6.5 Creedmoor reloading advice?

saunders278

saunders278

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Hey everyone,

My die set for my Tikka CTR 6.5 CM will be arriving any day and I’m looking for a good starting point. This is mainly a long-range target rifle (long-range for me is 1000m with factory ammo, but I'm confident that number will go up as I progress). I don't really have a "max range" goal, I just want to take it as far as possible. Also, I wouldn’t mind having some deer loads on hand as well (probably won't be hunting with this one, but I'd like the option).

I’ve been reloading for 2 years (7mm Rem Mag and some pistol ammo), so I’m comfortable with it but still an amateur. Same with shooting, I'd say I'm an "advanced amateur", if that makes sense.

I’ve got some Horandy 147gr ELD-Ms in the mail (the factory ammo ran great through my rifle, and I’ve had good results with ELD-Ms for my 7mm Rem Mag), and I need to decide on a powder to start.

I’ll be trying out some Berger Hybrids as well (never used Bergers before).

All advice is appreciated. I’m mainly thinking about bullet/powder combos, but I’d love to get any input on COL, trim length, primers, brass (I’ve got a bunch of sorted, 1x fired pieces to start), methods, differences from 7mm Rem Mag that I may not be considering, etc.

Thanks,

Keith
 
The 6.5CM is a sweetheart to load for... We've shot a bunch of the 147ELD in several different 6.5CMs. We've had great results with H4350, IMR4350 or IMR4451. Unbelievably low ES/SD numbers. My buddy played around with R26- got higher velocities, but also higher ES/SDs- so went back to 4350.

Brass- lots of Alpha and Hornady. I like the Alpha brass, but it's pricey.

Primers- almost any LR primer. Doesn't seem to matter much. We've used CCIBR2, Dom LR, S&B, Fed, Rem, etc...

PS: The 147 kills deer very dead. ;)
 
LittleBoyLefty said:
The 6.5CM is a sweetheart to load for... We've shot a bunch of the 147ELD in several different 6.5CMs. We've had great results with H4350, IMR4350 or IMR4451. Unbelievably low ES/SD numbers. My buddy played around with R26- got higher velocities, but also higher ES/SDs- so went back to 4350.

Brass- lots of Alpha and Hornady. I like the Alpha brass, but it's pricey.

Primers- almost any LR primer. Doesn't seem to matter much. We've used CCIBR2, Dom LR, S&B, Fed, Rem, etc...

PS: The 147 kills deer very dead. ;)
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Great, I actually just ordered some 147gr ELD-Ms. Those work okay on deer?

I actually ordered some 140gr ELD-Xs for that purpose, but I'd love to have 1 all-purpose round if possible.
 
H4350 is pretty much the standard for me. 147gr around 2750fps for me is a sweet spot. Sub 5 fps standard deviations.
Use a quality brass. Lapua, Peterson, alpha, Starline?
It’s pretty forgiving and predictable as far as loading goes.
 
saunders278 said:
Great, I actually just ordered some 147gr ELD-Ms. Those work okay on deer?

I actually ordered some 140gr ELD-Xs for that purpose, but I'd love to have 1 all-purpose round if possible.
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Yessir Keith,

Flawless on Deer for myself and friends so far. The 147 digs deep at Creedmoor speeds, IME. I’ll be packing them for elk and sheep next week, so I am pretty confident in their performance on flesh.

I can’t quite get the speeds Rob is, but do get single digit SDs with H4350 also.

Once I’ve got a load settled for a rifle, I don’t shoot much paper at the range. Usually a quick 3 round zero check, and then on to long-range steel. My Tikka T3x Lite has produced dozens of targets like these with the ELD.
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Sorry, bring this one back up a bit but you are using the ELD-M on game with success? Isn’t that the match bullet while the ELD-X is the game bullet?
 
ScottMisfits said:
Sorry, bring this one back up a bit but you are using the ELD-M on game with success? Isn’t that the match bullet while the ELD-X is the game bullet?
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Yes, the 147ELD-M has performed very well for me, friends and acquaintances. Excellent penetration- and reasonable expansion, no explosions yet. However, we aren't pushing them very fast, 2700ish out of 6.5CMs for the most part. I wouldn't be surprised if higher velocities resulted in less ideal performance.
 
Don’t use match bullets on game asking for trouble .Just phone Hornady tech they will tell you the same thing .The spend thousands of dollars on bullet development and testing.I would trust them when they tell you .
I have had good success with Hornady superformance powder and 143 eldx,as well as 140 accubonds
 
While fire forming new brass, I found about 2750 ft/s to be the sweet spot with my rifle. SD=8 and ES >20 on a 10 shot string. 100m 5 shot group at .37MOA out of a new rifle with less than 200 rounds on the barrel. Extremely happy and excited to see how it shoots after another 100 rounds or so with fireformed and sized brass.

H-4350
143gr ELD-X
Peterson SRP brass
BR-4 primers
.010" off the lands

I am sizing with a FL bushing die with .002" of shoulder bump and .002" of neck tension. I plan on trimming to 1.915, but the brass has a few more thou to stretch.
 
All due respect to the guys who haven't- or don't want to- hunt with 'match bullets', but it's not 'asking for trouble' in all cases. There are exceptions. For example and since this thread is about .264 projectiles- the 139 Scenar & 147ELD have built a solid reputation for performance on critters over the years. I've seen more blow ups out of the CM with the 143ELDx than the 147ELD.

I almost never intentionally 'shoot for bone', (just not my preferred shot) but this year I messed up and pulled the shot on my elk @ 275M. I hit big bone with the 147ELD. The bullet crushed bone and exited with the same ~1 1/4" hole we've come to expect from it. I couldn't tell the difference if it had been shot with a TSX. Pretty stout little bullet, at least at Creedmoor velocities.
 
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So, I have 100 Lapua 6.5 CM small primer pocket brass and 100 Hornady Large primer pocket brass and was wondering if anybody finds one better than the other?

I’m using Varget
 
45C said:
So, I have 100 Lapua 6.5 CM small primer pocket brass and 100 Hornady Large primer pocket brass and was wondering if anybody finds one better than the other?

I’m using Varget
Click to expand...

I think the jury is still out on if one is better than the other, but depending on the rifle if it has an over sized firing pin hole, SRP brass can cause pierced and cratered primers due to the reduced bearing surface.
 
45C said:
So, I have 100 Lapua 6.5 CM small primer pocket brass and 100 Hornady Large primer pocket brass and was wondering if anybody finds one better than the other?

I’m using Varget
Click to expand...
The Lapua is some of the best brass available, but the Hornady 6.5CM brass is pretty good, IME. Between only those two, I'd go Horn. Simply for the LR primer pockets.
 
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