Sierra 130 grain Tipped Game Changer TGK for 6.5mm Creedmoor

I got two boxes of 130 grain Sierra Game Changer TGK bullets on Saturday and I put together two loads with IMR4451 Enduron powder for my Savage 12 LRP.
Temperature was between 34 and 44 degrees over a two-hour period with winds calm to 2 mph.

Shot four 5-round groups with each of 2 TGK loads using Lapua brass and CCI BR-4 primers. The 8 groups averaged 0.377
Under Load Description - data lists Powder, charge, O.A.L., bullet weight, Bullet type, case trim length, primer, wf 1.361 refers to the exit time from the 26-inch barrel, brass and primer size.

# Grps	Load Description	Bullet	Weight	Velocity	Best Grp	% MOA	Average	%MOA	Median	St Dev	Grp 1	Grp 2	Grp 3	Grp 4
4	IMR 4451 39.2 2.865 130 TGK 2711 case 1.912 BR-4 wf 1.361 * Lapua SRP	Tipped Game Changer #4330	130	2711	0.239	22.8%	0.362	34.6%	0.373	0.097	0.239	0.337	0.409	0.464
4	IMR 4451 39.2 2.868 130 TGK 2711 case 1.912 BR-4 wf 1.361 * Lapua SRP	Tipped Game Changer #4330	130	2710	0.258	24.6%	0.392	37.4%	0.423	0.092	0.258	0.422	0.423	0.465

For comparison, I also shot 130 Grain Sierra Tipped Match King bullets with the IMR4451 powder and CCI BR-4 primers with Lapua brass. The 8 groups averaged 0.376

# Grps	Load Description	Bullet	Weight	Velocity	Best Grp	% MOA	Average	%MOA	Median	St Dev	Grp 1	Grp 2	Grp 3	Grp 4
4	IMR 4451 39.0 2.866 130 TMK 2702 case 1.910 CCIBR-4 wf 1.361 * Lapua SRP 42/39 deg F	Tipped Match King # 7430	130	2701	0.229	21.9%	0.357	34.1%	0.388	0.087	0.229	0.382	0.394	0.423
4	IMR 4451 39.0 2.868 130 TMK 2701 case 1.909 CCIBR-4 wf 1.361 * Lapua SRP 44/44 deg F	Tipped Match King # 7430	130	2702	0.369	35.2%	0.395	37.7%	0.396	0.020	0.369	0.395	0.397	0.418

The Game Changers seem to shoot as well as the Tipped Match Kings.
Another comparison, the Hornady 143 ELD-X bullets average 0.353 with IMR4451 Enduron powder based upon 46 groups.
But this particular 12 LRP likes heavier bullets.

I, for one, would enjoy some context in your otherwise very fine reporting.

What distance were you shooting?

What altitude?

And finally what jump or jam did you find best in your 12LRP?

And if you like to elaborate, were you shooting off a benchrest and rear bag, bi-pods, off hand, and any other tips we newbies can use to help get that kind of consistency in shooting (very good indeed).

Inquiring minds may like to know.

OK, I'll provide more detail on what I use during my load testing sessions.
I always use the same arrangement for load testing to eliminate as many variables as possible.

All my powder - bullet testing is at 100 yards so I can compare results between loads and between rifles.
Or range max distance is 100 yards so I have to travel to another range if I want to shoot longer distances.

Altitude at our range is about 250 ft. above sea level.

My 12 LRP has a pretty tight chamber so the jump is between 15 and 20 thousandths even with the O.A.L.s listed here.
At the O.A.L. listed, the TMKs have a lot of bullet point in the rifling but the ogive is not touching it. I just don't want the pressure spike.

I shoot off a very stable bench using a Sinclair Gen 3 F-Class bipod with a Protektor rear bag.

I find that set up is incredibly stable and I have no problem with getting consistent set up.
A number of people at our range have adopted my configuration after being impressed by it when I let them try it.

I have taken great pains over the last few years to work on eliminating 'shooter and reloader' induced variations.
I still get an occasional 'whoops' when I let my concentration lapse or I don't correctly complete my set up routine, but the instances of the flyers or drops that I was causing have really become pretty rare.

I scan my targets and I measure all my groups using the On-Target software application.
I have shot over 44,000 rounds with a number of rifles in the last 8+ years so my data base is enormous.

The 12 LRP is about 2 years old and I have recorded just over 3,900 rounds down the barrel.
Actually, I am surprised that the 6.5mm has stood up to that much use since I had heard that that caliber was a barrel burner. You couldn't prove it by me. It is still shooting as good as it did when I first got it.

The 12 LRP has a 8-32x56mm NightForce Benchrest scope with an N2-DD target reticle mounted on Burris Signature Zee high rings to allow the large front optic will clear the bull barrel.
I use the 32X setting when load testing so I can focus on an aim point that is less than 1/10 of an inch at 100 yards.

