6.5 jap load data

[Tahunua001]

hello all,
for spring blackbear I decided it might be fun to take my Arisaka type44 out and see if I can bring smokey home with it. so far all I've shot out of it has been hornady factory 140 gr soft points which are dead accurate, hitting stuff at 400 yards is amazingly fun with this gun. however I'd just like to be cautious and load up some 140 grain nosler accubonds for hunting.
does anyone have a good, accurate load for 6.5 jap?

Information

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[vintage hunter]

Unless it's in their latest manual that I don't have I'm not aware of Nosler ever publishing any data for the 6.5 Jap. Theres data for the 6.5 Jap w/140gr Nosler Partition listed on the Hogdon website but whether or not it would be safe to substitute the Accubonds I don't know. In a case like this where data isn't readily available I contact the manufacturer first and if they can't help the next call is to Sierrs Bullets. In addition to to having safe proven data for their own products they usually have it for everyone else's as well.

[jmoore]

Why not use the Hornady bullets or ammo? It works well and was designed for hunting. Plus, you already know where it hits.

Black bear, yes? If you are going after the brownies, then you might want to hunt with the bayonet extended, regardless of bullet used! Not that it would likely help much if the rounds fail to do the job...

ETA, Oh, yeah "blackbear" WAS in the first sentence-nevermind. It all ought do fine with good shot placement.

[Tahunua001]

I'm just a little paranoid. last year I tried hunting deer with cheap ammo and even in the best of conditions I couldn't seem to put meat on the table. that's why I'm hoping for something with a little more oomph than SP. both the sierra book and hornady book offer load data for it, difference between an accubond and a match king are going to be pretty negligible as long as I don't go full maximum the first time.

this is not a matter of being unable to find load data at all, I'm looking for a load that offers good accuracy without having to resort to trial and error.

[vintage hunter]

Substituting one brand/type bullet for another can sometimes produce dramatic results, especially in small capacity cases where there's only a few grains difference in minimum and maximum charges. Target bullets like the Sierra MK normally have thinner jackets than do those designed for hunting. Jacket thickness, hardness, bearing surface length and type of construction can cause dangerous pressure spikes even with starting loads for another brand/type bullet of the same weight. If you compare Hornady and Sierra data for the 6.5 Jap with 140gr bullets you'll see that Hornady lists a starting load w/IMR4064 at 28.6 gr and max at 34.0gr and Sierra at 30.9gr start and 35.0 max for their 140 grainers. That little difference under the right( or wrong dependind on how you look at it) circumstances can cause problems. Even though the Type 38 Arisaka action is concidered to be exceedingly strong but they are'nt indestructable so it pays to use caution.
If you are determined to load Accubonds it would be considered wise to at least use the data for Partitions listed on the Hogdon website as suggested earlier.

[jmoore]

last year I tried hunting deer with cheap ammo and even in the best of conditions I couldn't seem to put meat on the table.

The Accubonds are made for the super high velocity rounds that tend to explode regular bullets. The 6,5 Japanese hardly falls in that category. The Hornady Interlock bullets do a fine job on game. Heck, my puny .224" 55 gr Sierra bullets tend to separate core from jacket inside the deer chest cavity, but it surely puts them down- Right There!

We've had good success with the 160gr RN 6,5 Hornadys out of the even less powerful Carcano. That bullet ought to drill through even a huge bear. (Our bear aren't much different size wise from the local deer. Just squatter.)

Conversely, sometimes critters just won't cooperate. A friend shot a deer this season at about 75yds with a 150gr .308" Nosler and all we ever found was a teensy bit of pink tissue. No deer, no blood, no hair. Weird.

[the old gringo]

i use 160 grain round nose siera bullets with mid range powder charge listed for the 6.5 x 55 would get good pen. on a bear

[vintage hunter]

Cheap ammo? Did'nt know there was such a thing anymore.:D
Tahunua, have you ever considered that shot placement may have been more to blame for your problems than the quality of the ammo? I came into this carbine along with 6 boxes of Norma 156gr ammo in the mid 90's. I have about 40 or so rounds left and with the exception of a few pre season rounds now and then to verify zero all the rest were used to kill deer or hogs. Todays cost per box for this stuff is $45-$50 and that alone should put it in the ''premium'' ammo catagory but in terms of ballistics and accuracy it's far from it. From the pictured carbine it will do 2 1/2'' 100yd groups and MV is less than 2000fps. Not the best but good enough for hunting at moderate ranges. But, to date I've yet to loose an animal shot with it and all but 1 deer and most of the hogs were 1 shot kills. That one deer was a little better than average buck that I Injun'd up on in a 40 acre field and around 250yds was as close as I could get. The bullet dropped more than expected and went through the brisket, he ran to a briar patch just inside the woodline where a follow up shot finished him off. Don't believe I'll try that again, not till the next time a trophy comes along anyway.