Need help reloading

[Priley]

For the 6mm SMRP I'm using some CCI SRP but they are probably over 15 years old. for the 6.5mm I also use CCI LRP that are also fairly old trying to use all the old stock before using stuff I have acquired in the last two years. I have also used federal match grade magnum primers in the 6.5 when I was using imr 4350. I'm assuming the old primers might have something to do with it in the 6mm Creedmoor but I'm not going to just throw them away with how hard it is to find components now a days.

Might turn your necks also, then use your expander mandrel to get your neck tension spot on.

 

[WildRose]

I started reloading probably ten years ago. Not knowing anything about reloading or having anyone to teach me Iv just been doing a lot of research on my own. I took a break for a while do to work and recently got back into it about two years ago. And started doing load development for rifles I own. 6mm creedmoor 6.5 creedmoor Iv built a custom 30-06 that I have had by best results with so far. But I feel like I'm chasing my tail with me 6mm creedmoor and 6.5 creedmoor. Iv had had bad as Es of 130 and sd's in the 50's. Finally thought I found a descent lol in my 6mm creedmoor with sd's of 13 and es of 30. But went and shot some groups and the were 2" plus at 100 yards. With the 6mm creedmoor I was doing load development with a muzzle break on and took it off read that could have caused me accuracy because of barrel harmonics so I put it back on and haven't made it out to the range yet to try the loads again. Any help would be nice do to being a new reloaded. My process is a full length resize and bumping the shoulders back 1-2 thousands using and expander mandrel to set neck tension and for starters I seat the bullets .015 to .020 off the lands depending on mag length and everything.

Without a lot more info it's hard to tell if you have a reloading issue or rifle/optic issues.

For the CM, the first thing I'd do is buy some good factory ammo and try shooting some groups with it as is.

If the rifles are not pillar bedded and floated that could be causing all of your issues.

If the scope is loose or busted that could be causing all of your issues.

The Crazy ES's though are going to be problematic period, if you're doing all of your proper brass prep then it sounds like a problem with inconsistency in powder charges or seating depth.

Lot's to work through here.

 

[RuninL8]

So....you are in no man's land. I hate this for you because I see this over and over. You have so many variables working against you that it's hard to tell heads from tails. There is no easy or...more to the point cheap answer. First, the mag speed is not helping for precision. Second if these are factory rifles, no matter the chamber, most time they only shoot so well. You will spend too much time and money chasing a dream. There are certainly things you can do to improve precision but alone so much before you are blueprints and rebarreling. PM if you want futher input.

 

[a_savage02]

In what reloading manual does it state to start .5 grains over max and work down? You are working bass ackwards. That can be very dangerous!

I explained myself wrong .5 over max is where I end when checking for pressure signs. I always start on lower charges and work my way up. Sorry for the confusion. I have just noticed with most of my reloading manuals they are very conservative on the charge weights and I haven't hit any pressure signs at max charges in the books. So I avoid the minimum to mid range all together. I also have noticed I don't start seeing pressure signs to .5-1 grain over in the manuals specially when I tried the VV N-160 powder in my 30-06 I think I was almost two grains over max before seeing pressure signs.

 

[a_savage02]

If you weigh those brass I'm betting the Starline are quite a bit heavier than the Hornady. Star line brass are good quality and pretty uniform case to case but in .223 at least they are heavy and that's going to really skew your result if mixing.

Starline brass is for the 6mm creedmoor hornady is for the 6.5 creedmoor. I'm not mixing brass between brands.

 

[WildRose]

Starline brass is for the 6mm creedmoor hornady is for the 6.5 creedmoor. I'm not mixing brass between brands.

Keep in mind that heavier brass means thicker walls, less powder capacity and faster pressure spikes.

 

[Stammster]

Maybe the OP just can't shoot.

Rather than the reloading process, how about we focus on the shooting process?

What is he using for a rest? Bench or prone? Plastic wobbly table or concrete? Front bag or bipod? Resting on barrel or stock (dare I even asked this one, but you never know). Rear bag?

Single feed or through mag? Same cheek weld?

How does the gun fit? What scope magnification? Target image? I find I shoot better or worse depending on the target layout with different scopes (crosshair thickness and max magnification.). Also if I am over magnified some times I'm trying to overcorrect.

Food for thought.

