6.5cm discovery

[drags]

I developed an accurate handload for my 6.5CM Weatherby Vanguard 24" barrel. 39.8gr H4350 shooting 140gr Nosler Accubonds. Gave great accuracy and produced 3 one shot kills this past season at varying ranges. A hunting buddy handed me a box of Hornady Precision Hunters with 143 ELDx bullets to try out. They shot a clover group at 200yds all 5 holes touching. Shot another 5 after things cooled down with the same results. I think I will stock up on those Hornady factory rounds since I don't think I can easily match this accuracy with handloads, actually why bother.

I would try a different lot of the Hornady factory bullets before stocking up on the factory loads. My experience with Hornady bullets is that they change from lot to lot.
Drags

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

Love me a 6.5 creedmore.
Just got mine back from my gunsmith a
Ca Mesa had him change the barrel to 26" 7.5twt Bartlein 5r. Haven't had time yet to try it out. Merry Christmas.

 

[dustbag]

My 6.5 CM has probably been the easiest rifle to work up a load with. I purchased my CM to shoot instead of shooting my hunting rifles all the time.
I have loaded 2 different 140 grain bullets (eldm / BT) using 4 different powder's and all have been good.
If you are only going to shoot a half box a year then you may as well just buy a few boxes of the same lot but as was mentioned above the next time you buy the results may not be the same. I'd just buy some bullets and load em up and then you know that they will shoot but I enjoy working up loads.
Top pic 140 eldm. Bottom 140 BTView attachment 627828View attachment 627829

Have a major surplus of 6.5 bullets and found a big barrel for cheap. Put together a heavy man bun moon beam. Hope it shoots half as good as yours.

30" 1.25 straight Bartlein. 21.5lbs

 

[Hardshot]

Yes I hate to admit it but up until last year I too was was a basher ! The only reason I bought one was because of the GRS stock that I love and a Savage action that I could change into many other things.Bought 100 Sako 144 grain I believe to break it in (Cheap ) and see what the fad is all about.The thing was a dream to shoot and load for . I have groups in the .3 at 100 .Loves 130 Berger's, 139 Scenars, 140 Berger's or RDF . Dam what is not to like . I have to admit the second one just arrived last week. A new Tikka roughteck bought it to build a 280 Ackley off of and sell the heavy fluted 6.5 creedmoor barrel with brake . Haven't shot it yet and so curious to how it will shoot . The idea was to sell it unfired but so much temptation to keep it as a switch barrel and go shoot it before it gets re stocked . Merry Christmas all

 

[LDHunter]

My only 6.5CM I've ever owned (Model 700) was simply hard to believe right after I had the action bedded and a custom trigger put in it. It's reliably accurate under almost any conditions and will shoot factory ammo so well I simply have almost quit handloading.

The only other two cartridges I've had that produced this kind of accuracy with almost any load or factory ammo are 308 and 223 but frankly it's noticeably better than them and shooting very high BC bullets at longer ranges is so repeatable that it's almost boring and it leaves me wanting to shoot farther and farther just to challenge myself.

You can talk manbun and needmoor all you want but the 6.5 Creedmoor has literally changed my sometimes frustrating life of chasing accuracy and wanting rifles that can shoot reliably at longer and longer distances to a very satisfying life.

I still hunt whitetail up to 200yds with a Remington Model Seven AWR II in 308 because it's so light and reasonably accurate (sub MOA) but any other situation involving distance beyond 200yds from prairie dogs to elk the Creedmoor will go along as one of the rifles in my battery.

I will still shoot varmints out to 300yds with my Model 700LTR in 223 but the Creedmoor will always go along because beyond 300 it's simply way better than the best that LTR can do.

Another reason to own at least one 6.5 Creedmoor is the plethora of accurate and inexpensive factory ammo available for it. My personal favorite is Berger 135gr Classic Hunter and I scarfed up a couple of cases of it on sale and I'm good to go for a long time by just grabbing the rifle and a few boxes of ammo and heading out. It's allowed me to enjoy hunting and target shooting a lot more by giving me more time in the woods or at the range.

I have high hopes for my 6.5 PRC rifle but so far I've spent almost no time with it.

 

[marc357]

My CM just loves 42.4 gr of H4350 and ELD-X 143 gr bullets. Four shot into .392" at 200 yds with a "gremlin" flyer opening the group up to .9". Still I'll take 1/2 MOA anyday. If that flyer is omitted that's <1/4 MOA!
Bomberodevil: how in the world are you getting 2750 with a 140 gr bullet and 41.8 gr of H4350? I'm only getting 2640 with 42.5 gr! And my ballistics are spot on as I took 2 deer with consecutive shots at 250 and 300 yds within 3 mins of each other.

I have shot the same loads from 500' ASL @ Quantico, VA to 5,000 ASL in Cody, WY and seen zero difference in MV.

