Powders For 6.5 Creedmoor

[mountaincarver]

I'm new to the 6.5 Creedmoor and have been working with H4350 and the 143 Grain ELD-x. First ill say, wow, what a nice cartridge. I'm used to shooting the big magnums so I'm not as in tune to the powder types for the Creedmoor. I chose H4350 simply because I have read many things pointing to it (and it has produced some nice groups). Anyone have experience with other powder choices? Looking at load data, I have to wonder how superformance or H4831 does.

 

[Blacktail63]

RL 17 is your Huckleberry. RL26 well did well with the heavies.

 

[Waynzee]

2nd that with R17. 1/4 inch groups at 100 yards in my Browning Xbolt 6.5 CM. Hornady brass, CCI 200 L.R. primers & Hornady 123 gr. SST bullet. Also the R15 powder works well in my Savage Model 11 Predator Hunter 6.5 CM, same components except R15 powder.

 

[Darkker]

Superformance is brilliant!!

The thing with Superformance, is that it has a VERY progressive burning curve. So normally powders will peak to max, then drop quickly.
Superformance will do the same rise, but then plateau before dropping.

This gives you much more push for pressure obtained.
Here is the difference:
4350

Superformance

The fun part is the curve. If you run in the 50,000psi range, you will only give-up about 50fps with superformance. The higher pressure you run, the more "standard" the curve becomes.
I'm now into my 13th pound of Super in my Creed.

 

[StabHappy]

Don't know it you ever plan to run light bullets for little critters but I have been having good luck with Ramshots Big Game ball powder. I worked up a load for speers 90 grain tnt hollow points so I wanted a dense powder that would give me at least 80% fill on the capacity. The speer manual I have does nothing for 6.5 cm so I had to trial and error the seat depth but it paid off. Well under an inch at 100 and I have made good splatter kills on gophers out to 320. When I run out of the 90 grain tnts big game should transition well for 95 grain v-maxs.

 

[mountaincarver]

thank you gentlemen for the info. Hey Darkker, Nice Post! How was the info obtained? Cant wait to try it.

 

[Darkker]

With a Pressure Trace II system, from RSI.
It's a strain guage system that you can use on individual guns, to measure what is actually happening.

 

[catch 22]

RL-17 here too, one ragged hole @ 100yards.

 

[venatic]

Hmmm... Wonder why Hornady loads their Creedmoor Match ammo with H4350 instead of collecting that royalty check from their proprietary Superformance powder?

 

[Darkker]

Mostly because they don't. The load printed on the box is to duplicate velocity numbers only.
The only major factory that loads canister grade powder, is Nosler.

Also they don't have any proprietary powder. The powders in their Superformance aren't what you buy in the bottle. They come from General Dynamics, where Dave Emary used to build powder.

 

[Rick Richard]

Another vote for RL17 and Berger 140 grain.

 

[mountaincarver]

My current h4350 load with the 143s is shooting an average of 2780 fps. Very stable here according to the chrony. In order to achieve this, I am loading about a grain and a half over listed max. this speed is not as fast as when I put the hornady factory match grade 140 grain ammo through the chrony. I didn't write the value down, but I remember it reading somewhere close to 2840 fps. Darkker, I'm reading what your saying. Way cool on the measurement system by the way! So for you gentlemen shooting the RL17, comparable speeds?

 

[catch 22]

When working up loads in a stainless M77 Predator w/24" bbl. RL-17 was the most accurate @ .400" 5 shot group, 2895-2907fps at 90° with a 120gr Nosler BT. W760 velocity 2916-2919fps (the closest spread I have ever seen) and .650" 5 shot group with Hornady 123gr SST again at 90°. I am going to try W760 with other bullets because I think it can do better. Haven't tried H4350 (my favorite powder) in it yet because these 2 are going to be hard to beat (and I have alot of both).

 

[Darkker]

Yes. Unless you go over book Pressure, you'll never get more velocity.