Savage 111 LRH 6.5-284 Loading Questions

[Sargesniper]

Well I don't have any runout gage. I probably should get one. I checked some of the neck sized loaded rounds by rolling them across my table. Yes I know, not scientific and not accurate but I could not see any wobble whatsoever in the bullet so it can't be way off.

Not accurate but i did it for many years. Worked well enough then but i went "scientific" later on. If you don't see any wobble then you are close. I would get a gage though as it saves on back strain. Keep the bugholes going. ..... SEMPER FI! ..... LARRY

 

[ShootnMathews]

Well finally I shot some more test groups today. Been sick for a week and bad weather too. The best was at 57.5 grns Retumbo, 3.16" COL (.07" off lans), .92" @ 200 yards. I didn't allow any cool time. Just shot one after another. Last shot flew a little. Counting it out cuts it to a .36" group

I loaded another group at this same load and a group at .08" & .09" off the lans. I'll shoot all three groups tomorrow at 350 yards and see which does best. The winner will probably be my final load that I'll keep. These are all with new brass FL sized. I'm sure 2nd go round NS will be a lil tighter.

PS when working loads I usually shoot 4 shot groups and throw out the worse shot. Measuring the best 3. Try to take human error out of the equation. I will post the results tomorrow.

 

[MTGunner]

Very interesting thread. I have read 21 pages of posts regarding the 111 LRH in 6.5x284 gleaning some very good loading information. Let me start by saying I have yet to fire my Savage 111 LRH in 6.5x284 due to poor weather and lots of hunting days. I won this rifle at an egg shoot back in MA last fall. I am assuming it has been proof fired only. I have polished the bbl. with Isso to start with and plan a 50 round break in. I have noticed no one has discussed bbl. break in. Also, I moly coat ALL of my handloads to increase bbl. life. Yes, I know there is a dispairity amongst shooters in this regard. But, if Walt Berger stands by moly coated bullets, good 'nuff for me. Anyway, I have loaded 20 rounds with 107 SMK's for my initial break in. Once I have gone thru these I will load 140 VLD Bergers for the next 20, then on to 140 VLD Bergers and 140 SST for final load work up. My goal is to find a load that will be accurate and stable out to 1000 yds. Speed is not the goal, accuracy is the utmost and bbl. life, regardless of of moly coated bullets, is not an issue. I clean all my bbls. with Shooters Choice with 20% Kroil and gets the bbl. clean for me. If and when a bbl. seems difficult I employ Isso. BTW, I also shoot a Rem. 700 Mtn. rifle in a 260AI configuration. It has a pencil thin 22" bbl. that shoots bug holes out to 500 yds. This I load 130 VLD Bergers. The 130 VLd are too long for the magazine therefore it is essentially a singe shot rifle. But, the many WT, Mulie, Pronghorn and feral hog that I have taken have not complained about not being dead enuf. Next, I have an XP-100R chambered in 260AI that I load only Sierra 107 SMK,s atop 44.0 gr. of IMR4350. This is a fantasticly accurate load from a 14" Lilja bbl. It has accounted for many 'loper and WT. I guess you might say I have been bitten by the 6.5 bug. To close I look forward to this continuing post for more interesting posts by informed shooters. MTG

 

[Greyfox]

Very interesting thread. I have read 21 pages of posts regarding the 111 LRH in 6.5x284 gleaning some very good loading information. Let me start by saying I have yet to fire my Savage 111 LRH in 6.5x284 due to poor weather and lots of hunting days. I won this rifle at an egg shoot back in MA . MTG

It had to be the Woodcock Police Range egg shoot in New Bedford, I believe I was there when you won it. That's the same way I got my LRH, along with four other Savages over the years. It's been a companion to my Cooper 520 which I have owned for a while, also in 6.5x284. The Savage does have a pretty rough bore, at least compared to my Cooper, but it shoots well. Good luck with it!

