Savage 111 LRH 6.5-284 Loading Questions

[BrentM]

Well Ami and went out looking for wolves and I shot the rifle to confirm drop. Input 2875 fps with all correct variables and program said 16.1 moa. 2 shots over the rock. Went 2920 and 15.5 and I was 5" high. 15.0 moa is dang close and that puts it at 2965 fps. Horizontal was dead on with 2" spread vertical I had 1 low 5" and scoped myself. What a ding bat! I was shooting off the mat and got in hurry LOL

 

[BrentM]

Lost my dad when I was 25. Miss him tremendously.

 

[marioq]

Guys,

Great posts!!! I have just soaked up 11 pages of talk.... Tells me I need to go buy some powder!!!! hahahhaha Retumbo is OUT at the local spot but the others are there so I plan on doing that... I just bought a LRH 111 off here from the guy that put it up and 10 minutes later I bought it!! hahahaah My lucky day.... I hope to get the gun in a few weeks so I will try all that you have posted and walk in your footsteps!!!! I hope to tell you what I see and shoot!!!!

Keep up the info and the results... I love not having to reinvent the wheel!!!!!!
Thanks

Mario

 

[Sargesniper]

Barrel life/throat erosion is a function of powder volume and cartridge dimension, commonly refered to as "overbore" a good example of overbore would be the fatter 6.5x284 compared to the 260 Remington. The fat hot steam of ten additional grains of powder coming out of the small 6.5 hole in the 6.5x284 generates lot more heat in the throat then the 260. Increased velocity is just a by product which is what you want in the first place. My 270WSM burned out a lot faster then my 6.5x284. My 300 WBY was gone in 500 rounds Fact is just about most of the magnums have comparable barrel life to the 6.5x284, some a lot worse. It's reputation as a barrel burner was earned by the target shooters that run very hot and are used to the smaller cartridges. They keep using it because it has super ballistics and accuracy. Shorter barrel life, comes with the ability to get the ballistics you need to kill game at 1000 yards with very low recoil. If you run a 6.5x284 at 2800-2850 FPS might as well shoot a 260. The issue is you trade off max range and ballistic performance. At 2975, the sweet spot for the 6.5x284, depending on the barrel, how hot you shoot it, cleaning process etc. You can expect 800-1200 rounds before you experience a drop off in accuracy. I'll take that any day for the ability to flatten a deer at 1000 yards.

Exactly what i've been saying. ......SEMPER FI!

 

[Sargesniper]

Sarge

Very sorry to hear about your dad. My dad is still with me but I don't know for how long. Worry about him a lot. I worry to much about everyone. Gonna worry myself into the grave if I don't stop, but I can't.

Rained too much this morning and then work got in the way so my 200 yard site in will have to wait til later this weekend.

I've got to do a lot of hunting with my dad over the years but not near as much as I'd like to. Hope to get several more seasons. And hope I live to hunt many seasons with my boy who's 9 months now. Off to bed now. Early morning

Shootnmathews

Thanks ShootnMathews, I lost my dad long before i got to really know him. Still bothers me today. Hard growing up without a dad. Enjoy every minute you can with yours as life is sometimes cut short. We tend to to take things for granted and then find out we're in a world of reality unexpectedly. Take care of your son and stay as close to him as he allows you. Not enough of that in our world today as i see it. Told you about the rain,same luck here. Wasn't for bad luck i wouldn't have any luck at all. Shoot Bug Holes .............SEMPER FI!

 

[ShootnMathews]

Well I sighted my 6.5 in today at 200 yards then checked the speed. I couldn't believe it so I plugged it into my bal. prog. Then dialed and shot the 500 yard target to check it. Hit where I was aiming so it must be right. 2591 fps. I really expected more. I'm now in a desperate search to find some Retumbo powder. I'm not a speed freak grasping for 3000+ fps but I do want to get at least 2850 or preferably 2900.

If anyone knows where I can order a pound of Retumbo please let me know.

Tomorrow I'm going to load some test rounds one each working up from 50.6 to see what I can push before creating too much pressure.

Any help I can get here to get my speed up over 2800, I'm open to safe suggestions. My current load is 50.2 grains of H 4831SC set .08 off the lans in lapua brass with a 210M primer.

Thanks for any help in advance.
Shootnmathews

 

[BrentM]

I am a little surprised it is that low. How many rounds do you have through it now? With 4831 I saw 2900 at 4100 feet and 20 degrees. I am wondering if you have a tight barrel. Also hv1000 might be a good choice if you can't find Retumbo.

Btw my 4831 load is 54 g for Berger vld target. 53 Berger hunting. 140 grain. The targets have less bearing surface and can handle more powder and speed. My vld hunting have .040 more surface area. ? Sometimes this stuff makes my head hurt. Ha ha

 

[ShootnMathews]

The conditions today were:

55 degrees, Cloudy 4-6 mph winds, 30.19 pressure, elevation 600ft,

I've got about 70 rounds through it now. Maybe 75. I started at 50 grains and started to work up. At 50.4 the bolt was just barely starting to get sticky. First chance I get I'm going to load some ladder charges starting at 50.6 up to 53 and see what the gun does. I don't want to have to carry a hammer to knock the bolt open with.

