6.5x300 Weatherby Mag - Dialed in...

[FURMAN]

I am a Berger fan but I would have chosen a bigger bullet no matter the manufacturer. If I were in your current situation I would go with the load you have.

 

[Daggaboy73]

I am a Berger fan but I would have chosen a bigger bullet no matter the manufacturer. If I were in your current situation I would go with the load you have.

I loaded up 4 rounds of the Berger 140 VLD last night... if this next round of testing does not pan-out with "close to" similar results (.5 or less MOA) I'm running to the bank with the 130... I'm a Berger fan too, I use those with my 30-378 WBY loads...

 

[parshal]

The VLDs can be picky and require a little more shooting time to get working just right. Or, you could hit the jackpot on the first try. The hybrid type designs are much less sensitive to seating depth.

I've been shooting the Berger 140 Elite Hunter, 140 ELD and 143 ELD-X in my 6.5 WSMs. All shoot with similar accuracy and around 3200 fps.

Pick the bullet you think has the best terminal performance and use it with confidence. Or, just stick with the 130's. It's not going to make much difference out to near 1000 yards. I mean, there's a difference but not dramatic. That speed makes those 130's darned fun.

 

[Daggaboy73]

The VLDs can be picky and require a little more shooting time to get working just right. Or, you could hit the jackpot on the first try. The hybrid type designs are much less sensitive to seating depth.

I've been shooting the Berger 140 Elite Hunter, 140 ELD and 143 ELD-X in my 6.5 WSMs. All shoot with similar accuracy and around 3200 fps.

Pick the bullet you think has the best terminal performance and use it with confidence. Or, just stick with the 130's. It's not going to make much difference out to near 1000 yards. I mean, there's a difference but not dramatic. That speed makes those 130's darned fun.

It's all fun!!!

 

[parshal]

Yep. I'd shoot out the barrel monkeying around with different loads and then slap a new barrel on knowing what it'll do.

 

[Daggaboy73]

Yep. I'd shoot out the barrel monkeying around with different loads and then slap a new barrel on knowing what it'll do.

I love to shoot and shoot longrange... alot... so one day that might just happen!

 

[kyleESMD]

i just picked up a accumark mark 5 in 6.5 x 300 what load did you settle on jw so i have a starting point for my gun for load development

 

[kyleESMD]

also what scope did you end up putting on top of it for long range hunting jw i put a meopta meopro 6.5 -20 x 50 for now cause i like the light tranmission on it for dim conditions for now

 

[Rich Coyle]

Congrats on your new toy. You say you picked the Meopta Meopro 6.5-20X50 for the light transmission. How does it compare with the Swarovski z5 -25X52 or the Leupold VX-6 4-24X52 in low light?

 

[cacsrx1]

I used my 6.5 on whitetails last year and antelope this year ....its almost like cheating.
The eldx's act like an rpg at anything less than 300yds unfortunately.

 

[Daggaboy73]

Hey Kyle...

Sorry I haven't updated my thread, work has been keeping wicked busy... plus I've been dialing in my 30x378 WBY...

But for the 6.5x300 I settled on the 130 Accubond/81gr Retumbo for now... the accuracy was/is the best to date... I have a few other loads that are close using different bullets... 143 eldx and hammer bullets grouped well, just haven't dialed things completely in, yet... And have a Swarovski X5 5-25x56 scope...

Always begin with a lighter load, 10% less and work your way up...

 

[Grandslam-62]

I'm new to the forum and I wanted to share some information and ask the opinions of others about Weatherby's new 6.5x300. I purchased the Mark V Accumark about a year ago along with all 4 boxes of ammo they had on the shelf – 127 gr Barnes.

I had dialed the 127's into the acceptable standard of 1' ½ groups at 100 yards that Weatherby advertises. Then I began to notice flyers after my first group thinking that the west Texas winds were affecting the 2nd groups. But then even on calm days my 2 groups opened up. (I always let the barrel cool, never rapid fire).

So I began researching things and talking to folks about what was happening. In short, I found that most were of the same opinion that 127g bullet was a bit light and was probably not stabilizing enough for the 1:8 twist barrel and all said I should try the heavier 130gr or 140gr bullets. Sounded right…

So I decided to reload from this point to find the right bullet weight and charge for my rifle. However there is very little published data. And no one from Hodgdon would talk about load data and the only current published data was Handloader Magazine, which I used as a road-map to begin my load tests.

I decided to try 3 different weight grain bullets and two powders, 4 rounds each:

130 gr AccuBond/US 869 (1' ½ groups at 100 yards)
140 gr AccuBond/US 869 (1 groups at 100 yards)
143 gr ELD-X/US 869 (3' ½ groups at 100 yards)


*130 gr AccuBond/Retumbo* for my rifle this was the most accurate, see pictures
140 gr AccuBond/Retumbo – did not test
143 gr ELD-X/Retumbo – did not test

So my questions, should I stop here, or have I only found the "floor" in terms of accuracy/velocity with this load? Should I begin tweaking this load slightly higher to increase my velocity until the accuracy begins to diminish? Should I try and work a different load for the 143 ELD-X that shot a 3.5 group?

I sort of know what my own answers are, but I'm looking for comments and other thoughts about this… thank you!

More test updates to come with velocity information…

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

Since this thread was resurrected, anyone have any experience with a 140 accubond inside 200 yards on deer size game at these velocities? Accurate load, did it hold together, meat loss, etc.?
I have a good load worked up with the 129 ABLRs for the 6.5-300 but wouldn't take a shot with those inside 300 yards. Eventually I want to work up a load for something that will hold together up close without resorting to minimum loads and still afford a longer (300-500) shot if the need arose.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Hammer bullets is the place to check.