What I have seen, is that after a few years here in this desert environment- my powder began to dry out and run much faster than it did before. Bomberodevil lives in super dry Southern AZ, and you live in swampy PA. I'd bet 100 bucks that the moisture content of your respective powders has more to do with it than anything.

The plastic containers powder is sold in are not airtight, and water vapor can migrate through them. Doesn't matter if it's never been opened. Takes a while, but it does. It will absorb moisture in a humid environment (and burn slower), and dry out in a desert environment (and burn faster). Drove me nuts until I figured it out.

 

[bomberodevil]

"MOST POWDERS ARE AROUND 50 FPS / GRAIN?" Where'd you come up with that number? Not remotely accurate information!

I've read that a few places, but if you have a source stating otherwise, I'd be interested in reading that. I don't mean to say it's gospel, I was just trying to share with the OP he may be leaving some velocity on the table by not checking on another accuracy node farther up the scale.

Has anyone tested the impact .05 grains has on velocity?

When I got my Chargemaster, I didn't like how it operated. I reprogrammed the sequence of when the speeds change and got much faster and more accurate drops. I agree that the speed and precision offered by the system is worth it. I also tested it with my beam scale and while it wasn't quite...

www.longrangehunting.com

Change in FPS per 1/10th Grain of Powder

Used Sierra Bullets data for two cartridges to calculate how much average muzzle velocity would change for a 1/10th grain change in powder charge weights. A mid-range velocity's powder is listed in order of high to low for fps changes; those either side will be close, but there are some...

www.thehighroad.org

How much difference in velocity will 1 grain of powder make?

In a 7mm-08 with a 24" barrel shooting a Barnes 145 LRX.

texashuntingforum.com

Changes in velocity per grain of powder - The Firing Line Forums

Changes in velocity per grain of powder Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

thefiringline.com

 

[bomberodevil]

My CM just loves 42.4 gr of H4350 and ELD-X 143 gr bullets. Four shot into .392" at 200 yds with a "gremlin" flyer opening the group up to .9". Still I'll take 1/2 MOA anyday. If that flyer is omitted that's <1/4 MOA!
Bomberodevil: how in the world are you getting 2750 with a 140 gr bullet and 41.8 gr of H4350? I'm only getting 2640 with 42.5 gr! And my ballistics are spot on as I took 2 deer with consecutive shots at 250 and 300 yds within 3 mins of each other.

Here's some loads from the same rifle. I use the MagnetoSporter chronograph, it's not the most expensive unit out there, but I think it's been pretty consistent.

H4350, 0.030" off, COAL 2.712"
41.2 grains, .365 moa
Nosler 140 gr Accubond, Fed 210M, Lapua brass
2734 fps, 5-shot, SD 7.13, ES 24

H4350 2.758 coal
41.0, .368 moa
Nosler BT 140, Fed 210M
2732 FPS, ES 21, Hornady brass

H4350, 2.758 coal
41.8 .430 moa
Nosler BT 140, Fed 210M
2784 FPS, ES 10, SD 3.80, Hornady brass

 

[Jon Bischof]

My only 6.5CM I've ever owned (Model 700) was simply hard to believe right after I had the action bedded and a custom trigger put in it. It's reliably accurate under almost any conditions and will shoot factory ammo so well I simply have almost quit handloading.

The only other two cartridges I've had that produced this kind of accuracy with almost any load or factory ammo are 308 and 223 but frankly it's noticeably better than them and shooting very high BC bullets at longer ranges is so repeatable that it's almost boring and it leaves me wanting to shoot farther and farther just to challenge myself.

You can talk manbun and needmoor all you want but the 6.5 Creedmoor has literally changed my sometimes frustrating life of chasing accuracy and wanting rifles that can shoot reliably at longer and longer distances to a very satisfying life.

I still hunt whitetail up to 200yds with a Remington Model Seven AWR II in 308 because it's so light and reasonably accurate (sub MOA) but any other situation involving distance beyond 200yds from prairie dogs to elk the Creedmoor will go along as one of the rifles in my battery.

I will still shoot varmints out to 300yds with my Model 700LTR in 223 but the Creedmoor will always go along because beyond 300 it's simply way better than the best that LTR can do.

Another reason to own at least one 6.5 Creedmoor is the plethora of accurate and inexpensive factory ammo available for it. My personal favorite is Berger 135gr Classic Hunter and I scarfed up a couple of cases of it on sale and I'm good to go for a long time by just grabbing the rifle and a few boxes of ammo and heading out. It's allowed me to enjoy hunting and target shooting a lot more by giving me more time in the woods or at the range.

I have high hopes for my 6.5 PRC rifle but so far I've spent almost no time with it.