 

[WildRose]

For the 6mm SMRP I'm using some CCI SRP but they are probably over 15 years old. for the 6.5mm I also use CCI LRP that are also fairly old trying to use all the old stock before using stuff I have acquired in the last two years. I have also used federal match grade magnum primers in the 6.5 when I was using imr 4350. I'm assuming the old primers might have something to do with it in the 6mm Creedmoor but I'm not going to just throw them away with how hard it is to find components now a days.

Try some regular rifle, not magnum primers.

Using too much primer can give you a "flash" causing excess pressure.

 

[WildRose]

Try loading you up 5 rounds in half inch increments. I would start in the middle of the charging chart and work my way to max load. Find the one that shoots the best group then start messing with seating depth. Start 5 thou of lands and move that bullet 20 thou at a time. Take to best group and then start working on your SD/ES. If you don't find something that will pretty quick toss those bullets in a drawer and get something else.

I think you mean in half grain increments.???

 

[a_savage02]

I think you mean in half grain increments.???

Yes lol

 

[a_savage02]

Maybe the OP just can't shoot.

Rather than the reloading process, how about we focus on the shooting process?

What is he using for a rest? Bench or prone? Plastic wobbly table or concrete? Front bag or bipod? Resting on barrel or stock (dare I even asked this one, but you never know). Rear bag?

Single feed or through mag? Same cheek weld?

How does the gun fit? What scope magnification? Target image? I find I shoot better or worse depending on the target layout with different scopes (crosshair thickness and max magnification.). Also if I am over magnified some times I'm trying to overcorrect.

Food for thought.

I use a Caldwell rock shooting rest in the front always on the stock not the barrel lol. And a rear bag. I find my self using around a 16x magnification on both scopes one is a vortex diamond back tactical one is a vortex viper HST I have adjusted my comb hight for what I feel like is a good cheek weld. By all means I'm not the best shooter by any means one of the reasons I got into reloading and have been trying to shoot more frequently because I want to become a better shooter. And develop my reloading skills. But I have definitely many times have shot better groups then I did the last time I shot both the 6.5 and 6mm. And have shot better groups out of both rifles. But yes it partly could be me. But my point of the post was more about ES and SD but from what Iv collected from mean people I need to start reading my targets more and worrying less about the numbers right now tell I get something my rifle likes.

 

[WildRose]

Not in the 6mm cal. Maybe for 72 grain and lower. I do use it for 308 win and 300 WSM. Ramshot Big Game is pretty fast powder for so called over bore guns. IMO consistency comes with powders that are near or at compressed loading

https://imrpowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2020-burn-rate-chart.pdf

Yes I have heard people do that I might start cleaning a little less. I was able to pick up 8lbs of h4350 from brownells a month or two ago haven't started using it I have been trying to find multiple powders that will work sense you never know when your gonna be able to find the one that shoots the best in your rifle. I also have 4 different calibers I'm reloading for for target shooting and am trying to get a powder I might be able to use for all? I'm currently loading 30-06 custom build which is shot the best for me. My 6mm creedmoor and 6.5 creedmoor and I'm waiting on a barrel for a .270 I have sitting in the safe and I'm gonna build that into 6.5-06 a square.

You'd be miles ahead already just sticking to one powder at a time and working up your loads with it. H4350 is an excellent powder for medium sized cases.

I'd try multiple bullets before powder jumping.

 

[WildRose]

I use a Caldwell rock shooting rest in the front always on the stock not the barrel lol. And a rear bag. I find my self using around a 16x magnification on both scopes one is a vortex diamond back tactical one is a vortex viper HST I have adjusted my comb hight for what I feel like is a good cheek weld. By all means I'm not the best shooter by any means one of the reasons I got into reloading and have been trying to shoot more frequently because I want to become a better shooter. And develop my reloading skills. But I have definitely many times have shot better groups then I did the last time I shot both the 6.5 and 6mm. And have shot better groups out of both rifles. But yes it partly could be me. But my point of the post was more about ES and SD but from what Iv collected from mean people I need to start reading my targets more and worrying less about the numbers right now tell I get something my rifle likes.

You won't become a better shooting using such rests because they don't even allow you to learn and hone basic rifleman skills.

Without those skills what are you going to do on a hunt where you have no such rest?

 

[WildRose]

Yeah Iv come to the conclusion I'm gonna try and shoot some groups at different powder charges and worry about ES and SD later.

If you're shooting good groups your ES an SD will have already been pretty well solved.

Big swings in ES and SD make it impossible to shoot good groups because of differing velocities and changes in barrel harmonics.

Get to shooting Sub MO and then worry about the Chrono for programming range finders and developing range charts.