jd followed home by Creedmoor

[jds holler]

So I finally accumulated one o these magical rifles, and I guess my life is supposed to change forever? It's a 6.5, Bergara B14 Terrain Wilderness. So far It's only had break-in shots with barrel swabbed between. It came with a couple of boxes of Federal hunting ammo, a box of Hornady, and a couple of boxes of Browning. Also, 50 new Hornady brass, two hundred Hornady VLD Match 140's, and a set of RCBS dies.

Those Hornady bullets touch the lands at 2.873" OAL. How far, if any do y'all suggest I back off to start loading for this thing. I could load at touch, and they surprisingly fit the mag. Kind of like they designed for that possibility.

For powder, I've got IMR 8208, 4895, 4064, 4320, 4831, -- RL 15, H-380, heck I've got several powders that might be appropriate. Got a pretty good selection of large primers, some magnums.

I'd love any advice concerning this rig, and I don't get my feelings hurt very easily. If anybody has a "golden bullet" that I could put together from the stuff I've got that would be great. For better or worse, I'l be using the components that I've got now to start with. The one thing I DON,T want to do is burn up a bunch of large rifle primers chasing my tail to find a decent load. jd

 

[hoz53]

So I finally accumulated one o these magical rifles, and I guess my life is supposed to change forever? It's a 6.5, Bergara B14 Terrain Wilderness. So far It's only had break-in shots with barrel swabbed between. It came with a couple of boxes of Federal hunting ammo, a box of Hornady, and a couple of boxes of Browning. Also, 50 new Hornady brass, two hundred Hornady VLD Match 140's, and a set of RCBS dies.

Those Hornady bullets touch the lands at 2.873" OAL. How far, if any do y'all suggest I back off to start loading for this thing. I could load at touch, and they surprisingly fit the mag. Kind of like they designed for that possibility.

For powder, I've got IMR 8208, 4895, 4064, 4320, 4831, -- RL 15, H-380, heck I've got several powders that might be appropriate. Got a pretty good selection of large primers, some magnums.

I'd love any advice concerning this rig, and I don't get my feelings hurt very easily. If anybody has a "golden bullet" that I could put together from the stuff I've got that would be great. For better or worse, I'l be using the components that I've got now to start with. The one thing I DON,T want to do is burn up a bunch of large rifle primers chasing my tail to find a decent load. jd

you got so much stuff, is this from an individual or new from store? prob more 6.5C factory loads shot out there than anything except 223. at least for rifles- once fired brass easy to find but alot is hornady. R you just gonna use this to hunt with? or try the 1K plates? dont know why id buy one of them except according 2 hornady i could shoot 1/4" groups all day at 1K with my eyes closed. lol
good shootin JD

 

[Kracken McGraw]

So I finally accumulated one o these magical rifles, and I guess my life is supposed to change forever? It's a 6.5, Bergara B14 Terrain Wilderness. So far It's only had break-in shots with barrel swabbed between. It came with a couple of boxes of Federal hunting ammo, a box of Hornady, and a couple of boxes of Browning. Also, 50 new Hornady brass, two hundred Hornady VLD Match 140's, and a set of RCBS dies.

Those Hornady bullets touch the lands at 2.873" OAL. How far, if any do y'all suggest I back off to start loading for this thing. I could load at touch, and they surprisingly fit the mag. Kind of like they designed for that possibility.

For powder, I've got IMR 8208, 4895, 4064, 4320, 4831, -- RL 15, H-380, heck I've got several powders that might be appropriate. Got a pretty good selection of large primers, some magnums.

I'd love any advice concerning this rig, and I don't get my feelings hurt very easily. If anybody has a "golden bullet" that I could put together from the stuff I've got that would be great. For better or worse, I'l be using the components that I've got now to start with. The one thing I DON,T want to do is burn up a bunch of large rifle primers chasing my tail to find a decent load. jd

JD, would those bullets be ELD match instead? You have the 4831 for the secret Carolina load.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Hornady’s 11th edition manual shows col for that eld match bullet at 2.800”, so it must be a pretty jump tolerant bullet.

 

[jds holler]

JD, would those bullets be ELD match instead? You have the 4831 for the secret Carolina load.

Sorry. Yeah, they are ELD Match.
Is it legal to use the "secret Carolina load" in Oregon?? Details? jd

 

[Bc'z]

Sorry. Yeah, they are ELD Match.
Is it legal to use the "secret Carolina load" in Oregon?? Details? jd

Start @44gr -45 4831
I use AA2700 IMR4166 with 123gr bullets.
123's will bring it to life getting you above 2900fps.
I've often thought about going down and trying 100-108gr just to see what it will do.

 

[jds holler]

you got so much stuff, is this from an individual or new from store? prob more 6.5C factory loads shot out there than anything except 223. at least for rifles- once fired brass easy to find but alot is hornady. R you just gonna use this to hunt with? or try the 1K plates? dont know why id buy one of them except according 2 hornady i could shoot 1/4" groups all day at 1K with my eyes closed. lol
good shootin JD

This whole thing came from a buddy who decided that the package was turning out too heavy for what he wanted to pack around in the hills.
My interest is a little bit in the long range steel as well as having another solid rifle for deer, antelope -- heck whatever. I'm so young and powerful that the weight doesn't bother me.

