6.5 Creedmoor loads?

[ChristianPatriot]

I'm getting back into the reloading game. I've got some experience reloading .308 with Varget but a lot of the stuff I've seen guys are using H4350. Anybody got any pet loads?

 

[Woobie]

I have no experience with any 6.5 cartridge. But I can tell you I have been thoroughly impressed by 8208xbr in.243 Win and .308 Win. It's not terribly hard to find, and has given me good accuracy at higher velocities.

I know that isn't much help, but it fits right in that RE-15, Varget, etc. burn rate. It has a very short grain, and is one of Hodgdon's "Extreme" powders.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Never heard of that line. I'll have to check it out.

 

[King31]

8208 is big in the 6.5 Grendel world, but not sure in the Creedmoor. From everything I have researched, it shows it being very temp stable which is good in most situations.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

The online Hodgdon manual is showing 8208 is a lot slower than Varget or 4350. Like 150-200fps slower.

 

[dhamby]

Most will be using H4350, that's the go to. Some have switched to IMR4451 with good results and a few use RL17. I've only used H4350 and it works great. With the 140(ish) billets you will find your first node around 41.5gr and another around 42.5gr. 42.5 is above published max load so work your way up to it watching for pressure signs.

Ive had really good luck with the 142SMK and my load for that is 42.6gr H4350, Hornady brass, and CCI br2. I believe I've been loading them .010 off the lands but will have to double check my notes.

I had had bad luck with the 140eldm. They had good numbers and grouped well at 100 but anything put past that and they just didn't shoot well for me. I just ordered some of the new Nosler RDF 140gr bullets as I've been reading awesome things about them. They are supposedly very forgiving to load and the BC is better than about anything else out right now aside from the Alco's.

 

[avboiler11]

Varget works GREAT with 123s in the 6.5 Creedmoor (and 260, for that matter) and probably would be good for 130s too, though sacrificing a bit of velocity over H4350.

As mentioned above, 41.5gr H4350 was the original Hornady 140gr Amax Match load and is a fantastic place to start with 140s. In my experience that load was very mild and more accurate than later factory ammo (lower ES/SD) though it obviously gave up some velocity. 42.5gr +/- as a higher node is very common with 140-class bullets.

I had a Rem-Age 26" Criterion 1:8 barrel and a Hornady 140gr HPBT over 42.5gr H4350 (2.81", Hornady brass, CCI200) gave me 2823fps; the same load and same barrel cut back to 18" gave me 2640fps...both velocities over a Magnetospeed V2.

 

[Woobie]

The online Hodgdon manual is showing 8208 is a lot slower than Varget or 4350. Like 150-200fps slower.

Must burn a bit too fast for the Creedmore. It gets about the highest velocities in .308. That makes since, if people are using H4350. That's a slower burning powder than 8208.

 

[dhamby]

I had a Rem-Age 26" Criterion 1:8 barrel and a Hornady 140gr HPBT over 42.5gr H4350 (2.81", Hornady brass, CCI200) gave me 2823fps; the same load and same barrel cut back to 18" gave me 2640fps...both velocities over a Magnetospeed V2.

I've got a 26" Bartlein on my rifle and with the 142SMK and 42.6gr H4350 I'm getting 2837 and did get a little more speed with the 140 eldm and same powder charge at 2865 but the Hornady bullets just didn't shoot well past 100 yards in my rifle. Mine velocities were over the magnetospeed sported.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Yeah I've noticed everybody is over book max with the H4350. Even the factory Hornady stuff is rated faster than book max.

 

[patience0830]

I've been looking everywhere I've stopped for H4350 and so far, no luck. Only loads I've tried have been Varget. Works ok but not as accurate as the Hornady factory stuff I've shot.

 

[ckcollins2003]

The guy I shoot with uses H4350 religiously for his 6.5 CM. He did work up a load using IMR 4451, but he just couldn't get the velocity and accuracy out of it that he did with H4350.

He has found that a short drive to Ohio for 8 pounds of 4350 is well worth the drive and time since it is usually hard to find around here for some reason.

 

[Deereman7]

42.2 grains h4350 and a Berger 140 grain match sends them to 600 yards at 1.12" with an off the shelf savage 12 Lrp. Played around with imr 4350, 4064, varget, and hybrid 100v. 100v would be a very good second choice. My favorite primer is cci br2. My fallback with the creedmoor is good brass. I've heard laupa is making it now. Eager to get my hands on some.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

I was able to pick up some H4350 today and my dies showed up so hopefully I'll be shootin soon.

 

[blacknwhite]

Let us in on the secret, where did you score the H4350 lol most of what you need to know has been covered here. I wouldn't count out the 140 ELD Match until you've tried it. Watched it print a .37moa group at 300 yards this evening. I'm shooting a .260 Remington but my best luck has been with berger hybrids. I have gotten great accuracy out of the new 140 RDF and have shot it out to 1330 yards but the berger gives me more consistent readings across my lab radar.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

I was able to score it right here on INGO