6.5 Creedmoor recipies?

[Mudcat]

TiGuy,

What is the parent case you are using and how are you forming them? ,what steps?) Going to run my 140s at 2700+ this weekend for the 600 yard matches and will report results.

Thanks!
John

 

[jthyttin]

Just watch it guys...

I'm shooting 260Rem and I get first pressure signs when the primer pockets enlarge. Primers have lots of roundness etc. and you may get *very slight* warnings with ejector imprint, just before blowing a primer pocket, or not...

FWIW I could run 123 Scenar about 3100fps without pressure signs. I was using double-base powder,Vihtavuori N550) and have no data on brass life, only know that primer pockets were not ruined on first firing,brass was fireformed with more sensible loads).

With 123 Scenar, I've now settled on moly coating and about 2920fps. Powder is Vihtavuori N160, single-base. Keeps my brass,Win 243 and occasional Rem 243) nice, has low recoil and hopefully good barrel life. My barrel is 26", Kiff 260 Match chamber fitted for 123 Scenar.

 

[Marksman]

Hey MUD-

What are you forming brass out of?

 

[Mudcat]

For 6.5 Creedmoor I am currently using Hornady brass. For short line loads, its super brass and will easily last over 20 loadings,at least the 10 I have tested that much). But, for stout loads, forget it....the pockets give too easy.

I did make one out of a 6xc,parent case was a 22-250) but I havent really messed with it. It should work fine though, just a tad short.

TiGuy is making brass and he hasnt responded yet as to what he is making it from and with what steps. Hopefully he will answer soon as I am quite curious.

John

 

[TiGuy]

I am forming my brass from Lapua 243 win cases now, but started out experimenting with 22-250 win cases first. Now I taper the parent cases down with a 250 savage fl die with no expander. Using a Stony Point head and shoulder gauge, I found the shoulder length from a fired hornady case and adjust the 250 savage die to the same length to headspace the rounds for fireforming. Then I run those cases thru the 6.5 creedmoor fl die, then trim them to 1.918. I am fireforming these rounds with 37 grains of IMR 4895 behind a 107 grain smk. I started out using 36.5 grains and got good expansion, but not a perfect shoulder form so I bumped the load up to 37.

Now for the disclaimer, I am by no means an expert at this and there could be a better way to do this...but this process is working well for me.

 

[3gunf1guy]

I have been working up a load for my 6.5CM. I got up to 42.8 gr of RL-17 with a speed of
2908
2899
2887
Here is a picture of the cases

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/view/mb/file?username=6mmbr&id=668356

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/view/mb/file?username=6mmbr&id=668357

I can live with 2900fps and if the brass look OK I'd be happy

Scott

 

[Mudcat]

3gun,

What bullet and primers are you using? At 42grs of Re17 I am leaking Wolf LRM primers with 140VLDs. Yours seem to be fine, maybe some cratering,which I have yet to get as the case will leak first).

Thanks
John

 

[3gunf1guy]

I am using the Horn A-Max 140 gr and Federal LR Match primers.

 

[TiGuy]

How many times have you reloaded those rounds. My primer pockets would be toast with the primers that cratered after just one time. I got up to 43.2 g h4350 with 142 smk's...once.

 

[3gunf1guy]

Well here is my new data that I shot today. This was with new Hornady brass, the cases were sorted by weight and these were the lightest group and weighed 147 gr. Fed LR Match primers. The bullets are the Hornady 140 gr A-Max that I coated with hBN. I am using 42.8 gr of RL-17 powder. The powder was thrown on a Pact powder dispenser. The barrel is a Rock 26” 1 in 8 twist with only 25 rd shot through it before this group of 10. Temp was 61. BP was 24.91

2889
2861
2849
2838
2875
2867
2833
2844
2835
2855
AV- 2854
ES-56
SD-18

Here is the second group of 10 rds. The crono missed one round so you will only see 9 rds.

2851
2852
2860
2851
2869
2883
2865
2881
2846
Av-2862
SD-13
ES-37

The cases look exactly like my previous post but those cases had been fired 4 times working up. You will notice that in my previous post that the speed are in the 2900 range. I think that is because the barrel was just cleaned so they shoot just a little faster till it get enough hBN in it to make it run better. You will notice the ES and SD dropped on the second group of 10.

All of the shots were taken one right after the other with no cool down or stoping and waiting between shots. The barrel didn't heat up much though. It feels like RL-17 shoots cool. After 10 rds you could put your hand on the barrel without a problem.

