6.5 CM loading help

[markm]

My suggestion would be to switch to Lapua small rifle primer brass- cut my group size almost in half compared to the Hornady

That's interesting. I didn't know they made "palma" in 6.5 grabass. I've struggled and struggled to get anything exciting to happen with 6.5. It almost all shoots good, but not GREAT! Same thing with the better groups having the bigger SDs/Velocity spreads.

[C-grunt]

How did you arrive at one or the other. Where they just random loads or did you develop this loads?


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These were my first 2 loads I tried. I chose them because they were both commonly found "good loads" when researching on the internet.

[C-grunt]

What's your purpose or intended goal for reloading?

I'm wanting to match the accuracy I get from the factory Hornady ammo but for cheaper and with better SD/ES. Uses is to shoot steel at range. Not trying to compete in bench rest or serious F Class competitions.

[lsllc]

These were my first 2 loads I tried. I chose them because they were both commonly found "good loads" when researching on the internet.

Most people develop a load for their gun. For the most part “good loads” you read about on the internet are bullshit. There are too many variables to decide on a load based on the internet. You may have different freebies, different lots of powder/primers/bullets, different stamp brass, etc.

You should work up the load and tune it for YOUR rifle.

I use the “Saterlee Method” and have for years, before it was even known as such. It’s one of the most efficient ways to work up a load. Once you figure our barrel harmonics, then you can tune OAL and really find a good load. I’d also recommend picking up a concentrate gauge to make sure you’re loading straight rounds. If you load bananas, you may get descent groups at 100, but that ES/SD will kill you at longer ranges.

Basically, you’re leaving too much on the table.


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[markm]

With 6.5, we tried the mini ladder work up thing, and simple gradual bumps (.3 gr) each week monitoring velocity/spreads/SDs and accuracy... and have had no Ah Ha moments.

We even tried subbing Win Primers instead of Fed GMM. Fed primers shot better, but still no great loads. Sub MOA isn't hard to get, but no hole stacking to be had. And the round's scattergun accuracy at 1300 yards is discouraging.

[lsllc]

With 6.5, we tried the mini ladder work up thing, and simple gradual bumps (.3 gr) each week monitoring velocity/spreads/SDs and accuracy... and have had no Ah Ha moments.

We even tried subbing Win Primers instead of Fed GMM. Fed primers shot better, but still no great loads. Sub MOA isn't hard to get, but no hole stacking to be had. And the round's scattergun accuracy at 1300 yards is discouraging.

Consider that it’s the rifle or the dies?

What kind of brass? What kind of runout?


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[markm]

Consider that it’s the rifle or the dies?

What kind of brass? What kind of runout?

Haven't checked runout since we're using LE Wilson seaters, but I can check it just to eliminate. ADG brass and some S&B brass. Could be a barrel (Bergara Chasis gun) that's simply MOAish. The Colt Gas gun seems to outshoot the other 2 6.5s we're running.

[Pappabear]

We stack holes with the Bergara WHEN we shoot factory Horndog ammo. The factory target that came with the Bergara was .3moa test target. The gun will shoot, thats the frustrating part. Then pull out handholds with 300WM and shoot .25 inch groups. Our 308 hand loads shoot great. This 6.5 has us scratching.

Check runout, whatever that is.

PB

[lsllc]

Sounds like a strange gun indeed.


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[gunnerblue]

I performed a ladder test starting with 39.6 grains H4350, Hornady brass, Federal LR Match primers and both 140 grain Berger VLD’s and Nosler RDF’s all loaded to 2.800.” Most loads hovered around 1 MOA with the best being 42.0 grains of powder yielding a five-shot 3/4 MOA group, 30 FPS ES and 20 FPS SD. Switching to the Lapua brass, with no other changes, led to a five-shot group of .265” measured center to center, 2739 FPS average, 17 FPS ES, 6.8 FPS SD. All rounds were loaded with a Redding full-length sizing die utilizing a 0.291” bushing and a Forster benchrest seating die.

It dawns on me that I need to shoot a ten-round group