6.5 Creedmoor and Reloader 15

[Jhayesvw]

Im new to 6.5 CM but not new to loading. Ive searched around the internet and found conflicting reports.
Some say RL 15 will be too fast of a pressure spike and kill brass in 5 loadings.
Others say it (and VARGET) works great with the heavier 140 ish bullets.

I plan on running the Hornady Amax 140s or the Sierra 142 MKs.
Do any of you have actual load data that you've tried with RL-15 and these bullets in a 1:8 twist?

I have 10 lbs of it sitting here and its very hard to find H4350 here. I don't want to kill brass though.
I know this cartridge has been out for like 8 years now so i figured some of you would have tried it.

My intended use is 1000 yard stuff and occasional steel gongs at varying distance (400-1200 yards).

Thank you.

 

[bsumoba]

varget and re-15 are too fast for 140s or 142s.

Use H4350. it can be found at recob right now in 1 pounders. work around 41.5-43.5 gr of powder and jump the bullets.

if you want to use varget or re15, then use the 120 gr class bullets.

 

[boltman13]

bsumoba, +1

 

[swampthang]

I SHOOT A CREEDMOOR IN 1000YD IBS WITH GREAT SUCCESS.
THE GO TO POWDER FOR 140 IS H-4350!! ITS HARD TO FIND BUT WHEN YOU DO, DONT LOOK BACK, BOTH BSUMOBA AND BOLTMAN KNOW ME AND CAN TESIFY TO EVERYTHING I SAID, MY 1000 YD PET LOAD IS 42.7 GR H-4350 FED 210MATCH PRIMER, SEATED ,020 OFF MY LANDS ON HORNADY NECK TURNED BRASS .012. THEY CONSISTANTLY SHOOT 5 IN GROUPS AT 1K WITH SEVERAL IN THE LOW 4 IN HROUPS WITH MY PERSONAL BEST 3.187 5 SHOT GROUP AND HUNTS THE X RING LIKE A GOOD BLUETICK HOUND. IF I CAN HELP WITH THE CREEDMOOR IN ANYWAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW- THIS IS NOT A HOT LOAD AT ALL AND I HAVE 1940 ROUNDS DOWN THE TUBE AND STILL SHOOT SUB 5 IN GROUPS- JUST WON THE NORTH FLA 1000 IN MAY.

 

[bsumoba]

I SHOOT A CREEDMOOR IN 1000YD IBS WITH GREAT SUCCESS.
THE GO TO POWDER FOR 140 IS H-4350!! ITS HARD TO FIND BUT WHEN YOU DO, DONT LOOK BACK, BOTH BSUMOBA AND BOLTMAN KNOW ME AND CAN TESIFY TO EVERYTHING I SAID, MY 1000 YD PET LOAD IS 42.7 GR H-4350 FED 210MATCH PRIMER, SEATED ,020 OFF MY LANDS ON HORNADY NECK TURNED BRASS .012. THEY CONSISTANTLY SHOOT 5 IN GROUPS AT 1K WITH SEVERAL IN THE LOW 4 IN HROUPS WITH MY PERSONAL BEST 3.187 5 SHOT GROUP AND HUNTS THE X RING LIKE A GOOD BLUETICK HOUND. IF I CAN HELP WITH THE CREEDMOOR IN ANYWAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW- THIS IS NOT A HOT LOAD AT ALL AND I HAVE 1940 ROUNDS DOWN THE TUBE AND STILL SHOOT SUB 5 IN GROUPS- JUST WON THE NORTH FLA 1000 IN MAY.

Tony (swampthang) is a beast with the 6.5 creedmoor. I shoot 43.1 gr in my new barrel. now that much difference from Tony's load. shoots 3 shot groups in the mid-high 2's. 5 shot groups open up to around the high 2's, low 3's. plenty accurate for hunting those steel plates.

 

[Jhayesvw]

Thanks for the replies.
I knew h4350 was the go to.
What about RL-17 in the interim until I find 4350?

I can get rl-17 right now and I know some people use it for 140s in 6.5cm.

I will absolutely find some 4350 though. I just want something to use in the meantime.

 

[bsumoba]

Thanks for the replies.
I knew h4350 was the go to.
What about RL-17 in the interim until I find 4350?

I can get rl-17 right now and I know some people use it for 140s in 6.5cm.

I will absolutely find some 4350 though. I just want something to use in the meantime.

RE-17 is fine. Work up the loads carefully. Pressures seem to creep up more quickly. Shoot for about 2850fps range IMO, and you should be fine. You could/will get more velocity with RE-17, but there have been reports of it being temp sensitive so it could act differently in varying temps.

 

[Jhayesvw]

Thanks for the replies.
I knew h4350 was the go to.
What about RL-17 in the interim until I find 4350?

I can get rl-17 right now and I know some people use it for 140s in 6.5cm.

I will absolutely find some 4350 though. I just want something to use in the meantime.

RE-17 is fine. Work up the loads carefully. Pressures seem to creep up more quickly. Shoot for about 2850fps range IMO, and you should be fine. You could/will get more velocity with RE-17, but there have been reports of it being temp sensitive so it could act differently in varying temps.

Gotcha, I live in AZ, its darn hot here, so I'll start low and work up.
As for my setup, I have a 24" 1:8 twist barrel. If I could hit 2800 that would be perfect as long as it stays accurate.

Does anyone have approximate loads for RL-17?

 

[boltman13]

My experience with Re17 in my 6.5CM has been spoty. My barrel is a 1:8, 29" Hart. I shoot at 4700 feet altitude. Nosler 140 gr CC, CCI BR-2, Hornady case, jumping 0.015", Re-17 39.5 gr = 2685 fps ES 24 fps, RE-17 40.0 gr = 2734 fps with unacceptable ES. Very poor accuracy. Both loads were 2.200" length to the ogive. I decided not to go any further. There were no pressure signs and these were very mild loads. I think Re-17 has some temp sensitivity. I was happier with a Hornady 120 gr Amax and Fed 210M primer, same rifle, 0.020 jump, Re-17 41.0 gr = 2,946 fps ES = 14fps. Best five shot 200 yd group was 1.186". UMMV. Good luck.

 

[DonnyJ]

Same here, new to the 6.5C!

What about brass? Are you using Hornady or making our own?

Donny

 

[bsumoba]

Same here, new to the 6.5C!

What about brass? Are you using Hornady or making our own?

Donny

hornady brass is just fine.

if you want the luxury stuff, you can go nosler.

 

[boltman13]

I also favor Hornady, although Nosler was just as good, just more expensive. Urban legend is Norma makes both, but I have no proof of this. I do not have the desire or time to make CM brass from anything else.

 

[vbirddogs]

I’m like you, can’t get H4350 either, and I’m sponsored by Hodgdon as a pistol shooter. I want a backup load I can go to that is good. Nothing seems to match the H4350. I did work up a load using Varget the other day. Got pretty good results using a 130 ELD-m, with 37.5 gr if Varget. Velocity ave was right at 2,700. ES was high(64), but my 4 rd group at 300 was .3 moa. Another load that shot real well with the Varget was the 147ELD-m with 36.5gr of Varget. A little slower, 2526 FPS ave, but I was .25 moa with that. And ES was only 12.