Triffid

Yes, I use them in 6.5CM. Alongside RS62 in Lapua brass I've been able to get 5 round ES's below 10fps and 0.5 MoA. I'm down to my last 500, so looking for more! I recall they did well in Laurie Holland's testing to. Triffid

PS. I use the SR-Magnum S&B primers successfully in 6.5 CM - ten shots with single-figure ES's. I'd very happily buy more if I find them.

I've just spent a pleasant half-hour trying to answer your question, having both sorts to hand, plus a tube micrometer. I'm not able to measure the base of the cup, but the side-walls of both types are 0.0120-0.0125". They appear quite identical to me, apart from the colour of the packing which sits between the compound and the anvil.

Thanks, magazine delivered safely. Triffid

Can I take one please. PM incoming Triffid

If it helps in any way, I did this comparison spreadsheet a couple of years ago when I was looking for a similar scope. Focus is on MoA rather than Mil scopes and there have been a few new additions since. Glass.xlsx

Hornady have produced a series of podcasts about various aspects of shooting & reloading. I linked one on Barrel Tuners which has prompted some interesting comments. Delving further, I've come across a series looking at the impact of sample size on load development, which pretty much rubbishes the normal ways I've used (eg Ladder / OCW). The podcasts are long and detailed, but my takeaways from it are: 1. To get a representative idea of group size, you need to fire about 30 shots. 2. Conclusions based on smaller number of shots (eg 3 and 5 shot groups/velocities) are invalid. Using exactly the same load, you are likely to shoot very different 3 and 5 shot group size, velocities and/or zero position. 3. You can use small samples to identify 'bad' loads, but not 'good' ones; if a three shot group measures 3MoA, it cannot get any smaller. But a group measuring 0.5MOA can only stay the same or get bigger. 4. Their load development process consists of throwing different combinations of components at the rifle to see which ones work. No powder charge work-up or seating depth changes; with large sample numbers they find that there are no 'nodes'. I'm going to try shooting ten five-round groups of my favourite load . . . Triffid

Interesting Hornady YouTube video about Barrel Tuners . . . Enjoy! Triffid

More depends on availability than preference! I'm running Lapua 139 Scenars over RS62 in Lapua SRP brass with S&B magnum caps. That can give me an MV of 2750 with ES of <10 if I do my part, with a sub 0.7MOA ten-shot group out of my stock RPR. I got bulk orders of RS62, primers and Scenars couple of years ago and that will last me through 2024. After that I'll move to a Vit powder, probably N160 or N555, simply because of availability where I am. I don't want to have to keep redeveloping loads because of component shortage, so I'll buy enough for 1000 rounds in one go. Triffid

I use a Lee hardness tester. Not that I aim for anything particularly - range scrap works well as is.

I use range scrap. Typically it gives me about 12 BHN.

I'll be watching replies with interest as I'd also like to go this route. The problem for me with 338 Lapua is the blanket ban at Bisley for that calibre, which makes it a non-starter. So I was thinking more about one of the Gucchi 30 calibres - WinMag, Norma Mag or PRC. But I don't know much about the subject . . . Triffid

You don't need to go to a range. Just find some way of holding the rifle steady (such as a cleaning rest) pointing at a fixed place, ideally some distance away . . a brick wall is ideal as you get an idea of the scale, but don't upset your neighbours! Then, looking through the scope without touching the rifle, move the elevation and windage turrets throughout their range. You should see the reticule move consistently across your target. Triffid

My Ballistic calculator agrees with everyone else’s ballistic calculator . . . about 10moa up from a 300 yard zero. I’ve seen several mid-range Vortex scopes fail with turret problems in my Club. Try locking the rifle down and moving the scope through it’s elevation and windage ranges to see whats actually moving against the reticle. Triffid

The Vihtavouri load data for 6.5 Creedmoor is here: https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/?cartridge=95. I note that, in that bullet weight range, N150 gives 150-200 fps less velocity than some of the other candidates. So unless there are other reasons for developing a load using that powder, it is not an avenue I would pursue. Triffid

Chap on ebay sells them: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/mineproducts?_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2559 Triffid

