Retumbo for a 6.5x284 load

[Bwhittty]

Tried the Hornady 143 ELD-X. Accuracy, velocity, and ES is pretty close to the Berger 140 HVLD's in my Savage LRH(24" bbl). I would note that the Hornady(seated .040"OL) requires more seating pressure then the Bergers(.075"OL) and leaves a very slight ring/depression from the seater plug between the ogive and bullet tip indicating a softer jacket in the bullet nose area compared to the HVLD. This is consistent with testing this bullet my 6.5CM.
Comparison with my standard Berger load. Both groups(with cold bore) shot with the same scope setting/same day and conditions at 200 yards.
View attachment 97155 View attachment 97156

We too got the ring/depression mark in the 143 ELDX's during our testing. We talked to redding and ended up basically bedding our seating stem with JB weld to eliminate the issue. We have since switched to SMK's/Retumbo, as stated above, and are in the first stages of load development with those components.

 

[Greyfox]

Thanks for the feedback on the seating stem. I don't think I'll go through the bother with the Seating stem given the performance Ive gotten with the Bergers. Looking forward to seeing your results with the SMK's. I get exceptional performance with them in my 6.5x47 and 6.5CM seated .040" off the lands.

 

[Bwhittty]

Thanks for the feedback on the seating stem. I don't think I'll go through the bother with the Seating stem given the performance Ive gotten with the Bergers. Looking forward to seeing your results with the SMK's. I get exceptional performance with them in my 6.5x47 and 6.5CM seated .040" off the lands.

Will do... Once we find the sweet spot for the powder charge... We will then load 3) shot groups at 20,40,60,80,100 off and see what we find there... Ill keep you posted throughout...

 

[txsendero]

The charge weights are in the 56-58.5 range and magnum primers are used to give tighter velocity spreads.

Also, using a 210M verses a 215M primer will cost 30-50FPS but the 210M wll consistently give tighter ES that are less than 10 FPS in both my 6.5x284 rifles.

Greyfox, I know the first quote is old, so maybe further testing proved one or the other is better for ES. But in your experience with Retumbo/140 Bergers/6.5-284, which primers have given you lesser velocity spreads. 215s or 210s?
Thanks for your info.

 

[Greyfox]

Yes, I have been working(and posting) on a number of 6.5x284's for several years, for the last 3 or 4 years I have pretty much settled on my hunting loads using either 140 Berger HVLD's or the 140/142 JLK VLD's run at 2975-3000 FPS with an ES target of <12 FPS. Depending on the particular barrel/rifle, I like Retumbo running 57-58gr, and generally found LR primers to produce better ES over the magnum primers. I say generally because I did have one rifle that was exceptionally accurate running 3030FPS/ES10 using 57gr of Retumbo with Fed 215M's. I have had a few times when I have been able to improve accuracy and/or ES trying a CCI BR2, or as in the case stated above, a Fed215M.

 

[carpetman2]

Grey fox. Have you ever developed a load for the 140gr Partitions in your 284's? If so were they any different to load for vs the burgers?

 

[Greyfox]

Grey fox. Have you ever developed a load for the 140gr Partitions in your 284's? If so were they any different to load for vs the burgers?

No, I have never tried the Partitions. For the maximum distances(1000 yards) I have always targeted with my 6.5x284's, I felt that the Nosler Partition's form factor, and exposed lead tip was not optimum for this work. Having said that, I would expect that good results could be achieved using load parameters similar to those used with the 140-143 gr high BC bullets. Interestingly I still have a 10 year old un-opened box of factory Norma 6.5x284, 140gr Nosler Partitions that I never used. One day I'll give them a try just to see how they shoot.