Dies and load info for reloading 6.5 Creedmoor

G

gorby

CGN Regular
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Alberta
Greetings reloading folks!

So, I am new to centrefire shooting, but have decided (thanks to gunnutz) to jump feet first into the reloading arena.

I just bought a Vangaurd S2 in 6.5CM and am getting set-up to reload. Funds are really tight at the moment, but I am going to pick up a Lee Hand Press and fly at 'er. I figure that in a year or two I can try and pick up a more efficient set-up if I feel the need and that the Hand Press will still have a place in front of the TV or out on the range.

Need to buy a set of dies that will work in the press. Was thinking the 2 Die Hornady (Sizing and Bullet Set) as 6.5 CM is their cartridge as I understand it, but then discovered that Lee has a set that also includes the Neck Sizing and Crimping Dies. When I watch youtube videos of the handpress they sometimes use all 4 and sometimes only the two... does this just concern the condition of the brass or the style of bullet being set? Any recommendations on either or other brands that will work in the Hand Press appreciated.

As well, I need some load data for 6.5 Creedmoor. Are there any good sources for this online? I was going to look at the reloading books put out by LEE, Lyman, Hornady, to see which would be best to buy, but they are all wrapped in shrinkwrap at the store... I guess to keep people from using then as references and not buying. It also seems a little overkill to buy a huge manual when I am only reloading one cartridge.

Any insight into all this appreciated, as well as any other recommendations in gear to buy and things I should research as a totally Green reloader.

Thanks,

Matt
 
gorby said:
Greetings reloading folks!

So, I am new to centrefire shooting, but have decided (thanks to gunnutz) to jump feet first into the reloading arena.

I just bought a Vangaurd S2 in 6.5CM and am getting set-up to reload. Funds are really tight at the moment, but I am going to pick up a Lee Hand Press and fly at 'er. I figure that in a year or two I can try and pick up a more efficient set-up if I feel the need and that the Hand Press will still have a place in front of the TV or out on the range.

Need to buy a set of dies that will work in the press. Was thinking the 2 Die Hornady (Sizing and Bullet Set) as 6.5 CM is their cartridge as I understand it, but then discovered that Lee has a set that also includes the Neck Sizing and Crimping Dies. When I watch youtube videos of the handpress they sometimes use all 4 and sometimes only the two... does this just concern the condition of the brass or the style of bullet being set? Any recommendations on either or other brands that will work in the Hand Press appreciated.

As well, I need some load data for 6.5 Creedmoor. Are there any good sources for this online? I was going to look at the reloading books put out by LEE, Lyman, Hornady, to see which would be best to buy, but they are all wrapped in shrinkwrap at the store... I guess to keep people from using then as references and not buying. It also seems a little overkill to buy a huge manual when I am only reloading one cartridge.

Any insight into all this appreciated, as well as any other recommendations in gear to buy and things I should research as a totally Green reloader.

Thanks,

Matt
Click to expand...

Buy a decent manual - yes, one ( or better yet, more than one) of the shrink wrapped ones, especially if you are reloading for 6.5CM. Get one of the latest ones as the recipe section will cover more of the 6.5CM than earlier manuals, and read the reloading section. Then read it again. After that, with the basic info you have gleaned from reading the most current manual(s), research some more and go and get the goods you will require to do what you are thinking about above. Watch you-tube videos about the items you think you think you want to purchase. Do it sooner rather than later as you-tube has decided that they are poisonous and must be deleted lest someone be corrupted by actually knowing something.
 
2 die set would be fine, or the regular 3die Lee set. Don't bother with neck sizing right now, learn how to properly set up a full length sizing die and have at it.

