Ideas on loads for 6.5-284?

[Greyfox]

There's a local guy that has set up quite of few of these guns and his load data is:
Nosler Brass
Berger 140 VLD hunting
52 Grains H4831SC
CCI magnum primers

Does this seem like a good starting point? Should I load some more of these and just shoot !

Yes, this is an excellent starting point. Good accuracy and low velocity spread. Where you go from here depends on your particular needs. You can certainly use this load for shooting, hunting, and familiarizing yourself with your new rifle. At 2800FPS you are not exploiting the full potential of the 6.5x284 which should be capable of delivering the same accuracy and ES of your current load with velocities in the 3000FPS range. For hunting you can achieve 1000FP of energy at 1000 yards as opposed to 700-800 yards at the lower(2800-2900} velocity. With H4831sc you will likely run into high pressure at 53-54gr and max out velocity in the 2900FPS range depending on your barrel length and characteristics of your particular rifle. If you desire to improve your energy your should be able to use a slower powder like Retumbo(56-59gr) with the same bullet, seating depth, and achieve comparable accuracy and ES at 2950-3025FPS while maintaining acceptable pressure. IMO
This is the results of my recent build and third 6.5x284. Velocity is 2975FPS/ ES <10FPS.

 

[dougduey]

I just recently purchased the same rifle. I talked extensively with Phil Hoham at Berger about finding the best load and seating depth of the 140 VLD. He told me to look at their load data and pick a powder that is 95-100% case fill and take the starting load and do the seating depth protocol. Then, once you have your OAL, start working up the load from there.
Advice from multiple people with this caliber, 49-53gr of H4831 and 57-58gr of Retumbo seem to be the best all around loads. I haven't had a chance to work anything up yet, but will let you know what kind of results I have once I get to the range.

 

[dougduey]

So I got to the range yesterday and performed a seating depth test for the 140 VLD and 140 Sierra Game King. 49 gr of H4831 was used with the VLD, and 54gr of Retumbo with the SGK. Honestly, nothing was horrible.......worst was 1.5 moa and the best ones were 0.5 moa.
Best seating depth for both was 2.980". A close second for the VLD was 3.04" and the SGK was 3.06" but both of those had a little more vertical to them compared to the 2.980" COAL.
I'll be playing with charge next and will let you know my results.
I do have to say I'm very optimistic after seeing how accurate everything is this early into development

 

[taylorjones20]

dougduey,

Thanks for the reply. I need to get out and shoot mine some more and play around with the seating depths. When I was finding the OAL in my gun it was extremely short. 2.780" I think. So the bullets I am currently shooting are in the lands quite a bit. I'd like to mess around with it and see what it will do... Keep me updated.

 

[dougduey]

FYI
I was using the CCI BR2 primers with H4831, and Fed 210M with the Retumbo. Nosler brass with both

 

[ShootnMathews]

dougduey,

Thanks for the reply. I need to get out and shoot mine some more and play around with the seating depths. When I was finding the OAL in my gun it was extremely short. 2.780" I think. So the bullets I am currently shooting are in the lands quite a bit. I'd like to mess around with it and see what it will do... Keep me updated.

I'd measure again. When I first loaded for mine I came up with an extremely short length. And upon suggestions to do so I measured again and got a much longer, normal length. Only thing I can thing of is when it was brand new perhaps it had a burr or such that stopped the bullet short and after a few shots and the breakin the burr was gone revealing the true length.

Also I tried to make my gun shoot bergers and it was a no go. Switched to Nosler BT and it shoots lights out.