6.5x284 Berger 130 VLD hunting

[DMP25-06]

I am looking on Midway USA website at Berger Ammunition #31021 , 6.5 Creedmoor with Berger 130gr. Hybrid OTM bullets , that lists a velocity of 2921 FPS from the factory loaded ammunition .
That is 129 FPS faster than your 6.5-284 is shooting , if the stated velocity from Berger is correct .

Several years ago , I loaded some 125gr. bore-lapping bullets into my 7mm Remington Magnum to smooth the bore . Velocity was 2500 FPS , but all 10 of the bullets shot into the same hole at 100 yards , total 10 shot group size was less than .200" at 100 yards .
But , the cartridge is a 7mm Rem. Magnum , so I shoot 168gr Berger VLD's at 3040 FPS with accuracy of .6 MOA .
Sure this cartridge/rifle combination is more accurate with the slower , lighter weight bullet ,
BUT WHY BUY A THOROUGHBRED RACE HORSE , IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE IT TO PLOW A PASTURE ?

I am not being dis-respectful in my post , I am only questioning why the cartridge is not being run at the velocity level that it is designed to shoot .

 

[C-Crist276]

I am looking on Midway USA website at Berger Ammunition #31021 , 6.5 Creedmoor with Berger 130gr. Hybrid OTM bullets , that lists a velocity of 2921 FPS from the factory loaded ammunition .
That is 129 FPS faster than your 6.5-284 is shooting , if the stated velocity from Berger is correct .

Several years ago , I loaded some 125gr. bore-lapping bullets into my 7mm Remington Magnum to smooth the bore . Velocity was 2500 FPS , but all 10 of the bullets shot into the same hole at 100 yards , total 10 shot group size was less than .200" at 100 yards .
But , the cartridge is a 7mm Rem. Magnum , so I shoot 168gr Berger VLD's at 3040 FPS with accuracy of .6 MOA .
Sure this cartridge/rifle combination is more accurate with the slower , lighter weight bullet ,
BUT WHY BUY A THOROUGHBRED RACE HORSE , IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE IT TO PLOW A PASTURE ?

I am not being dis-respectful in my post , I am only questioning why the cartridge is not being run at the velocity level that it is designed to shoot .

I got it to go faster, just wasn't as tight of a group. H1000 I'm near case capacity. RL22 was working well pushing near the 3k FPS mark, but I heard it is not temperature stable. I hunt Montana, Colorado so I was concerned (maybe wrongful thinking).

Sounds like I need to tear it all down and work a load back up with new powder and try some 140's (if ever available to buy again)

 

[lancetkenyon]

You are leaving 200-300fps on the table. If you can live with that, then do so.

For me, I would definitely be looking for 3000-3100 with a 130.

I have gotten several 6.5-.284 Norma at 3000+ w. 140s.

To push a 130 @ 2800, you could have gone 6.5CM and saved on powder.

 

[Russell Sonner]

I need some group therapy….

I'm shooting a Cooper 92 chambered in 6.5x284. I have been having good luck grouping Berger 130 VLD hunting's utilizing 53 gr H1000 with mag primers. I'm very happy with the grouping 1/2" MOA +\-

My mental issue (only mental) is it's flying at 2792 FPS….

I feel like I'm leaving something on the table in the FPS department. Before I order turrets and do all the calc's I'm wandering should find a new load with better FPS closer to 2900-3000 or sit on what's working…

My 6.5x284 is a Norma with a 24" barrel and I run 53.6gr of RL26 with a 143 ELD-X and get 2910 fps. I could run it faster but I get best accuracy at that load. I also shoot 55.4gr with a 120gr Hornady GMX at 3140 fps both are sub .35"@100yds. The Hornady 123 SST runs the same as well. I think you have several powders that can get you there in your list. I tried RL22 and was over 2900 fps before pressure signs starting showing around 54.8gr. The accuracy was not as good for me as RL26. Many swear by the H4821sc powder, I just have never tried it but I believe you can get there with it easy too.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

140 Berger, 47-49 grains of H4350.

I have one that likes 48.2@2921 fps and another that likes 49@2975 fps.

 

[Hard rock]

140 Berger, 47-49 grains of H4350.

I have one that likes 48.2@2921 fps and another that likes 49@2975 fps.

