6.5 Creedmoor reloading for hunting advice please.

Have a new Tikka T3X (laminate) in 6.5 Creedmoor with a Burris signature 3-15 installed. after a 6 shot barrel break in process its putting holes in holes at 100m with Nolsler 140 grn factory ammo (it showed pressure signs with the 120 grn??) so very happy with its performance so far. Question is, If I was to start building a hot hunting load what powder would I want if the opportunity presented itself? I am slowly paying off a Greystone 3k baffle suppressor so I am in no rush. I have a lee reloading kit, no dies yet, a pound of 6.5 staball, a pound of H 4350. Zero projectiles, though I think I know what to jump on, at least 400 primers (thank F##k). biggest thing I plan on shooting with said rifle would be a red doe with maybe a 300m cap.

Don't worry about load development until you have your surpressor, otherwise you will need to start all over again.
I use Hodgdon superproformance or RL 26 in my Creedmoor and Hornady 143 eldx don't go looking for hot loads you just want a good accurate load with good speed.
What length barrel are you going to cut it to

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get what you can get...THEN go from there...otherwise you will chase your tail...and if your still only talking sub 300 yards it really wont matter much what the hell you use.... pretty much any projectile between 120-150 grns will be ideal..... cup n core no need for fancy plastic tip..but get what you can get...KEEP ONE of those factory loads aside...use it to set up seating depth...yes others will tell you you NEED fancy pants measuring device,three pairs of toads legs and a twitch of elderberry crossed with hemlock in order to get it to shoot... but if your projectile is SIMILAR to what you have that works...if you set up seating die using your round...the new projectiles will be SIMILAR jump to rifling....

sub 300 yards he wont need load development...... and adding suppressor simply dropped my poi by between 1-2 inches on 4 different rifles...did nothing else to group except maybe tighten them as I reacted less.

I intend on keeping as much barrel length as I can, so 21.5-22 inches (barrel is 22 inches I think) Yes sorry, I meant to say a fast accurate load.. probably 140 grain partitions or 143 ELD-X

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Originally Posted by Mroach

I intend on keeping as much barrel length as I can, so 21.5-22 inches (barrel is 22 inches I think) Yes sorry, I meant to say a fast accurate load.. probably 140 grain partitions or 143 ELD-X

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The ELDX in the 6.5 works well my 20" is pushing it at 2800fps.


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is it not already threaded???? if so LEAVE IT ALONE...... your experience with last rifle should have taught you...if its not broken dont fcuk with it....

Thanks Micky, you just confirmed what I was pondering over COAL. havent measured the 120 grn Noslers as of yet though they appear from the naked eye to be the same length. Why would I get pressure signs from factory ammo? surely they aint that hot

every rifle is different.....every cartridge is different.... they may well be hot...but not outside saaami spec... your particular rifle may just consider them very warm. its not the 120grn bit that will be issue...it will be amount of bogie powder or the case themselves are slightly different and react differently in your chamber....
EG in two different .308s a BLR and a zastava mauser bolt action both rifles the winchester 150grn power points were a warm load with sharp recoil and in both the 180grn of same was mild as heck...now in THEORY it should be other way around but its not....more than likely the amount of bogie powder is the difference

Its not an option unfortunately, if I lose any more hearing in my right ear the diving career is over. but I am sending it to Glen Maisey to do threading and I believe the greystone suppressors are good. apart from cleaning it, my amatuer gun tinkering days are over..

Roger that

I think that sort of performance is all I would need.

@Mroach - what were the 'pressure signs' that
you're referring to? Did they have heavy bolt lift? Or was it that the primers are VERY flat in appearance?

If your rifle shoots the 140 Ballistic Tip really well then you already have your answer. A couple of days ago Reloaders had those projectiles available for a good price - much cheaper than current retail on the 143ELD-X! If you have 6.5 Staball and H4350 you can definitely create a 300m hunting load with ease. It will go plenty fast if you leave your barrel at 22" long. Load up a bunch and go shooting!

