Months ago, I finally got around to working on handloads for my 6.5 Creedmoor. Of all the powders I have, I kept finding loads showing that Reloader 19 worked very well, that it should achieve between 2800 fps and 2900 fps. I was able to get somewhere in the lower 2700 fps, if I remember correctly. I was not happy with the results. My little 270 AR, which is based off of a noticeably shorter 6.5X47 Lapua case, that has been shortened, then necked up to .277 caliber, will get 2850 fps and as high as 2900 fps, out of a 20" barrel, but it is shooting a 130 gr. bullet, compared to the 140s I am shooting out of the Creedmoor. I really think the Creedmoor should achieve at least 2800 fps, considering the Creedmoor has quite a bit more case capacity and my Creedmoor has a barrel that is 6" longer than the 270AR.
So I did some searching for another powder that would hopefully get this thing to shoot in the 2800 fps range. I found Superformance, was supposed to get near the same velocities as Reloader 19. I am still very surprised they say Reloader 19 is supposed to work very well in this short case. That powder I have always known as a long action magnum powder. Reloader 19 gave me the best results from the 7mm Rem. Mags. years ago, so it did not seem like the powder to use for a little 6.5 Creedmoor, the gun seemed to agree with me.
So I loaded up some ammo months ago, with the Superformance, started with 42.5 gr. then went up to 46 gr.. But did not shoot them, because every time I had time to shoot the gun, it was overcast. I found that the last batch of ammo I loaded, would not register on the chronograph, because it was overcast. Sunday, I finally had some time to shoot, so I got the two rifles out I wanted to shoot and shot both. I started off with the 42.5 gr. powder charge and the velocities were in the lower 2600 fps range, I started to worry I was going to get the same results I got from the Reloader 19. But once I got up to 44 gr. things started looking better. By 45 gr. I had achieved 2800 fps. The primers still looked good, so I shot the 45.5 gr. loads and then the 46. gr. loads. It liked all of them. I got as high as 2889 fps, with the 46 gr. powder charge. That one round that got close to 2900 fps, penetrated the first 1/4" sheet of steel, that I use as a backstop. I have not had anything come close to penetrating one of those plates, none have even dented the plate.
I am not getting things done as fast as I want, but I will eventually get there. It's finally looking pretty good. I was about ready to have the rifle rebarreled for some other caliber. But I have Lapua brass, then dies and bullets that were all bought for this gun and caliber, so I should not give up that quickly. Hopefully I can get this gun to shoot some very small groups, that's the next objective, looks like it has potential.
I was shooting to the west, yesterday afternoon, so I had the sun in my eyes and there was also a bit of glare off of the front objective. But was still able to get a decent group out of the gun. I had tried to shoot the 17 HMR earlier in the day, but it was very hot, the heat or sun light reflecting off of the foliage, was causing a bad mirage, that made it more difficult to see the target clearly, than having the sun shining directly in my face. I need to go cut down the weeds all the way down to the target, hopefully that will cut down on the mirage.
As soon as I have some time, which I should sometime this week. I will work on loading up some more ammo, with the Superformance and try it again. To see what I can get for groups out of the gun, with that powder. The first shots I took, the gun was hitting about five inches high and about three inches to the right. I adjusted it down and to the left, I got close to the target, then went past the target and went low left, then had to bring it back up and to the right to get it on target. I could not tell exactly where I was hitting on the target, which was a black spot on the paper. Once I knew it was in that black spot, I quit making adjustments and just shot the gun for velocity. It seems to be low and maybe a little left. I really need to go get some more targets, with the orange diamonds. I bought some Wal-Mart targets, I did not like those at all, so I used some old 50 ft. small bore rifle targets. All you can see from 100 yards, are black dots on the paper.
In the picture of the target, there are around 10 17 HMRs that hit that target and about 15 6.5 Creedmooors that hit it.
So I did some searching for another powder that would hopefully get this thing to shoot in the 2800 fps range. I found Superformance, was supposed to get near the same velocities as Reloader 19. I am still very surprised they say Reloader 19 is supposed to work very well in this short case. That powder I have always known as a long action magnum powder. Reloader 19 gave me the best results from the 7mm Rem. Mags. years ago, so it did not seem like the powder to use for a little 6.5 Creedmoor, the gun seemed to agree with me.
So I loaded up some ammo months ago, with the Superformance, started with 42.5 gr. then went up to 46 gr.. But did not shoot them, because every time I had time to shoot the gun, it was overcast. I found that the last batch of ammo I loaded, would not register on the chronograph, because it was overcast. Sunday, I finally had some time to shoot, so I got the two rifles out I wanted to shoot and shot both. I started off with the 42.5 gr. powder charge and the velocities were in the lower 2600 fps range, I started to worry I was going to get the same results I got from the Reloader 19. But once I got up to 44 gr. things started looking better. By 45 gr. I had achieved 2800 fps. The primers still looked good, so I shot the 45.5 gr. loads and then the 46. gr. loads. It liked all of them. I got as high as 2889 fps, with the 46 gr. powder charge. That one round that got close to 2900 fps, penetrated the first 1/4" sheet of steel, that I use as a backstop. I have not had anything come close to penetrating one of those plates, none have even dented the plate.
I am not getting things done as fast as I want, but I will eventually get there. It's finally looking pretty good. I was about ready to have the rifle rebarreled for some other caliber. But I have Lapua brass, then dies and bullets that were all bought for this gun and caliber, so I should not give up that quickly. Hopefully I can get this gun to shoot some very small groups, that's the next objective, looks like it has potential.
I was shooting to the west, yesterday afternoon, so I had the sun in my eyes and there was also a bit of glare off of the front objective. But was still able to get a decent group out of the gun. I had tried to shoot the 17 HMR earlier in the day, but it was very hot, the heat or sun light reflecting off of the foliage, was causing a bad mirage, that made it more difficult to see the target clearly, than having the sun shining directly in my face. I need to go cut down the weeds all the way down to the target, hopefully that will cut down on the mirage.
As soon as I have some time, which I should sometime this week. I will work on loading up some more ammo, with the Superformance and try it again. To see what I can get for groups out of the gun, with that powder. The first shots I took, the gun was hitting about five inches high and about three inches to the right. I adjusted it down and to the left, I got close to the target, then went past the target and went low left, then had to bring it back up and to the right to get it on target. I could not tell exactly where I was hitting on the target, which was a black spot on the paper. Once I knew it was in that black spot, I quit making adjustments and just shot the gun for velocity. It seems to be low and maybe a little left. I really need to go get some more targets, with the orange diamonds. I bought some Wal-Mart targets, I did not like those at all, so I used some old 50 ft. small bore rifle targets. All you can see from 100 yards, are black dots on the paper.
In the picture of the target, there are around 10 17 HMRs that hit that target and about 15 6.5 Creedmooors that hit it.
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