6.5 cm reloading woes

chaos_kev

chaos_kev

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Hi all,

I've recently started reloading for my 6.5 and am trying to develop a consistent accurate load. Here's the rifle I am working with and loads I've tried.

Browning x bolt hells canyon smoke 22 inch barrel with 1 in 8 twist

Loads I've tried are
120 grn gmx over 48 gr of superformance. Best group of about .5 at 100 yrds but inconsistent and left a lot of copper fouling.

143 gr eldx over superformance which was again inconsistent at best with .7 or so groups.

The next was a 140 grain accubond over 31.5 grains of imr 8208xbr which did yield good results, but is a bit pricey for target shooting

Would anyone care to point me in the right direction or share some load data that has worked well for similar rifles?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
 
Is this a hunting or target load?
Either way try H4350. I have had excellent results - .873@300
Also try Reloder16 - less temperature sensitive.
Good luck.
 
Keep on trying different combinations of powders/bullets eventually you will find one that works, if you don't then maybe its the shooter that is inconsistent. H4350 is good with the 140ish gr bullets.

This must be for hunting and target shooting?

And how many GMX's did you shoot to notice copper fouling?
 
Looking for a target load, I'm not too worried about hunting loads atm

It's quite possible that it's the shooter at times haha
I would say I was shooting anywhere from 20 to 30 rounds and seeing heavy copper fouling, but only with the gmx bullets
 
I don’t think my 6.5 Creed can shoot more than 1” at 100.
If your shooting is consistent, then you are likely not on a node, probably on the edge of a scatter node.
Have you tried a ladder test or OCW test?
 
Hard to explain fully but do some google searches on Dan Newberry OCW. ( optimal charge weight )
And search “ ladder test “as well. Both work well in working up a load.
Some also do a ‘ladder type “ test just by going off fps. This version need a LabRadar or Magnetospeed to be more accurate. I usually pay attention to this one to use in conjunction with the OCW test.
Finally testing seating depth by 0.003” from mag length or from where you start off the lands.
 
Okay so the bullets you are using are premium hunting bullets, that’s fine but they are expensive for target shooting. And unless you are shooting a polished custom BR barrel dont worry about copper fouling untill you’ve shot hundreds of rounds. I shoot 140g Nosler RDF from my factory 6.5 Creed, it has 350+ rounds down the barrel and haven’t cleaned it once, it never shoots groups over 2/3”. Copper and powder will find there equilibrium and enhance accuracy and consistency. Google load development techniques to find a better load test method, it will save you time and cash, I’d say owc is best.
 
The rifle will tell you when it needs to be cleaned. My 6.5 so far goes about 70 rounds, then I can tell. I only have 250 rounds through it so far but the round count between cleaning is increasing.
 
A new barrel will foul quicker I've found, and they are not all the same. I had a new winchester model 70 and when it was new after about 20 rounds groups will open up. A good cleaning and it it was OK. After a few hundred rounds it will go much longer now without a cleaning.
 
For a ladder test, check out this link

h ttp://precisionrifleblog.com/2012/07/13/creighton-audette-ladder-testing/

I used it with my .243 with good success.
The thing with the ladder test, you may not get a "node" with a particular powder/bullet combination.
I'd suggest you try a load with Sierra Match King bullets, they've shot well for a lot of people. I've had good success with the Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint bullets also, they're considerably cheaper than the Accubond.
 
I’m not sure I understand the idea of not finding a node with a certain powder/bullet combination.
Hornady 140 match seem popular and are not too bad for cost relatively speaking.
 
Lead hammer said:
I’m not sure I understand the idea of not finding a node with a certain powder/bullet combination.
Hornady 140 match seem popular and are not too bad for cost relatively speaking.
Click to expand...

Every powder has different burning characteristics. Vibrations are created in the barrel during the burning of the powder. Most powders have a couple of loadings (nodes) where the vibrations are at such a level that the rifle shoots better groups. You try to find these spots by "working up a load" for a particular powder and bullet combination. Some powders just produce better groups, (which are called nodes) than others. Every rifle is different but some loads do good in a lot of rifles.
 
Ditto on H4350. Try to use bullets in the 140 grain range, Hornady HPBT 140 and SMK 142 are both good choices. As well, try to seat about 0.020" off the lands.
 
Lead hammer said:
I understand that part, just not the part where from min to max with a given bullet/powder combination that a node won’t exist.
Click to expand...

If you look at the link re ladder test, he tested both Varget and 4895, as examples. The Varget showed a couple nodes where the velocity remained stable over several increments, the 4895 was up and down over the whole range, no stable areas. Some times a powder increase would result in a velocity decrease, odd as that seems. I may be wrong about the exact powder types, but the results were the same.

Barrel resonance plays a big role in group sizes, ideally the bullet will exit the muzzle when it's in a "quiet" phase of it's vibration cycle.

For short range shooting minor velocity swings aren't the end of the world if you have good groups. At long range, however, consistent velocity is a much bigger factor due to bullet drop, plus you need good groups as well.

The idea is to have a forgiving powder charge weight that will give you consistent velocity even if you're off slightly in your measurement, plus a "quiet" muzzle condition as the bullet exits which is conducive to good groups.
 
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