6.5 creedmoor heavy bullets & max COAL for AR mags

[sasquatch]

Howdy folks, I'm pretty new around here. With all the difficulties in finding factory ammo, today I purchased my first reloading kit.
RCBS Rebel with some fixin's.
I also purchased bullets today, but now am having to reconsider keeping them. I think I bought them because other more standard weights (135 and 140gr) were not available. It was only after I got home that I realized these rounds were more or less designed for bolt action rifles, and that I may have issues getting the right COAL. Here's what I bought:
153gr Hornady A-Tips for shooting steel
156gr Berger EOL for hunting

The rifle I'm shooting is a 18" Savage MSR 10 in 6.5creedmoor.
It uses the same .308 mags as most other AR-10s.

I have read (and I have no first hand experience, so I have just been reading) that 2.800" is my target COAL for these magazines.
Questions:

• What case capacity can I expect to get using my new Hornady 6.5 brass and the 153/156gr bullets
• With my 18" tube, can I expect velocity to max out around 2700fps?
• Is there a powder out there that can get me to 2800fps safely with my setup?
• Last question: when I get my hands on some more realistic bullets, say 140 or 147gr, which powder should I be looking at buying?

Thanks for the info, and for being gentle to a new handloader

Cheers

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Larue mags will give you 2.875", but they're expensive, and it's unclear if that'll do you any good until you know your distance to the lands measurement.

With 150gr class bullets and an 18" barrel, I would be shocked if you could hit 2700 to begin with. I would expect low 2600s (maybe even high 25s) with that setup.

Case capacity with that bullet limited to 2.8" is hard to say. I'd bet that you'd be compressed with H4350, or very close to it. RL16 will probably be a non-starter.

I don't think 2800 is achievable at all with an 18" tube and a 150 class of bullet. Your best bet is probably Reloader 17, but it'd be too unstable for me to want to invest much time in it. For reference, out of my a 30" bolt gun tubes I'm usually right around 2800-2850 with a 140 class of bullet.

I would probably look at the Berger 130 Hybrid for your setup. It'll be better suited for your mag length restrictions.

 

[Bc'z]

@MikeMcCasland well put.
IMHO the heavy .264 bullets are better suited for cartridges with more powder capacity.
You can always sell the bullets you have and find others.
With the short barrel I'd be looking at
120-130 gr bullets.
Have you checked Blue Collar Reloading?
Last I looked they had lighter .264 bullets in stock.

 

[Bc'z]

Here ya go

Berger 6.5mm 130gr VLD Target #26403

Product Information Caliber: 6.5mm Bullet Diameter: 0.264" Bullet Weight: 130 Grains OAL: 1.310" Bullet Style: VLD Target Recommended Twist Rate: 1 in 8" or faster G1 BC: 0.562 G7 BC: 0.288 Part Number: 26403 Quantity: 100

www.bluecollarreloading.com

Berger 6.5mm 130gr AR Hybrid OTM Tactical #26195

Product Information Caliber: 6.5mm Bullet Diameter: 0.264" Bullet Weight: 130 Grains OAL: 1.295" Bullet Style: Hybrid Open Tip Match Tactical Recommended Twist Rate: 1 in 10" or faster G1 BC: 0.560 G7 BC: 0.287 Part Number: 26195 Quantity: 100

www.bluecollarreloading.com

My favorite

Lapua 6.5mm 136gr OTM Scenar-L

Product Information Caliber: 6.5mm Bullet Diameter: 0.264" Bullet Weight: 136 Grains OAL: 1.347" Bullet Style: OTM Scenar-L G1 BC: 0.545 G7 BC: 0.274 Part Number: 4PL6019 or 4HL6019 Quantity: 100 or 1000

www.bluecollarreloading.com