Wildcatting the Swede

I have an old Swede 6.5x55 with a broken stock and it's been sitting in the safe gathering dust and largely forgotten 'till I got thinking that I should do something with it. So my plan is to get a ramline stock for it (woodgrain not black) and fit a 3-9 scope on it. (It's already drilled and tapped with a bridge mount fitted.)

Then I got thinking again (god, that hurts!) that I don't have a varmint rifle on hand (sorry guy's but the .270 ISN'T a varmint rifle) so what I'm gonna do is 'improve' the 6.5x55 by giving it a sharp shoulder and neck it down to .22. Now, I have absolutely no doubt that this has been done before a million times before but I think it would make a super little rig.

Have you guys ever done, seen or read about anyone necking down the 6.5x55 to .22? If so I'd appreciate any tips or info.

Cheers

Russ. 

Forget about going with 6.5 to a 22 conversion, rather go build yourself a 6.5 STW like Layne Simpson recommends .

Just kidding of course.

I don't have my Cartridges of the World book in front of me so I can't check any references but I can't help but think that it would be 22-250 + performer. 

I'm sure somebody will be able to give some input.

NOFX;

I'm with Dakotasin in thinking I'd not go down to .22.  I'd go ahead & A.I. it, let all that body taper open up for powder space.  I doubt I'd try to increase the shoulder taper though, it's already steep enough & blowing the taper out is gonna pull enough out of the neck anyway, don't want to shorten the neck any more than absolutely necessary.

If you use the same barrel, it's probably gonna have to have a one thread set-back, so be careful with the throat ream, it most likely won't be as long as the parent cartridge. 

Then, I'd just go to 6mm & stop there. 

900F 

waksupi wrote: I'd leave it in the original chambering, and shoot light bullets. You can crank the 6.5X55 right up there. P.O. Ackley would wildcat anything. And he said, the Swede is perfect as-is, and cannot benefit by improving the shoulder.

I agree, I'd look for a replacement stock & leave it just as is. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with a Ramline replacement stock if you can't find a wood stock. I put a Ramline on a Rem 788 as a replacement & the rifle is a sub 1" shooter with no other mods.

Up here in Canada take off military wood stocks for Swede M 96's & M 38's can usually be had quite reasonable at gunshows. There's even the odd sporter stock that shows up as well. I just picked up the bottom stock in the following picture for $45 Canadian up here. It's a M 96 stock that has been shortened, slimmed & swivel studs added. Will take any Model 96 action with straight or turned bolt as a 'drop-in'.

Regards, Marcus.

Here's two spare Swede sporter stocks that I have acquired. Both are reconfigured military wood. Top one is the M96 sporter stock in the pic above. The bottom one is a M38 stock. Shortened a bit but not much else done. Sanded down & just needs an oil finish rubbed into it & maybe some QD swivels added. Figure I will run across a couple of Swede96/38 barrelled actions in need of stocks sooner or later & I will be away to the races so to speak. Barrelled Swede 96/38 actions can usually be had at gunshows up here in the $100 - $150 Canadian range...

Regards, Marcus.

NOFX,

Well, I have to agree and disagree with some of the above posts.  MOST cartridges will benefit from the Ackley reduced body taper and the 40 degree shoulder.  Please note I said "MOST".  "Papa" Ackley never AI'd the 6.5x55 Swede.  That particular job was left to Bob Jourdan, a scribe for "Precision Shooting" magazine.  The 6.5x55 Arch was the cartridge reviewed in his books.

Most cartridges based on the .308 Winchester, ie .243, .260 and 7mm-08 will not see great velocity gains as compared to factory ammo.  What you will realize from the AI treatment is longer case life and "greatly reduced" bolt thrust.  The 6.5x55 BJAI (Bob Jourdan Ackley Improved) will exhibit all the attributes of the AI cartridge.  A 95-100gr bullet at around 3400fps at a pressure level of 58-60,000psia is certainly workable in the Swede action but I wouldn't push it any higher than that.  Slow powders like RL-22 or equivelent should work well with the Swede Improved. 

If you don't have P O Ackley's "Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders Vols I & II", you might search thru abebooks.com and find used copies. See Vol I for his treatise on the 30-30AI in the 1894 Winchester and his findings on observed bolt thrust difference between the standard 30-30 cartridge and the AI version.

Whether or not to go the Ackley Improved route is a choice that only you can make.  My personal criteria and suggestion to others has been if you plan to shoot more than 100 rounds a year...then it may be advisable from a cost standpoint.  Hornady makes a "generic" neck sizing die for the 6.5 calibers and then all you need is a seating die for the AI version. 

If you intend to use the factory barrel you might want to try the Nosler 95gr V-Max bullet as it is the longest bullet available in the 100gr or less catagory and seat it out as far as possible(.020 into the case has worked for me in the military barrels.)  Out of a 24" barrel, 3300fps is attainable at reasonable pressures using slow burning powders...ie H4350 and VV 150.  By all means use a chronograph and pay attention to the standard pressure signs if you don't have access to the pressure strain gauges and software sold by RSI.

Is it worth the hassle of going to the AI versions?.....well "yes" for me!  But I am a 6.5 and Ackley Improved ardent proponent with the guidelines as outlined above.  There is no general agreement between folks of good intentions on any subject.  Best you get all the information available and then you be the judge.  Thats the way it should be.

Ol' John

PS .260 Rem, 6.5-08 AI, 6.5x55, 6.5x55 BJAI