If you have anywhere you could set up a press, I would recommend a real press. The Lee Reloader press is just as cheap as the hand press. I use a hand press due to space limitations, and it works but it's slow and I often feel like I need a 3rd arm...
 
rick357 said:
Buy a decent manual - yes, one ( or better yet, more than one) of the shrink wrapped ones, especially if you are reloading for 6.5CM. Get one of the latest ones as the recipe section will cover more of the 6.5CM than earlier manuals, and read the reloading section. Then read it again. After that, with the basic info you have gleaned from reading the most current manual(s), research some more and go and get the goods you will require to do what you are thinking about above. Watch you-tube videos about the items you think you think you want to purchase. Do it sooner rather than later as you-tube has decided that they are poisonous and must be deleted lest someone be corrupted by actually knowing something.
Click to expand...

I am thinking the Hornady one to start with as they seem to have the most bullets available locally - can also get it on Kindle for cheaper.
 
Suther said:
2 die set would be fine, or the regular 3die Lee set. Don't bother with neck sizing right now, learn how to properly set up a full length sizing die and have at it.

If you have anywhere you could set up a press, I would recommend a real press. The Lee Reloader press is just as cheap as the hand press. I use a hand press due to space limitations, and it works but it's slow and I often feel like I need a 3rd arm...
Click to expand...

I could set one up in the unheated garage, but if I want to do it inside I am looking at a hand press or some kind of stowable bench I would need to whip together - that would be an option.
 
The cheapest lee kit would be a better option. Lots of guys mount it to a board and clamp it to the kitchen table and store it somewhere when not in use.

Hodgdon has a good reloading site, nosler has a good one as well which I tend to use most often.

Is this rifle for hunting or target or both? The lee set with the neck die will come in handy.
 
Buy a real press, the cheaper ones are not very expensive and you'll appreciate the leverage and having something bolted down.
I have the Hornady 2 die set and just bought the lee delux set or whatever they call the 4 die set. I haven't used the lee dies yet, I probably didn't need to spend the money on them but decided I wanted the factory crimp die since I am loading 6.5CM for a bolt action and also for my Modern Hunter.
Buy an actual hard copy of at least the Hornady manual (as you say they usually have cheaper projectiles). It's nice to have the book open on the table with the laptop open to Hodgdon loading data. Nosler also publishes their data for free on their site and if you luck out you can find PDF's from Sierra. Print it all out and put it in a binder.
Lately I've been finding good prices on Sierra and Nosler projectiles but better deals can be found if you can afford to buy in bigger quantities.

Where do you live? Maybe there's someone local that will give you a hand getting started and also let you use their press.
If you're around Edmonton you can come to my place (45 min north of the city) I have my reloading room all set up in my shop and a 100 yard range 10ft out the back door. Can usually find a decent load in an afternoon.

You will need H4350, don't waste your money on any other powder. I've tried Varget, Hybrid 100V, and a little IMR4451 and now after some frustration I found H4350 is back in stock most places so now the real load development for this cartridge begins.
 
laker415 said:
The cheapest lee kit would be a better option. Lots of guys mount it to a board and clamp it to the kitchen table and store it somewhere when not in use.

Hodgdon has a good reloading site, nosler has a good one as well which I tend to use most often.

Is this rifle for hunting or target or both? The lee set with the neck die will come in handy.
Click to expand...


Will be using it for both, but will be practicing target shooting out on Crown Land close to the areas I will hunt. No bench at this point, just laying down in the dirt. Will give some consideration to the cheapest LEE kit and check out for some deals. I figure I will get a bench press at some point, but my shooting budget is very limited right now and I was thinking the hand press may still be useful after getting a real one - but I should add up all the stuff a kit would give me and maybe it would make sense.
 
cr5 said:
Buy a real press, the cheaper ones are not very expensive and you'll appreciate the leverage and having something bolted down.
I have the Hornady 2 die set and just bought the lee delux set or whatever they call the 4 die set. I haven't used the lee dies yet, I probably didn't need to spend the money on them but decided I wanted the factory crimp die since I am loading 6.5CM for a bolt action and also for my Modern Hunter.
Buy an actual hard copy of at least the Hornady manual (as you say they usually have cheaper projectiles). It's nice to have the book open on the table with the laptop open to Hodgdon loading data. Nosler also publishes their data for free on their site and if you luck out you can find PDF's from Sierra. Print it all out and put it in a binder.
Lately I've been finding good prices on Sierra and Nosler projectiles but better deals can be found if you can afford to buy in bigger quantities.

