Thread: developing new load for the roar

am almost out of my go to 6.5 cm projectiles (120 gr Nos BT) and need to get a new load sorted to go hunting this weekend. Have got some Nos 129 ABLR which i have heard good things about regarding terminal performance. my initial ladder had most shots touching which was pleasing but the speeds seamed underwhelming. my rifle is kimber mountain assent with 22 " barrel i think. was using the newish 6.5staball powder and hit pressure at 2767 fps with 43 gr, book max is 2889 from 44.3 gr with 24" tube. Other powders i have are Reloader 16 and superformance. Any thoughts and opinions welcome. Thanks

Their also a notoriously hard pill to crack once you crack it their Great they seem to like lots of jump kimbers are also notorious for reaching pressure early however normally make book velocity befor book max so doesn’t normally handicap them reloaded 16 could be a goer SF is temperamental and I’d not bother

In saying that I did do a SF load looking at my notes it was 44.5 for 2730fps with 129 Hornady interlocks their was another node at 47.5 but uncronied and 44.5 was more accurate. I dropped the above for 147 eldm at 2759 for 47gns of rl26

was hoping for 2800 but that might be wishful thinking with 22" tube and fat peterson brass probably doesnt help. there seamed to be a bit of a node at 2675 fps which when put into phone gives me more oomph than i have had with the 120 BTs out at 4-500 yrds so might be a goer, just a bit closer to pressure than i like to be. tempted to load up a few with R16 to see what that gives me.

You are wringing your hands over 33 fps? Just go hunting.

Originally Posted by Jamo

was hoping for 2800 but that might be wishful thinking with 22" tube and fat peterson brass probably doesnt help. there seamed to be a bit of a node at 2675 fps which when put into phone gives me more oomph than i have had with the 120 BTs out at 4-500 yrds so might be a goer, just a bit closer to pressure than i like to be. tempted to load up a few with R16 to see what that gives me.

If you have an accurate load already just use it. You have near enough factory load velocity combined with a premium bullet. A 110 gr standard AB in 25 call going 3000 fps will fully penetrate a stag at 250 mtrs so your heavier but slightly slow pill will do the same I am sure

Yup, at this late stage, load up what ever pills you have at 1-2 gr under book max listed for the powder you have and do a quick test and zero and go hunting, fine tune it all when you have more time.

Greetings,
When digging around in the load data for the 6.5 x 55 and 129 grain projectiles I got the impression that the Nosler LRAB was harder than the plain AB or the 129 grain SST I was using and ran pressures up faster. The Hodgdon data is for the plain AB and I suspect you are at or over pressure with 43 grains, especially with fat cases.
Regards Grandpamac.

Rl16 will be your friend in the creedmoor. But all the same, id just run whatever you get out of it. Hitting pressure warly could be a result of multiple factors, brass volume, bore dimensions, tight chamber, carbon build up, neck tension. So many things, just find an accurate load and run it. The ablr is a pretty forgiving pill in regards to terminal performance imo so dont stress getting more speed from it

I use Hodgdon superprofrmance in a number of 6.5 which includes the Creedmoor but only with 143 and 142 weight pills we are getting late 2700 to early 2800 in the Creedmoor with 20" barrel's.

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If your hunting the Kiamias or The Urewera then it wont be 400 yard shooting.
As Micky Duck says get middle of the road an do as Tahr says get out there. Sort your hot load for nxt time

so last night i loaded up a ladder using R16 and first problem i came across was compressed loads almost straight away. shot them off this evening and found first signs of pressure at 2833 with 42.3 grs. there were slight flat nodes at about a gr below pressure signs with both 6.5 staball and R16 with a 100 fps advantage with R16 but with 6.5Staball showing better signs of accuracy.

Originally Posted by Jamo

so last night i loaded up a ladder using R16 and first problem i came across was compressed loads almost straight away. shot them off this evening and found first signs of pressure at 2833 with 42.3 grs. there were slight flat nodes at about a gr below pressure signs with both 6.5 staball and R16 with a 100 fps advantage with R16 but with 6.5Staball showing better signs of accuracy.

RE26 is the ticket mate, it takes up less room for the same weight. I run 48gr of Re26 in creedmoor with 143s, seated to fit a short rem model 7 mag (2.813") and theres no compression, 100% full thou. Really good velocity (2900+ from a 24" barrel) and shoots under .5moa so far without fine tuning

Originally Posted by GWH

RE26 is the ticket mate, it takes up less room for the same weight. I run 48gr of Re26 in creedmoor with 143s, seated to fit a short rem model 7 mag (2.813") and theres no compression, 100% full thou. Really good velocity (2900+ from a 24" barrel) and shoots under .5moa so far without fine tuning

Yip same load and weight as me in my Creedmoor put them through the Chrono tonight 2816 fps for a 20" seated at mag length in a Sako

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i have heard of this magical/mythical R26 but am yet to actually sight any of it with my own eyes, I'm probably more likely to stumble upon a unicorn while out hunting this weekend but only if i actually settle on a load and make some bullets to get out there with. am leaning towards the 6.5 staball at a nice steady as she goes 2670 fps, the initial accuracy of this powder for me was impressive. will let you know how i get on.