6.5-284 powders

[bobinpa]

In a 6.5-284..... Has anyone ever tried H1000, Retumbo or Hybrid100v? If so, how do they compare to H4350 or H4831?
Thanks, Bob

 

[cliffe]

i tried h100v and picked up some speed, but lost accuracy compared to h4350. h4350 has shot well from day 1. cliffe

 

[alf]

I haven't tried Hybrid 100V, but......

Several years ago when I put together my first 6.5-284 for 1000 yard shooting I trashed the first third of my barrel life chasing the one hole group and tiny extreme spreads. I tried H-4350, H-4831, H-1000, R-19, R-22, R-25,IMR 7828, VV-165, and Ramshot Magnum. After chasing my tail for way too long, I just bought 48 pounds of one lot of H-4831 SC. There's no point in trying to reinvent the wheel. There's also so many other details in your loading that add up to mean more, than to fret over the powder choice. The old standby answer used to be H-4350 for barrels maybe up to 28", and H-4831 for longer. But, my standard load of 4831-SC and 142 Sierra's just gave me a .620" group at 200 yards with a 2965 fps ave. for 15 shots out of a 26" barrel this afternoon in 20 degree temps.

Al

 

[Rust]

What Alf said.

I prefer shorter barrels and H4350 gives me the velocities I want with single digit ES and SD and all I've done for years is just chrono the load when changing lot numbers of powder or a barrel and adjusted the charge weight accordingly. Minor adjustments at that.

I have found that precisely controlling neck tension is the key to consitantly getting single digit ES and SD numbers. It has to be extremely uniform regardless of how much neck tension you are using.

To me there are three powders that are consistant in a 6.5 X 284 with bullets in the 140 gr range and they are H4350, H4831 and RL-22,with a Winchester primer of all things). In my particular set-up, H4350 and a CCI primer using Lapua brass from a very good lot work best.

Keep in mind that there are no magic powders out there, and the 6.5 X 284 is an extremely well researched cartridge so there isn't likely to be some undiscovered secret out there.

 

[hairtriggr]

I'm still kind of new to the 6.5-284. I didn't even own one at thanksgiving, now I have 2. One is a custom 700 BDL that I had at the smiths, all work was done, but he just couldn't get the barrel I wanted. Finally, he told me he had a Krieger 6.5 barrel and a 6.5-284 reamer, I said "go for it". A couple days later, I got a screaming deal on a Cooper m22 Classic. I've only shot the Rem. May try to make a couple bucks on the Cooper. Sorry for the history rambling.
I'm quickly learning to listen to those in the know- 4831sc should be the go to powder for this round. I have had some interesting luck with RL22, actually getting some impressive SD's & ES's, but the results at the target aren't consistant with the chrono data compared to the 4831. I've also played around with a few Vihta Vouri's and W760. I'm sort of liking Federal match primers with Win's as a very close 2nd.
Oh BTW, as for bullets, Berger VLD's and SMK's have seen the majority of testing with no clear favorite yet.

 

[Rust]

Yup, H4831 SC works best about 90% of the time or more. In my particular application,lets just say I tried a few ideas out on this rig and it's not exactly like most other match rigs) H4350 worked better and I don't plan on using another barrel up trying to prove otherwise.

Bottom line is what works for you works for you. If H4831 is giving you the best combination of accuracy, ES/SD at a good velocity stick with it.

And single digit ES/SDs are obtainable provided you have the uniformity from round to round. And I'll reiterate that uniform neck tension,which means learning how to anneal brass) is the last piece of the puzzle to getting those sorts of numbers. Since I'm lazy,as in I don't want to neck turn brass if I don't have to) a .297" no turn neck along with Lapua brass from a particularily good lot works out fine.

If you do decide to neck turn I'd recommend going to a tool and die shop and having the angle of your cutter blade ground to match the shoulder of your brass since most commonly available turners do not have a cutter blade to match the 284 shoulder. I want a perfect cut, not an almost perfec cut. Well, I would if I had to turn the brass in the first place.

 

[dennisinaz]

I tried several powders and found myself getting the lowed ES and best 1000 yd scores with N160. H4831 was the second best.

 

[1shot]

dennisinaz,
What was the bullet, load and bbl. length?
Thanks,
Lloyd

 

[dennisinaz]

Sorry, I didn't see your question sooner. I was using 140 Bergers and 142 SMKs. Barrel was 27' long. I also had great luck with WMR but quit using it as soon as it was discontinued. I don't have the powder charge anymore as that rifle is long gone but best luck was around 2980 if I recall right.

