Snuck out to the range tonight to cure the DBC barrel treatment on my new rifle.

Shooting 143gr ELD-X over 42 and 42.5gr Hunter. New Hornady brass, Fed 210M OAL length 2.860. Lands are 2.880.
5 shot 0.8" and 1 " groups. The 1" group had a shooter error flyer.
Velocities were 2507 and 2556 fps

Ran out of daylight, will continue up the powder charge scale next time.

Also have the same loads with 142gr LRAB to try.

I am a rookie to this style of gun, but first impressions are favorable. Very nice trigger, solid in the sand bags. Far cry from shooting flyweight rifles.

Based on my experience with the 6.5 CM, there's room for improvement in the velocity department for your loads. All of my 6.5 CMs (3) hit an accuracy node at 2700-2780fps with the 140gr AMax and 143gr ELD-X

I never heard of the fugkin' things but bought one in the .308 regardless.

Shoots lights out. Huge bang for the buck IMO.




Travis

Flave,
Your post is what prompted me to spend the money. You are a bad influence. Had a Kimber Open Country on order. Key word being, HAD!



I think so too, but I am starting conservatively and going to work my way up. New rifle, cartridge, and powder for me. If the velocity to powder ratio continues, I should be right in the ballpark.

If it wasn't going to be 100 degrees today, I would go back to the range for more testing.

I agree....especially if 5 shot groups are only 3/4" to 1"....not risking stellar accuracy while in pursuit of more velocity. I run 143s at 2850 fps out of my 24" barrel creedmoor. No reason you can't get atleast another 2750 fps if the accuracy is there to follow the velocity.

Time will tell but so far I can't find anything wrong with one.

It's as if they set out to clone a 700, include as many features as possible, and hit it right out of the fugking park.



Travis

I agree, but I only have 12 shots downrange. Will keep updating as load development goes forward.

You don't need no stinking load development!

Stretch its legs.




Dave

BUY A BUNCH OF PRIME AMMO AND SHOOT IT!

+1 on the prime.

Hopefully they'll come out with some 140's

Update, shot until I ran out of light tonight.
142gr ELD-X, Hunter powder

43gr 2591 fps. 1.4"
43.5gr 2598fps 1.295"
44gr. 2638fps 1.186"
44.5gr. 2678fps. 0.822"
45gr. 2724fps. 0.536"

143gr LRAB Hunter
42gr. 2500. 0.849"

All five shot groups.

I'd load up 30 rounds that 45gr load and stretch it out.

I put together a somewhat similar rig on a 700 last year, but in 6.5x47L. While I do like it, if I was doing it over today, I'd likely pocket the cash and just buy one of these HMR rifles in Creedmoor.

Yeah, I am going to shoot the rest of my LRAB loads also, just to see.......

Both the 44.5 and 45gr ELD-X loads will get rechecked. It is fair to say that this rifle shoots better than I do.

CRS - did you order your HMR or find it locally? I've only seen one in person in Rapid City but it was a .308.

Benben,
Was in Watertown over the 4th of July and found one at Kones Corner. They had three Creedmoor's come in the week before and this was the last one.

CRS

Found two locally this afternoon. Very tempting. May have a rifle in the classifieds soon!

Finally got to the range to shoot the rest of 143gr LRAB loads.
Hunter powder
42.5gr 2544fps 1.05"
43gr. 2579fps 1.505"
43.5gr 2572 f's 0.752"
44gr 2614fps 1.493"
44.5gr 2648fps 1.552"
45gr 2716fps 0.973"

Bass Pro has the 24" HMR 6.5 Creedmoor available

I bought one from Whitakers don't have any Hunter powder to play with I have been using H-4350 and H414. So far 41 to 41.5 of H4350 with a Nosler 140 RDF,Hornady 143 ELD-X or 142 Sierra match King take your pick shoot easily under MOA. With the H414 40.8 grains seems to be money and shoots just as well.I'll get some velocity readings next time out probably Sunday.The factory Hornady 143gr Precision Hunter shoots MOA as well as the 140 ELD Match.

Do you know your velocity with 41-41.5 grains of H4350?

I'll run some over the Chrony Sunday to verify. Hornady advertises 2700 FPS for the 143 Precision Hunter load but I'm not sure if they use H4350 in that load like they do in the 140 Match loads. I tried Sierras 41.9 gr max load with the 142's and had ejector marks so I haven't gone over 41.5 with the others without my Chrony set up.

I'm getting 2630-2650 with 41 and 41.5 gr H4350 from my Ruger Predator. I can't complain about accuracy, but if i can get the same or better accuracy with Hunter and break 2700 fps I'd be interested. I've got some Hunter powder. Gonna give it a try.

If you want more velocity than H4350, give RL16 a try. Its very temp stable and 42.5gr under 140gr Accubonds gives me 2,760 fps out of my 22" Montana, 43.5gr under 127gr LRXs are good for 2,920. Accuracy has been very good.

41gr H4350 Avg 2631fps
40.8gr H414 Avg 2585fps

Went out and verified the 45gr Hunter/143gr Hornady ELD-X load. Five shot groups.
1. 0.832
2. 0.676

I am good to go. Loading up a couple hundred rounds tomorrow, then time to stretch it out next weekend.

I ordered a Alpha Mag for the extra COAL loaded the 143 ELD-X to kiss with 41,41.5 and 42 grains of H-4350

44 grains of Hunter grouped well but primers were cratering using Starline brass. I'm going to try 42.5 to 43.5 next trip.

I got my hmr 6.5 creed there on the moving sale. Just went to get powder an seen it never paid much attention to them I just picked it up an then never put it down!!

Shot my buddies HMR tonight. 5 shot groups with Hornady 143gr ELDX were under an inch. Bang for the buck, these are hard to beat.

Looked at one of those in 30-06 today. Never even heard of that brand before now. Had a nice trigger, and the price look pretty darn hard to beat. May have to try one of 'em.

I thought Bergara only made the HMR in .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

Not sure on the model of Bergara I saw today, but it had a synthetic green colored stock,and was priced a bit under 600 bucks? I've been thinking of trying a 6.5CM, and a Bergara sounds like it could be a good option?

EDIT: from the Bergara webpage, the model I saw today is the "B-14" which is indeed available in 6.5 CM.

And Ray Charles said ...