6.5 creedmoor newbie help

[BigSwede]

I'm just beginning with a 65 Creedmore. I'm new to the six fives. I'd like to see anyone's favorite loads, bragging groups, be specific and offer any recommended tips for accuracy. Starting with a shiny factory offering from Tikka. T3 superlight fluted 24.3" 1-8" tube. But.. it's in a manners stock. Which maybe good or bad. Even though the tikka plastics are ugly they've always shot for me. Velocity aside I want best accuracy from this rig at 600 Yds. Thanks for any input..
-Swede

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Welcome to the dark side..... for powders start off with h4350 or rl-17. Rl-17 has been my go to powder for velocity and accuracy. Any 140 class bullet should serve you well. I'm partial to the140 eld-m and the 147 eld-m from hornady. Also, another powder to look into is rl-26. It gives some pretty crazy velocities if your wanting alittle more out of that case. I run 140s at 2885 with rl-17 and 2945 with rl-26. For the 147 I'm running 2842 with rl-17. I have a good load with the 147s and rl-26 as well but haven't chronoed them yet.

 

[coop2564]

I have a Bergara HMR my load right now (still testing some) is Nosler case, CCI LR primer, RL 26 47.3gr and 143 ELDx at 2861fps getting .4's moa.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Just finished load development on my 6th 6.5CM. 143 ELD-X @ a measly 2800fps from a 24" 1:8" Proof barrel.

Case prep and consistency is key as with all other cartridges.

Final load:
Hornady Brass fully prepped once fired
Fed GM210M
45.3gr. Hodgdon Superformance
143 ELD-X
2.248" CBTO (.012" jump)

FL sized once fired brass w. .002" shoulder bump


Trimmed to minimum length




Primer pockets uniformed


Chamfered inside and out


Annealed neck/shoulder


Weight sorted (to within 3 total grains) Out of 175 pieces, I got 121


Primed


Jammed to lands in this rifle






Results after ladder testing (two different 5 shot groups)
Charge weight testing (45.3gr)


And after seating depth testing (2.248" CBTO-.012" jump)

 

[Mike Dunaway]

The Creedmoor is pretty easy to load for

 

[BigSwede]

I like pictures ... I think I will follow a similar protocol as Lancetkenyon. I have H4350, Superformance, varget, H414, 7828ssc, 4831sc, 8#H1000, AA3100, hybrid100v, and a few others. 140 vLds, 140 sgk. No sleep brass and supply of F210m. I appreciate all the input. Keep it coming.

 

[BigSwede]

Is there a marked advantage to using brass with small rifle primers in the creedmoor?

 

[CaptnC]

Is there a marked advantage to using brass with small rifle primers in the creedmoor?

Some say it is because they can be loaded hotter and the smaller primer has more "meat" in the base. So they handles more pressure easier/better.

My thoughts are, if want hotter/faster get a 6.5x284 and stuff it with powder!

In my CM I've had great results wit Hybrid 100V. It is very close velocity wise in my rifle with H4350. The accuracy of the Hybrid is a tiny bit better too. And with H4350 tough to find at times I will most likely run Hybrid 100V in mine.

My CM is my latest 6.5 build so I've not got too deep into load development.

6.5's are great guns...I've built 4 in the last year. 6.5-06, 264wm, 6.5x284 and now the 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[jraulsten]

You're going to love the Creed! Very easy to load for and inherently accurate. I would put up pictures too if I wasn't so digitally challenged

My latest gun is sporting a 24" Bartlein 1:8 twist in Sendero contour.

Best load is:

Hornady brass trimmed to 1.910
CCI 200 primers
42.4 grains H4350
Berger 140 Elite Hunter
CBTO 2.1625 (.0455 jump)

Getting 2755 FPS (based on tweaking Shooter App to actual impact out to 1100 yards). I usually find that Chrono readings are a bit faster than "real world".

Just shot these 5 and 3 shot groups the other day playing with muzzle brakes. The gun will shoot these all day long........Unfortunately the idiot behind the trigger doesn't always shoot to the gun's potential Have fun and remember every gun is different. One person's best load may not shoot worth a darn in your gun. Experimenting is 90% of the fun!

 

[gohring3006]

You are dealing with a cartridge, that has a very wide accuracy node. It can be made to shoot, in any rifle, at any velocity node, with about any 6.5 bullet made.
It's that good!!

 

[Canhunter35]

I agree with above posts, super easy to load for. Steel gong is at 550 with 130eldm on a barrel break in load. I seated the 130s so the boattail met the neck junction and walked up to 42gr of powder. Making a .5moa group.

Shot those hundred and resized brass, did a ladder test, seating 143eldx at .05" from lands with 41.8gr of h4350 for a velocity of 2739fps, verified to 1k. That particular lot of hornady brass was awful, 7gr es on brass weight. I did level primer pockets, trim, and anneal. Since then I've found a better batch of hornady brass that's helped tighten up my es.
5 shots at 100 with the 143 eldx