This rifle is a mark x rebarreled 6.5-284. 27 3/4 in tube, VX III 6.5-20 AO on top, shooting 140 Berger Hunting bullets over H4831 SC. I initially loaded my ladder, from 42 grains up through 47. I shot this ladder at 350 yards, and was noting very low velocities, and zero signs of pressure even right at 47 grains. so I started there, and loaded all the way up through 55 grains of the same powder, and again zero signs of pressure, nice round edges on the primer dimple, no CHE easy bolt lift, fired case chambers easily, and velocity is a nifty ~2915~ or so. My questions are, is it normal to be so heavy on the charge in this caliber (55 grains is what I shoot in my 6.5-06). also, in the initial working up, I was shooting off of bags, and later shot a group of all one charge (55 grains) off of a bipod, which was larger than the group made up by the last 4 rungs of my initial ladder. have you folks experienced a bipod affecting accuracy on such a low recoil affair as a 10 1/2 pound 6.5-284 rig? I am a little stumped about all of this, and I dont have a lot of experience in this caliber.
Thanks
