I bought some Accubond 130's and some Hornady 129 SSTs. I am going to crank out my first loads for my new Hawkeye Predator Creedmoor. I have 4350 which is supposed to be a good powder for it. I have some TAC. It works well in the 243 and 308, So it seems like it'd work well in the Creedmoor, but I haven't found any load data for it. It is likely just a touch too fast with the 130 bullets. Varget and RL 19 are on either side of the burn rate chart from 4350. They should be suitable, but online searches aren't turning up much. Are any of you getting good results with these powders? If so what's your recipe?

RL17 works well in the Creedmoor. I have a bunch of load data for 120-125grn stuff w/ RL17 if you're interested.

David

David, your 15gr data might be useful, and if you have actual velocities that would be of interest as well.

Rifle - 8.5" twist, 23" barrel

123 Scenar, 44.5grns RL17, WLR primer, COAL 2.790, unfired Hornady Brass, 3002fps.

127 Barnes LRX, 43.8grns RL17, WLR PRIMER, COAL 2.803, unfired Hornady brass, 2988fps avg.

123 SST, 44.0grns RL17, WLR primer, COAL 2.790, unfired Hornady brass, 2977fps avg

123 AMAX, 44.0grns RL17, WLR primer, COAL 2.790, unfired Hornady brass, 3006fps avg.

125 Partition, 44.3grns RL17, WLR primer, COAL 2.770, unfired Hornady brass, 3001 fps avg.

None of the above loads showed the slightest pressure signs. In fact, I tested significantly faster loads (as much as 100fps) with zero pressure signs in all of the above loads but prudence dictated I back off to saner levels...

I've been lucky with this rifle - It was a barreled action purchased from SAS using one of Burley Boy's barrels. It shoots pretty much everything accurately, but the 123Scenars are SOOOOOOOoooo easy.

HTH

David

I need some RL17. My barrel is 24 inches. I should be able to conservatively get 2900 FPS out of the 130gr bullets based on that data. Where in LA are you David?

I agree. I'm not one of these guys that think RL17 is magic powder - I do think it's burn rate is just about perfect for a 6.5CM. I'm on the SE side of Baton Rouge.

David

Pretty darned good! Nice post!

We are practically neighbors. Thanks for the data. I couldn't find any RL17 today, so I'll probably roll some with 4350 to shoot Sunday. I do have a box of factory stuff for getting it sighted in.

42.5 grains of IMR 4350 pushing a 129gr Hornady SST gave loaded to a COAL of 2.795 gave me a .35" 3 shot group at 100 yards.

I use this load too, or backed down slightly when using reformed 762 mil brass, in my American Predator rifle, and get right about the same velocity as well. Good load.

tagging this thread.

H4350 and 130 grain bullets out of 3 different creedmoors show accuracy at 42.4 and a higher node at 43.8 using hornady brass and F210M primers.

Varget and 130 grain bullets, most accurate load has been 39 grains. I haven't experienced the claimed slow velocity with varget that others claim.

I have tried RL17 with good accuracy and velocity but it is very temp sensitive and I would not use it for hunting since It has shown velocity swings as high as 2 fps per degree of temp change.

The 6.5 Creed is my absolute favorite caliber as it can effectively be used for everything from prairie dogs to coyotes to Elk with everything from 100 to 140 grain bullets. Light recoil and usually great accuracy with minimal expense...hard to beat the creedmoor.

I have not experienced the temperature sensitivity with RL17. We don't get any real cold weather down my way, but last year I shot my loads developed at ~70F in ~25F weather and they had lost nothing. FPS was virtually identical. Shooting in 95+F produced a few fps above average, but minor (~10fps). This was for the aforementioned 127LRX load and the 123 Scenar load. Shot my 7mm-08 with RL17 loads and observed the same thing.

David

I don't have a chrono. What kind of velocities are you seeing with your Varget and 4350 loads?

I left a few in the truck over night when it was 10 deg, the next day I shot those first at the range for an average speed of 2712 fps. The few that were in the house and then in my pocket were 2880 fps. Not only was the speed off but the accuracy was not there either. I had the similiar results with ramshot hunter.

For what I do that is unacceptable. I could be hunting antelope when it is 90 deg or deer hunting near 0 degrees

My 39 gr Varget loads with 130 bullets average 2885 fps out of a 24" barrel. This load was tested under the same conditions as the RL 17 load and only lost 12 fps.

H4350 43.8 runs right at 2900 fps and the 42.4 load is 2840 fps, I run the 42.4 load since it is easier on brass.

Has anyone tried Superformance in their creedmoor?

Yes!
Not only do I shoot Superformance in my Creedmoor, I have Pressure Trace data with it and several other powders.
Superformance powder that we can buy, was designed around the 30-06, so it figures that it is a good fit in the Creed.

RL-17 is similar to Superformance in that it is somewhat progressive in it's burning curve. So a classic powder, like 4350, is a very sharp peak. Whereas RL-17 is more of an arc, and Supr is more like a table-top. Not that drastic, but for illistration purposes...

Remember that book data is pressure tested as well, so if you go over book velocity, it's because you went over pressure. If that doesn't bother you, Cheers!

Superformance tends to "peak" out a little more at max pressure, but at 10,000 psi less, provides less than 100 fps lag from the alternatives.

Thanks for the info! I will give Varget a try.

You have had good luck with TAC in a 243? With light bullets I assume?

R17 is the powder to try in creedmoor unless you shoot when it is very cold. I get very little change in velocity from 30°-90°. Never shot when it was zero!

tagging this thread for future use.

Addendum:

I'm out of my old WLR primers, the new WLR primers burned me twice with undersized primers, so I switched to Federal 210's. Went to the range today, loaded some 123 Scenar's with above recipe and F210's. Velocities were avg about 3075 fps, so I need to back it down a little w/ the F210's....

David

tag

Is anyone using Ramshot Hunter? Manual says 43 grains under a 123 AMAX, same charge as IMR 4350.

Tag

I'll try to remember to post my load data for Hunter under 123 Scenars when I get home...

Thanks for the update, R-17 and the 123 is on my to-do list and I'll be using 210's.

That is semi-smoking.

Ramshot's manual (V.5 from January 2014) lists 47.0 grains as max for the 123 Sierra. I found an OCW node, quite wide, between 46 & 46.5 grains when working up 123-grain Lapua Scenars.

I'm much more of a hunter than a shooter and one of my favorite CM loads on the light end is 44.6gr RL17 Fed210 120TTSX @ 3000fps. .5's are common with this in my RARP...

On the Heavy end 43.5gr H4350 Fed210 140gr Partition @ 2750fps. Into the .4's. Elk don't stand a chance with either if I do my part...

Here's an OCW work-up for Reloder-17, too. It was with Hornady 140 HPBT Match bullets (not the AMAX).