6.5x55 loads - Norma 130 grain Golden Target bullets

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Potashminer

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I am setting up a CG63 rifle - brass is alleged to be once fired - Norma brand. 6.5x55 chamber. Bullets that I have are 130 grain Norma Golden Target HPBT - I have both Fed 215 and Fed 210 primers. Looking for some ideas for powder - is for targets and gongs - so "most accurate" is most important - max velocity is not. Looking for some suggestions about what powder to try - I have no Norma powder, so about waste of time to suggest those.

Nosler 9 manual is suggesting that RL-19 is "most accurate" powder with their 130 grain Accubonds. Does that sound like a reasonable place to start?
 
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Norma factory loads were made with N204 which from what i understand is now RE#19 or very close. I've used N204 with 156gr Sako but found RE#22 best in 129-140gr loads. IMR 4350 was also VG
 
I sold my last CG63 a few years ago. At one time I had three of them and they all loved 48.0 grains of RL19 over CCI250 primers when combined with 129-130 grain bullets.

Velocities were very good and very consistent out of the longer barrel.

This load was safe in my rifles, over a few thousand rounds but is close to max and slightly over, depending on the manual.

It works very well in the M38 and M96 issue rifles as well.

Each of the rifles had their own batch of brass, fireformed to their chambers and neck resized only. All of them shot better than I could hold with this load.

Of course, your rifle will likely require a bit of tinkering to suit its harmonics.
 
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remington jim said:
Actually RL17 is a WEE bit SLOWER Then H4350 - RJ
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Maybe that's what you see in Burn Rate Charts but in my experience it's faster.

I've shared tests here in both the 6.5X55 and 9.3X62 and seen that clearly. I've also noted that RL26 is faster than RL25 in those same cartridges.
 
Because I have a few bottles of it, I am going to start with H4350 - if that does not get to "acceptable", then "Plan B" is the bottles of RL-19, then "Plan C" is the RL-22. Should get something to work out of that. Thank you for the ideas.
 
Andy said:
Maybe that's what you see in Burn Rate Charts but in my experience it's faster.

I've shared tests here in both the 6.5X55 and 9.3X62 and seen that clearly. I've also noted that RL26 is faster than RL25 in those same cartridges.
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What have you experienced that makes you believe it has a Faster burn rate ? I am super interested in your Experience ! . Thxs RJ
 
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Potashminer said:
Because I have a few bottles of it, I am going to start with H4350 - if that does not get to "acceptable", then "Plan B" is the bottles of RL-19, then "Plan C" is the RL-22. Should get something to work out of that. Thank you for the ideas.
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All of those will likely work very well.

Sometimes several very good powders just seem to be able to fit well in several different cartridges and give very consistent burn rates/velocities/accuracy, which is what you're looking for when all said and done.
 
Yes - powders that work well in more than one cartridge seem to be handy to have on hand. I just can not find notes why I have that H4350 - I am assuming was to try in something - is not on my "usually use it" list - may as well try that first in 6.5x55 - that RL-19 gets used in several other cartridges already - so it won't "go to waste", even if I do not need to try it in 6.5x55. I do not seem to use up the pounds of powder that I used to - so maybe this three or four pounds will last for my needs - if it works out okay ...
 
remington jim said:
What have you experienced that makes you believe it has a Faster burn rate ? I am super interested in your Experience ! . Thxs RJ
Click to expand...

If you create two loads with identical amounts of two different powders, the one with the higher MV will be the faster Powder Burn Rate of the two.
 
Andy said:
If you create two loads with identical amounts of two different powders, the one with the higher MV will be the faster Powder Burn Rate of the two.
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Quickload software has Alliant RL25 with a Ba (Burning Rate Factor) of .3840, RL26 is .3397 (slower burning). For comparison, RL22 is .3860 and RL33 is .2670

This is a prediction of using the same charge weight of all four powders in a 24" 7mm Rem Mag with a 160gr bullet :

68.0grs RL22 - 3035 fps / 62,073 psi
68.0grs RL25 - 2964 fps / 55,687 psi
68.0grs RL26 - 3012 fps / 58,522 psi
68.0grs RL33 - 2574 fps / 37,282 psi

and if all four powders were loaded to 62,000 psi :

Code: 
Cartridge          : 7 mm Rem Mag
Bullet             : .284, 160, Sierra SPBT 1920
Useable Case Capaci: 78.599 grain H2O = 5.103 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.290 inch = 83.57 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 62000 psi, or 427 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 104 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

65 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 80%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-33                 102.9     80.9     5.24    3115    97.2    62000   15732   1.173  ! Near Maximum !

Alliant Reloder-26                  89.1     69.4     4.50    3066   100.0    62000   13532   1.180  ! Near Maximum !

Alliant Reloder-25                  98.0     70.6     4.57    3062   100.0    62000   13274   1.165  ! Near Maximum !

Alliant Reloder-22                  92.8     68.0     4.40    3034    99.9    62000   13719   1.174  ! Near Maximum !


  • 68.0grs RL25 velocity @ 12" of projectile bore travel = 2489 fps (muzzle speed 2964 fps, so 475 fps gained in last half of the barrel)
  • 68.0grs RL26 velocity @ 12" of projectile bore travel = 2532 fps (muzzle speed 3012 fps, so 480 fps gained in last half of the barrel)
  • 68.0grs RL25 peaks pressure at 3" of bore travel (55,687 psi), psi @ 12" = 29,174psi & psi @ muzzle = 13,009psi
  • 68.0grs RL26 peaks pressure at 3.1" of bore travel (58,522 psi), psi @ 12" = 30,196psi & psi @ muzzle = 13,384psi

There's a reason why RL26 gets such good velocity without having to push the pressures over max. It's probably in the details here, if a guy was inclined to do some digging

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Quickload is software, and every number in it is based on an algorithm, not real world testing. Its a modern day Powley Computer.

It's useful for estimating where loads should start (and I do use it), but every one of those numbers, some displayed to four decimal places, are an estimate with fairly wide margin of error, and have to be approached with caution.
 
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