Creating a new load

[biged85]

Hi All,

 

Just looking for advice on a process for developing a load for my 6.5 creedmoore. I have got 100 new lapua brass, some Nosler 140gr RDF projectiles and some H4350.

 

The reason I ask is I just want to be as productive as possible during my first trip to the range with the new rifle and also the components are much more expensive than the .223!

 

I do not have any experience in measuring where the lands are as I simply did not need to do it for my .223.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

ATB

 

Ed

[gbal]

Ed, you can get some idea of depth -but it's the final fine tuning stage-I'd not worry about it yet (223s 'need' it too)-you will need a depth guage-hornady do a basic £30 ish one-but don't rush-look to see what other 6.5 users have done-there really is plenty info,and selct from those with similar rifles.Basic issue is on first visit,nmake sure you ammo is magazine fit! YOu can by trial and error get nearer tto lands-but as said,get yur powder sorted first.You wouls be very unusually lucky to get optimum on first range visit-even for bullets/powder-but here what works well for others should be good for you.

You do get more bang for your buck-only you can decide if premium componnts-esp bullets are worth it-but don't be surprised if eg Bergers shoot a tad better than most......at least Euro powders (like RS/Vihtavuri) are as good as US,and the Euro ones will be available,currently cheaper.

Don't expect perfection first time out-but enjoy it.IF you are shooting beyond 300your wind reading will be a bigger issue than most sensible/good components (yours are OK)-it's pretty much as 223 shooting,but less wind effect-still plenty though.

 

gbal

[madyarra]

Hey man, I've just had to start a load for my .284 so I'm fresh off the process. There's a lot of things you could do with sorting components if you're that way inclined. Perhaps a target shooting member could enlighten us to the ins and outs of that.

 

If it's just general shooting/hunting then I'd start by inspecting your brass just to check for any damage or visual anomalies. I'd then full length size all brass, (Consistency is key). If you wanted to check case length now would be the time to do it after sizing. Trim if necessary. De-burr and chamfer.

 

For your seating depth you can either use a gauge and modified case to do this or load a bullet in to an unprimed empty case to the very minimum depth to hold the bullet. You can then load the bullet in the chamber essentially until the the bullet hits the lands and gets pushed back in to the case, once your bolt has closed that is then the max seating depth for your chosen bullet. Unload the dummy round. This may be quite hard and may need persuaded out, I've heard a length of wooden dowel passed down from the muzzle and tapped to release the bullet is the safest method for barrel damage safety. It may unload with a good pull of the bolt. Searching the bullet back 20 thousands of an inch from the lands would be an acceptable starting point.

 

Do as much research as possible on possible loads with your chosen components. Either from manufacturer books or forums. The latter to be taken with a pinch of salt. There's a few techniques for finding an accurate load, you could find a starting point and work up by 0.5 grain increments or possibly by optimum charge weight method which is usually increasing by 1% per charge load from a chosen start point. Videos on this methodcan be found easily on YouTube.

 

Hope this helps, there is more you can do but I'd say that is a good starting point.

[biged85]

Thanks for the info guys, I think I know someone who has hornady depth gauge so I shall order a modified case for it

 

Looking forward to seeing how I get one.

 

ATB

 

Ed

[gbal]

Madyarra,ok-need some care just pushing the 'dummy round' into chamber (lest it go in many thou' more than just touching and 'jam'-yes the dowel will dunt it out but precision reloading?-the Hornady guage reduces the 'feel' factor a bit-reasonable price/performance trade off.

 

But millions of hunters,( including UK) shoot their deer/etc with factory ammo (SAAMI or CIP euro spec) in their SAAMI /CIP chambered factory rifles with SAAMI/CIP magazines....(near enough,this size fits all)...

 

Very few misses will be down to non optimum seating depth....at a 4 inch "hit zone",250 yards away.

 

By all means go for improved accuracy,but seating depth is not top of the hunting list.

Target shooting is a bit different,and small improvements may help pick up extra points (as would a better depth guage-it is all relative). Powder to a kernel,if you must-but splitting kernels...? Approachig the hobby-OCB borderline,but harmless. :-)

 

gbal

[madyarra]

I admit the jamming is a bit caveman gbal but when needs must.

[MJR]

At a pinch you could seat a bullet long in to an empty case - no primer,no powder. Then remove the firing pin from the bolt and keep trying the dummy case in the chamber. Because the round is too long it will not chamber. Keep seating the bullet further in to the case until the dummy round chambers with little force required on the bolt handle. Not as accurate as a case gauge or measuring from the muzzle but it would give you some idea where the lands are.

[madyarra]

^^^^^ what he said