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6.5 Creedmoor Loads - Hornady 147 gr ELD-M (H4350 and RL16 Preferred)

This was a great forum. Tagging for later.
about to attempt my first set of reloads, and in 6.5cm. So much good info here! Thanks!
 
Hornady Factory ELDs are running an average of 100 fps under whatMs on the box. Just shot a box of 140 ELD-M breaking a hand lapped RPR factory barrel, was getting 2610-2640 fps w/1/4 moa @ 100. Reloading is the only way to get the speed. If the 147 is stable @ 2750, probably will be my new favorite.

Yep, just tested a box today....AVG 2630, but I do have a 22" barrel. They shot very well though!
 
I get 2616fps from the factory 147 ELD-M and 2660fps from 140 factory ELD-M in a 24” Howa HCR.
 
Are you guys running into issues with seating at mag length? I'm doing 140's (not poly-tipped) and doing 2.930" COAL to be 0.030" off the lands. If I'm pulling back to 2.860" or 2.830", I think I'm going to be jumping the bullets a huge amount. Granted, maybe that's okay. It's in a Tikka CTR 24" 6.5CM FWIW.
 
I shot this out of my Tikka CTR 24" today. Looking for a little help where to go with it. not my best range trip but I think i got some decent enough info out of it.

H4350
147 ELDM
Prime Brass
BR2
loaded at 2.895 OAL .030 off

Maybe work on seating depth? i like the Velocity out of the upper end but its showing just a touch of pressure on the highest loading.
Any help is appreciated
 

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I shot this out of my Tikka CTR 24" today. Looking for a little help where to go with it. not my best range trip but I think i got some decent enough info out of it.

H4350
147 ELDM
Prime Brass
BR2
loaded at 2.895 OAL .030 off

Maybe work on seating depth? i like the Velocity out of the upper end but its showing just a touch of pressure on the highest loading.
Any help is appreciated

Very interested in this data....do you mind typing the results, as I can't read your targets...LOL! Thanks
 
Very interested in this data....do you mind typing the results, as I can't read your targets...LOL! Thanks

Sorry about the pic I don’t know how to make it any bigger!

Velocity average for three rounds

43.1- 2678
43.3- 2752
43.5- 2771
43.7- 2795
43.9- 2813
44.1- 2835
 
Sorry about the pic I don’t know how to make it any bigger!

Velocity average for three rounds

43.1- 2678
43.3- 2752
43.5- 2771
43.7- 2795
43.9- 2813
44.1- 2835

That's a big jump from 43.1 to 43.3 Perhaps the first 3 acted as fouling shots or just heating up the chamber? Cleaned prior to shooting?
 
That's a big jump from 43.1 to 43.3 Perhaps the first 3 acted as fouling shots or just heating up the chamber? Cleaned prior to shooting?

This was through a fouled barrel about 10 rounds through it before I shot those loads. I shot this through a shooting chrony so you never know why that thing is gunna spit out! Most of the time I just want to put a bullet in that thing!
 
Thank you all for the good info here. You all gave me a place to get started, so I thought I'd share what I found.

Running a Savage BA-10 (24" barrel) with Leupold ERT 8.5 - 25 optic. After testing out a variety of loads starting at 39.5 grains, up to 42.5 grains of H4350, I have found the following is my rifle's favorite:
41.5 grains H4350
Hornady 147 ELD-M
COAL = 2.82 (I tried seating out further, but wouldn't fit in the magazine) - this is the longest I can go and still use the mag.
Average velocity on 10 rounds = 2695

The hotter loads were faster, of course, but I saw some slight discoloration on the ends of the cases at 41.7 grains and higher. I don't like to push too far beyond the recommended max loads, and generally don't chase velocity.
Accuracy was outstanding with 41.5 grains (better than the faster loads) and velocity will still get me out to 1700 yards.

Hope this is useful to someone.
 
