With that velocity that is great news!
150 SMKs and the 6.5 x 284 ***UPDATE***
- Thread starter ShootDots
- Start date
wboggs
Gold $$ Contributor
That is a 6.5x284 isn't it?
Yes. Last one lasted 1440 before it was only good for deer hunting. Cut it down to 22" and it shoots 160 Nosler partitions inside 1.5" at 100
More testing with 6.5 x 284....barrel has loosened up a bit! 55.5 H1000 (2 fire brass) is giving 2941 w/ groups avg'ing 1.2"--1.3" at 300 with 4-5 crosswinds. 147 ELDM loaded at 54.1 H1000 runs at 2946 and 140 hybrid loaded at 54.4 H1000 runs 2960. 140 hybrids are grouping slightly better at .9"--1.10"... also 2 fire brass. Have not taken any loads to 1,000 yards yet. No problems with 150's, flyers, blowups, etc. Vertical on 150's running right at 1.0". The 140 hyb vert is .75-80".
The Swede avg's a little better groups than this but not the velocity. Not quite where I would like to be but hoping 150 does the trick at distance. So far ...no problems with these velocities and Kreiger barrel. H1000 is looking good!
ShootDots please keep us updated! Thanks for the help!
I was supposed to get my barrel last week>>>but there is yet another snag and it may be another few weeks! YUKK! However, as soon as I can, I will test the 150s out and give a good report one way or another..
Good luck...hope all goes well!
**UPDATE**
I just shot my first 3x1,000 match with fully formed brass and the 150 SMK. The bullets were trimmed to equal length then re-pointed. I also moly coated the bullets.
Conditions were high 70's in the morning reaching 90* by the final match. Winds were light but had several quick gusts as well as some reversals. I took two loads to the match that had shown great promise at 100 yds. both in group and ES. Load #1 was running 2,960 fps with an ES of 10. My come ups from 100-1,000 were 23.5 moa and verified after the match with JBM. I had three 7 o'clock 9's that I attributed to me as opposed to the bullet and got caught in a wind reversal for a dreaded 8. Final score was a 195-9x.
Matches 2&3 were shot with load #2. It was chronoed at 2,981 with an ES of 9. I figured that this load was a tad faster but when my first sighter was an 8 at 12 o'clock with a sticky bolt lift. Came down 2 moa and fired an X. Matches 2&3 netted me 197-6x and 196-9x. Come ups were 21 moa from 100-1,000. I popped 6 primers in the 50 shots and had me scratching my head as to why. Suddenly the light came on. Dimly, but it did light up. I had switched lots if powder and didn't have the time to chrono a few shots before going to the match. According to JBM I was running 3,110 fps! I will verify that velocity soon but I bet JBM is close. In keeping with the content of the thread, the 150 SMK seems to shoot equally well at two different nodes in my rifle. No bullet blowups or any other issues were noted, other than the nut behind the trigger getting loose on occasion.
I hope this helps,
Lloyd
I just shot my first 3x1,000 match with fully formed brass and the 150 SMK. The bullets were trimmed to equal length then re-pointed. I also moly coated the bullets.
Conditions were high 70's in the morning reaching 90* by the final match. Winds were light but had several quick gusts as well as some reversals. I took two loads to the match that had shown great promise at 100 yds. both in group and ES. Load #1 was running 2,960 fps with an ES of 10. My come ups from 100-1,000 were 23.5 moa and verified after the match with JBM. I had three 7 o'clock 9's that I attributed to me as opposed to the bullet and got caught in a wind reversal for a dreaded 8. Final score was a 195-9x.
Matches 2&3 were shot with load #2. It was chronoed at 2,981 with an ES of 9. I figured that this load was a tad faster but when my first sighter was an 8 at 12 o'clock with a sticky bolt lift. Came down 2 moa and fired an X. Matches 2&3 netted me 197-6x and 196-9x. Come ups were 21 moa from 100-1,000. I popped 6 primers in the 50 shots and had me scratching my head as to why. Suddenly the light came on. Dimly, but it did light up. I had switched lots if powder and didn't have the time to chrono a few shots before going to the match. According to JBM I was running 3,110 fps! I will verify that velocity soon but I bet JBM is close. In keeping with the content of the thread, the 150 SMK seems to shoot equally well at two different nodes in my rifle. No bullet blowups or any other issues were noted, other than the nut behind the trigger getting loose on occasion.
I hope this helps,
Lloyd
wboggs
Gold $$ Contributor
It takes a good man to admit his mistakes rather than blame it on his equipment.
Which powder were you using?
@wboggs,
Thank you for those kind words. If the diagonal 9’s had landed in other sectors of the target, I would have been suspicious of the bullet. But two shots in the same quadrant says shooter error. With that said, how can other shooters on the forum profit favorably from another shooters experiences if that shooter needs to bend the facts to fuel their ego?
I hope this helps,
Lloyd
wboggs
Gold $$ Contributor
Just for the record, what twist? I have used them to 3140 in a 7.5 5r without any bullet failure.
wboggs
Gold $$ Contributor
The rumors of the smk 150 blowing up may be in the process of being disproved, at least in 5r barrels. You gave them a good test under match conditions in the heat with a hot barrel.
Bill
Agree...although I'm running them through Brux and Kreiger....5r is probably the way to go! Absolutely no problems to date and I'm finding out 8tw does a pretty good job of stabilizing them!
wboggs
Gold $$ Contributor
We are beginning to get data on the 150smks in real world experience with many different barrels and twists. Accuracy seems to be good. In my opinion, so far it is favorable. Plan another test this week at longer range around 3050-3100 with my 7.5t.
Bill
3100 with 7.5 tw is roughly 298,000 bullet rpm. Makes we wonder if we could push the 150 smk to 3200-3400 with 8tw 5r for ultra-long range? I'm sold on the bullet for velocities already discussed. I shoot 1400-1700 a couple of times per year. 6.5 wsm or 6.5 wm ??? This bullet might shine!
wboggs
Gold $$ Contributor
I can push it to 3200 with rl26 but it will trash the brass quickly. If I wanted max velocity, I would skip the 6.5 wsm class and go to something like the 26 nosler with a 32" barrel. This would probably about max out the 6.5 mm in practical terms. Short barrel life would be the trade off. Probably very short and you would have to limit load development and shoot slowly and not too often. Where do you shoot at these ranges?
Bill
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Mulligan
Silver $$ Contributor
Looking forward to your report
CW
Bill, I shoot a couple of times a year at a private ranch in Texas. They have a fantastic range set up. It is an invite only type of deal. Really lots of fun and allows a person to really sharpen wind reading skills! At those distances we shoot at 48 x 48 steel.
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