I generally shoot in the early morning before the wind comes up. I find the large front optic is especially helpful during early winter mornings.
I am a great believer in 'aim small, hit small' and try to be sure that I have eliminated a much sighting variation as possible so I can compare load results and choose the best performing bullets.

I shoot at 1-inch dark blue diamonds with a yellow center on a 2x2 inch vertical and horizontal reticle so I can be sure I am not canting the rifle.
I print the targets are printed on a white background and have chosen the layout after years of shooting so I can easily locate every round fired.
I set my scope so the POI is inside the diamond so the aim point is not compromised.
With the 12 LRP I am not happy unless I can keep all rounds in a 20-round group inside of 0.7 inches.

I hope that satisfies your inquiring mind.
I like the opportunity to compare notes and get ideas that might help improve our shooting.

Some very useful information you've provided, and I do appreciate your taking the time to elaborate on your shooting procedures. I going to give some of them a try and see if I can improve my group sizes and become much more consistent in my shooting. So far, for me its the nut behind the bolt that is weak link in my target scores.

Good Shooting!

Two other things that might help you in eliminating some of those shooter induced variations that we all experience.

1) Because I found out that the rear sling swivels bounce on the rear bags and move the rifle during recoil (I try to keep any unnecessary movement to a minimum), I take out the rear sling swivel from my stocks when I shoot with a rear bag and I have increased consistency since I started that years ago.
Since I shoot from the bench almost all the time now, the sling swivels for my target guns are all packed away in my work table waiting for the time I need to attach a sling. Haven't had to remount them yet.

2) I have also found that I can tell if I have the butt of my rifle in the right place by watching the movement of the barrel during recoil.
If I set up correctly, the rifle returns to my POI (or a few 1/10s off) after recoil so I can see the aim point in my high power scope.
If I was not set up with the butt in the space to the inside of the shoulder socket, the rifle pushes my arm back during recoil and the rifle returns to a spot to the right of my POI, sometimes by as much as several inches if I was particularly sloppy setting up.
I have also found it difficult to find the sweet spot inside my shoulder bone on really cold days when I am wearing layers of clothing under a heavy shooting jacket.
My average group sizes increase by at least 0.1 inches on days like that.
When your best rifles are averaging under 0.363 inches at 100 yards for over 500 5-round groups, 0.1 inch increases on the coldest days don't make me very happy.

Awesome info. Thanks for the share. Consider this a "like".

Yes, definitely worth more than the price of admission. I'm going to pay particular attention to that next time out. Thanks for post that, CFJunkie!

I like how you test each load with two sets of five. Thanks for sharing your routine.

Great information. Where is the like button when you need it?

As soon as the wind stops howling I have my 1st 130 TGK loads to test. My throat is so long .050 is as close as I can get and it doesn't leave enough bullet in the case to suit me so the loads are .080 and I'm hoping to get group sizes like many using this bullet do. I'll post results when I get them.
Over 1'' groups so I'm not impressed and will load and shoot some with .050 jump.

I went to the range yesterday morning and shot up the last of the 130 TGK bullets with IMR4451 powder.
Shot 6 groups at 2711 fps at the same seating depth as in post #1 and averaged 0.382 with one bad group (probably my fault).
The other 5 groups averaged 0.358.

I also shot groups with 130 gr Tipped Match Kings for comparison also with IMR4451 powder.
Shot 8 groups at 2713 fps at the same seating depth as in post #1 and averaged 0.330 with no diverging groups.

Here is a comparison of the results with all 130 TMKs and 130 TGKs that I shot to date.

Performance Summary 130 gr Tipped Sierra 6.5mm Creedmoor Bullets
Powder ----Bullet ------------------------Avg. # grps Median St Dev
IMR4451 Tipped Match King #7430--- 0.354 --32 ---0.361- 0.049
IMR4350 Tipped Match King #7430--- 0.370 --18--- 0.357- 0.068
RL-17 ----Tipped Match King #7430--- 0.376--- 6--- 0.379- 0.049
All Powders Tipped Match King #7430- 0.361- 56--- 0.362-- 0.055

Powder ----Bullet -------------------------Avg. # grps Median St Dev

IMR4451 Tipped Game Changer #4330 0.379 --14--- 0.401-- 0.079

The TGKs are just slightly less accurate but are very still accurate for a hunting bullet.

I also noted that the POI for the TGK was consistently about 1/4 to 5/16 of an inch to the right of the TMK POI with the same POA.
I hypothesized that this might be the result of the slightly thinner jacket on the TGK interacting with the rifling slightly differently than the heavier jacket on the TMK.