I have a Model 11 LWH that I'm reloading for. I have to load appx 1.5 Gr under max or else the group opens up considerably. I've used Re17, IMR 4350, Superformance, and IMR 4895 all with the same results. I'm shooting 140 Gr bullets of different makes. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Have the same rifle. 40.5 H4350 with 140 Hornady Amax. Hornady brass, Fed 210 Primer, OAL=2.80" Shot the rifle for the first time today. Two back-to-back three shot groups with this load averaged .50". This seems to be an accurate load in most all 6.5 Creemoors. I would stick with the 140 Amax and H4350 at first.
wbm
I put your make-up into QuickLoad just for grins. It aimed more towards 41.5grs for accuracy. I imagine you've taken the load to that level, how does that work in the real world? Thanks
On the factory ammunition box Hornady listed their load with the 140g Amax as 41.5 H4350. I fired that load in another 6.5 Creedmoor I built and it was very accurate but they were hot. However, Hornady now lists 40.9 H4350 as the max load with that bullet. I loaded 40.5 and it shot so well I stopped there. I shot five of the 120g Amax factory stuff and got a real surprise. Shot half-inch three shot groups but the load was so hot that the primer pockets expanded and the brass was not useable for reloading. On that box they list 39g Varget as the load....however when I dumped a few of the factory rounds I found that the powder was 40.7gr which is 1.5gr over Hornady's current max load of 39.2gr for the 120 Amax.
I decided today to make a switch barrel out of this rifle and sell or trade the 20" barrel and go with a 22" barrel in .243 and .223 matte finish from an Axis if I can find one.
Last edited by wbm; 02-17-2013 at 10:56 PM.
Thanks for the info so far. I've been trying bonded bullets only... Interbond, Accubond, and Core Lokt Ultra's. I use the gun to seat a bullet into a split necked case, measure the length, and shorten it up .020". I'm not one for pushing the limits of a caliber, I tend to stick with the max listed in my manual. H4350 isn't available currently, but I would guess Imr4350 should be a near substitute. In a 20" barrel, is there a problem with unburned powder exiting the barrel, and could that cause accuracy problems?
Last edited by idahoguy; 02-17-2013 at 11:30 PM.
1. This thread needs to be moved to the correct forum. OP, next time check which forum you are in before you start a new thread (Not a slam, just a suggestion to help you get better answers).
2. Are you simply starting with the max load? From what you say, it is unclear whether or not you are working up to it.
3. Unburned powder exiting the barrel is a waste. Perhaps you need a faster burning powder (although that will increase pressure) or perhaps less powder. However, it doesn't actually hurt anything and I doubt it affects accuracy, but you will have to try different loads in your firearm to make that determination.
I may well have posted in the wrong spot, this is my first post. I usually start out with two loads, one a grain and a half under max, and one a half under. With Superformance at 43.5 Gr, I got a 1" group. With 44.5Gr, it opened up to 3-1/2". I'm not a velocity freak, get a bigger gun, just trying to understand what the reason is. Ultimately, I'll hunt with the most accurate load regardless.
Some folks have had luck starting about 10% below max and then increasing in 1% steps (approx) to max. Often they will find two accuracy nodes, one near or at max and one rather lower.
I agree with the above. I usually start at the min and work towards max .3 gr at a time just 3 shots per load. allow proper barrel cool time and make sure you run a few fouler shots before testing. you'll find your accuracy nodes this way.
as for loads being to hot and killing primer pockets i'd look at things like neck tension being too tight, possibly you have a tight chamber. one last thing is to chamber a loaded round and see if it extracts smootly. could be that you jamming the bullet into the lands. just a few things off the top of my head
For what it's worth.
In a review of the Model 11 6.5 Creedmoor the question of the 20" barrel and velocity loss came up. Here are the results of the test."
The 120 grain A-Max ammunition clocked 2725 feet-per-second from the Savage’s short barrel, and the 140 grain A-Max ammo registered an average of 2624 feet per second (fps). This is a loss of only 117 fps for the 120 grain bullet and only 95 fps loss for the 140 grain load, compared to the previously-tested heavy twenty-eight inch barrel. That is not a bad loss at all for eight inches of barrel, and is just barely over 13 fps per inch."
In an American Hunter review, the writer found that the Hornady factory 140gr Amax load averaged 2725fps. This writer also suggested 43gr of Winchester 760 or Hodgdon H100V as ideal for reloading with 140gr bullets.
Apparently the Creedmoor is a very efficient caliber.
Members who have read this thread in the last 1 days: 0
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks