Looking for a starting point to reload 6.5 Creedmoor with the options I have on hand.

[Alex.Jones.SLC]

Hello guys!

So I am new to reloading, I have been obtaining my reloading equipment and the supplies I can find to start reloading and so far I have managed to get the following items to start reloading with:

ADG 6.5 creedmoor LRP brass
Nosler RDF 140 grain .264 bullets
Hornady ELD-M 130 grain .264 bullets
1lb of VihtaVuori N150
1lb of Winchester Staball 6.5
1lb of Hodgdon Superformance
Winchester large rifle primers

So those are the components that I have to work with starting out, the rifle is a 24" Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor with a 1-8 twist barrel.

I am having one heck of a time finding a good starting point to start working up a load, I can find some similar weight bullets but nothing that looks to be an close or exact match for my components.

Has anyone worked with these powders with either of the mentioned bullets? can anyone provide a good starting point? Or good advice of where to go for the starting point?

Thank you for your time!

 

[CNC-Dude]

I use Superformance in my RPR in 6.5 Creedmoor with 147g ELD-M. I'm getting consistent low .4 to low .5 MOA at 1000 yards. I'm fixing to start load development with Berger 140g's up to the new 144g. So I can share that once I'm done. Superformance gives the fastest velocities of any powder I've found.

 

[47guy]

I use Superformance in my RPR in 6.5 Creedmoor with 147g ELD-M. I'm getting consistent low .4 to low .5 MOA at 1000 yards. I'm fixing to start load development with Berger 140g's up to the new 144g. So I can share that once I'm done. Superformance gives the fastest velocities of any powder I've found.

so your shooting 4" to 5" groups consistently at 1000yds with a 6.5 creedmoor rugger precision rifle with 147g ELDMs?

 

[CNC-Dude]

so your shooting 4" to 5" groups consistently at 1000yds with a 6.5 creedmoor rugger precision rifle with 147g ELDMs?

Yes sir! Excluding high winds naturally....

 

[47guy]

Yes sir! Excluding high winds naturally....

im not going to call BS because ive seen stranger things but i do find this hard to believe...do you mind sharing your loading and brass prep process?

 

[spife7980]

You can glean enough from the products sources to make an educated guess.

Hodgdon Reloading Data Center – The Brand Thats True

www.hodgdonreloading.com

Nosler Load Data

Explore the world of Nosler, renowned for crafting the finest bullets, ammunition, rifles, and brass. Discover our extensive lineup, including Partition, AccuBond, E-Tip, Ballistic Tip, Custom Competition, and more. Experience superior quality and performance with Nosler products.

load-data.nosler.com

Rifle reloading data | Handloading | Rifle calibers | Centerfire Rifle bullets | Reload your own ammo - Vihtavuori

Vihtavuori offers rifle reloading data for numerous calibers and bullets for match and hunting purposes. Never exceed maximum loads.

www.vihtavuori.com

 

[CNC-Dude]

Sure, no problem! I feel like I'm one of the few that has had good luck with the ELD's as far as them not coming apart before they reach the target. But I use 44.8g of Superformance. My COAL is 2.810" which still fits the magazine and gives me .035" jump. I wet tumble factory Hornady brass and am so far on about my 3rd reload with them. I do have a stash of new Lapua brass ready to load up, just haven't gotten there yet. Dont know what the muzzle velocity is, but at 100, 300, 600, 800 and 1000 yards, my reloads are about 125 fps faster than the factory 147g's I shot at those same distances to get a baseline. The rifle is bone stock except I lightened the trigger pull up to 2-1/2 pounds. The best money I spent was buying an adjustable rear bag base from Mark and Sam in Australia and a little bit better scope, which is a Vortex Diamondback Tactical. The rifle has close to 400 rounds through it and from day one has shot under near half MOA even with factory ammo. Must have been made on a Monday instead of a Friday. LOL!

 

[47guy]

Sure, no problem! I feel like I'm one of the few that has had good luck with the ELD's as far as them not coming apart before they reach the target. But I use 44.8g of Superformance. My COAL is 2.810" which still fits the magazine and gives me .035" jump. I wet tumble factory Hornady brass and am so far on about my 3rd reload with them. I do have a stash of new Lapua brass ready to load up, just haven't gotten there yet. Dont know what the muzzle velocity is, but at 100, 300, 600, 800 and 1000 yards, my reloads are about 125 fps faster than the factory 147g's I shot at those same distances to get a baseline. The rifle is bone stock except I lightened the trigger pull up to 2-1/2 pounds. The best money I spent was buying an adjustable rear bag base from Mark and Sam in Australia and a little bit better scope, which is a Vortex Diamondback Tactical. The rifle has close to 400 rounds through it and from day one has shot under near half MOA even with factory ammo. Must have been made on a Monday instead of a Friday. LOL!

i sure wish i lived close to you because id love to see these groups in person.

 

[CNC-Dude]

I'll look through my phone for pics I took of the eTargets.

 

[47guy]

I'll look through my phone for pics I took of the eTargets.

ive shot a lot of tiny groups but for me to say "consistent" just wouldnt be true.

 

[CNC-Dude]

Well for me, I'm not meaning every single 3 shot group. I'm no pro by any means. I would say at best maybe 60% of the time is my definition of consistent. Our range is at high elevations and usually windy. So the other 40% is due to that or getting in a hurry and not settling down between shots. But I am meticulous about my powder weight, and very often only have a fps spread between 3 to 5 fps. So that helps with accuracy. I only feel I'm an "ok" shooter, but a guy I work with that has hunted for 30 plus years just can't get over how well I shoot. My wife is a good shot also. I do it for fun, sometimes if you try to be too serious and methodical about something you dont get as good of a result.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Getting back to the subject at hand, I have had very good and decent consistency with Superperformance. Stabill has received a lot of good reviews. It seems that my RPR really does not care what kind of powder used, but is picky about which bullet Weight is used. Great groups with 143’s 144’s, not worth wasting the primers shooting 130’s. On a good day, I can get sub 0,5 groups at 100 yards (three shot)

So, I think, if the OP can find a bullet that his rifle will shoot, and determine the OAL his rifle also prefers, he should do fine with the Stabil or the Superperformance.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I've had good luck with superformance and 142 SMKs at about 44.4 gr. I didn't have good luck with the lighter bullets (I tried 127s and 130s).

 

[Alex.Jones.SLC]

I've had good luck with superformance and 142 SMKs at about 44.4 gr. I didn't have good luck with the lighter bullets (I tried 127s and 130s).

I really don't know what this rifle is going to love or not as of yet, and I will be rebarreling from the stock T3x Lite 24" barrel to something that is more along the lines of a 26"/28" 1:7 bull barrel, so once that is done I'll be reworking all of my loads, but until that time, this is going to be practice to get the basics down, and have a bit of fun before departing with the factory barrel.

But that's some great information, I am looking forward to any and all information regarding what I have, it's looking like the VV powder wasn't such a good investment, it was literally the last pound of powder at Sportsmans on the shelf, and I did a quick google to see if anyone was shooting 6.5 Creedmoor with it, if I could use it, haven't heard many great things about it lol.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

N150 is good powder - somewhere around varget burn rate, so would be better with the lighter bullets.

 

[Alex.Jones.SLC]

N150 is good powder - somewhere around varget burn rate, so would be better with the lighter bullets.

Lighter as in the 130 grain ELD-M's I have coming? or lighter than that?