Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Howa Alpine Mountain rifle 6.5 Creedmoor.

Before I had the rifle bedded. I was haveing issues with always a predictable third round flyer only with the 143gr ELDX's when shot over 2600 fps. The target bellow is three separate groups at 300 yards with letting the barrel completely cool between groups at a max velocity of 2785fps The main grouping is a little left because they were shot using my 140gr A-Max zero. If I were to load the 143gr bullets with the same charge of H4350 as my AMax load they would shoot right were my AMax's do at a little over 2600fps.

Once I had the rifle bedded the groups tightened up.

great write up smack, Ive got a howa mini in 223 and its shoots similarly as good.

Ive got a 6.5 Grendel Mini on order also and Im hoping mine shoots as good as your, Ill be grabbing some 100gr Amax after reading your report.

Did you play with the Trigger much ?

No I haven't even touched the trigger yet, I liked the trigger the way it was right out of the box. I took it for a walk for the first time yesterday. Sat and watched 70 or so head of deer on the wheat fields I hunt. Saturday's opener should be a good time. It sure was allot more pleasant to carry than one of my long range set ups. But as you can see in the photo, a guy can shoot deer as far out as he is capable in this country.

Smack,

Are you up above Moses Lake?

That almost looks like my spot near the TriCities.

DW

Badger Mountain, up above East Wenatchee.

In the pic bellow there's 30 or so head feeding inside the edge of the closest green wheat. About 575 yards out.

That's a nice looking rifle. I think I could really like that setup.

How is the thickness on the grip? The B&C grip is just to thick for me and yours looks thinner.

How did it group before you had it bedded? I don't want to have to fool with it much - or else I'll just buy a Tikka, but I like that looks of that rilfe more.

Thanks for posting your review. That is pretty country you live in out there.

How is the recoil with the 6.5? I am assuming it's not too bad, huh?

I think I am going to get one of these; they were not on my radar at all.

Not sure what caliber to get. I love a 7mm-08 but have never in my life owned a .308 and might like to have one....just don't want the rifle to recoil too bad to make it unpleasant to shoot.

The the grip is substantially thinner than any sporter B&C stock I have shot. I have never owned a B&C Alaskan or Mountain rifle stock. They may be more similar to the stock on the Alpine.

Here are some groups before I had it bedded. It shot well in the 2600-2655fps range. For some reason when I pushed the velocity up. My first two shots were spot on and tight and then it would throw the 3rd shot out, one MOA or slightly more right every time. Haveing the rifle bedded stopped the issue.

129gr SST's at 200 yards



140gr A-Max's in a switchy wind at 300 yards




I started out with the 140 A-Max's and 42gr of H4350 for my accuracy load, which were shooting modest 2605 fps. Light recoil accurate and the velocity would be fine for deer. The rifle was shooting so well that I was just going to stick to that load for the hunting season. I had to try the 143gr ELDX because Elk and Black Bear were going to be on the menu also. So the loaded the 143's with the same charge as the 140 A-Max's (42gr H4350) shot three over the Magnetto Speed 2612fps and they shot same point of impact at 300 yards and slightly tighter than the A-Max's.

Once I saw the rifle liked the 143 ELDX's. It was time to creep the velocity up. I switched to RL-17 and went with a starting load of 42gr. Shot some over the magneto speed and my velocity was 2709! That's a 104 fps gain by useing the charge weight (42grains) just switching from H4350 to RL-17. Then I started creeping my RL-17 charge weight up.

42.3gr RL-17 ( 2750 fps )
42.6 RL-17 ( 2761 fps )

There was only a 11 fps gain in a .3gr charge increase. This usually tells a guy, your at the point of diminishing return. I just had to bump it up a little more and see how it played out. I bumped it up to 43gr of RL-17 and got 2785fps. Which is a respectable velocity for a 143gr bullet , from a 20" barrel considering the chambering.

I started getting third round flyer with the higher velocities. So I had the rifle bedded and problem was solved. It has shot so well with the RL-17 43gr load that I'm going to leave it there for the season. I may creep it up a bit more charge wise later but see no real reason to other than curiosity. The cases and primers still looked good and extracted smooth with the RL-17, 43gr, 2785 fps load.

do you have any photos of your loaded rounds?
Edit: not sure why that didnt quote, @ Smack

143gr ELD-X

Thanks mate. I was concerned that when loaded it was too deep in the case. What's your load powder wise?

143gr ELD-X
43gr RL17
Fed 210 Match primer
Hornady case
2.880
2785 FPS 20" barrel

2785 FPS 20" barrel

That is impressive. Is Reloader 17 the optimal power for getting that many FPS from a 20" tube?

Damn Verry nice. I'm getting the same fps but with 123amaxs and a suppressor.
Hard to get RL17 here but I might have to look harder.

I love hunting the farms of eastern WA. Was back in the woods in the Blues this weekend, and 99% of the deer we saw were on the farms on the way to our spot.

So far RL-17 has given me the best speed. 42gr of H4350 with the same bullet only leaves the barrel at 2612 FPS.

I was going to try creepy the powder charge up with H4350 and see what speeds I get.

Thanks, I have been following this thread and thinking that the Alpine would be more appealing to me with a longer barrel to get a few more FPS....

I have a .260 Low Wall I'm going to be hunting with this year... Still I keep coming back and reading this thread...(grin)

I agree, as a persenal preference and balance. What would 2" of barrel matter on the Alpine weight wise? Then again, will a Mule Deer be just as dead with a 20" barrel as he would with a 22" barrel?

I hope to have one of these very soon

Nice to see someone actually shooting their Alpine.

20in versus 22in barrel gives right at 25 yards "extra range" in velocity at SAC..... All the way from 700 yards to 725 yards for 1800fps...... I'll take a shorter barrel.