142 SMK, RL 17 in 6.5 CM, any advise?

[Texas10]

I've been shooting the 130VLD with RL 17 in my 6.5 CM Savage bolt gun using Hornaday cases and having some success however, I'm getting a shipment of Peterson brass in 6.5 CM, 50 with large primer pockets and 50 with small and I have a fresh shipment of 140 and 142 SMK's. I am looking forward to load development with both large and small primers, but there is very little information on 142's and RL 17. I would like to avoid a load development process using H4350 simply because it's so hard to find, although I do have a small qty in stock which i may use as a benchmark load. We'll see. I do have Sierra's loading chart for these and will be referring to that for starters.

Any advice as to what charge or velocity is generally agreed upon as a common node for the 142's? I'm shooting a 26 in , 8 twist EABCO accuracy barrel in Varmint contour that's been grouping around 1/2 moa at 300 yds and if I can get that or better with the 142's I'd be happy. I use a Magnetospeed for velocity data but it changes the POI, so I only put it on after an OCW test.

Thanks for any advise or help.

 

[wboggs]

I have a good velocity node of 2930 with all 142. There is another one about 2750.

 

[Texas10]

Interesting, I've found two nodes with the 130 VLD.
2825 fps, SD 1.8, ES 5
2942 fps, SD 4, ES 11

Do either of those correlate with your experience? What's your barrel length?

 

[Texas10]

TTT

Anybody, Anybody
Bueller?

 

[Texas10]

For those who are interested, I've got some load data from the range session today. Loaded 142 SMK in new Peterson 6.5 CM SRP (palma) Brass at .020 short of the lands. Started at 39.5 and worked up in .5 grain increments to 42.0 of RL 17. Everything shot a MOA or less at 200 yds, with the better ones at 39.5 (.66 moa) and 40.5 (.512 moa). CC450's lit the fuse.

I chrono'd the 42 grain load at 2890 fps average, SD 16, ES 42. The magnetospeed chrono does change the POI so group info was not collected although the node is supposed to be 41.5 to 42.0.

Next time I'll explore the upper nodes starting at 40.5 and on up to 43.0 and pay particular attention to the 41.5 to 42.0 loads.

Happy shooting!

 

[Zero333]

In our PM you mentioned the H20 capacity of the Peterson brass is a little less than hornady brass.
This would change the plausible nodes from the 41.5gr with Hornady brass to 40.5 gr area with the Peterson brass.
Good luck !

 

[Texas10]

Starting to think I need to ask Santa for one of those new-fangled smarty pants programs you got there, Zero. Might could save me some time and materials developing loads. But then.. where's the fun in that? LOL

I was at Cabelas last week picking up a new Savage 12FV in 6.5 CM for a future project and spied a box of Berger 140 VLD Hunters on the shelf and snagged it. A bit pricy at $50.00 OTD but hopefully worth it.

Might just turn that new 12FV into a dandy of a field gun.

Thanks for the load help! The results of my range session appear to mirror your program numbers nicely.

 

[Zero333]

You're Welcome.

And Quickload is just another reloading manual that's fun to play around with.
PM me anytime you want me to run some "recipes" in QL

 

[Texas10]

Absolutely! And I greatly appreciate your very generous offer.

Good Shooting!

 

[daniel brothers]

My friend and I just bought ourselves that same savage 12 FV 6.5 creedmoor... so I will tag this thread for your future information... thanks...Dan

 

[wboggs]

I've had trouble getting accurate loads with my 260 and r17
You can better h4350 loads by 100fps or so but accuracy is not there. Your accuracy of almost half moa eludes me until I drop the speed down. That 42gr load with S142 in the CM is a pretty good load.
Brass with SRP gives me 50fps less but great accuracy and a sd of 7 compared with LRP

 

[Evlshnngns]

I chrono'd the 42 grain load at 2890 fps average, SD 16, ES 42.

What pressure is a Creedmoor running to get that much go? Is brass life out of the question? I also have a 12fv in 6.5, Its a fun gun.

Thanks for posting, I'll be watching.

 

[wboggs]

R17 will give you velocity, higher than you think, without undo pressure. To give you an idea, 42r17 gives 2872 with the new Sierra 150 in my 260 with a 30" tube. 42 of h4350
gives 2799. No case head expansion with either load but accuracy is bad. My 1-8 twist could be partly responsible.R16 at 41 gr gives 2787 with heavy bolt lift. If you have a lot of time you could probably work up a safe load giving 2890 in your CM if the barrel is long enough. Same goes for the 6.5x47 lapua.

 

[wboggs]

In your case, I'm talking about 140-142 gr not the 150 in my tests.
My 142 load is 43.5 h4350 for 2930fps. , good accuracy, no case head expansion.
Hope this gives you a few ideas about r17.

 

[Texas10]

What pressure is a Creedmoor running to get that much go? Is brass life out of the question? I also have a 12fv in 6.5, Its a fun gun.

Thanks for posting, I'll be watching.

According to Quick Load it's running 61,620 psi at 42.0 grains in a case with a capacity of 50.9 grains of water.

I don't know what brass life would be with the various brands available, Hornaday, Star, Lapua, Peterson. I would think that it's reasonable to assume that SRP brass will outlast LRP brass due to the stronger head design, however that doesn't always equate with the most accurate.