Reloading 6.5 CM

deaddownrange

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middle of montana
I have had very good luck with my 6.5 CM using Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELDX facory ammo on everything from Antelope to Elk,Long range and short range. When I find something that works I stick with it. That said ammo is getting scarce so how would I replicate it exactly reloading it myself?
 
Hornady brass purchased from same lot. Get 250pcs or so. Trim all to same length. Set all aside that don't fall into a 2gr spread, save them for foulers or whatever. Rl26 will perform exceptionally with the 143eldx. I had them over 2900 fps from a 20" Tikka which are known to be slow. There was no bolt lift or ejector. I loaded to 50.2 grains.
 
The original Hornady load was H4350 and a fed gold medal match primer. 42 grains with the eldx is lights out for me. I believe the original load was 41.5 with the 140 amax.
 
I believe the original load was 41.5 with the 140 Amax.
Yep it was. Think that was a first.

6-5-Creedmoor-1.jpg
 
As the story goes Dennis Demille requested Hornady use a commonly available powder and put the load on the box.
 
I've never used H4350 or a chronograph but I have had great accuracy success with H4831SC and Federal 210M. As in 5 shots in a nickel at 100, every group, out of a savage with unturned brass. I've only been refilling fired Hornady factory ammo so my brass life isn't great but it's a fun place to start if that's what you have. I'm on my fourth firing with the ones I haven't loosened primers on yet. Just make sure to get a consistent trim length and clean out the flash hole in the case. Half my once fired cases were already way over length after resizing. Flash deburring brought a huge reduction in fliers, every fourth case had a brass snowstorm come out of it.

I also tried RL17 and IMR4451. 17 was only accurate and clean with slightly over-max loads under 100 grain sierras. Other than that one combo it was dirty and plateaued at over 1moa. 4451 was nice to work with, it's often on the shelf when hodgdon isn't, and I like the smell of the smoke the best. I didn't get quite all the way to the accuracy I wanted with the ELD series, but that's not the powder's fault. I was just starting reloading and by the time I finished the can I felt like starting fresh with what I'd learned. I got well under a minute with sierra 142s though. For me all the accurate loads on all powders fell between 40.2 and 41.2 grains. My bolt face is weird (savage thing I think) so if I go up a node I loosen primers immediately, but work up slow and I bet you'll be in that neighborhood or a little higher.

Side note: I found Sig ammo to be far more accurate out of the box, and the brass is more consistent in every way but I couldn't get it accurate handloading it. I can't speak to other brass brands yet.

Also, not sure if you're new to reloading like I was but you can have fun and get better than hunting accuracy without dropping 500+ on gear. I want more now that I have a taste, but I was instantly doing better than factory accuracy by trimming, a little weight sorting, and flash hole deburring. I'm under 150 bucks on equipment. I don't even clean the brass or turn necks yet. Spend it if you got it, you'll have more fun faster, just saying you don't have to right away.
 
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