Heavy bolt lift, dents in the bottom of the case. primer looked ok? I fired 2 shots between cleaning.3 Round felt hard to chamber, I had greased the bolt lugs previously so switched to 140 grn to see if I could feel a difference. There was one so I ditched the 120's and continued with the 140's.. Thanksfor the heads up..Ammo is not cheap these days

hard t ochamber or hard to extract from chamber????

I meant are they not threaded from new???

how do you get that much velocity with a 20inch barrel? I mean realistically most of my hunting is on 25-30kg goats and pigs well within 200m (more like 80m) however every once in a while I am presented with a mob at 300ish if I had velocity confidence I would bang away. lets say practice for for the biggest animal I would take at a similar range.

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Originally Posted by Mroach

how do you get that much velocity with a 20inch barrel?

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I cant speak for @25/08 IMP but my 20" creedmoor is doing 2820 with 143 ELDX aswell, it used to do 2920 when it was 24". I use FED215 mag primer in lapua brass & projectile is seated way out, barely fits in the mag ( 2.960 COAL ) to be able to do it.

For what your doing its really not necessary to chase that sort of speed. Even if you ran a light load of h4350 at around the 2600fps mark thats more than enough juice to take care of business well past your 300 ish goal.

I think some Tikka t3X fluted barrels are threaded new. mine is not fluted. first 2 rounds ever fired from rifle chambered fine ( those were 120's) but they were sticky apon extraction that alerted me so I switched over to 140s and ran them through the action without firing.( wasnt going to fire anymore 120s) there was a difference in force required to chamber the 140 compared to the 120. hence why I ditched the 120. No problem whatsoever with the 140s. If I had any pressure signs withs the 140 grainers I was going to stop and send to gunsmith.

So from what people are telling me the general consensus is factory ammunition is shite and that basic careful reloading/no magic pills is all I need to do?

ok, thats good news I would much rather spend time, getting my field shooting skill up to par than hunting reloading components.

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Originally Posted by Mroach

So from what people are telling me the general consensus is factory ammunition is shite and that basic careful reloading/no magic pills is all I need to do?

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Factory ammo for the 6.5 Creedmoor is definitely not Shite. I've shot a lot of deer with the Hornady superformance 129gn SST out to around 500m. I get 3 shot groups under the 1/2 moa mark. The SST performs really well on deer size game. The rifle is a Tikka carbine with factory 20" barrel, suppressed.
I'm now hand loading 143gn ELDX projectiles. Load is 41gn of ADI 2209 (4350) Magnum LR primer. Haven't Choreographed this load yet but through the 20" barrel I estimate around 2600. Groups are as good or better than the factory SST. This handload is close to maximum according to the ADI load data, but no pressure signs. I am tempted to try pushing it a little harder when I see some of the quoted velocities achieved by other members using the 143gn ELDX. However this load shots really well, so maybe not.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

sub 300 yards he wont need load development...... and adding suppressor simply dropped my poi by between 1-2 inches on 4 different rifles...did nothing else to group except maybe tighten them as I reacted less.

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Every handload needs load development you heathen

Thank you everyone, this information has been gold.. Oh and Micky duck my apologies for some of my previous postings,(different site) you have given me great advice. I am a humbled A-hole

to be honest with you, I am so new to the calibre i wouldnt know. would have thought you would need to handload to reach out that far with authority. now I know

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Originally Posted by Steelisreal

@Mroach - what were the 'pressure signs' that
you're referring to? Did they have heavy bolt lift? Or was it that the primers are VERY flat in appearance?

If your rifle shoots the 140 Ballistic Tip really well then you already have your answer. A couple of days ago Reloaders had those projectiles available for a good price - much cheaper than current retail on the 143ELD-X! If you have 6.5 Staball and H4350 you can definitely create a 300m hunting load with ease. It will go plenty fast if you leave your barrel at 22" long. Load up a bunch and go shooting!

