6.5 Creedmoor

TXCOONDOG

TXCOONDOG

Well-known member
I have a 6.5 creedmoor coming and will reload for it.

Do you prefer brass with the small or large primer pockets ?

Any use the starline brass, if so, how is it holding up?

Which powders have you found to give the best velocities with accuracy ?
 
I prefer hornady over starline in spades.

So far, all I have used is large primer, accuracy is fantastic.

H 4350 seems to be the popular powder, but in Tx, you can get away with IMR 4350 if you have any on hand, AA4350 seems to be more accurate than either of the other 4350's in two rifles of mine.

If you can find any, R#26 with a Fed 215 primer will put you in 6.5/284 ballistics(2900+) area with a 143 eldx depending on how long your barrel is, and will not open up your primer pockets.

Here is an issue you will have to deal with. While a fabulous design, the 6.5 creed with a VLD bullet is at or beyond mag length with some bullets when the gun is brand new with the bullet seated to touch the lands. For this reason, you may find your rifle more accurate for mag use, with a NON vld bullet just because you can seat the bullet to be at or very near the lands. If you find yourself in this situation, then a few bullets will serve you very well when it comes to accuracy, 120g Sierra, 140g Sierra BTSP, 129g Hornady SP, 140g Hornady BTSP.

The 140g Sierra btsp seems to be very easy to get to shoot with AA4350, play with primers as it is night and day difference in this case. Also, the 127g barnes tipped tripple shock was easy to tune in a load for in 5 different rifles chambered for 6.5 Creed, 6.5x47, and 6.5/06 jumping the bullet .050.

If it were not for R#26 liking mag LR primers, I would go small rifle primers all the way, but R#26 with 215's is another ball game, speed and accuracy without blowing the pockets.

Over all, the two creeds that I have seem to shine with 129-130g bullets. The 123g Sierra is unbelievably accurate, also for targets. The 129g NOsler long range accubond is very, very accurate, and likes to be seated up against the lands. For your short range hogs, the 129g Hornady interloc flat base is a whale of a good killing bullet. AA4350 works on all of the bullets mentioned above.

If you want to go whole hog:

https://www.petersoncartridge.com/match-grade-brass/brass-rifle-casings/

or lapua,

especially if your barrel likes top end pressures which most do. I shoot Hornady almost exclusively in the 6.5 creed at the 2750 fps node with 143's and ~~~2900 with the 129-130g bullets. Where you need the Lapua or Peterson brass is for the next highest velocity node.
 
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Large primer.

I've only ever shot 143 eldx with H4350 or H4831sc in mine.

Theres some videos on Johnnys reloading bench on youtube about hangfires in small primer 6.5 cases with ball powders in cold temps.
 
Thanks all, very helpful.

The rifle is a Bergara HMR Pro with a 24” barrel (looking at buying a LW rifle too, but haven’t decided). The only powder that I have on hand is Varget and I also have Federal 210M (large) and BR4 (small).

I’ll look around at the others items mentioned locally, but I may have to buy online.
 
Lucky for you Brownells has free Hazmat today.

They normally have this special for 1 day per month. Seems it usually falls between the 22nd - 26th of every month.

They do Fedex though and need a signature.
 
Ordered some Peterson large primer brass, 129 SST, 143 ELD-X and Hornady Match Grade dies. I also found some H4350 locally to try.

This will get me going.....Again Thanks All.
 
Generally, I would prefer small primer over large primer, if all else were equal, but I will agree, I prefer Hornady over Starline, and would choose large primed Hornady over small primed Starline every time.

I took a set of 300 Hornady 6 Creed LRP brass to 6 firings last season without annealing, because of a busy work schedule, my neck tension undeniably changed over that time as the brass hardened, but I did not lose a single piece to splits or case head expansion, and my ES and SD for the 6th firing were no larger than any other firing. The velocity dropped off a lot, of course, as my throat moved a mile, but the consistency of the brass remained.
 
I have used both in my 6.5 CM Aero M5. I prefer the small primered Starline because the primer pockets don't seem to stretch as much as the Hornady and the weight of the cases is more uniform. When I turned the case necks, the Starline cases were much more uniform than the Hornadys. The only issue is that the capacity of the Starline cases are less and therefore the powder weight has to be adjusted down. Lots of retrial and error.
 
Ive used both large and small. I prefer Lapua brass whenever possible and its small. Using H4350 and no problems in cold temps having shot them at 7 degrees. Easy cartridge to reload for as I have been shooting it before it was cool. 2010. Good luck
 
After trying various loads, seating depths, and most of all consistent repeatable loads, etc, I’ve settle on this hunting load.
Note: The groups varied between .230” -.500” (two weeks of testing on different days) which I’m a 1/2 MOA shooter on average from 100-600yds.

Rifle: Bergara HMR Premier Pro with 24” 1:8 twist barrel
Scope: SWFA FFP 5-20x50 HD MIL Quad
Date: 6/23/2019
Weather: 85 degree , 12 MPH wind
Powder: H4350 at 40 Grains
Primer: FED 210
Brass: Peterson 2x Fired
Bullet: 143 ELD-X
COL: 2.800”
Velocity: 2701 FPS
Avg (repeatable) 5 shot Group at 100: .394”

2599.jpg


Try copying and pasting images links from PM photo hosting gallery with no luck. Maybe someone can help.

Thanks BA!
 
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Looks like you found a good load. If you want to play I would give the Sierra game changers a try with rl16 I had them up to 2900 best accuracy was at about 2875 or so.
 
I’m definitely looking to play as I plan on taking some classes and start shooting out to 1,000 yards

The Game Changer and Laupa Scenar bullets are some of the bullets I planned to try along with R16 and R26 powders
 
Looking to play with the 95 grain V-Max, but not sure how it will group with 1:8 twist.

Anyone shoot this out of your creedmoor ? If so, how does it group ?


Editt: Found a decent deal on Gun Pro Deals for the 95 gr V-Max so I’ll post up any good loads. I’ll start with varget and 210 primers.

 
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Don't rule out trying some R23 either. Just a little slower than 4350 s , maybe around 4831 s , but it's temperature stable and gives good velocity too. Not quite with R26 but you re shooting 2-4 grs less. Nice thing is it's not so compressed as R26.
 
After trying various loads, seating depths, and most of all consistent repeatable loads, etc, I’ve settle on this predator load.

Rifle: Bergara HMR Premier Pro with 24” 1:8 twist barrel
Ti Suppressor: Texas Silencer Company
Scope: SWFA FFP 5-20x50 HD MIL Quad
Powder: Varget at 40.5 Grains
Primer: FED 210
Brass: Hornady
Bullet: 95 grain V-Max
COL: 2.710”
Velocity: 3106 FPS Suppressed
Avg (repeatable) 5 shot Group at 100: .446”
Note: The groups varied between .324 -.500” (two months of testing on different days) which I’m a 1/2 MOA shooter on average from 100-600yds.


2844.jpg

 
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