I would go back too the Rl22

 

[C.O. Shooter]

You are being redirected...

Some good info here.

 

[gpo1956]

I'm loading 53 gr H4831SC with the 142 ABLR and getting 2890 in my 6.5 PRC.

 

[Doug Herold]

We'll, I'm going to disagree with about everyone's response to your post. Back when I first started loading my own I was running pretty much what you described in my Cooper 6.5-284: Berger 140gr VLD at 2750 FPS. Everything I shot pancaked DRT. When I gutted the animal it looked like a grenade went off inside. It was something like I had never seen. I was so pleased with the performance of my gun and ammunition. Everything I shot was 400-600 yds. The past few years, though I have added some rifles, I have significantly increased velocity and distance, but consistently the animal takes a perfect hit, runs 50 yds and lays down to die. I hate that. The Berger consistently does a complete pass through and does not dump the hydrostatic shock inside the animal for an immediate kill like it used to. I saw this this past week through my spotting scope: my son made a perfect hit on a whitetail doe at 800 yds with a 6.5 Gap4s. 140 gr. Berger @ 3100 FPS. She ran instead of dropping. Again, I shot a doe at 901 yds. last year with my 7Rem Mag: perfect hit. Berger 180 gr@2911 FPS, lungs falling out both sides of the animal. She ran 50 yds and laid down.
IMO, ( and this has been discussed before here) these bullets have a YARDAGE and VELOCITY "sweet spot" . Optimal bullet performance depends on matching your velocity to the sweet spot distance of your animal. Velocity and distance are the keys to this equation— and running the bullet as hard as the gun will push it is child's play.
You stated you live and hunt in Western States. Determine what distances you are deadly. Match your load to the sweet spot of your bullet. Achieving max bullet velocity is BS IMO. Killing animals is different than punching paper and steel. 90% of people do most of their hunting while sitting on the couch and playing on their phone or computer. Find a load which is accurate, performs well on your target animal, and is within your comfort range.

 

[Kimber7man]

I am looking on Midway USA website at Berger Ammunition #31021 , 6.5 Creedmoor with Berger 130gr. Hybrid OTM bullets , that lists a velocity of 2921 FPS from the factory loaded ammunition .
That is 129 FPS faster than your 6.5-284 is shooting , if the stated velocity from Berger is correct .

Several years ago , I loaded some 125gr. bore-lapping bullets into my 7mm Remington Magnum to smooth the bore . Velocity was 2500 FPS , but all 10 of the bullets shot into the same hole at 100 yards , total 10 shot group size was less than .200" at 100 yards .
But , the cartridge is a 7mm Rem. Magnum , so I shoot 168gr Berger VLD's at 3040 FPS with accuracy of .6 MOA .
Sure this cartridge/rifle combination is more accurate with the slower , lighter weight bullet ,
BUT WHY BUY A THOROUGHBRED RACE HORSE , IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE IT TO PLOW A PASTURE ?

I am not being dis-respectful in my post , I am only questioning why the cartridge is not being run at the velocity level that it is designed to shoot .

Stated velocity from Berger is very close. I got 2820 out of a 20" barrel.

 

[Mikecr]

We'll, I'm going to disagree with about everyone's response to your post.

I believe I've learned from similar experience, just smaller animals.
- When I hit Groundhogs with 95gr 24cal VLDs, they're blown all to pieces, and then half the little pieces try to wiggle away!
I end up pulling GHs out of holes by their intestines to SEE them dead (a count in my percentage).
- When I hit GHs with 50gr FB BR customs in 22cal, same distances, they just tip over without so much as a death twitch.
The difference is that the 22cal bullets I'm using never exit (bodies). ALL energy is released INSIDE the GHs.

Overall, my 223Rem has been a more effective killing stick than my 6BR.
So I think you have a good point. But there are a lot of factors, and first has to be accuracy IMO.
I would not give up accuracy for velocity, or even for better terminal ballistics.

 

[dougduey]

H4831 is really the gold standard powder for the 6.5-284. All the benchrest shooters have used it for years with 130-140 bullets. RL23 really shines in this cartridge, too. Retumbo and RL26 are other good choices, but I've found H4831 & RL23 are the most consistent. 2950-3000 fps is the general sweet spot for 140 gr bullets, so you are definitely leaving some velocity on the table with the 130.