First handloads in the Creedmoor.

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minniehill2

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Meaford Ontario
41 grains of H4350
142 gr sierra
.010 off lands

200 yards

IMG_1914_zps8868a430.jpg


First try is close.....If weather co-operates the second load will fly tomorrow.
 
Thanks Tomochan. I think I will load up another 20 rounds of 41.5g. If the pic below had no wind it could have been great. Remember 200 yard range.

41.5 grains of H4350
142 gr sierra
.010 off lands
15km cross wind
200 yards

IMG_1918_zps00e6b584.jpg


42 grains of H4350
142 gr sierra
.010 off lands
10km cross wind
200 yards

IMG_1919_zps337e3bdf.jpg
 
Looks similar to the groupings I had with my 142 gr load in my 260 @ 200 yards.

Those 142 smk's are a great bullet.

The groups show a great deal of potential. Keep us updated on development.
 
Have you tried the factory ammo? THat is pretty good shooting none the less. Whats the rifle?

The factory loads for 120gr amax col 2.820" h4350 43.5gr 3020fps, 140gr amax col 2.820" h4350 41.2gr 2820fps. Hornady redid the 120gr load shortly after with 40.3gr of varget 2945 fps. Fired form a 28" barrel
 
An auspicious beginning there minnie.
At 2700fps, those long, slippery projectiles will fly out to 1400 yards or so before dropping subsonic.
What is your Creedmore's rate of twist?. Long, high BC 6.5 bullets in a fast twist bbl. may just be becoming fully stabilized(gone to sleep) at 200yds.. Some of my best loads in a 7.9" twist are just ho-hum groupers at shorter distance, one favoured LR load in particular will often print the same 1 1/2" group size at 100, 200, and 300yds(in perfect conditions). MOA's do get better the farther out it goes.

We've had good results load tuning with seating depth changes once an accurate node is found on powder charge.
Best results with my target 6.5's are usually found with the bullets jammed. I start the load search with jam, say twenty thou. or so, then move shorter in 5 thou. increments after the correct charge has been found. This way, pressures go down as you seat deeper .... no surprises, and good for brass life!.
Also, the 6.5's do respond to dead straight, no runout, reloads. Gets rid of most of those pesky "where did that one come from?" flyers.

We are neighbours, PM me if you would like a few 139 Scenar and 140 Amax to try out.
 
Are you using bags or a bipod?.
Try a few dry fires before a group to confirm natural point of aim, with no reticle bounce happening at striker fall. Also, a smooth slide on the rear bag during recoil.
Check and eliminate parallax, and be certain of a full centered FOV.
Those MK's may want a light jam or some more jump to tighten up. Pressure will increase if you jam.
There is a tendency to double group, you may want to check your bedding. No movement or flex whatsoever between steel and stock when the action screws are alternately loosened and then snugged back up. Check forend to barrel clearance for generous float.
Check loaded rounds for runout, if you can see a bullet tip wobble when rolled ... its got five thou. or more TIR, which will open groups in random fashion.
Do you have a level to control cant?, (shows as mostly horiz. dispersion). Indispensable, once you see how much they improve things.

If none of the above makes much difference, you're left with trying different bullet/powder, maybe swapping out the scope if it is unproven.
Do your groups change with barrel fouling?. Some of my 6.5's need an agressive cleaning every 30-40 rounds to stay shooting tight.

Keep us posted of your progress.
 
So, .750" average at 200. ... .375 moa. Mostly vert. She's shure 'nuff a shooter you got there minniehill. I'm thinking, what you're really wanting is 1/4 moa and those oval bugholes?.

The first thing I look to, when vert. gets to be more than horiz., is how the rifle is recoiling. For example, a rear sling swivel hanging up on the bag, or the toe touching ground, can throw shots high/low.
If that ^ isn't whats causing the vert. in your groups; then once you have achieved "no stress" perfect bedding, and, you have no run-out in your loads, 'match grade' .... then it's now down to(maybe)a bullet swap, and then some some load/seating depth tweaking to reach your barrel's absolute potential.
Sorry for sounding like a broken record here Mate, .... and I'm probably boring you silly, but, you've got the only Creedmore I've ever known of, and I'm so curious as to how good you can make it shoot.

The offer stands: if you want to try some 139 Scenars, and/or 140 Amax ... I'll drop 'em off to ya.
 
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I currently have a 6.5 creedmoor build being done. I'm having it built off a Remington 700 action with a Shilen heavy barrel.
 
How is your brass holding up? I didn't like H4350 with the 139grs in my 260rem, hard on brass(fine with the 123's). I can safely get more velocity and better accuracy so far out of the heavier bullets with no brass issues with N160 and H4831(H4831sc should take less case capacity). Got a 5shot .436" group at 200yard yesterday, but still figuring things out and tweaking other things in my set up.
 
SND said:
How is your brass holding up? I didn't like H4350 with the 139grs in my 260rem, hard on brass(fine with the 123's). I can safely get more velocity and better accuracy so far out of the heavier bullets with no brass issues with N160 and H4831(H4831sc should take less case capacity). Got a 5shot .436" group at 200yard yesterday, but still figuring things out and tweaking other things in my set up.
Click to expand...

I am on 8th load so far with no brass issues. The difference is most likely the shoulder angle.
 
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