 

[Dirtball]

Same story here, tried 4 different powders, with Bergers and SMKs, and ended up with 4831SC and 140 Bergers. IT JUST WORKS!!!

Dave

 

[archerross]

I am getting good accuracy and velocity results from 140 gr Berger VLDs, H1000, and Fed 210M primers. My rifle also prefers the Bergers 0.100 OFF the lands...go figure.

 

[edpmedic]

I use H-1000 for the 6.5x284 and 338LM. I just ran out and was going to ask about IMR-4350 which I have 8lbs of. Still back to the H-1000. I find it a good powder in all weather variations and have used it for 338LM after trying other brands.
So since I have 24lbs of it I thought I would try it in my 6.5x284 Savage and had good results.

I started at Sierra load 51.1 with 142smk's .003 off the lands and found that the velocity was only 2760avg ES-27 SD-30.
All my cases weighed between 198.0 to 198.4 and all bullets were weighed and sorted for no more then .0005 difference between weight and OAL.
I then tried going up in weight 54.2 and got avg 2820 ES-20 SD-23. Then 56.0 2910fps avg ES-22 SD-20, Then 57.3 and jumped to 3010fps ES-18 SD-4. With that load at 600 and 1000K last summer I was doing 1st to 3rd place. Figured if I could shoot better I might be able to stay out of 3rd. There was one match I did come in 7th but it was all my doing not knowing how to read mirage or wind when it gets gusty.

Like I said in my 338LM it has been a very good powder and it seems to stay pretty constant between those morning relays to afternoon relays.

Now back to my IMR4350 dilemma. I ran out of H-1000 and was really thinking of trying the H4831SC when I get to PA and buy some from Troxells. Till then I have enough IMR4350 a little less then 8lbs so I loaded up using the info for H4350 on the info page of the site for 6.5x284.
I loaded first at 46gr and only got 2796 avg ES-18 SD-4.
I then loaded at 48gr 2883 avg ES-19 and SD-5. That's where I am now and have the first 600yd match this Sunday at Cumberland.

Plus I only have 140rds down the tube of this Savage . This is the new one Savage sent me after the problems I had with the first one.

I figured 48gr would have put me in the high 2900 area. I am thinking of going up to 50gr and just going to the match to see how it does, since I am not going to get time to crono and I really do not have enough bullets to test and then hold me over till my shipment comes in before Reade Match on the 24th.

IMR-4350 in the sierra manual only shows 44.6 has their max compressed load and a 2800avg vel. It seems to have a higher burn rate then H-1000 also. So what I am getting to has anyone used IMR-4350 at 600 yds and beyond.

 

[35404]

What about RL-17. I am putting a 6.5-284 together and was hoping to use RL-17 and 140 SMK?? Thanks. Maek

 

[edpmedic]

What about RL-17. I am putting a 6.5-284 together and was hoping to use RL-17 and 140 SMK?? Thanks. Maek

Not sure but I tried RE-22 an had bad results

 

[joemax]

49.5 grains re17, lapua brass, CCI Br-2 primers, Boron nitride coated 139 gr. lapua scenars,unsorted), bullet seated .005' into lands. Velocity: 3026 fps from 27' 8 twist douglas barrel w/.297 neck. single digit ES & SD. .25'-.5' groups at 100 yrds.

 

[JRS]

Seat a Wolf primer, pour in your NORMA MRP-2, and shoot happily ever after.

 

[Rust]

ed - One reason that the Sierra manual loads might be on the light side is the COL length that they use. Since my chamber,and most long range competitors) is cut to keep the 140 gr class bullet bearing surfaces above the case neck/shoulder junction that leaves quite a bit more internal volume in the case, more powder without an increase in pressure.

Other things that affect how pressure builds in your particular rig are land and groove width, land and groove diameters, angle of the leade to the rifling, surface finish of the leade and rifling, the actual diameter of the bearing surface of your bullets, the jacket alloy, the jacket hardness, the jacket thickness, the hardness of the core and maybe a thing or to nobody has discovered yet. All of the above are why each rifle most be considered as an individual when developing loads. Given the better technology used to make better barrels, actions, reamers, and components has allowed for decreased variance in performance from rifle to rifle, there is usually an exception to the rule that either shoots the lights out or just won't work right.

And if you want to check out something wild, try a couple of different firing pin springs of varying weights and see how they affect ignition and subsequently ES/SD with a single load.

Which is why once I developed a good load for my 6.5 X 284 I quite messing around. A guy could burn up several good barrels in short order investigating every possibility and fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how one looks at it, I don't have the time or that sort of money.

Oh, on RL-22 loads. Had a very good load with 139 Scenars but only with a Winchester primer. Seems to like a little bit hotter primer.