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Forgot to include:
All Hornady Brass
All Winchester Large Rifle Primers
 
Interesting findings here - i have OAL and Ogive numbers from a few months back when I used my Sinclair gauge to compute. I decided to re-measure the length to my lands using my 2 old methods of:

1. A spent case, wax, and a bullet
2. A bullet with sharpie applied to it all around seated in a formed case (no powder or primer) and pushed back bit by bit until it chambers without disturbing the sharpie ink. :)

Both methods revealed a MUCH longer COAL than I had been using - Sinclair records show about 2.880 for 140s and 2.887 for 147s while my "old reliable" methods were within 2 thousandths of the following: 140s - 2.915" and 147s - 2.923"

Soooo - I loaded up 140s at 2.895" and 147s at 2.900" and will post the results in my next post when I get the targets processed later today. Groups all appeared to hover between .2-.5" CTC with much better consistency in POI as compared to the others.

In the meantime, doesn't that seem like a REALLY long throat?

No real surprise here. How many rounds through the barrel in the past few months?

The throat will lengthen as the rifling is eroded away by hot gases.

I suspect you are seeing a natural process.

Good luck.
 
Dear Hawk in WY -- Not sure if you were replying to me or to SMTGWKD---
Incidentally, I did shoot some factory Hornady 147 rounds for barrel break-in. Velocities averages were 2725. I called Hornady with the lot number of the factory ammo and they confirmed that reloader 17 was used in those rounds.... were not able to give me the powder charge specifically. I don't know about reloader 26. I'll check the manuals, but can you recommend a starting place for a ladder?

Disregard if your note was not for me.
Tom
 
Not much published data but check the Reloder 26 in 6.5 Creedmore in this Forum.

More than you will want to know but a wealth of real world experience.

Reloder 26 is built for speed.
 
Liking this thread. Just loaded up 50 tonight from 38.0 to 42.4gr, .010 off the lands. I did seat one to magazine length (almost .100 jump) so we'll see what that velocity does.
 
Anyone have an 2800+ velocity updates on the 147 ELDM?

I’m trying to figure out what the second node generally is for that bullet.

I find it 2650 they tend to be pretty accurate, but I’m sure there’s a higher node and I’m trying to figure out the general velocity for that one.
 
Anyone have an 2800+ velocity updates on the 147 ELDM?

I’m trying to figure out what the second node generally is for that bullet.

I find it 2650 they tend to be pretty accurate, but I’m sure there’s a higher node and I’m trying to figure out the general velocity for that one.
I have reloder 26.... think i Loaded up to 47 grains or so with 147s and 215m but in a Winchester brass for 22" ba fluted barrel in ar10
 
Anyone have an 2800+ velocity updates on the 147 ELDM?

I’m trying to figure out what the second node generally is for that bullet.

I find it 2650 they tend to be pretty accurate, but I’m sure there’s a higher node and I’m trying to figure out the general velocity for that one.
Do you feel it's more about velocity or charge weight? I always see people posting accurate 6.5CM loads/nodes with 41.4 to 42gr H4350 (myself included) out of every length and make of barrel with a wide range of speeds from shooter to shooter, rifle to rifle, but usually good groups and SDs.

I had always assumed the bullets just liked certain pressure. I had never thought it was a speed node but I was just assuming.
 
I’m working on a load up for the 147 ELD-M as we speak and could use some help from more experienced reloaders interpreting these results.

I’m running all of these loads ~0.025” OTL and the below groups were all shot at 298 yds.

I’m ruling out #1 due to the extreme ES and SD.

The #2 group size @ 3.20” is the lowest SD and ES, but is significantly larger than the #3 group which is the tightest @ 1.91” — the trouble is don’t know how to read the stringing patterns and I keep finding conflicting info.

I’m thinking about loading up another 10 of the 41.5 and 41.7 and shooting a larger sample.

You guys have thoughts? Thanks for any insight!
 

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