Having a cartridge that magically finds its target at any range is also a plus. jd

 

[jds holler]

Start @44gr -45

Are you saying 44-45 gr of IMR 4831?
Hogdon shows 42 as max.

How far do these bullets like to jump? jd

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Are you saying 44-45 gr of IMR 4831?
Hogdon shows 42 as max.

How far do these bullets like to jump? jd

I looked that up while ago and thought it said 43.5 as max.
IIRC from on here, thinking they like about a 40 thou jump.

 

[Bc'z]

Are you saying 44-45 gr of IMR 4831?
Hogdon shows 42 as max.

How far do these bullets like to jump? jd

H4831sc 136L scenar cci200
I have shot various berger and hornady bullets, magazine restrictions and bullet ogive would give various CBTO measurements none of which touched the lands in my Ruger American a minimum of .030 and as much as .060 jump.
My Ruger don't single feed

 

[jds holler]

Gotcha. What I don't got is 4831 SC. Imma look for it.

this rifle has a very roomy mag, and will feed and eject shells that fit all the way to my lands. I'm not really a magazine guy, and may even buy the bottom and internal kit that they sell for this rifle. jd

 

[Bc'z]

Gotcha. What I don't got is 4831 SC. Imma look for it.

this rifle has a very roomy mag, and will feed and eject shells that fit all the way to my lands. I'm not really a magazine guy, and may even buy the bottom and internal kit that they sell for this rifle. jd

I don't care for detachable mags either kinda clunky and noisy for my likes, I went with M5 metal and mags just to gain better operation and length over the POS rotary factory mag.

For the cost of powder I'd check out some AA & Ramshot.
I run 2700 with 123's
A buddy has great success with Hunter and 140 class

 

[nakneker]

H4350 has been the go to with the two I have, that and 140 Berger VLDs, 210M primers and Lapua LP brass. Shooting both rifles on lower nodes. Most 6.5 creeds I’ve seen will shoot with that combo. I know you didn’t list that powder on what you have on hand but I thought I’d mention it…..

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

StaBall 65 is my, "Go to" Powder for My 6.5 Creed, as I Like to "Throw" my Charges, AFTER I work up a Load.
Using, the 130 grain, ELD'M's for Steel Plinking / Yotes and 143 gr ELD-X's for, Deer / Antelope, Hunting.
Both with, Near Max chg's of, StaBall 65 for,. Keeping Life,.. SIMPLE !
The 130 gr. ELD-M's shoot pretty,. "Small" @ .3's to 1/2 MOA with, very LOW, Recoil in a 7.5 Pound Hunting Rifle.
You WILL come to Love, the 6.5 Creedmoor,. the More, you shoot It !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Hornady’s 11th edition manual shows col for that eld match bullet at 2.800”, so it must be a pretty jump tolerant bullet.

Yup,. 2.835" to 2.840" COAL's, seemed to shoot Best, in My Tikka, 65 Rifle ( ELD-M's and X's, "Jump", Fine ! )
StaBall 65 Powder was Designed, by Winchester,. FOR, the 6.5 Creedmoor and, IT,.. "Work's" !
Getting Max Velocity WITH good Accuracy, is NOT Hard with, Near Max Chg's of StaBall

 

[DiffEQ]

Meanwhile, all the guns in your safe are saying, "well, there goes the neighborhood...."

 

[Frankm]

Loaded 43.5 grs of imr4831 in a friends Tikka with 143 X ( pretty much same length as 147 M) and it shot 5/8” moa right off the bat. Might work up to that charge weight and you ll be right at a full case of powder.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Yup,. Best group's for Me with, 143 gr X's was around, 5/8's inch, also. ( Plenty acceptable for, Game ) using, 43.3 grains of, StaBall 65 @ 2.830 " COAL, F-210 M prs = 2,725 FPS.
But, the 130 / 140 grain, M's,. shoot, a bit,.. TINY'ier !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Meanwhile, all the guns in your safe are saying, "well, there goes the neighborhood...."

Yup, If you have, a 6.5 Creed, you can REPLACE, a Lot of, Rifles, in your Vault ( LOL ! )

 

[jxb]

Sorry no help with those powders or 140gr but here's what I have.

I have a Tikka 6.5 CM I load for, so far 143gn ELD-X with StaBall 6.5 is one ragged hole but I get the same with Norma 143gr match and 143gr bondstrike. My loads so far were simply matching COAL of the Norma ammo. I'll probably try H4350 and N555 next, more out of curiosity than anything, find touch and do a seating test as well. I have some 147's too, but haven't tried them. I started with case lots of that Norma ammo, then made a matching load because it shot so well, then I got a box of bondstrike so I could check POI shift between the Norma ammo, it was <.5" shift.

for my gun: 143gn ELD-X with StaBall 6.5 42.5gr matches fps with both Norma ammo, another load at 43.4gr and pressure was much further up. I was looking for a load that was well below pressure and I think there's one more just below or about pressure. As you know, start low and work up in your rifle...
oh this is with once fired Norma brass and Fed 210 primers.