• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Anyone have a 6.5 CM that hates H4350?

Prose

Silver $$ Contributor
Was aiming for 2820 FPS with a 22" 6.5 CM. No nodes or plateaus were found though.

Peterson Brass
H4350
WLR
130 Sierra Gamechanger
41.9gr (2710FPS) - 43.2gr (2840FPS) 42.9gr gave me 2817 Avg. 43gr 2824
2.805-2.825 COAL (-.030, -.010)

My loaded ammo is extremely uniform in all respects. ES for all loads was under 10 over 5 shots. I am surprised that I can't seem to get this combo to produce better than 1 1/2 MOA within the ranges provided above.

I've been thinking about shortening the COAL in increments down to about 2.770 and perhaps even trying a different primer, but I've never had trouble tuning H4350 with a WLR and the gamechanger has been one of the most accurate bullets I've ever shot. I’m at .0025 neck tension.

Having a good understanding of the factors at play here, I can't help but wonder if my barrel just doesn't like H4350, but is that even a thing?

Besides seating depth and testing a different primer, does anyone think I need to look for a node a little faster? If so, how much?
 
Last edited:
I do not prefer the H4350 in my 6.5 Creedmoor, nor do I even bother trying to get it to fly as well as RL16.
Its just not a powder for me or my rifle. Other's and my buddy love's the powder and Game Changers. MMDV
 
Both H and IMR4350 are in high demand and is THE goto powder in the 6.5CM. I didn't fool around trying to find it, I just went with IMR4451, one of the new Enduron powders, it's right in the burn range as the 4350's and I don't have to fight for it.
 
I just started testing with Suprformance. I'm also shooting a 22" barrel and nitial results with 140gr ELD-M bullets are promising, and approaching the velocity you are after. I'd think that with a 130gr bullet, you should be able to hit 2820.
 
Started my 6.5x.284 load development with 130 gr. Bergers .020 off, H4350, and BR-2 primers (because I have a lot of BR-2 primers, and they shoot really well in my other and friends rifles). Shot all over the place with no perceivable velocity nodes. Changed powders to H4831sc, nodes looked good but shot 2790 - 2825 fps. Went back to H4350 and started over, using Fed gold medal 210s. Velocity nodes really stand out now, and groups tightened significantly. And its in the 2860s. Still working on the load development, but I feel better about the direction it’s headed in. Point being, try a different primer. Food for thought.
 
A couple of things:

First, here are some articles published previously on this website which will prove enlightening to those who haven't tested various primers.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/?s=testing+primers&submit=Search

Second, when H4350 was unobtainium several years ago, many of us chose to be proactive and test for other options and powders. I have never gone back to H or IMR-4350 because I found other powders which work for me in the system I use. I refuse to be hamstrung by a product which is out of stock or can't be found through my suppliers. But bear in mind that switching powders will usually necessitate retesting in the rifle you're working on.
 
Im 0.010" off the lands with 41.4 - 5 gr H 4350 pushing 140 gr Berger Hybrid Target at 2750 fps (fast enuf for me) with SD of 6 and under half MoA.

65CM Ops 12th.jpg
 
Last edited:
About 2 years ago we drove up and shot in a 4 day event/match at the talladega marksmanship park. While in the area we visited Creedmoor and took a tour of the facility. We walked thru a room where 6.5 Creedmoor ammo was being produced. Spoke to the guy who was operating the huge loading machines and, another person who was in our tour group, asked the big question......what powder are you using? The loader operating the machines answer was, "we have to produce ammo that will work in every type of rifle from bolt, to AR, to M1a, etc. and have tested all of the powders available including H4350. But the winner that gave the best groups and velocity was..............Reloader 17
 

As mentioned above, I already use it and am aware of the accuracy. This creedmoor is my back up rifle to be used only when there is no one in camp that will claim it can kill a space station DRT, or when the weather is too bad for my pretty walnut stocks. Duplicating the ballistics of my 260 rem is my primary objective (130 Gamechanger at 2820). At 22", my barrel is simply not capable of that feat with H4831.

@DaveTooley Honored to have your attention sir, but you can have my sierra bullets when you take them from my cold dead hands :p

@JimSC I'm leaning pretty heavily toward a primer being the difference maker here. Will try Fed and CCI if altering the jump doesn't work.

Anyone for magnum primers in the creedmoor if it's a cold weather gun?
 
I just started testing with Suprformance. I'm also shooting a 22" barrel and nitial results with 140gr ELD-M bullets are promising, and approaching the velocity you are after. I'd think that with a 130gr bullet, you should be able to hit 2820.

I hope you have better luck with Superformance than I did. I tried it with 130/140 gr bullets in a 260 Rem. Great velocity. But every trip to the range was like starting over. What shot good today, wouldn't shoot worth a fiddlers damn the next.
 
I hope you have better luck with Superformance than I did. I tried it with 130/140 gr bullets in a 260 Rem. Great velocity. But every trip to the range was like starting over. What shot good today, wouldn't shoot worth a fiddlers damn the next.

I havent found a rifle YET that likes it. I have about 6lbs of that junk left. I got it for 68gr bullets in a 6mm rem ackley and it sucked so bad there ive tried it in 5-6 other cases and cant find anything it fits. Its getting to be a punchline
 
I havent found a rifle YET that likes it. I have about 6lbs of that junk left. I got it for 68gr bullets in a 6mm rem ackley and it sucked so bad there ive tried it in 5-6 other cases and cant find anything it fits. Its getting to be a punchline

I used a lot of it under 147's in 6.5 - I only shot it through our hot seasons, so not sure how it reacts to temp changes.
 
Was aiming for 2820 FPS with a 22" 6.5 CM. No nodes or plateaus were found though.

Peterson Brass
H4350
WLR
130 Sierra Gamechanger
41.9gr (2710FPS) - 43.2gr (2840FPS) 42.9gr gave me 2817 Avg. 43gr 2824
2.805-2.825 COAL (-.030, -.010)

My loaded ammo is extremely uniform in all respects. ES for all loads was under 10 over 5 shots. The barrel shot 1/2 MOA Agg with H4831sc over 100 rounds, but I'm looking for more velocity. I am surprised that I can't seem to get this combo to produce better than 3/4 - 1 1/2 MOA within the ranges provided above.

I've been thinking about shortening the COAL in increments down to about 2.770 and perhaps even trying a different primer, but I've never had trouble tuning H4350 with a WLR and the gamechanger has been one of the most accurate bullets I've ever shot. I’m at .0025 neck tension.

Having a good understanding of the factors at play here, I can't help but wonder if my barrel just doesn't like H4350, but is that even a thing?

Besides seating depth and testing a different primer, does anyone think I need to look for a node a little faster? If so, how much?

Neither of my Creedmoor hates H4350, but my match gun seems to have a slight preference for Varget behind 130gr AR Hybrids. Pushes them to 2900ish from 24” Bartlein and shoots well, group shown below.

Since your shooting 130s, give Varget a try.

John

6-A061109-FE25-4381-A8-CE-5-AC9-E248-BF72.jpg
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,018
Messages
2,188,251
Members
78,646
Latest member
Kenney Elliott
Back
Top