Where do you live? Maybe there's someone local that will give you a hand getting started and also let you use their press.
If you're around Edmonton you can come to my place (45 min north of the city) I have my reloading room all set up in my shop and a 100 yard range 10ft out the back door. Can usually find a decent load in an afternoon.

You will need H4350, don't waste your money on any other powder. I've tried Varget, Hybrid 100V, and a little IMR4451 and now after some frustration I found H4350 is back in stock most places so now the real load development for this cartridge begins.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer, but I am in Calgary. That sounds like a perfect set up you have!

Thanks for the powder recommendation - going to try and pick up that book tonight!
 
gorby said:
Will be using it for both, but will be practicing target shooting out on Crown Land close to the areas I will hunt. No bench at this point, just laying down in the dirt. Will give some consideration to the cheapest LEE kit and check out for some deals. I figure I will get a bench press at some point, but my shooting budget is very limited right now and I was thinking the hand press may still be useful after getting a real one - but I should add up all the stuff a kit would give me and maybe it would make sense.
Click to expand...

You should really look up prices for components as well as the kit, dies, tools etc. Reloading is great to fine tune your rifle loads and shoot more for the same money, but having a shoestring budget may make it difficult.

How many rounds do you plan to shoot this year?

Don’t get me wrong, reloading is the only way to go in my opinion, but like guns themselves, it gets real expensive
 
laker415 said:
You should really look up prices for components as well as the kit, dies, tools etc. Reloading is great to fine tune your rifle loads and shoot more for the same money, but having a shoestring budget may make it difficult.

How many rounds do you plan to shoot this year?

Don’t get me wrong, reloading is the only way to go in my opinion, but like guns themselves, it gets real expensive
Click to expand...

Good question... at least 1000. I will be getting out every few weeks this summer as I am really busy with family and house projects, then hunting season, and next winter I will be going out most weeks. This past winter I would snowshoe deep into crown land and shoot - that is what I will do again this next year. So, I am thinking of return on investment sometime over the winter. I also just kind of want to learn to reload because I find it pretty interesting.
 
One thing to keep in mind with regards to tools is they hold value on the used market. A used press goes for 80% of a new one if its still in nice shape.

If you planning on shooting 1000rds plus a year, press costs are the least of your worries. 1000 bullets will cost you like $400-500 alone, then you've got powder, primers, and brass too...
 
gorby said:
Good question... at least 1000. I will be getting out every few weeks this summer as I am really busy with family and house projects, then hunting season, and next winter I will be going out most weeks. This past winter I would snowshoe deep into crown land and shoot - that is what I will do again this next year. So, I am thinking of return on investment sometime over the winter. I also just kind of want to learn to reload because I find it pretty interesting.
Click to expand...

Wow, 1000 rounds is a lot. On top of what suther mentioned for bullet costs, don’t forget about powder and primers. Probably going to want more than 100 pieces of brass. Loading 1000 rounds on a hand press is not going to fun.
 
laker415 said:
Wow, 1000 rounds is a lot. On top of what suther mentioned for bullet costs, don’t forget about powder and primers. Probably going to want more than 100 pieces of brass. Loading 1000 rounds on a hand press is not going to fun.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe that's a bit ambitious. I figure 30-40 each time I go shooting... maybe I will run out of money next March sometime. Just picked up the Lyman manual.
 
gorby said:
Well, maybe that's a bit ambitious. I figure 30-40 each time I go shooting... maybe I will run out of money next March sometime. Just picked up the Lyman manual.
Click to expand...