I would be satisfied with 2850 with the 4831. I'd like to find some Retumbo and try to get it to around 2925 or even a little higher. As much as I shoot I'll prob never burn the barrel out. I just want to flatten it out some, and hit my target.

The drop today @ 500 yards from a 200 yard zero was 48.5". My 243 with a 95 grain bullet only drops 53" with a 100 yard zero. Kinda frustrated, bummed, .....need help.... Need Retumbo I think.

Do you think the massive difference in elevation would has that drastic of an effect?? You had 4100 ft or something for the 2900 quote. I mean that's 3500ft difference.

 

[Greyfox]

Well I sighted my 6.5 in today at 200 yards then checked the speed. I couldn't believe it so I plugged it into my bal. prog. Then dialed and shot the 500 yard target to check it. Hit where I was aiming so it must be right. 2591 fps. I really expected more. I'm now in a desperate search to find some Retumbo powder. I'm not a speed freak grasping for 3000+ fps but I do want to get at least 2850 or preferably 2900.

If anyone knows where I can order a pound of Retumbo please let me know.

Tomorrow I'm going to load some test rounds one each working up from 50.6 to see what I can push before creating too much pressure.

Any help I can get here to get my speed up over 2800, I'm open to safe suggestions. My current load is 50.2 grains of H 4831SC set .8 off the lans in lapua brass with a 210M primer.
Thanks for any help in advance.
Shootnmathews

Something doesn't seem right. I can't understand why your rifle is showing pressure signs at such a low charge weight. Could i ask as few wuestions?
How are you determining that your rounds are at the pressure limit, flattened primers,
tight bolt, other?
Do you mean .080" off the lands in the above conditions?
Have you compared the head space of a fired round with new Laupua? A fired case shoul be about .003-005" longer at the shoulder.
What is your COAL of your loaded round?

A few of the Savage LRH's and Predators I have seen run 3.19" to the lands with 140 Bergers. I load .075" out for a COAL of 3.12". Your velocity is in the right range for your powder weight. Mine runs 2800FPS with 51.5gr of H4831sc, 2945 with 53 gr. At 54 bolt lift is a little stiff, so I backed off to 53. The rifle will take 59 gr of Retumbo, and generate 3020 FPS but I use 57.5 at 2965 for best accuracy and ES.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Yes I meant .08 off the lans. Sorry, I corrected it in the post. The COAL is 2.94" and unless I screwed up the gun measured 3.02" to the lans. Pretty sure that's right but ill double check tomorrow.

I have not compared a fired brass to a new one. I'll do that tomorrow also. The primers are just slightly flattened at 50 grains and at 50.4 the bolt gets a little heavy but I would not call it stiff. I could still work it with one finger. I'll do some heavier charge test ASAP. It may not get any stiffer until I get up to 52 or something. You never know.

 

[BrentM]

No don't think so. I ran the numbers and at 3500 ft dif at that distance is not much. I assume you ment .080 off the lands and have proper tools to measure etc. due you have a Berger book?

 

[BrentM]

Berger

 

[Sargesniper]

Yes I meant .08 off the lans. Sorry, I corrected it in the post. The COAL is 2.94" and unless I screwed up the gun measured 3.02" to the lans. Pretty sure that's right but ill double check tomorrow.

I have not compared a fired brass to a new one. I'll do that tomorrow also. The primers are just slightly flattened at 50 grains and at 50.4 the bolt gets a little heavy but I would not call it stiff. I could still work it with one finger. I'll do some heavier charge test ASAP. It may not get any stiffer until I get up to 52 or something. You never know.

Just a thought, what brass are you using? I was using Win. .243 necked up. If you are using Lapua you may be seeing these signs due to the heavier brass. and maybe a chamber that isn't quite up to specs. Just a thought. My MV was higher due to the 30" BBL. .......SEMPER FI!

 

[Greyfox]

Yes I meant .08 off the lans. Sorry, I corrected it in the post. The COAL is 2.94" and unless I screwed up the gun measured 3.02" to the lans. Pretty sure that's right but ill double check tomorrow.

I have not compared a fired brass to a new one. I'll do that tomorrow also. The primers are just slightly flattened at 50 grains and at 50.4 the bolt gets a little heavy but I would not call it stiff. I could still work it with one finger. I'll do some heavier charge test ASAP. It may not get any stiffer until I get up to 52 or something. You never know.

It is very possible that this is your issue. 2.94 coal could have that Berger too deep in the case and that would give high pressure since the case volume is reduced at that seating depth. You are over 1/8" shorter than a spec leade. I have seen high pressure when recoil has pushed my Berger 140 VLD's deeper into the case while they were in my magazine. See if a COAL of 3.12 makes contact with your lands. If your leade is really that short, Retumbo will get you another 50-75FPS, but it won't give you the velocity potential of the the round. You may have an out of spec chamber.