1st Precision Reloading Development - feedback?

[awpk03s]

Hey guys, first time reloading center fire rifle rounds here. I’ve cranked out volumes of straight wall stuff for years for pistols/revolvers, but now want to get into it for my 6.5CM. I’ve read the sticky’s and a lot of background. Here’s my plan, if anyone would care to offer any advise/encouragement/critique, I’m all ears!

Rifle - Tikka T3 Tac A1 6.5CM
Brass - once fired Hornady
Bullets - Hornady 140 ELDM
Powder - H4350
Dies - Redding Premium FL and micrometer seating die
Hornady AP Progressive
Using OAL gage, I am reading 2.93” to touch the lands.

My plan is to seat to 2.925” and load one each of the following charge weights- 35.5, 36, 36.5, 37, 37.5, 38, 38.5, 39, 39.5, 40, 40.5, 41, 41.5 (book max), 42, 42.5. Shoot these in ladder test at 100 (maybe can stretch to 200) yards. Use this to learn true Max charge weight, learn nodes for OCW, and then whatever that charge weight is - load that weight in varying seating depths from 2.8” up to 2.925” and then from that pick a winner based on accuracy?
Am I on the right track? Thanks!

 

[Supersubes]

Definitely do not start at 35.5. Youre going to end up between 40 and 42 grains.

Will 2.925 fit in a tikka magazine?

 

[awpk03s]

Definitely do not start at 35.5. Youre going to end up between 40 and 42 grains.

Will 2.925 fit in a tikka magazine?

Thanks! I was just going by the starting load in the Hornady book...

2.925” will fit. Well, I loaded a dummy round (one) and it fit and fed, but I did not try to make and stuff multiple ones in there and see if they will rise up/feed okay. Maybe I better check that.

 

[fvalmostthere]

A pretty common load for 140's is 41.5-42.5 of h4350, by stopping at 42.5 you most likely won't find max. You definitely want to work up to it though, every gun is different. Other than that, everything looks good. I usually start with a 1 round ladder to check for safety and then load up 5 rounds ladders around the nodes I find.

 

[awpk03s]

Thanks! I loaded 8 rounds tonight from 39-42.5 in 0.5 increments. We’ll see!

 

[Rocketmandb]

Note that a ladder test at 100 is very tough to gauge. The vertical difference between rounds with a .5gr increment is negligible at that range, which makes it tough to spot the plateaus. I ran one at 300 because the private range I use for longer range development was booked out forever. I couldn't get a good read and it was a waste of time.

If you can only get out to 200, then I'd recommend loading up 5 rounds per charge and shooting some groups. You also might want to consider tightening up the increments too. The node with my 6mm is only about .2gr wide.

 

[TxWelder35]

Ladder test at that distance is pretty useless unless you are using a chrono.

400 would probably be the closest I would recommend doing a ladder without a chrono

 

[awpk03s]

Thanks guys. I have a Magnetospeed to use with this.
Perhaps I will load some more and shoot a group of 3-5 per charge weight?

 

[TxWelder35]

Thanks guys. I have a Magnetospeed to use with this.
Perhaps I will load some more and shoot a group of 3-5 per charge weight?

When I do my ladder I shoot 10 at the different charge weights in .5gr usually get 2-3 that group together, then in that node I load 5 each in .2gr and see which has best accuracy and lowest ES/SD