As a follow-up, I did a search for all the pressure-tested data on the 6.5-06 I could find, plus a little extra.
Hodgdon lists 55.0 grains of H1000 as max with the 142 Sierra MK, which should be pretty close to the 140 Berger VLD: 2816 fps at 63,300. So I am already one grain over their max.
The highest velocity listed by Hodgdon is 2889 fps, with 49.5 grains of Hybrid 100V @63,200 psi.
Ramshot doesn't list the 6.5-06 but does have data for the 6.5/.284, which is just about identical in case capacity when bullets are seated out--and they are in the Ramshot data.
They list Magnum as getting 3070 fps with the 140 Sierra GameKing, with 62.0 grains at 64,000 psi. But with the 142 MatchKing they list 59.0 grains of Magnum as max, for 2900 fps at 63,200 psi.
All of the above data is from 24" barrels.
Obviously the velocity attainable is very bullet dependent, but still I am really doubting the QL results--and have for years.
Alliant doesn't list any data for the 6.5-06 or 6.5/.284, but I just did an in-depth analysis of their pressure-tested Reloder 17 data for a magazine article, and couldn't find the velocity magic that many people report with RL-17. In fact PowerPro 4000MR beats RL-17 in several cartridges, along with older Reloder powders such as 19, 22 and 25.