I agree that this looks a good way forward. Knowing who's contributed to the training materials, I don't doubt that it will be of good quality. But I've ordered a set for my Club, so I'll find out. I would particularly applaud the NRA for making the training material available to Clubs to deliver themselves, without making people having to go on the 'official' course. Triffid

If I'm doing load development - for me starting with three-round groups at different powder charges - as well as the ES and group-size changes I'm measuring, I find changes in group MPI in both horizontal and vertical. Actually I look for loads where there is a minimal change in group MPI between different charges. So I don't think that the barrel just vibrates in the vertical plane. Triffid

I've tried out many electronic scales. The cheap ones such as MTM Reloading scales aren't accurate nor precise enough . . . so they'll weigh the same weight and give different results. Maybe 0.5 grain spread. I'd only use them for rough sorting cast bullets. More expensive ones can be much more accurate - typically sold on Amazon etc as 'milligram' scales or jewelers scales. BUT you can't use them to trickle-up, they just don't respond to tiny changes in the weight in the pan. If you want to trickle-up accurately, then you need a 'force restoration' scale (as opposed the 'strain gauge' type above). These are the expensive A&D or Sartorius ones. But you can get this accuracy (to the extent that you can weigh almost to the kernel) using a decent beam scale. Particularly if they've been tuned and fitted with a camera. It just takes a little longer though. Triffid

I run a Loadmaster permanently set-up for loading 44 Mag. It's an easy calibre to load for as everything is so big and forgiving! Station 1 - Universal decapper. Lee Case feeder. Station 2 - Lee F/L Sizer minus the decapping stem. Priming Station 3 - Lee Powder-thru-Expander with Autodisc Powder Measure Station 4 - Bullet feed. Manual at the moment, but awaiting modified Mr Bullet-Feeder when I get round to it. Station 5 - Lee bullet seating & roll-crimp. On the plus side, once it's up & running, it just works, chucking out a round with every pull of the handle quite reliably. It'll take any standard dies you care to use. I tend to load up a bulk batch and then leave it for a month or more, perhaps over-winter. And re-starting it can be problematic. Lubrication is the key - a lightest smear of moly grease on the bottom of the shell plate and graphite on the plastic parts like the case and primer feeds is what I do and I've learnt that its best to re-lube first before trying to re-start it. You'll also need a grease-gun to lube the linkages properly. There's lots of You_tube videos out there helping fix any issues you come across and Lee support the press quite well I think. Compared to Lees other progressive offerings it's a beast and I wouldn't go back to using one of them. Particularly the shell carrier systems tend to wear in different places, then it all goes funny and you might as well just throw out the whole carrier assembly. Plus having 5 stations does make a difference. When I was buying, I also looked very closely at the Hornady equivalent, but the price difference was significant. I'd buy another if I needed. Triffid

I clean cases after resizing. Primarily I want to remove the lube and any other bits, such as from trimming. Anneal. Decap. FL Size. Trim. Clean. Prime. Fill. Triffid

I've never heard the 6.5CM as a barrel burner before. My RPR is a couple of thousand rounds to the good and still wearing the original factory barrel. It's been fed on diet of 140gn bullets at mid 2700 velocities. I suppose I had better bore-scope it again. Triffid

I'm using S&B Magnum SRP's for my 6.5cm. Lapua brass, RS62, Lapua 139 Scenar. Easy to find a good node with an MV of 2720 and ES of 10. However with current UK stocks, I think it's more a question of what primers are available, rather than what primers are best! Triffid

Shoppe is right about the barrel being isolated from the reflex expansion chamber, at least for my Wildcat moddy - looking at it the design is broadly similar to the T8 Scout picture he posted. The delrin just maintains alignment on the barrel, rather than sealing the chamber. So if there is hot gas coming from the back of the mod, then your back to Richiew's ideas about gas leaking down the muzzle threads. How does the rifle shoot with/without the moderator? Triffid

I agree with Catch-22, there should be a bushing at the rear of the moderator to seal the gap between the moderator and the barrel. The ones on Wildcat moderators are machined out of dieldrin and I've got a couple to fit different barrels - see picture. With Wildcat, I just had to tell then the diameter of the barrel at the right point and they machines one up for me. Perhaps Riflecraft can do the same? Triffid