Testing Various Powders in 6.5x47Lapua

[11:11]

Hello,
Everyone seems to be buying up all the Extreme line powders that come up for availability... This is understandable, considering how the line of powders perform... But, have you ever wondered if you maybe skimping yourselves by not trying other powders like the IMR's... These powders produce more velocity for the same amount of pressure, as some of the more popular powders.. I bring this up because, the way I learned to reload was to acquire 4-5 different types for your specific cartridge, and build up a load for all of them, seeing witch one provides you with the most accuracy, at the velocity of your choice... Nowadays, it seems like when people get a new gun, they just go with the powder everyone else is using... I'm curious, has anyone used IMR7828 in their 260Rem? I see that manuals state, higher velocity with this powder than with H4350... Anyway, has anyone done any types of powder testing for the 6.5Lapua with anything other than H4350, Varget, RL15, RL17, and N150??? Post something up with velocity and accuracy readings.. I plan on testing IMR4350 and H100v soon, to see if they are better in my gun than H4350... I'm just curious if their are some real bug holers out there among all the powders available on the market... Post Up Results...

 

[hypertex]

from **6.5 Creedmoor Loads** thread

H4350 is basically unobtanium, here are some options:

Just got a Surgeon 6.5CM, 24" Krieger barrel just over a month ago. What a great rifle. Could find all components but recommended powder of H4350 and 4831. Superformance seems to be working with the 140 hybrids but a bit temperature sensitive. Shot this load at the recent Park City match I'm in AZ and the temp has been averaging 109. 45.0gr on the Sartorius gives 2840fps @ 109 deg. Refrigerated ammo, estimate at 50 deg is at 2750. COAL 2.85"

Also did some coarse loads with IMR7828 SSC: 45, 46 and 47 grains. The 46 grain load impact at 700m was about the same as the 45gr Superformance load. The 47gr load was definitely faster but had very very slight cratering but the primer looked the same as the other two loads. No swipe marks on any of these loads and no compressed loads.

 

[steve123]

Most of us want to make first round hits at distance if possible, no sighters and no walking shots in. For me that rules out any temp sensitive powders.

Another thing... your barrel shoots a bullet best at certain velocities, "a node", so if you use temp sensitive powders the powder charge has to be adjusted to maintain that velocity based on the current temperature. That's a real PITA!

I'd rather "suffer" a rifle that is plenty accurate enough to win any precision match than a temp sensitive load that might be slightly more accurate the day those groups were shot. I've been through this before a few times, never again if I can avoid the misery.
Granted, some temp sensitive powders have much wider velocity swings than others.

FYI, a friend tried H-4831SC in his 6.5x47L. Velocity was slow and ES was higher than normal.

IMR 8208 XBR might be worth exploring with 123's or lighter.

Why the other powder companies don't make more medium to slower temp insensitive powders to compete with the Extreme line is insane.