Hodgdon Retumbo I would give it a try. It really makes my 264 Win Mag move and it is accurate. As for 140 gr bullets it all will depend on what twist you have in your barrel. Some 9 twist will shoot them but usually it takes a 8 twist for especially for the Berger VLD. One other thing to take into thought is bullet constriction. With working with my 264 Win mag and from the experience of my buddy that did extensive work with his and from using the 6.5x55 myself to shoot a lot of deer close up and far away here is something to think about. For most cup and core bullets especially the Nosler ballistic tips you need to keep your IMPACT velocity under 3000 fps or penetration will not be very deep because the bullets just really come apart. I have found that Nosler Accubond bullets really work at these higher velocities. I use the 130 Accubond at 3350 fps muzzle in my 264 Win mag and it reacts the same from as close as 30 yards to about 500 yards so far on deer. It will exit going through both shoulders of a deer and leave a quarter size exit hole and the deer are DRT. I shoot the 120 gr Sierra and Ballistic Tip at 3000 fps muzzle and the 140 Hornady interlock and Sierra Sp at 2800 fps in my 6.5x55 for deer and they do a great job. I would not want to push them to much faster for a shot under 50 yards though. When working with a wildcat you are out there on the limb by yourself so start light and go slow so you don't saw the limb off behind you. I have three wildcats I load for. Good luck and good shooting.
LONGSHOOTER
Well-Known Member
Hornady's fourth edition shows 2.394" as max case length for the 7x61 S & H.
You might want to become intimately knowledgeable about your chamber dimensions.
You might want to become intimately knowledgeable about your chamber dimensions.
Thanks a ton for all the help guys! How would I go about measureing my chamber and also check my barrel twists. I have checked my barrel twist on my No.1 243win but can't remember for sure what the process was. Thanks again! Here are some pictures of the rifle I am working with for kicks and giggles.
Bob the nailer
Well-Known Member
Check out the posts by 6.5x61super he shot this round quite a bit and more info on his youtube page too.
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ArchersParadox2020's channel - YouTube
yes, I had Dave Kiff from PT&G make me a reamer..based on the 7x61S&H or Super
30" Pac-Nor S/S Match, 1:8.5 RH Twist
57.6 gr. H4831SC, 139 gr. Lapua Scenar @3,060 fps
I have 11 reloads on the same brass............
0.292" loaded round
0.294" neck chamber
24.3 MIN to 1,000 yards
6.1 MIN wind drift [10mph] at 1,000 yards
1/4 to 1/3MOA out to 1,200 yards
48,394 PSI
__________________
260AI, Mauser 98, Vortex PST 6-24X50 FFP
6PDK [6x6.8SPC] AR15, Vortex PST 2.5-10x44 SFP
22-250AI, Mauser 98, Vortex PST 4-16x50 SFP
NRA Life Member
http://www.youtube.com/user/ArchersParadox2020
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ArchersParadox2020's channel - YouTube
yes, I had Dave Kiff from PT&G make me a reamer..based on the 7x61S&H or Super
30" Pac-Nor S/S Match, 1:8.5 RH Twist
57.6 gr. H4831SC, 139 gr. Lapua Scenar @3,060 fps
I have 11 reloads on the same brass............
0.292" loaded round
0.294" neck chamber
24.3 MIN to 1,000 yards
6.1 MIN wind drift [10mph] at 1,000 yards
1/4 to 1/3MOA out to 1,200 yards
48,394 PSI
__________________
260AI, Mauser 98, Vortex PST 6-24X50 FFP
6PDK [6x6.8SPC] AR15, Vortex PST 2.5-10x44 SFP
22-250AI, Mauser 98, Vortex PST 4-16x50 SFP
NRA Life Member
http://www.youtube.com/user/ArchersParadox2020
Bob the nailer
Well-Known Member
Can't seem to copy paste the post link for that 6.5x61 super you'll need to follow his youtube link I guess.
To find your barrel twist rate all you need is a cleaning rod and a tight fitting patch and a ruler and sharpie pin. Run your cleaning rod in from the muzzle out the action end and put a tight fitting patch with a little oil on it. Pull the patch back until it is past the chamber and into the bore a little. At the muzzle end place a dot mark on your cleaning rod with the sharpie right next to the muzzle. Now pull the cleaning rod away from the muzzle end slowly watching for your dot mark to make one full rotation. When you see the dot rotate back to the same position it was at the muzzle place another dot on the rod next to the muzzle or you can just measure from the muzzle out to your dot. That will be your twist rate. One turn in how may inches you pulled the cleaning rod out for it to rotate completely one turn.
To get your chamber measurement you can get some carosafe or karosafe (spelling ???) from Brownells. It is a low melting substance that you plug your bore just in front of the chamber and pour the melted substance into the chamber and let it cool then use a cleaning rod from the muzzle end to push the solid substance out and it has molded you the inside dimensions of your chamber. You can also do the same thing with some crayons. Just melt them in a double boiler. You can make you a double boiler by using one large tin can and one smaller. Fill the large can half full of water and place the smaller can with the crayons in it inside the larger can. Set both on a heating source and the boiling water in the large can will heat and melt the crayons without burning them. You can put a tight fitting patch on your cleaning rod and run it up to just in front of where the lead of the bore starts to plug the bore. It helps if you place the rifle in a vice muzzle down and use a little funnel to pour the melted crayons into fill up the chamber. Let this cool and then push the cleaning rod toward the chamber and push the crayon mold out.
To get your chamber measurement you can get some carosafe or karosafe (spelling ???) from Brownells. It is a low melting substance that you plug your bore just in front of the chamber and pour the melted substance into the chamber and let it cool then use a cleaning rod from the muzzle end to push the solid substance out and it has molded you the inside dimensions of your chamber. You can also do the same thing with some crayons. Just melt them in a double boiler. You can make you a double boiler by using one large tin can and one smaller. Fill the large can half full of water and place the smaller can with the crayons in it inside the larger can. Set both on a heating source and the boiling water in the large can will heat and melt the crayons without burning them. You can put a tight fitting patch on your cleaning rod and run it up to just in front of where the lead of the bore starts to plug the bore. It helps if you place the rifle in a vice muzzle down and use a little funnel to pour the melted crayons into fill up the chamber. Let this cool and then push the cleaning rod toward the chamber and push the crayon mold out.
