6.5 Sherman Shortmag Load Data

[elkaholic]

Glad you guys had a successful hunt.

Thanks George!

 

[jb1023]

So since it has been over 6 months since the last recipe was posted I wanted to see if you guys had updated your go to loads? I am almost ready to start fire forming and looking for some starting loads. I already have a lb of RE26 and H1000 to try as well as a box of Nosler 140 RDF, I plan to get a box of the 140 ELD-M's and MAYBE 147 ELD-M's as well.

Also, I think for the fire forming I would prefer to just load up a light load and do some barrel break in at the same time. Is this misguided?

 

[ramrod79]

I am just in the process of finding a load for 140 Bergers right now in my 6.5 Sherman but I did barrel break in ,and fire forming at same time with 60GR Retumbo 10 thou off at 2933 Vel was half min load at 200yards seemed to really work well getting both done at same time.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Almost done with my fire forming loads, I have also started load development using formed brass.
Norma 300 SAUM brass prepped by Rich
CCI BR-2
RL26
Sierra 150 Match King
Seated to the lands
2.2785" CBTO
2.9895" COAL (Still fits in my Wyatt's extended box)
I got pressure @ 59.0gr. & 3209 fps from my 26" 1:8" Bartlein during the ladder test so I stopped.

142 SMK vs 150 SMK




Seated to the lands






I had no clue where to start, so I loaded up a bunch for the ladder test starting where I figured should be safe with a fired case and RL26 after reading a lot on here.



Bottom left loads were the last of my fire forming loads. Top row and down the right are my ladder test in order.



Here is the bad (or freaking awesome) thing. Ladder test at 353 yards shows a good node.....from shots 1-6 (56.0 to 58.5gr). Kind of hard where to pick, but I am thinking in the 1/2/3/4 range. #7 was where I got slight sign of pressure with a slight ejector mark. That is a 3" sticker target. Not bad for 6 different charge weights just starting on load development.



I took this before shots 6 & 7 @ 3181 & 3209 reapectively.

 

[elkaholic]

SWEET Lance! Mid 3100's with a 150 with that kind of accuracy potential should work very nicely. You have mostly lateral too. Was there any cross wind? The faint ejector mark is fine on Norma brass, I have found. It usually indicates close to max but not an overload....Rich

 

[lancetkenyon]

A bit of wind. 1-3mph per my Kestrel. It was a great day for shooting. I am going to be loading some charge weight test loads for groups today, hope to go shoot them tomorrow.
I plan to use these for hunting, just like most of my other "match" bullet loads in various SMK & Hybrid flavors. The 142 SMKs have worked excellent in a 6.5 SLR & .260 Rem on game from coyotes to deer. The meplat on the 150s seem to be just a bit more open, so I hope to pop a few coyotes this winter to test them out in the hopes of a deer or cow elk tag next year.
150 SMK top row, 142 SMK below.

 

[elkaholic]

They are a bit more open. They may work pretty well.

 

[BucksAndBulls]

I have a couple questions for some of you fellow 6.5 ss shooters. I am in the process of working up a new load for mine (147 Eldm), and was curious if anybody has used HBN. I decided to start, and have seen my es drop, but I have noticed that bullet seating seems to be a lot harder, so much that it has been leaving a ring around the bullet nose. You would think that HBN would have the opposite effect on seating... Also are most of you guys using the expander with the seating die or just running a bushing that is around .002 smaller than a loaded round? Wondering if i have to much neck tension, or if HBN just makes it that much harder to seat a bullet. Loaded round measures .2935 and im using a .292 bushing with the expander following all of case prep directions Rich has posted in this thread.
Mike

 

[SHRTSHTR]

I have a couple questions for some of you fellow 6.5 ss shooters. I am in the process of working up a new load for mine (147 Eldm), and was curious if anybody has used HBN. I decided to start, and have seen my es drop, but I have noticed that bullet seating seems to be a lot harder, so much that it has been leaving a ring around the bullet nose. You would think that HBN would have the opposite effect on seating... Also are most of you guys using the expander with the seating die or just running a bushing that is around .002 smaller than a loaded round? Wondering if i have to much neck tension, or if HBN just makes it that much harder to seat a bullet. Loaded round measures .2935 and im using a .292 bushing with the expander following all of case prep directions Rich has posted in this thread.
Mike

Been there done that! Late here is Colorado. I will tell you how I am getting around all things you describe in the morn.
Ray

 

[SHRTSHTR]

I have a couple questions for some of you fellow 6.5 ss shooters. I am in the process of working up a new load for mine (147 Eldm), and was curious if anybody has used HBN. I decided to start, and have seen my es drop, but I have noticed that bullet seating seems to be a lot harder, so much that it has been leaving a ring around the bullet nose. You would think that HBN would have the opposite effect on seating... Also are most of you guys using the expander with the seating die or just running a bushing that is around .002 smaller than a loaded round? Wondering if i have to much neck tension, or if HBN just makes it that much harder to seat a bullet. Loaded round measures .2935 and im using a .292 bushing with the expander following all of case prep directions Rich has posted in this thread.
Mike

Hi Mike, I have found the formed brass to be a little thick at neck shoulder junction. For me anyway this was fixed using reamer to remove material in this area.

Do you feel it becomes harder to seat bullet the last little bit? If so, you might have a donut in this area. I too was getting ring around bullet after seating. Removing donut and NOT over cleaning brass made a huge difference.

I do HBN coat my bullets and barrels. I also use sparingly imperial wax inside case necks.
I run a .293 bushing on 6.5ss

Ray

 

[BucksAndBulls]

Hi Mike, I have found the formed brass to be a little thick at neck shoulder junction. For me anyway this was fixed using reamer to remove material in this area.

Do you feel it becomes harder to seat bullet the last little bit? If so, you might have a donut in this area. I too was getting ring around bullet after seating. Removing donut and NOT over cleaning brass made a huge difference.

I do HBN coat my bullets and barrels. I also use sparingly imperial wax inside case necks.
I run a .293 bushing on 6.5ss

Ray

Thanks Ray, I have not cleaned my brass much for the last year or so, (dont really care how it looks more concerned with how it shoots.) I have been through the thread about hbn on lro and did start using imperial wax from the beginning. I also inside reamed both my old batches of 50 Norma and Remington brass, but was hoping that following Rich's new recommendations for prep... I wouldn't have to on this new 50 that I'm working with. No ring at all on the 140 hyb, but both the 147 eldm and 143 eldx leave a ring. So to be clear you pulled the expander ball out and just size with bushings?
Thanks Mike

 

[elkaholic]

For anyone loading up the SST, I am getting great accuracy
with the 147 ELDM and 56.8 N570 at 3107'. This is with a coal of 2.770"! Not bad for this little pea shooter......Rich

 

[lancetkenyon]

Norma .300 SAUM brass (prepped by Rich) & fully fire formed
CCI BR-2
58.2gr RL26
150 SMK
.005" jump
3157fps
3 shot group 2.7" @ 926 yards

 

[elkaholic]

Norma .300 SAUM brass (prepped by Rich) & fully fire formed
CCI BR-2
58.2gr RL26
150 SMK
.005" jump
3157fps
3 shot group 2.7" @ 926 yards

That will work!