6.5 SS Load Devel - H1000 vs RL26

[jb1023]

So I just did a pressure test on my 6.5 SS yesterday morning and wanted to see if these results are expected or ...? All rounds were shot over a Magneto Sporter.

Gun:
Tikka T3 w/24" Mark Chanlynn med palma 1x8 barrel. It has a 3 port Lil Beast break.

Cartridge:
Norma 300 SAUM brass that has been fire-formed only.
CCI 200 primers
Nosler 140 RDF

Enviro:
Temp was 45-50* and elevation is 5540, I did not measure pressure but assume it was around 24.5 as that seems to be a ballpark average for non stormy days.

H1000
57.0 - 2951
58.0 - 2992
59.0 -2994
60.0 - 3053 very slightly flattened primer
61.0 - 3132 flattened primer
62.0 - 3177 flattened primer/sticky bolt
63.0 - did not fire

RL26
57.0 - 3077
58.0 - 3075
59.0 - 3134 very slightly flattened primer
60.0 - 3178 lightly flattened primer
61.0 - 3265 flattened primer/sticky bolt
62.0 - did not fire
63.0 - did not fire

I am starting with finding max pressure. Then optimal depth. Then optimal velocity (powder charge). I am kind of combining the Scott Satterlee method, as per the below 6.5 Guys interview, and filling in some of the finer points using a post that BigNGreen posted awhile back, no clue as to which thread that was in as I took notes to work off of. I am not looking at group size, just what the MS reports, as that is the Satterlee method.



Anyway, are these speeds about right or am I over or under what might be expected?

 

[elkaholic]

With a 24" barrel, the velocities are about right. The H1000 is pressuring a little faster than mine but the RL26 is pretty close. Could be difference in powder lots with the H1000......Rich

 

[jb1023]

What is your barrel length? Rich

My barrel is 24".

 

[dibbs]

Are you going to go back, now that you have an idea of max charges, and do more of a ladder at .3 grain variance in the load, and look for a flat spot in the velocity as Scott suggests in the video?

 

[elkaholic]

My barrel is 24".

Mine is a 26" 5r Bart. I shoot 60 grains behind a 143 at 3207.I can shoot 62 before the bolt gets very heavy. 61.5 H1000 gives me about what you got with 62 grains, but is a fairly mild load......Rich

 

[jb1023]

Are you going to go back, now that you have an idea of max charges, and do more of a ladder at .3 grain variance in the load, and look for a flat spot in the velocity as Scott suggests in the video?

Yes. I am thinking of working 59-60.4 of H1000 and 58.6-60.0 of RE26 in .2gr increments. I think I want to do the depth test first though using 58 and 59 respectively.

 

[jb1023]

Yes. I am thinking of working 59-60.4 of H1000 and 58.6-60.0 of RE26 in .2gr increments. I think I want to do the depth test first though using 58 and 59 respectively.

I figure I may need to adjust whatever load I come up with fairly soon as I only have these 11 and an additional 60 or so fire-forming, 52-54gr, rounds through the barrel.

 

[jb1023]

So I finally made it out to the range yesterday. Since most seem to prefer to find charge first and depth second I decided to go that route also. Temp started at 36* and warmed up to about 41*. I loaded up 59.0-60.8 of H1000 in .2gr increments, did not do RL26 yet as I want to work on one at a time. I loaded up 3 rds for barrel warm up using 3 cases that I trimmed a to short, but figure they will be fine for this purpose, and loaded them up with 59.0gr. Back on the 8th I got 2994 on my 59.0 max load test. Other than the 3 warm up rds each round had a minimum of 90 seconds between rds to keep the barrel fairly cool. The 3 warmup rds were 2992, 2992, 2985. Then I move on to my regular loads and got the following:
59.0 3,063
59.2 3,058
59.4 3,086
59.6 3,080
59.8 3,095
60.0 3,084
60.2 3,101
60.4 3,125
60.6 3,126
60.8 3,137

Should I run the test again or...? I see a couple of 2 rd flat spots but no 3 rd flat spots, as demonstrated by Scott, as well as a few that seem to be bucking the curve (59.0, 59.2, 59.8).

Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

60.4-60.8 gr has only a 12 fps shift.


Verify it and see If it shoots, I'de call that one good right about 60.6.

 

[elkaholic]

Just fyi, I shot 61.5 behind a 143 at 3175 which was a pretty moderate load. I shot some .0's with that loaded

 

[Jerry M]

Wear shooting glasses, especially while load testing to determine maximum loads.

 

[jb1023]

Wear shooting glasses, especially while load testing to determine maximum loads.

???

 

[DocDoc]

Wear shooting glasses, especially while load testing to determine maximum loads.

Testing for max or not, always protect your eyes.