6.5 Creedmoor powder testing w/130 ELD-M

[Joe Texas]

This is the chrono data and target pics from my original thread without all the convo. Sorted by velocity.Charges showing accuracy potential in my barrel with each powder are highlighted.

* Load data sourced from VV, Sierra, Hodgdon, and Hornady and didn’t blow me or my gun up. You and your gun are on your own. Start low and work up.

26” Shilen Select Match varmit contoured barrel

 

[Joe Texas]

N555

 

[Joe Texas]

Varget

 

[Joe Texas]

H4350

 

[Joe Texas]

N160

 

[JFrank]

D

 

[Joe Texas]

130 TGK N555

 

[Joe Texas]

Final 130 ELD-M 100 yard test
Hornady brass 1.906”
Fed 210 Primers
COAL 2.8325
Front and rear bag
5-10 mph left to right wind
3 sets of Round-robin 5 shot groups each load

37.0 Hodgdon Varget
1) 1.188
2) .938
3) 1.188
Avg: 1.104”

43.4 VV N160
1) .938
2) .688
3) .781
Avg: .802”

42.0 Hodgdon H4350
1) .906
2) .750
3) 1.25
Avg: .96875”

43.2 VV N555
1) .688
2) .625
3) 1.063
Avg: .7917”

 

[Walkalong]

N555 looks good. Picture each of the three groups laid over each other, it looks good there as well.

 

[Joe Texas]

Tried reducing loads .2 grains and subbing Fed 215 for Fed 210M primers. I might get ‘em to work. (100 yds.)

 

[Joe Texas]

200 yard tests. Not great but wind was a bit of a challenge. At this distance, I am the weak link. I think the loads will be fine. It’s my shooting that needs tuning. One round from each group ruined it for the other 4.

* The TGKs did better than I expected based on 100 yard testing.

 

[Nature Boy]

Your N160 load of 43.4 is what I would have picked. Based on the results it’s not a wide node but it’s repeated in your subsequent test.

I would take it and do some seating depth tests next to tighten up the groups

 

[schwob2]

Here you can also find load data for over 53 powders in 6.5 mm Creedmore an Hornady 150 Grain ELD-Match bullet: https://www.xxl-reloading.com/6.5-Creedmoor-.264-130gr-Hornady-ELD-Match .

 

[Hugger-4641]

200 yard tests. Not great but wind was a bit of a challenge. At this distance, I am the weak link. I think the loads will be fine. It’s my shooting that needs tuning. One round from each group ruined it for the other 4.

* The TGKs did better than I expected based on 100 yard testing.
View attachment 1007494

I'm not familiar with Shilen barrels, are they stress relieved? Hammer forged?
That fifth flier in every group makes me wonder if barrel heat is starting to open the group?

 

[Nature Boy]

I'm not familiar with Shilen barrels, are they stress relieved? Hammer forged?

They have been around for a long time and make top notch barrels. They are button cut and hand lapped.

http://www.shilen.com/productsRifleBarrels.html

I put a select match .223 barrel on my son’s rifle and he made High Master with it shoot F Class matches.

It consistently shoots 5 shot groups in the 0.1 to 0.2 MOA range at 100 yards

 

[Joe Texas]

I'm not familiar with Shilen barrels, are they stress relieved? Hammer forged?
That fifth flier in every group makes me wonder if barrel heat is starting to open the group?

The group-openers weren’t always the last shot. I managed to keep the barrel heat pretty consistent.

 

[Joe Texas]

Update and question about bullet stability at different distances:
• I am out of Fed 210M (LR match) primers
• I am reworking the 130 ELD-M H4350 load with Fed 215 (LR magnum) primers @ 200 yards
• I have 142 SMKs on the way
• I’ll start with H4350 @ .020 off with those (I have the most of it)
• I’m saving the N160 and N555 for narrower test parameters based on H4350 results (I only have 1# left of each VV powder)
• Goal is sub 1” 5-shot groups @ 200 before moving out further
• It was suggested that the TGKs may not stabilize well until they get past 100 yards. Is that a thing? Are there bullets that won’t group very well at 100 but then start to stabilize and group better at longer distances?

 

[Nature Boy]

Update and question about bullet stability at different distances:

My answer to those questions, specifically about how load testing at 100 translates to longer distances ….

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/rifle-load-development-methods-compared.851637/

 

[Walkalong]

I do similarly to @Nature Boy , 3 shots in increasing charge weights to look for the flat spot. I don't tweak OAL/Bullet jump, but he's shooting groups for score, I just need reasonable groups (<.5), with low SDs for PRS.

Here was a bushing/neck tension tweak test.

 

[Walkalong]

Testing a new lot of RL-15 in my Lapua 6 BR/6Dasher cases, plus trying out the Alpha 6 Dasher cases I bought.

 

[Joe Texas]

My answer to those questions, specifically about how load testing at 100 translates to longer distances ….

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/rifle-load-development-methods-compared.851637/

Thank you for that. Good read. I scored some 136 Scenars today so I now have two loads to develop. I can follow your method (and kinda do to some extent) up to the primer tuning. I only have Fed 215.

My method is usually 10 5 shot groups in .2 increments to the top of the published data. That usually eliminates the bottom 1/3 or 1/2 of the data.

If it is a new projectile to my rifle I’ll do a seating depth test in .005 increments from .005 to .050.

I’m a big fan of loading in the middle between two charges or seating depths that look promising. I’m learning to find the velocity flat spot also.

This time I’m going to try and be more thrifty and use only 6 charges in .3 powder increments in 3 shot groups. I’m starting at the charge with the lowest acceptable predicted velocity (2650). That should put me in the neighborhood of the middle velocity accuracy node. It will eliminate the lower and above max nodes that are probably discoverable but not necessary for my purposes.

Truth is, if I had another 4-5 lbs of N160 or N555 and had started w/a different bullet, I think I would be closer to done. Testing 4 powders and a hard to tune projectile is work better left to the experts.

I have found SMKs to be less sensitive to seating depth. I hear the same is said of the 136 Scenar. Here’s hopin’.

 

[Walkalong]

Second time out with new lot of RL-15

 

[Joe Texas]

Second time out with new lot of RL-15
View attachment 1008018 View attachment 1008019

Nice SD’s!

 

[JFrank]

Refresh me on what' happens when adding a tiny touch of powder to this little jewel ?
Asking for a friend..

 

[JFrank]

My answer to those questions, specifically about how load testing at 100 translates to longer distances ….

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/rifle-load-development-methods-compared.851637/

This is an outstanding thread, well done Nature boy.