Which brass?

[Cell4soul]

I am going to start reloading for my 6.5 Creedmoor. This will be the first time reloading anything for me. I am going to be using RL17, CCI BR2 Primers and 129 grain Nosler ABLR bullets. I have the following brass to use:

 

50 pcs new, un-fired Norma

60 pcs once fired Hornady

100 pcs once fired Winchester

 

Which brass do you all recommend?

 

 

I plan to start at 41 grains and work up. I would like to see velocities near or above 2900 FPS and still maintain accuracy.

[KeithV]

we use the hornady for both of ours the norma and winchester stuff wasnt out there yet though, winchester has always worked well for us on other calibers,and i cant complain about the hornady at all

[azhuntnut]

The Norma brass is the best of the bunch. I use the Nosler, which is made by Norma. But the Norma actually is just a tad thicker for some reason. I loaded 120 tsx bullets using 41.0 grains of rl17 and cci200. It was crazy accurate. I can't find my chonograph data for that load. Your gun might shoot different though since my coal is 2.985 and a 20 inch barrel. My son's Ruger American likes the 127lrx with 42.6 grains of H4350 and Hornady brass. David

[Cell4soul]

I went with the Norma brass and loaded up a batch of 50 for some ladder testing. This was my first time reloading, so I took my time with it. I bought another 100 pieces of Norma un-fired brass. I am using RL-17, CCI BR2 primers and 129 gr Nosler ABLR. I loaded the first batch at 2.793 COAL. Gonna head up to Payson tomorrow morning to see how they shoot.

[border hunter]

If you aren't heading to the range I would rethink that. Fire restrictions are for all target shooting also. I would hate for you have to go see a judge for breaking the restrictions!

Stay safe and shoot straight.

[lancetkenyon]

Do you have 5 rounds of each charge weight?

 

You only need one round of each charge weight for a ladder test. Unless you are just going to shoot for groups. Or shoot 5 different ladder tests to check consistency.

 

Good choice on the brass.

Primer choice is spot on too.

RL17 is a popular one for that cartridge. Just watch the temp sensitivity, about 1fps per 1° of temp change. So if you get a hot node, realize you might get pressure when temps rise. Or lower velocity when temps drop, possibly getting out of your accuracy node. Especially with the high temps this time of year, velocities can change drastically when on a late elk or deer hunt. Losing 80° in temp can mean losing 80fps.

Bullet choice might work fine. I personally have not found a super accurate NABLR load yet, but those are the 6.5mm 142gr. flavor.

[Cell4soul]

Thanks for the info. I have loaded 5 round of each grain quantity. I am looking for accuracy, so maybe my terminology regarding "ladder test" is incorrect. This is all new to me. I wanted to go with H4350, but don't want difficulty in finding powder. I will definitely have to check my drops as it gets closer to hunting season. I am heading to the range in Payson tomorrow, so shooting restrictions won't be an issue. Hopefully it won't be too hot up there at 9:00 am. Once I find an accurate load, I will zero at 200 yards, then I will check FPS and plug it into a shooters app to get a rough idea of MOA drops. Then I plan to actually start shooting at range in 100 yard increments to verify drops.

 

This is all new to me, so all input is welcome. Once this gun is dialed in, I will start doing the same for my Remington Model Seven in .300 SAUM.

[PRDATR]

So how did it go?

[Cell4soul]

Here are some pics of the groups. I think that 43 grains looks promising. These are all 5 shot groups. I think that some of these flyers are operator error and not the load itself. I could tell immediately on several of the shots that I had jerked or I was off when I pulled the trigger. The group at 40.9 and 42.7 both have 2 bullets in the same hole, so they look like 4 shot groups. The 43 grain group measures my 5 shot group at .65" from center hole to center hole. I am tempted to go with this load as it is accurate and will be at the higher end of velocity.

 

I am thinking of loading up some more rounds in .2 increments instead of .3 and work up to max load at around 43.6 grains. I think this will help verify my 43 grain load. Once I find the load I want to shoot, I will play with seating depths. What gauges are you all using to set seating depth?

 

All advise, suggestions and expertise are welcome. As I previously stated, this is all new to me and I want to do it right. Here are the pics:

[Cell4soul]

I am going to mess with seating depths using the 43 grain load. Book COAL for the 6.5 Creedmoor is 2.825. I sized some brass, cut a slit down the neck, lightly seated a bullet by hand, the chambered the round and closed the bolt slowly. I came up with a COAL of 2.877 on 3 separate tests with 3 separate bullets and cases. I put 3 rounds into the magazine and they fed fine at 2.877.

 

For you that reload, where woul you start for a COAL? In what increments would you run your seating depths, .010?

[DesertBull]

I don't know about the bullet you are using, but with my Amax and SST I have found they like to be real close to the lands but not touching. Maybe start seating it at .280 and work back in .02 increments?

 

I would recommend recording your base to Ogive measurement and using that as your reference rather than base to tip but it's just my preference.

[Cell4soul]

I don't know about the bullet you are using, but with my Amax and SST I have found they like to be real close to the lands but not touching.

Do you find that being really close to the lands gives you significant pressure increases?

[DesertBull]

 

I don't know about the bullet you are using, but with my Amax and SST I have found they like to be real close to the lands but not touching.

Do you find that being really close to the lands gives you significant pressure increases?

 

 

 

No, but I do all my load work ups with the bullets out as far as I can get them to begin with. I dont pay much attention to whether or not they will fit in the magazine. If they do, fine, if they don't so be it. They usually will fit anyway.

[lancetkenyon]

I always start jammed in the lands. You will never have more pressure than when touching the lands. So seating deeper will decrease the pressure. I then seat deeper by .0400". One of my rifles like a bullet jammed hard, some like a .0200 to .0600" jump, and a couple like a big jump, like up to .160". Just have to find the sweet spot with you barrel/bullet combo.

[Cell4soul]

I always start jammed in the lands. You will never have more pressure than when touching the lands. So seating deeper will decrease the pressure. I then seat deeper by .0400". One of my rifles like a bullet jammed hard, some like a .0200 to .0600" jump, and a couple like a big jump, like up to .160". Just have to find the sweet spot with you barrel/bullet combo.

I appreciate the info. I think I am going to load up 40 rounds and start at .025 off the lands and jump in .02 increments. I will load 10 rounds of each and shoot 5 shot groups 2 times with each. Once I find out which of these shoots best I will work it up and down from there in .005 increments.