Double checking, brass no pressure signs??

[rm1911]

Started reloading for the Swedish Mauser 6.5x55. Got a few lbs of imr4350 because I'd read its a great powder for it. On, and I didn't want to burn my precious 4895 and short chnge the garand. My manuals and lots of online research led to a starting load of 41 grains of 4350.

Sights need adjusting as it was very high (as expected) and a bit left but it grouped around 2-3" at 100. I figure that's partly my shooting or probably a lot my shooting

I'm not as concerned with velocity as much as accuracy and more so about over pressure. So I'm pretty sure these brass look good. Just want to double check. Thanks for looking.

[micro911]

It looks pretty good to me.

[2nd Shot]

Looks ok, though the primers are getting pretty flattened on the center and right piece.

Don't let this scare you, but this could mean absolutely nothing, or it could mean that you're 10,000+ PSI past SAAMI maximum, as primer reading is not an accurate judgement of pressure, only a guide. What we can tell from them is that the primers are not severely flattened (almost no gap left between the brass and the primer), leaking gas or soot around the primer, or fallen out completely, which are possible signs of severe overpressure and something being very wrong.

The head of the cases look good - I don't know what a Swedish Mauser bolt face looks like, but when the pressure starts getting too high, look for signs that the brass is deforming and beginning to flow, like it were made of clay and pushed into the bolt face. On the Remington 700, for example, you'll start seeing a shiny circle about 1/8", where the eject pin is about the time you start getting sticky bolt. The brass is flowing into the eject pin hole and hanging up the bolt, and gets scraped down when you open the bolt. Other things to look for include the letters of the headstamp becoming more flat/shallow.

Another thing to look out for is a shiny "pressure ring" forming about 3/8 ahead of the head of the case, which may indicate that your brass is stretching thin and may separate. I haven't experienced this, so somebody else should chime in about it, but they say it's pretty obvious before you tumble your brass.

[chad allred]

Looks good to me!

[russt]

looks fine.

[rcschummers]

Looks perfect to me although, the brass is probably not good to reload again. Best to send it me for disposal. Pm inbound.

[rm1911]

2nd shot. Thanks. The primers looked like they were beginning to flatten but it was kinda hard to tell. Wasn't sure. They extracted without effort and I've compared them to my other unfired brass and they don't appeared deformed or out of spec in any way.

I'm not worried about velocity and really am trying to work on a good 200-400 yd silhouette round. Just want to lee it safe and not turn a curio into a relic

[rm1911]

2nd shot. Thanks. The primers looked like they were beginning to flatten but it was kinda hard to tell. Wasn't sure. They extracted without effort and I've compared them to my other unfired brass and they don't appeared deformed or out of spec in any way.

I'm not worried about velocity and really am trying to work on a good 200-400 yd silhouette round. Just want to keep it safe and not turn a curio into a relic

[J-cat]

Reading primers is an art. It depends on primer brand, pressure range, and the gun. Your primers look fine to me, but a better question is how's the bolt lift? Any stickyness throughout the lift arc? Cuz that will be more reliable than primer appearance.

[Bill Steele]

Reading primers is an art. It depends on primer brand, pressure range, and the gun. Your primers look fine to me, but a better question is how's the bolt lift? Any stickyness throughout the lift arc? Cuz that will be more reliable than primer appearance.

I agree, although I do "read" my primers as well.

[knucklehead0202]

my 6.5x55 loads flatten the primers a bit, it's really nothing to worry about. i got my load data from my pop and him and his friend worked up some fairly stout stuff. they were running 46gr of H4350 as a quote "good load" so i think you'll be fine. i run 47.5 of **** with a mag primer under a 140 which pushes about 2850 and is stupid accurate. you'll be fine depending on the brass you're using, and of course the rifle makes a difference. regardless, you shouldn't have much trouble gettin' the old swede under 1" groups. both my original and my sporter will do it, even when i shoot 'em.

[mark501w]

Still nicely rounded your fine. 6.5mm is a neat cartridge.

[rm1911]

Reading primers is an art. It depends on primer brand, pressure range, and the gun. Your primers look fine to me, but a better question is how's the bolt lift? Any stickyness throughout the lift arc? Cuz that will be more reliable than primer appearance.

reading them definitely is an art. I see them mostly as an early warning sign. it's a 1916 model. and the steel then was plenty strong and the action is solid. but, I'm still shooting a 100 year old firearm. I'd kinda like it to last another 100.

extraction was smooth and no problems. I think I will keep working on that load, maybe up it a grain or two. but really the goal is the most accurate load. and of course to get as much life out of the brass as possible. I'll get the sights dialed in for whatever load I decide upon.

thanks for all the input.

[Whiterabbit]

IMO in this case you are GTG if the bolt extracts easily.