Scott

 

[rcw3]

This whole thread illustrates why having a good supply of good brass is essential. When the 6.5 Creedmoor first came out, I made commentary,I was criticized for) saying I hoped Hornady would produce brass that was better than what they normally produce,i.e. soft stuff). There were public assurances it would be different,i.e. harder). I never experimented with the cartridge because Hornady's brass has always been known as soft stuff that won't handle pressure well and I figured I would wait and see if they were going to do something better than they have in the past. The real tip off,ignoring the threads where people loosened their primer pockets in one firing) that the 6.5 Creedmoor brass was still the same old soft brass, was when Hornady reduced the powder charge in their factory ammo. Now guys are spending a whole bunch of time making brass for a factory cartridge because no good hard brass is available and that's the only way they can get it. Very ironic.

Robert Whitley

 

[Jay61581]

The primer pockets on my brass are leaking on the first firing. I started loading exactly like the factory load, 140 A-Max, Federal LR match, and 41.7g of H4350. That didn't work so well and I began backing the load off. Now I'm shooting 40.3g and still having this issue. The gun is also chewing up my brass. Any idea whats going on here? I know something is wrong, my DPMS 223 doesn't this. Is it just bad brass?

BTW the gun is a DPMS LR-6.5

Link to pic of brass
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/Jay61581/IMG_2216.jpg

 

[Mudcat]

Nothing more than soft brass. The cartridge, otherwise, has been working well for me, but I cant load it up with the Hornady brass. Once we get some real brass, look out!

John

 

[Rob01]

Not sure if i got a good batch or you guys got a bad one but I'm on my third firing and I have loaded them up to 43grns with the 140 AMAX and gotten to 2870fps and the primer pockets are fine. Nice and tight and no leaking.

 

[Mudcat]

Not sure if i got a good batch or you guys got a bad one but I'm on my third firing and I have loaded them up to 43grns with the 140 AMAX and gotten to 2870fps and the primer pockets are fine. Nice and tight and no leaking.

Dude, you got the mojo or something cause the rest of us cant get the pockets to hold up!

John

 

[Jay61581]

I emailed Dennis Demille to get his input on this...he says

"I have had no experience with any of the AR type 6.5 Creedmoor and I can’t speak for Hornady; however, I can tell you that as we speak they are producing 6.5 Creedmoor brass with a much harder head."

I really hope so.

Now if Hornady ever replies to my email then I might know more.

 

[Mudcat]

I emailed Dennis Demille to get his input on this...he says

"I have had no experience with any of the AR type 6.5 Creedmoor and I can’t speak for Hornady; however, I can tell you that as we speak they are producing 6.5 Creedmoor brass with a much harder head."

I really hope so.

Now if Hornady ever replies to my email then I might know more.

Now THAT is good news! I really like this cartridge but have felt from day one that the brass was holding it back. Get kick butt brass and this cartridge will go from really good to really really good! I believe its going to hang with my current 6.5x284 load if the brass will hold up....its not that far off as it is! And accuracy is killer good.

Schweet. Guess my old brass will be short line load fodder.

John

 

[rcw3]

I would definitely take a "wait and see" approach on the idea that harder brass is right around the corner. I cannot ever remember Hornady having brass for any cartridge that one could consider hard at the base/web area. It would be a pleasant surprise if it was so but promises relating to brass in the gun industry seem to rarely come to actual fruition. Maybe I am just too cynical.

Robert Whitley

 

[TiGuy]

Snows falling so I just keep making lapua brass for my rig. Don't ask if the pockets hold up any better yet though...too soon to tell if all the bother is worth the effort.

 

[rcw3]

I actually took a different tact for 6.5 mm shooting and made up a cartridge called the 6.5 mm Super X. You make it out of 243 Win brass or 260 Rem brass if you like. I like Winchester brand 243 Win brass because it's hard and it's real easy to make into the case,run the cases in and out of a Superior Shooting 6XC sizing die with a 6.5 mm bushing and a 6.5 mm tapered expander ball with the sizing die up .125" higher than it's normal position). If you shoot the Berger 120 gr BTHP bullets, you can run them right at around 2.8" and have them right close to the lands and be shooting a bullet with a .492 BC for the short lines. If you shoot the Berger 130 gr VLD for 600 yards, you are running a bullet with a .595 BC that you can drive 2950 fps without any problems out of the case and no loose primer pockets or pressure issues. The bearing surface of both the bullets do not sit back in the case because of the long neck. Case has about 55 gr of water capacity.

The picture shows a 6.5 Super X with a 130 VLD,left), and a 6.5 Super X with a Berger 120 gr BTHP,center) and a 243 Win,right).

Robert Whitley