 

[MTGunner]

Yes, it was at the Woodcock range Egg Shoot run by Roy B. a long time friend. I shot in the pistol class with my Anshutz .17 rimfire. It was the first Egg shoot that I had shot in some time and I lost during the sudden death. I have many friends at Woodcock range. I do miss the people. MTG

 

[BrentM]

Was out scouting today and had Ami shoot the rifle at 1050 yards. Loaded the data into shooter and played with wind calculations. I am not any good at that yet. Anyway, her first round was at 6 o'clock and about a foot low. She said she pushed the rifle a touch. Second round was dead on. I decided to shoot and hit the 9 o'clock spot about 6 inches left. Hmm she said she held 2 moa because she thought that is what I told her to do. Next shot was dead center. Nice. All four shots would have killed an elk or deer. 3 of 4 would have killed a wolf or yote. Fun.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Great job Brent. Hope I can get mine shooting that well soon. Giving me fits right now. I can't get it consistent. Two great groups then an MOA one. I want it to shoot at least 1/2 MOA consistently. Hop to get it figured out soon

 

[BrentM]

Is that 200 yards? What primers do you use? I am using 215m. I have not tried anything else.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Is that 200 yards? What primers do you use? I am using 215m. I have not tried anything else.

That's at 200 and 350 yards. I use federal match grade primers. 210M I believe. 215 is magnum, right? Do you need a magnum primer for 6.5-284??

 

[BrentM]

Well, that is a good question. The book answer is no. The Retumbo powder answer may be YES. I have not tested the theory yet. I don't actually have any 210 primers to test. It may be that the retumbo likes the 215 better as that powder is a magnum slow burn. Just a thought, I am not an expert.

 

[Nimrodmar10]

I did try the different primers with the Retumbo powder. I tried regular and magnum primers in Federal, CCI and Winchester. The results were the same for all brands. The magnum primers gave me 25-40 fps more velocity but also an increase in pressure. The down side was that the magnum primers were not as uniform as the regular primers. Standard deviation and extreme spread were both considerably higher. I've found over the years that, the weaker the primer, the more uniform it is.

 

[Wachsmann]

I have the same rifle as BrentM. I used some of the HSM VLD berger ammo and it was to hot for my rifle. Seemed odd but my bolt was tight, I seen bolt marking on my cases after extracting them and protruding primers. So I quit shooting them after about 7 loads. At 53 grains of 4831sc my bolt was tight and seen the same issue. A good load for my rifle was 51.5 grains of 4831sc but I only got 2778 fps. Was looking for a little more. I switched over to hybrid 100V at the 49grns max susgested load and got 2844 fps with ES less than 10. The gun shoot .5 inch all day long at 100yrds. Or maybe it will shoot better but I shoot .5 inch groups with it all the time. I'm shooting the 140vld's. My over all length is 3.1 inch. I would of liked to hit the 3000fps mark with the same results but I was happy with it here. I can take it to the range and hit the 600yrds steel targets consistantly. I've set the rifle up with a calibrated turret and ran it out to 850 just to see if it hit the steel. It was consistant but I was not sure how big my group was. I could just hear the bong of the target. My best at 600 has been 4 inch group with this load. Its a great rifle for completely factory gun. Every thing I read in order to get alot more volicity with the normal charges you need up somewhere of a 28 to 29 inch barrel. Not sure how true this is but for what I plan on using it for it's working fine. I almost bought the long range hunter but I wanted stainless. It seem from reading these post the 2844fps is pretty much on par with the load data. For as my load I think I'm 30 off the lands at the 3.1inch. I'll have to recheck to make sure. And to rest of everyone its great to find alot of info on the 6.5x284. I think we need some load data posted on the FAQ pages.

 

[Greyfox]

That's at 200 and 350 yards. I use federal match grade primers. 210M I believe. 215 is magnum, right? Do you need a magnum primer for 6.5-284??

No, I tested both. Accuracy and ES is a little better with 210M. I see no difference in my rifles with velocity. 57.5 gr. Retumbo/ 2970 FPS.

 

[BrentM]

Greyfox suggested his load to me and that what I use. The exception being that I am still using 215m primers. I plan to test and switch to 210 if I get better results. No doubt I will. Greyfox has been dead on.