cdherman
Well-Known Member
My hunting partner bought a used custom 6.5 Creed about 6 years ago. Guy selling it to him said that the gun liked a load of 41gr of H4350, 140 Berger VLD and a COAL that I no longer recall. Said that would put them all in one hole. Well, the fellow was a lying sack of dung -- the COAL he gave would a) not fit in the magazine, and b) put the bullet about .1" into the case mouth. And with the prescribed 140 Berger VLD, we were like 140 thou off the lands with any sort of sane amount of shank in the neck. So I improvised and seated the bullet deeper with a hulluva jump. Shot about a little under MOA consistently with Hornady brass (what we had at the time). Around 2675 fps. Good enough I guess. Killed a lot of deer in the years he's had it.
Last Fall, verifying scopes of guns, I had my guy shoot a group of factory ELDX. And the group was a lot better than the "custom" Berger. Honestly, I think the fellow that sold us the gun had no idea what it shot. Got the H4350 recipe off the internet. I should have worked up a new load a long time ago.
So this weeks project. Build a better round for this gun. Ended up with some Staball 6.5 on a whim, got some SRP Lapua brass, and I have a vast supply of 143 ELDX for another gun (my Swede) Between Quickload and Hodgeon website, decided 42.4 to start, max at 44.5. COAL ended up being same as Hornady factory. I think that is a pretty max COAL for a gun using a magazine. I had enough bullet to get to the lands, but for magazine work, I settled for factory Hornady COAL which put it about 100 thou off the lands.
Bombs away today. Always a little nerve wracking when you are over book but within QL. Zero pressure signs ever. BUT as we know the SRP Lapua brass is a tough little bugger and might not show much.
Well all groups were under .75. Last two at 44.3 and 44.5 gr of Stabal 6.5 were under 0.5" (and that's probably close to this shooters ability as I have a tremor). Only three shot groups, as I was really sneaking up on the max! Going 0.3 gr increments -- did not want to blow anything up.
Here's why I'm posting. The speed. The last group averaged 2870 (25" barrel) Measured with Labradar.
Either Staball 6.5 is magic pixie dust for this rifle, or I am way over pressure. Prolly both.
There was another good group at 43.3 grain that gave 2750 ave velocity. But the top end ones are enticing. They had under 15 ES as well, which of course in a 3 shot group is kind of a joke, but hey, this was day one.
Opinions?
Finally the usual caveat, since I quoted numbers. For some numbnutts that doesn't understand. DON'T go loading these loads in your gun without reducing (probably more than I did) and if you are not experienced, then don't exceed book values Ever.
Last Fall, verifying scopes of guns, I had my guy shoot a group of factory ELDX. And the group was a lot better than the "custom" Berger. Honestly, I think the fellow that sold us the gun had no idea what it shot. Got the H4350 recipe off the internet. I should have worked up a new load a long time ago.
So this weeks project. Build a better round for this gun. Ended up with some Staball 6.5 on a whim, got some SRP Lapua brass, and I have a vast supply of 143 ELDX for another gun (my Swede) Between Quickload and Hodgeon website, decided 42.4 to start, max at 44.5. COAL ended up being same as Hornady factory. I think that is a pretty max COAL for a gun using a magazine. I had enough bullet to get to the lands, but for magazine work, I settled for factory Hornady COAL which put it about 100 thou off the lands.
Bombs away today. Always a little nerve wracking when you are over book but within QL. Zero pressure signs ever. BUT as we know the SRP Lapua brass is a tough little bugger and might not show much.
Well all groups were under .75. Last two at 44.3 and 44.5 gr of Stabal 6.5 were under 0.5" (and that's probably close to this shooters ability as I have a tremor). Only three shot groups, as I was really sneaking up on the max! Going 0.3 gr increments -- did not want to blow anything up.
Here's why I'm posting. The speed. The last group averaged 2870 (25" barrel) Measured with Labradar.
Either Staball 6.5 is magic pixie dust for this rifle, or I am way over pressure. Prolly both.
There was another good group at 43.3 grain that gave 2750 ave velocity. But the top end ones are enticing. They had under 15 ES as well, which of course in a 3 shot group is kind of a joke, but hey, this was day one.
Opinions?
Finally the usual caveat, since I quoted numbers. For some numbnutts that doesn't understand. DON'T go loading these loads in your gun without reducing (probably more than I did) and if you are not experienced, then don't exceed book values Ever.
