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Alpha1 wrote:I emailed shilen they replied very quickly basically what they said was they don't recognise any of the markings on the barrel which I find a bit strange and they suggest I contact the rifle builder as I don't know who the rifle builder is that could be difficult.
I am going to buy some factory ammo tomorrow if I can find a local gun dealer that is open and that stocks 6.5x55 and see if they chamber then its contact the guy who sold me it time I guess.

Its a shame because its a lovely rifle and I would really like to get it to work. I wish I new a gunsmith in the North East of England I could talk to.

When you buy a new (secondhand) rifle - you start with NEW brass of good quality. Forget all the 'tight chamber' rubbish - buy some new Lapua cases and see if they chamber - I'll be very surprised if they don't.

When you buy a new (secondhand) rifle - you start with NEW brass of good quality. Forget all the 'tight chamber' rubbish - buy some new Lapua cases and see if they chamber - I'll be very surprised if they don't.

All the development work was done using new Lapau. Norma. PPU Brass.

The maximum cartridge over all length possible in this rifle with a Hornady A max 120 grain bullet jammed into the rifling using full length resized new Lapau brass trimmed to length on a LeWilson trimmer. Primer pockets cut on a LeWilsonn trimmer is 2.859.
I have spent all my shooting life shooting military rifles I know nothing about modern rifles if I have got this wrong I am more than happy to take advice any help is appreciated.

I'm pretty sure Kirklees guns have some 6.5x55 in if you need mate, they're in Huddersfield

Dave I should have a box or two of PPU factory lying around but you will need to wait till I get back also I'll have a look at the chamber for you if you want.

Alpha1 wrote:

When you buy a new (secondhand) rifle - you start with NEW brass of good quality. Forget all the 'tight chamber' rubbish - buy some new Lapua cases and see if they chamber - I'll be very surprised if they don't.

All the development work was done using new Lapau. Norma. PPU Brass.

The maximum cartridge over all length possible in this rifle with a Hornady A max 120 grain bullet jammed into the rifling using full length resized new Lapau brass trimmed to length on a LeWilson trimmer. Primer pockets cut on a LeWilsonn trimmer is 2.859.
I have spent all my shooting life shooting military rifles I know nothing about modern rifles if I have got this wrong I am more than happy to take advice any help is appreciated.

So - you are saying that you couldn't close the bolt on a new empty Lapua case?

I bought a box of 20 140grain 6.5x55 Norma Nosler Partion factory ammo. I nearly died when he told me how much they were.
The average overall length of the 20 rounds is 2.940 the bullets are .263.

1. They are just to long for the magazine so they would have to be single loaded at this length.
2. They chamber but the bolt is difficult to close the bolt will open but you can not pull the bolt open had to use a rubber mallet to open bolt I did this twice then deemed it to dangerous to continue with live ammo.
Observations:On examination of the two rounds it is obvious the bullet has a tight chamber. The bullets must of been jammed in the rifling tapping the bolt open actually made the rounds longer you can see were the case has moved back of the bullet.
The rounds went in at 2.940.
Round 1 came out at 2.987.
Round 2 came out at 3.077.

So factory rounds of good quality will not shoot in this rifle.

I carried on with my tinkerings. I used a kinetic hammer to remove the bullets from 5 of the Norma rounds removed the powder and primer then re seated the bullets to original factory over all length.
I started chambering the rounds again adjusting seating depth as I went.
I think 2.9350 is the magic number with this ammo all though I did notice the bullet has a slight ring around it so it may need backing of slightly. which is not to bad actually its a definite improvement on the A max 120grains I have a feeling that the A max problem could be that they mike at .264.
Any way I think I might be able to get the TIKKa to work but its going to have to be a hand loaded jobby. It is obviously sensitive to bullet types etc.

Oh well onward and up wards not a total disaster.

Would any body like to swop me 100 120grain 6.5x55 A max bullets so I can try some other makes.

But, will the bolt close on a new empty Lapua 6.5x55 case?

But, will the bolt close on a new empty Lapua 6.5x55 case?

Why a new empty Lapau case.

Alpha1 wrote:

But, will the bolt close on a new empty Lapua 6.5x55 case?

Why a new empty Lapau case.

It's the nearest thing you can lay your hands on which will give you an idea as to whether you have a problem or not. If you cannot chamber a new, empty, unfired Lapua case, you could have a problem.

This thread is now four pages long. I respectfully ask the question for the third time - will the bolt close on a new, empty unfired Lapua case?

unfortunately I have run all the Lapau cases through a full length sizer and trimmed them all to a uniform length. But I do have some new unfired Norma brass so I used one of those cases the case chambered and the bolt closed no problem. I would say the case was a snug fit but the bolt operates OK and the case ejects fine.