LDHunter, My experience with 6.5 CM resonates with almost everything you have said. One of the first ammos I tried when my Sauer was new was the Berger 135 Classic Hunter. I thought, "Hey this new rifle is OK." Then I tried other weights and brands and found some shot even better than the Berger. Ended up getting a lot of cloverleaf one hole groups at 100. So I moved out to 200 so I could see the difference between ammos and it did become easier to tell the good from the better.
At 100, groups look like this:

 

[Jon Bischof]

After trying more ammo, I am now getting groups that are only a little larger than the one pictured above, but at 200 Yards. Norma Tipstrike is really accurate in my Mauser 6.5 CM. Here's my 200 Yard Zero-check target. Two shots, then adjusted scope and shot the 3 in the Red Bullseye. Not bad for Hunting ammo, huh?

 

[Calvin45]

I did not believe any of the Creedmoor hype. I was a long action cartridge hunter. 30-06, 270 Win, 338 Win Mag. Then I got into 270 WSM and found that short action cartridges could still kick ***. My Dad always killed deer with .308 Winchester.

My first 6.5 Creedmoor in a Sauer 100 was totally shocking to me. Another followed in Mauser M18. And another Sauer 100 in 30-06 and was blown away that kind of accuracy could come out of a larger, more powerful cartridge.

When you have pinpoint accuracy, you can blow their brains out.

Good to hear about the Sauer 100 series. That's what my next rifle is gonna be, lord willing. The one I got my eye one is the "Pantera" (semi heavy 20 inch) with the hs precision fibreglass stock in a .308. But there may be more than one in the future haha. And the Pantera wideland which is much the same thing as the fieldshot model (laminate stock, bench style) in 6.5 creed really does seem an attractive option as well.

 

[Jon Bischof]

My Classic weighs 6.7 lbs. Fieldshoot is heavier. Pantera has a choice of different stocks so weight varies.

I carry mine a bit so I didn't want anything heavier.

 

[skipglo]

I've read that a few places, but if you have a source stating otherwise, I'd be interested in reading that. I don't mean to say it's gospel, I was just trying to share with the OP he may be leaving some velocity on the table by not checking on another accuracy node farther up the scale.

Has anyone tested the impact .05 grains has on velocity?

When I got my Chargemaster, I didn't like how it operated. I reprogrammed the sequence of when the speeds change and got much faster and more accurate drops. I agree that the speed and precision offered by the system is worth it. I also tested it with my beam scale and while it wasn't quite...

www.longrangehunting.com

Change in FPS per 1/10th Grain of Powder

Used Sierra Bullets data for two cartridges to calculate how much average muzzle velocity would change for a 1/10th grain change in powder charge weights. A mid-range velocity's powder is listed in order of high to low for fps changes; those either side will be close, but there are some...

www.thehighroad.org

How much difference in velocity will 1 grain of powder make?

In a 7mm-08 with a 24" barrel shooting a Barnes 145 LRX.

texashuntingforum.com

Changes in velocity per grain of powder - The Firing Line Forums

Changes in velocity per grain of powder Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

thefiringline.com

@bomberodevil....you don't need to see 50 FPS/ Grain in writing to know that's a dramatically wrong statement ...oh...I guess I am putting it in writing ....simple...use your own loads.. multiply load x 50.., how close are you. My 50 BMG...245 x 50... 12,250 fps..That's Six TIMES FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED.
41.5 GR H4350 x 50= 2075 fps but I m getting 2795 720 fps SLOWER.....and so on.... Sorry I don't mean to rag on you ....but generalization in reloading can be very dangerous. Especially for new folks..just me.

 

[bomberodevil]

@bomberodevil....you don't need to see 50 FPS/ Grain in writing to know that's a dramatically wrong statement ...oh...I guess I am putting it in writing ....simple...use your own loads.. multiply load x 50.., how close are you. My 50 BMG...245 x 50... 12,250 fps..That's Six TIMES FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED.
41.5 GR H4350 x 50= 2075 fps but I m getting 2795 720 fps SLOWER.....and so on.... Sorry I don't mean to rag on you ....but generalization in reloading can be very dangerous. Especially for new folks..just me.

I wasn't saying to use the 50 fps per grain as an absolute value, and I understand it's not completely linear through the spectrum of the entire charge, but you did get me curious. So in two examples of ammunition manufacturing, the 5 fps per grain.10 grain, or 50 fps per grain isn't far off.

In the Hornady manual, the use of H4350 in 6.5 CM (which is what the OP conversation was about), the charge of 41.1 for 2600 MV and the charge of 42.8 for 2700 MV. That's about 58.8 fps per grain.

In the Nosler manual, the charge of 37.0 for 2485 MV and the charge of 41.0 for 2699. That's about 53.5 fps per grain.

Again, I never said this should be used in load calculation or load development. It was in reference to show an approximation for how much velocity was being possibly left on the bench by using a lower charge.