Introducing the Absolute Hammer

[Jakeweb09]

I'm working on a way around this problem

Well if you come up with something I'd buy one off of you!

 

[ButterBean]

Well if you come up with something I'd buy one off of you!

I'll let you know, It's gonna be a bit before can gry it sorted out

 

[ButterBean]

Well if you come up with something I'd buy one off of you!

What caliber do you have

 

[Jakeweb09]

What caliber do you have

7 Saum

 

[Bob Wright]

Did I miss Steve's report on the 123AH testing in the 6.5CM? I've got 100 bullets, new Lapua, Starline SR, and once fired Hornady brass, and Stabil, 760, and H4350 powder, and CCI reg, mag, and BR, as well as Fed reg and mag match primers on hand. Have Forster bump die, Lee collet and FCD as well.

I'm a TX-based partially disabled one-eyed one-handed old phat phart former competitive shooter and long time reloader working part time kinda guy with limited avail range trips to 400yd range. Wanting to try these 123AH on IN white tails in early November. Two potential chassis rifles: stock Savage (not the Evolution or CRS) and a custom Criterion barreled target heavy barreled single shot action in a Cadex chassis to work with.

Desperately need some recommendations on where to start load work ups to try out. Use a Caldwell magnum tripod in a pop-up ground blind to hunt overlooking a cut bean field with up to 450-500yd max distances.

Any suggestions? Luckily the factory setup consistently pulls 0.5-.75 MOA groups with factory 143 ELD-X ammo in the factory rifle as a fallback.

Anyone and everyone is trying a new bullet which has no established load data. It's a massive effort underway by all using what's available, carefully experimenting to see what shows promise. You're in the same boat as all of us. The concensus is generally a powder burn rate for lighter bullets (faster burn). Best thing is to just take notes out of all the pages covering a chambering you have and ponder the materials you have on the bench. More questions than answers, but the steadfast guys on this site are carefully finding the new design is promising good results.
My suggestion is make sure your existing load is now your primary for this falls hunts. This development for the AH is moving along, but no one wants to commit that one load is THE load, just yet. Jump in and join the fun working up a load.

 

[ButterBean]

7 Saum

Copy

 

[Blacktail]

I'm betting those are both going to be to slow

Dang it got a bunch of it too. May just stick with what bullets i have.. too much 4831sc and h1000 on hand

 

[vernw]

Thanks, BW, I fully understand that. I was just looking for a popular start point in the interest of maybe saving a little time. Guess I'll check the Hornady manual for lighter pills and just pick a powde and mid level starting wgt and go from there. Was hoping for a more efficient way but I guess that's not going to happen.....

 

[GLTaylor]

Just did some pressure/velocity testing in the yard of the 123 AH. My current load is the 124 HH with 56.55 grains R23. It's on the ragged edge of pressure and probably too hot. I started with the hot HH load. There were zero signs of pressure at 60. I might be able to get another .5 grains but that'll be compressed. I'm .050" off the lands.

The only faster powders I have are Varget, H4350, H4831SC, MRP and R16 and I have no idea where to start with R16 or 4350.

6.5 SS
1:8
Fed 210
R23

56.55 - 3201
57 - 3240
57.5 - 3263
58 - 3278
58.5 - 3305
59 - 3355
59.5 - 3356
60 - 3370

Wish i had some MRP. It might just be the ticket for the 123AH in a PRC sized case.

 

[parshal]

R16 is too fast. 57 gave light ejector at 3344 and 57.5 was a heavy ejector but velocity didn't read. Going back to R23 and will start crunching powder and maybe more neck tension.

 

[CMP70306]

Anyone try the 123 6.5 in the PRC yet? I have some h4350 which might be fast enough burn for these. Looking for an initial charge to even start at. I dont mind experimenting to max pressure but need an idea of where to start. Thanks!

Just did some pressure/velocity testing in the yard of the 123 AH. My current load is the 124 HH with 56.55 grains R23. It's on the ragged edge of pressure and probably too hot. I started with the hot HH load. There were zero signs of pressure at 60. I might be able to get another .5 grains but that'll be compressed. I'm .050" off the lands.

The only faster powders I have are Varget, H4350, H4831SC, MRP and R16 and I have no idea where to start with R16 or 4350.

6.5 SS
1:8
Fed 210
R23

56.55 - 3201
57 - 3240
57.5 - 3263
58 - 3278
58.5 - 3305
59 - 3355
59.5 - 3356
60 - 3370

I tried H4350 with the 123 AH in a 24" 6.5 PRC, started at 50 and went up to 56.6gr and hit pressure at 3245 fps. My thoughts are that it is a bit too fast for this Bullet but might work for the 109gr AH.

Just curious as I have both H1000 and 4831sc on hand. Was planning on h1000 for the saum and using h1000 for my 280ai with 160 or greater bullets the 143 HHs i was using 4831sc. Wonder if should look st 4831sc in the 6.5 saum vs h1000?

I tried H4831 with the 123 AH in a 24" 6.5 PRC, started at 56.7 and went up to 59.6gr where I started getting ejector marks and heavier bolt lift at 3220 fps. So far StaBall 6.5 gave me the best load at 3340 fps with 59.3gr and .08 jump. GLTaylor used Superformance in his 6.5-06AI(similar capacity) and was able to get up to 3500+ but settled for a node at 3472.

 

[ButterBean]

R16 is too fast. 57 gave light ejector at 3344 and 57.5 was a heavy ejector but velocity didn't read. Going back to R23 and will start crunching powder and maybe more neck tension.

Try the 4831SC

 

[GLTaylor]

I tried H4350 with the 123 AH in a 24" 6.5 PRC, started at 50 and went up to 56.6gr and hit pressure at 3245 fps. My thoughts are that it is a bit too fast for this Bullet but might work for the 109gr AH.



I tried H4831 with the 123 AH in a 24" 6.5 PRC, started at 56.7 and went up to 59.6gr where I started getting ejector marks and heavier bolt lift at 3220 fps. So far StaBall 6.5 gave me the best load at 3340 fps with 59.3gr and .08 jump. GLTaylor used Superformance in his 6.5-06AI(similar capacity) and was able to get up to 3500+ but settled for a node at 3472.

My load with Superformance and 123s in the 6.5-06AI was max at 62.0grs @3525, but this was hot. Backed off to shoot groups at 60.7grs and 3472.
I had room for a bit more powder '-hence the wish for just a tad slower powder. Gonna see if I can find some IMR 4955 or Norma MRP. Dang! This experimenting gets expensive! May just be happy where I am.......(not!).

 

[parshal]

To close this out for anyone else looking for 65SS data. I Loaded four more of R23. 62 would be compressed as best I can tell. Each of these gave a slight shiny ejector but no stiff bolt lift. I felt ever so slight resistance at 60.5 but that was the only one.

I'm going to check out the velocity node at 59 - 59.5 and somewhere between 60-60.5 just see how it deals with pressure longer term and accuracy.

60 - 3377 (was 3370 an hour ago)
60.5 - 3390
61 - 3427
61.5 - 3442