Horizontal stringing 6.5 Creed

[Kmccord]

O.K-maybe a silly question-but--- are you allowing your barrel to cool sufficiently? I experienced stringing both vertically and horizontally because my barrel got too hot.

I have a stopwatch I use between shots, the afternoon was cool low 70's, in the shade. I take a shot, start the stop watch, leave the chamber open, let it run to 1:00 minute, stop it and load round, get into position, breathe in and out several times, settle into it and squeeze trigger, that usually takes another 40 to 60 seconds before I fire the round, then rinse and repeat until done with the three round volley. Start stopwatch on the second volley, load mag., check stop watch, wait minimum full minute and check barrel with hand to see if it is hot, all good, start the process over.

 

[Kmccord]

Nothing wrong with your components that I see. Change primer and see if it helps. Primers can effect your groups in a big way as well as sd/es. Sometimes a rifle just won't like what you want to shoot out of it. Try a different bullet or powder. Rl16 and rl26 are great in it. Rl26 will really wake that one up. Most of my customers are in the 48 gr range and 2900fps. Like others have said about jump. Don't worry how far it jumps if it likes that depth go with it. There are many bullets in the 140 class that you can try. You will know right away when your gun liked a particular bullet. I would rather shoot a bullet that shoots almost every load good than a bullet that shoots good in only one load. Keep up what your doing sounds like you are on the right path.
Shep

I do have both of those powders, but wanted to get this load setup with H4350 now that I am nearly out of the 140's, I don't want to start in that direction. I have only 74 rounds down the barrel so far. I followed manufacturer recommendation for break-in. I took the best load out of the setup at mag length and going to give another try at 40.5 and two grains below and two grains above to see if, one I can duplicate the group and second to see if it improves. If it goes to hell during the second try, I will re-start the seating depth again at 39 grains.

 

[25WSM]

Is 39 gr you best powder charge? Did you do a ladder velocity test to determine your best powder charge yet?
Shep

 

[Kmccord]

I did that with the last string and 40.5 was the best, I do seating depth test at the lowest charge, this was recommended to me by Berger back in the spring when I worked up loads for my Grandson same rifle is n the 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[25WSM]

Since you already know your best powder charge use it for your seating depth test. It will tell you better what you have.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

This will always be a debate on doing powder charge first or seating first. I've done it both ways and just seems to be easier and faster to get powder charge first. You will still end up at the same place so it's up to each person what comes first.
Shep

 

[DSheetz]

Do you have any 4831 SC you might try some of that and see if you can change your seating depth for a little more jump .

 

[Kmccord]

Do you have any 4831 SC you might try some of that and see if you can change your seating depth for a little more jump .

I have regular H4831, but not the short cut.

 

[DSheetz]

For me the sc seems to just meter more consistently but I throw short and trickle up to weight any way and seems to give me a more consistent burn rate running CCI primers also helped me but then some of these guys have way more experience and knowledge then me . I just want to have fun with my shooting so I like to experiment and see what works for me .

 

[DSheetz]

I think the box was made to be thought outside of . Just safely !

 

[Kmccord]

Well, ran my next string this evening, same seating depth took the best group from last outing 40.5 gr and two down and two up and came back with 40.5 gr with the best group again. Since season opens Saturday morning, I am going to load up a few and use them until I can check a different seating depth test. See picture below, the three fouling shots group pretty good, first shot on a clean bore was the flyer, the two follow-up shots landed on top of each other, heck those are cheap American Hunter 120 gr Federal ammo.

 

[JMW67]

If you cant kill a deer with that 40.5 group you had better give it up Looks like you are on top of it good luck this weekend

 

[Kmccord]

Yep, I thought it was good enough, however since it is 6.5 Creed, I was expecting better. I have never owned a Short Action, all my bolt rifles I have is Long Action, two in Magnum one a 270 Win. The custom 28 Nosler is accurate, but **** it is finicky, very small nodes, the other a 7 Rem Mag it is a Ruger Factory rifle that will be re-barreled and new stock.

 

[okie man]

Don't let getting close to the lands keep you from getting your bullet seated firmly and square. Vld type bullets have longer ogive and shorter bearing surface. A crooked bullet will not give you the best groups! If possible I start most testing with the bullet base or heel just shy of the neck/ shoulder junction