Everyone has different ideas but I shoot either 50 or 100 rounds during load development each time I go out. The MTM box holds either 50 or 100 so I set up my ladders to match. That way the brass gets shot and reloaded within the same time frame consistently. Each time it gets reloaded it gets a mark indicating whether it was necksized and shoulder bumped, or full length sized, or sized, trimmed and neck turned. At a glance I know exactly how many times it has been shot/reloaded and where it is on the maintenance cycle. I bring along a second rifle to shoot as well so I have something to do while waiting for the prior one to cool and I swap back and forth between them. I also straight out target shoot and I try to do it the same way, 50, 100, or 150 rounds a session per rifle. If I don't shoot them all, which is rare indeed, then the empty brass stays in the box until the remainder is shot and it all can go through the reloading cycle.

and yes, loading with a hand press gets old fast. Everyone has different tolerances but I watched an acquaintance do a few rounds and said to myself, umm, no, I don't think so. It got old fast just watching him.
 
There is plenty of great tools that don't need to cost a fortune to make match ammo. If I can help, please send me an email and we can discuss.

Once you load for your rifles, you will be hard pressed to use factory ammo again.

Jerry
 
rick357 said:
Everyone has different ideas but I shoot either 50 or 100 rounds during load development each time I go out. The MTM box holds either 50 or 100 so I set up my ladders to match. That way the brass gets shot and reloaded within the same time frame consistently. Each time it gets reloaded it gets a mark indicating whether it was necksized and shoulder bumped, or full length sized, or sized, trimmed and neck turned. At a glance I know exactly how many times it has been shot/reloaded and where it is on the maintenance cycle. I bring along a second rifle to shoot as well so I have something to do while waiting for the prior one to cool and I swap back and forth between them. I also straight out target shoot and I try to do it the same way, 50, 100, or 150 rounds a session per rifle. If I don't shoot them all, which is rare indeed, then the empty brass stays in the box until the remainder is shot and it all can go through the reloading cycle.

and yes, loading with a hand press gets old fast. Everyone has different tolerances but I watched an acquaintance do a few rounds and said to myself, umm, no, I don't think so. It got old fast just watching him.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your system for tracking brass, I can see the value of starting off with a good system in place. Being new to centrefire shooting I figure on spending about$1500 on ammo throughout the next year. When I go out with my .22 I often shoot 150 rounds, but I realize that longer distance shooting a centrefire will be a mote deliberate process. As for the hand press... I hear what you guys are saying and I am looking at kits. I just need to decide if I want to go in super cheap and deal with the inefficient method and upgrade slowly to exactly what I need with more experience, or if I want to spend an extra hundred bucks and get a basic kit that will put off upgrading. My only thought with the hand press was that I may use it in the future after I upgrade to size casings on the porch or watching a movie.
 
Mystic Precision said:
There is plenty of great tools that don't need to cost a fortune to make match ammo. If I can help, please send me an email and we can discuss.

Once you load for your rifles, you will be hard pressed to use factory ammo again.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Thanks Jerry,

I will drop you an email once I get a list together of everything I think I need. Appreciate the offer to run stuff by you.

Matt
 
No problem... send me an email and I can give you a list of the stuff I use. Lots to mix and match... a kit is likely not ideal. I prefer to pick and choose from all manfs and get an assortment of stuff that will do the various jobs for the best pricing.

Jerry
 
Make sure you keep a detailed log of everything you do as well. I like the spiral coil bound note books, I have a different book for every rifle I own.
Keep track of everything including the weather conditions the ammo was tested in.

Also, as Rick said, keep all your brass together in batches, the MTM boxes are great and only one box gets dumped in the tumbler at a time and it is never mixed with brass from another batch. That way it all has the same number of firings and has all been prepped the same every time.

Consistency is the key to repeatable accuracy. If you're sloppy your results will be inconsistent and you'll be wasting time, money, and barrel life.
 
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