Max velocity for 6.5mm 130gr VLD hunting?

[ImBIllT]

I ordered a Krieger 8.5" twist barrel with the intent of running 130gr VLD Hunting bullets to around 3400fps, but it appears I will be getting an 8" twist. This puts it at 306,000 RPM. I specifically want that bullet, at that velocity, but am now concerned about blow-ups. Is anyone successfully running them that fast in a cut rifled barrel that isn't 5R and not getting blow-ups? Thanks.

 

[Phil]

What cartridge are you going to run to get that velocity???

 

[Clavius-Walker]

Light load in a 6.5 Prometheus.

 

[Phil]

Light load in a 6.5 Prometheus.

That thing sounds like a savage......

 

[fredo]

I'm runnin' them 3200 from an 8.5
With your expected velocity, I'd be slowing the twist, not increasing it.
Your setup sounds like a recipe for making a 130 behave badly...

 

[dkhunt14]

At those speeds the target VLD would hold up better, thicker jacket. Even that might not hold up. 140 woukd be a better choice for that twist. It also would make a better long range bullet. Matt

 

[ImBIllT]

At those speeds the target VLD would hold up better, thicker jacket. Even that might not hold up. 140 woukd be a better choice for that twist. It also would make a better long range bullet. Matt

Like I say, I wanted an 8.5, I thought I ordered an 8.5, but my receipt says 8. I guess I'll give them a call. It's going to be a 6.5-257 AI with a 30" barrel. I'll be running powder up to pressure signs and coating bullets with WS2. I don't know if I'll get 3300-3400 or not, but that's the goal. I want the velocity for trajectory purposes. The idea is to approach .26 Nosler ballistics with less powder and more barrel life. Hopefully going to improve upon 6.5-284 barrel life as well.

 

[dkhunt14]

Like I say, I wanted an 8.5, I thought I ordered an 8.5, but my receipt says 8. I guess I'll give them a call. It's going to be a 6.5-257 AI with a 30" barrel. I'll be running powder up to pressure signs and coating bullets with WS2. I don't know if I'll get 3300-3400 or not, but that's the goal. I want the velocity for trajectory purposes. The idea is to approach .26 Nosler ballistics with less powder and more barrel life. Hopefully going to improve upon 6.5-284 barrel life as well.

I like the heavier bullets for energy and wind drift. Trajectory means nothing that a few clicks don't take care of. When the range gets out past 600 yards the 140 takes over. Matt

 

[ImBIllT]

I like the heavier bullets for energy and wind drift. Trajectory means nothing that a few clicks don't take care of. When the range gets out past 600 yards the 140 takes over. Matt

At unknown range I'll take the trajectory. At known range I'll take wind drift. It's for a long long range pronghorn/mule deer gun. With a 130gr at 3200 I can be less than 24" low at 500yds, and windage in 10mph is 23" . I have no need to reduce wind drift further. I want a top of the back hold to be a hit as close to 500yds as possible. At 3400fps on mule deer that's easily achieved.

If I was only concerened with windage, it would be a 280 Ackley or a 300 Win mag.

 

[ImBIllT]

I'll be calling Krieger Tuesday morning to see about the twist. Hopefully it was a typo on the receipt and the barrel is an 8.5" twist like I thought I ordered. If not, I guess I'll just have to wait for them to build a barrel instead of having the one in stock re-contoured. Does anyone know if 5R rifling helps reduce the chance o blowups? Thanks.

 

[muleystalker]

Go with the 130 Hybrids instead of the Hunting VLD's. They have a little thicker jacket and still work great on animals plus they are less finicky at finding a the seating depth.
My choice would still be 140 Hybrids, zero at 300 yards and your good to go.

 

[ImBIllT]

Excelle

Go with the 130 Hybrids instead of the Hunting VLD's. They have a little thicker jacket and still work great on animals plus they are less finicky at finding a the seating depth.
My choice would still be 140 Hybrids, zero at 300 yards and your good to go.

Excellent information! I was going to build a 280 AI gun for F-Open, but opted to switch to 6.5-257 AI to economize by purchasing one die set instead of two and avoiding the purchase of a reamer. I was planning to shoot 140 Hybrids in the comp gun, but hadn't considered using Hybrids on animals. Depending on what velocity I actually manage to get, I'm not opposed to 140's, I just want the ability to go to 120 AB's or 130 VLD H if the thing fails to produce the trajectory I want with 140's. Anyone shoot the Elite Hunters yet? How do they perform on paper? If they shoot as tightly as all other Bergers, I might could use the same bullets and die settings for both guns.

 

[ImBIllT]

Excellent news for me, the receipt indicating that the barrel was an 8-twist was a typo. The in-stock barrel that I ordered was indeed an 8.5" twist as I had thought it was. I feared that I had either miss-read the stock sheet or they had found the barrel and noticed it was actually an 8" twist. Sounds like I can hit 3500+ before going over 300,000 RPM, which is where Berger claims issues begin to arise. I'm assuming I'll actually only get 3200-3400, so I should be in the clear. The 8.5" twist will still stabilize the 140gr Elite Hunter in most any conditions I am likely to be shooting, so I think I'm doing alright.