120 gr ELD in 6.5 CM

[mjl650]

I'm running low on H4350 as well and want to use up the remaining on my 140 bullets. I have some TS 15.5(which is probably harder to find than 4350) that I just tried with 120gr ELD_M that I have. 24" barrel with a 8 twist and usually shoots .5 moa on good days. At 42gr I started getting hard bolt lift but no other pressure signs.
@Bill Norris I like your target, thanks for posting it.

 

[DocCoffee]

I found some of the StaBall6.5 at decent price so decided to try it. Have not done much with it yet but 1st run with 120ELDM at .010 Jump shows great promise.
KDK

 

[DDRanch]

I found some of the StaBall6.5 at decent price so decided to try it. Have not done much with it yet but 1st run with 120ELDM at .010 Jump shows great promise.
KDK

Have some 120s in my stash and have some 6.5 Staball. Care to share your starting load work up?

 

[jlorenzo]

I would really like to try some of that powder. I like RL15 but don't like the temp swings.

I'm running low on H4350 as well and want to use up the remaining on my 140 bullets. I have some TS 15.5(which is probably harder to find than 4350) that I just tried with 120gr ELD_M that I have. 24" barrel with a 8 twist and usually shoots .5 moa on good days. At 42gr I started getting hard bolt lift but no other pressure signs.
@Bill Norris I like your target, thanks for posting it.

 

[DocCoffee]

Have some 120s in my stash and have some 6.5 Staball. Care to share your starting load work up?

I used BR2 primer as I have a supply. Took starting load off of Hodgdon Online Data Center and rounded up to nearest whole grain which put me at 42.0. Loaded 5 shots at each 0.5 grain increment from 42.0 to 44 just to see what would happen. 44.0 is still 1.5 or so under listed max. Not very scientific perhaps but mostly I wanted to get out of the house after a “long winter’s nap”. Temp was about 50, wind not a factor but mirage was as usual killing me. 42.5 and 43.5 both showed near zero vertical at 100 yards, mirage strung me out to about an inch on the horizontal. Did not set up the chrono so have no real idea what it is running.
Standard disclaimer, your results may vary, start at factory published minimum and work up. My Savage 110 Tactical is ok with the load I listed and it is within factory parameters but I don’t know your gun And have no liability on what anyone else does.
SHoot Safe
Have Fun
Kevin

 

[tjtjwdad]

I never said to use H4350 data with any other powder. Never would. Always use data for the powder being used.

i have also only ever seen N550 slower than H4350. Where have you seen it faster?

View attachment 1324832

I realize this is a dated thread but this link

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.lhs-germany.de/fileadmin/media/Mediathek/Pulver/Relative_Abbrenngeschwindigkeit_Export_Feb._2018.pdf

list H4350 being slower than V550. The Vihtavouri powder reload guide for 2021 list V550 on par with IMR4350 and a tad lower than H4350.

Who's right? I don't know.

 

[marchx]

Looking at picking up a 6.5 soon, tiring of the 308 for now (mostly recoil and needing a new barrel).
The only bullets I am finding readily available are the 120gr ELD and 140gr BTHP, Hornadys.
I was already leaning towards the 130gr stuff because most shooting will be 1000y and in, also anything I can do to make the gun softer shooting I want to do so the 120s sound good to me.
Anyone have experience with the 120s? Will probably be looking to source some VV powder, N550 a good choice? Help me out, I haven't seen any h4350 for sale in quite awhile. New to 6.5.

First off, why do you want to use Hornady when there is Berger available?
Secondly, why do you want to use N550 when there is N555 availble, delivering much better temp stability?
Thirdly, if you want to compete beyond 300m, go with 140 or 144gr.

 

[spudgun]

like you I was getting tired of trying to get a .308 out to 600 yds accurately. Yes the .308 would make the trip but not the accurate part of the trip.

Went to 6.5 CM about 4 years now and haven't looked back. The recoil of the 6.5 CM is less than the .308 without a brake installed.

As far as bullet and powder selection, the Hornady's 140 Gr gives me good groups at 600, 1000 and 1200 Yds.

As far as powder, I have tried H4350, IMR4350 and RL17. The 4350 powders seem to be the go to powder for 6.5 CM. From what I have seen the 4350's do show up at Cabela's in both 1 LB and 8 LB jugs.

After doing my barrel node testing I found that 2600 - 2700 FPS works best for my barrel. You don't need to turn up the FPS to get accuracy. 2650 FPS at the barrel will give me 1300 FPS at the 1000 yd target. Enough to make the sensors register on the target.

I get good accuracy using the Hornady bullets. 140 HPBT Match, 140 ELD's and some older 140 gr A-Max. I also tried the 140 Gr SST's and they were the worst.

What ever you decide you will find accuracy in the 6.5 CM.

Have fun and good luck.