BL-C2 for 6.5 x .284???

[Glennster]

My Savage 6.5 x .284 is on the way so I need to get started loading for this caliber.
Has anyone used the BL-C2 for this caliber?
Any load info?
Thanks.

 

[chuckw2]

Glenn,
Start with H-4350 or H4831sc. BLC-2 will not work well.


Chuck

 

[billmo]

Glenn, Check that chamber and barrel out really good. I have one of those rifles also. I talked to Phil at Sinclair Intl. today about a die issue and he told me that he had heard that some of these rifles got loose with the barrels stamped wrong. I too have noticed that my chamber is rather on the long side even for the 140 142 gr. bullets. Just giving you a heads up man. Thanks, Bill

 

[Glennster]

Thank you Chuck!

Bill, how long have you had your Savage 6.5 x 284???
Got any loads you'd like to share???
How do you like the rifle so far???

 

[billmo]

Glenn, I just got it this week. I am in the process of load development now. I asked preacher what he reccomended but I have not heard from him yet. I have looked at the load data on the post named 6.5 - 284 here on the site also. I know that I need a fairly close to max. load to fire form my brass. Although I have been handloading for well over 12 years, I am new to this caliber as you might be able to tell. I like the rifle very much. It is heavy but that is not a problem. I think the freebore is a little long but that probably won't be a problem either. I am anxious to load enough to get my barrel broke in and then start working on some good stuff. I hope that you will like yours and if I can help just give me a yell. Thanks, Bill

 

[tenring]

No load data is available on BLC-2 and it is probably too fast for 6.5-284. Stay with H4350, H4831 and N165, using 140 - 142 gr. bullets. The 142 gr. Sierra MK is widely accepted. If your leade is a little on the long side, try Lapua Scenar 139 gr. bullets. I have found they like about 10 - 15 thou jump. Most other bullets need to be jammed.

 

[billmo]

Thanks tenring. Do you or anybody for that matter, have a sug-
gested amount of H-4350 and H-4831 to blow out the brass with? This Savage has a 30" barrel and the freebore is kind of long.
Thanks, Bill

 

[2644ever]

I would advise against using anything faster than N150 in this cartridge with bullets up to 123 grains, and anything faster than H4350 with heavier bullets.
On another hand there's just no need to contribute to global warming by breaking up the barrel and forming the brass with stiff loads of "slow" powder, you will spare money and barrel life if you do your forming and break up with about 15 grains of N105 and a cheap moly-plated bullet.

 

[Rust]

Current match load is

139 Scenar seated .005" into the lands.
48.5 gr H4350
CCI large rifle primer
Lapua brass.

I'm not sure what the reamer dimension are on the new Savages and thus unsure of what sort of COL they will take. COL will make a difference in what sort of pressures you'd get using my data, it could be pretty hot to unsafe. H4350 is slightly fast for a 6.5 X 284 if you listen to conventional wisdom but it's easily worked best for me.

RL-22 was second best althoughy it took significantly more powder to achieve the 2950 fps target velocity.

There seem to be two primary accuracy nodes for the 139s and 142 SMKs, one at 2950, another around 2730. There is another up at about 3200 but the loads would be WAY to hot in a 6.5 X 284.

Remember, priotities are accuracy first, good ES/SDs second, velocity third. Lest that confuse you, I've had stellar ES/SD numbers but awful accuracy out of some loads.

Once you find your load,and the four recommended powders are H4350, H4831, RL-22 but watch out for lot to lot variances in speed, and VV N165) stick with it. Your barrel could be shot out in short order. Once you settle on a load get a bunch of powder from the same lot number, enough to last about 1500 rounds which would be the past the competitive life of your current barrel.