wow, my 6.5x58r stalking rifle really shoots well

[cordite]

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I finally got the bullet situation sorted out. It has a .260 groove diameter so I sized down some 120 grain .264 bullets.


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I think these rifles are pretty common but most do not have the original scope. This one is a Gerard in claw mounts. After many years of shooting .257 bullets in it, I'm glad I got a die and started making the correct sized bullets. What a joy to carry, not much over 5 pounds even with the scope attached.

[cordite]

I was having some misfires until I figured out that the lever needed to be pushed down firmly which cocks it and pushes the safety back to the safe position. duh!!!

Oh, the rifle is marked DRGM , it has a 28.5 inch barrel and was proofed in April 1920.

[mike ford]

cordite,
That is great. You are correct that these are pretty common rifles, but in my experience, in addition to the scope being unusual, the caliber is also a little unusual. In the surrounding areas, the most common calibers we see in this type rifle are 8.15x46R and 9.3x72R. Unfortunately they are also often found either rechambered or relined to some caliber thought to be easier to obtain or more powerful. While I'm a believer in an owner's right to do what he wants with his rifle; I believe this is most often a mistake( except changing a 9.3x72R-D chamber to N), and sometimes a grave mistake. I have long sought one of these in 8x57R/360, 8x58R, or especially 6.5x58R, to "play" with. All this just points out what a "jewel" you have. I most often recommended resizing .264-.265" bullets to what ever diameter the barrel wanted, rather than using .257" bullets. The recent introduction of new bullets for 25-35 Win. caused me to question this, and wonder if the new bullet would do well. Your experience has disabused me of this thought now. I think it would be helpful if you described how you sized the bullets, and the equipment you used. There are different ways to do this and it would be very instructive if you showed yours. A few words about your cases and different powders you used would also be interesting.
Mike

[cordite]

Thanks Mike. I'm pretty good at jury rigging ways to make these old guns in odd ball calibers shoot again. But it is so much better to do it right instead of just getting by. Sizing bullets to the proper diameter for the gun is an example of doing it right.

You can order a Lee push through sizing die in any diameter you need. It works on your reloading press. Go to the Lee web page and you can have one in your hands in just a few weeks. Another outfit that offers the same service is CH4D. For this particular gun I'm using a push through die from Ch4D.

[cordite]

Of course these push through dies work great for sizing down cast bullets but they also can be used for jacketed bullets with the right lubrication. It is easy to get a jacketed bullet stuck in the die (don't ask me how I know this). I have tried many different lubricants with poor results. What works great for me is the alox type cast bullet lubricant sticks you normally put into a cast bullet sizing machine.

What I do is take the alox lubricant stick and stand it upright in a small bench vice. I take the jacket bullet and rub it across the lube stick on one side and then turn the bullet and rub the other side across the lube stick. So you have a jacketed bullet with a small smear of lubricant on two sides. Then up into the die it goes. No sticking!! You would think that something like brass case sizing lube would work. It does not. Alox lube sticks are the way to go.

[cordite]

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Bullet lubricant stick in the vice. Swipe the bullet across the stick twice and size.



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Push through sizing die. Lubricated .264 jacketed bullet going in the bottom and one coming out the top sized to .260.

Sorry about the sideways pictures.

[cordite]

As far as reloading is concerned, I'm using 6.5x58r brass from Bertrams. But very expensive and hard to find. 9.3x72r brass is supposed to be good for resizing to 6.5x58r. I want to try that soon. 30--30 brass is far to short.

Right now I am trying the longer version of 38-55 brass fom starline. Many people don't know that the original 38-55 case was longer than the 30-30 case. Winchester later made them the same length, probably for ease of manufacturing. Starline is one of the few outfits, maybe the only outfit, making the longer brass. Anyway, this longer brass might work. A resized case looks good but the rim is too thick. Anyone have a good way to reduce the rim thickness without a lathe? I have reduced the rim diameter of cases before by putting the case in a drill and spinning it on a file. That doesn't seem like a very precise way to change the thickness. Of course the rim needs to be thinned from the front. Filing the back of the case would shorten the primer pocket.

[cordite]

As far as powder is concerned, 3031 is usually recommended. The accurate load that prompted this thread was with Reloader 7. It is now my favorite for the 6.5x58r.

The fast twist of most 6.5 rifles does not usually accommodate cast bullets at top speed. But a reduced load with cast shoots well using red dot powder. In fact I use red dot for wonderful modest cast bullet loads in many calibers. Yes it is a fast powder and you have to be careful but it does take up more space in the case than other fast powders do. And you can do a lot of shooting with a pound of powder.

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Jacketed and cast loads --- 6.5x58r

[sharps4590]

Well done cordite!!! Those steep tapered cartridges have long intrigued me but I've never worked with one to date.

[mike ford]

Cordite,
Great, what works for you works. I size .321"& .323" bullets to .318" in a ring sizing die powered by a "Rockchucker" loading press. I prefer lanolin as the lube, but found that the left over STP in a bottle also works very well also. Just put a little in a coffee can, pour a box of bullets in and roll them around in the can. This is much quicker than lubing each one, even with having to remove the lube. To remove it, I use cigarette lighter fluid, by putting a quantity in a towel, moistening the whole thing with lighter fluid, and rubbing the whole thing around in my hands. Alcohol or Acetone will cut the lube, but evaporate too fast for the operation. I usually recommend using original length 38-55 cases, as you mentioned. They come out a little short, but will work very well if you load the bullet "out" a little. I also try to avoid shortening 9.3x72R cases, as a matter of course. I believe a lathe is a requirement of life, but if you don't have one, you can thin the rims as you suggested. If your drill press has a quill stop, you can speed things up by making up a mandrel to fit in the case, bump the back of the chuck to locate the case, tighten the chuck on the case neck( supported by the mandrel, to prevent squashing), and set the stop to thin all the rims the same amount. I don't have a 6.5x58R, but have made cases for my 8x57R/360 from 38-55 cases, and the little bit I thin the rims doesn't prevent seating the primers. If yours won't allow this, you can either use large pistol primers, or deepen the pockets with a Lyman Primer Pocket Uniformer. I too use a good bit of Red Dot, mostly with cast bullets, and find Ed Harris' "The Load" very useful in a lot of my rifles. I also like Unique and ReLoader 7. For whatever it is worth, there is an article about the 6.5x58R in a recent WAIDMANNSHEIL, if you didn't receive it, it is available for sale. Also there is another thread on this Forum about a drilling in this caliber, the owner of which found that he could chamber .303 British headsize and rim diameter cases. I find all these different solutions very interesting.
Mike