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You will find the Nosler B tips about the same if not more expensive as they come in packets of 50 and at times are harder to get than eldx

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Originally Posted by Mroach

to be honest with you, I am so new to the calibre i wouldnt know. would have thought you would need to handload to reach out that far with authority. now I know

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I've never used factory ammo in mine but I use Laupa brass and I have now cut it to 19" and it's still shooting late 2700 with the eldx load.
I just won't use a rifle now that is not surpressed, don't be afraid to cut it to 20" you won't loose bugger all speed.
It won't be any less accurate if you cut the barrel in most cases it is more accurate.
I would try the staBall powder that you have as that's what is was designed for.
Make sure all your brass is the same brand and start from there.

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Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

You will find the Nosler B tips about the same if not more expensive as they come in packets of 50 and at times are harder to get than eldx

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Yes, historically they have been more expensive than the Eld-X (the 120 B-Tip is currently $69/50 or $138/100) but Reloaders currently have 140 B-Tips at $49/50 or $98/100. Good buying if it suits your needs, in-stock at Reloaders and cheaper than the $119 to $125 per 100 I've seen the Eld-X advertised at:

https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Rel...0gr+26140.html

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Originally Posted by Steelisreal

Yes, historically they have been more expensive than the Eld-X (the 120 B-Tip is currently $69/50 or $138/100) but Reloaders currently have 140 B-Tips at $49/50 or $98/100. Good buying if it suits your needs, in-stock at Reloaders and cheaper than the $119 to $125 per 100 I've seen the Eld-X advertised at:

https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Rel...0gr+26140.html

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That is a good buy the Nosler are bloody good pills.

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Originally Posted by Gibo

Every handload needs load development you heathen

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Im happy to resemble that remark...... but if he picks a middle of road load from manual...and then seats them as Ive suggested above,and they poke holes in paper in/around or under the inch mark.....well thats it job done,no need for further fluffing around,go shoot shit and be happy..and for crying out loud DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES go near a chronic graph.....
(I can see Dannyb shaking his head and looking for jandles to throw at me) seriously,if its accurate just leave it alone...for what Mike is shooting,and the range he is shooting them at,no need for anything really super flash.... hell if his .223 wasnt a dud he could use that without any problems.

ballistic tips are great......and if it was me......dual load,cheapest cup n core lead tipped for your 50-150 yard goats and 2nd load with ballistic tips for out long of if you feeling flash.... develop a tight shooting warm load with BTs and run with whatever shoots OK with the other....
you use hell of a lot less components up and still be killing game with ease.
and no need to apologize...Im just a cranky old fart....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

ballistic tips are great......and if it was me......dual load,cheapest cup n core lead tipped for your 50-150 yard goats and 2nd load with ballistic tips for out long of if you feeling flash.... develop a tight shooting warm load with BTs and run with whatever shoots OK with the other....
you use hell of a lot less components up and still be killing game with ease.
and no need to apologize...Im just a cranky old fart....

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Agree with you on the dual load issue BUT. I say use a premium bullet which will hold together at higher velocities for the the short range stuff, something like a Nosler partition and then use a softer bullet for longer ranges, a bullet that will deform at lower velocities and make a decent wound channel. Something like a Hornady ELDM or a Sieera TMK.

I see this mistake all the time, last time somebody mentioned heavy for caliber in 308 with 165 gr projectiles.
A 165 gr in 30 cal has a sd of .248
A 125 in 6.5 has a sd of 248
A 125 gr partition in the .264 cal will kill the hell out of anything that walks on four legs in nz.
Be interesting what speed one can screw out of the crudmoor.
Rant over.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Im happy to resemble that remark...... but if he picks a middle of road load from manual...and then seats them as Ive suggested above,and they poke holes in paper in/around or under the inch mark.....well thats it job done,no need for further fluffing around,go shoot shit and be happy..and for crying out loud DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES go near a chronic graph.....
(I can see Dannyb shaking his head and looking for jandles to throw at me) seriously,if its accurate just leave it alone...for what Mike is shooting,and the range he is shooting them at,no need for anything really super flash.... hell if his .223 wasnt a dud he could use that without any problems.

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That's still development

I've had good results out of the 143 eld x and 129 spire points in factory ammo. So much so that I don't bother reloading anymore. When Mucking around with handloads I got good velocity out of rl 16


The eldxs do a great job at lower velocities and will be a hammer at the ranges you are talking.