New 6.5-284 loading and tuning advice needed

T

ta6ppc

New member
My dad and I have put together a new rifle. The barrel is a 32" 1.25 straight kreiger.
I started loading lapua brass with H4350 at 46 grains, I went up in .5 grain increments until reaching 49.5 grains. I was shooting 142 smk's.

We started out at 400 yards with a leupold br36x

My first group of 3 measure .815" at 46 gr
And then they got bigger... Up to 2.6" when shooting 5 round strings.

I never duplicated the .815" but in the strings of 5, 3 of them will be sub 1"

I also tried Berger 140 vld at the lands with 4350 they all were in a vertical spread measuring .5 wide by 3" tall

We also tried H1000 at 55 gr this was about a 4" group of 5

We cleaned and "broke in the barrel per krieger"

The reamer was a pacific tool and gauge designed for minimal clearance and throat design for a 142 smk.

I have a night force 12-42 on the way because I feel like the 36 was just not cutting the mustard and the intended purpose was to try to shoot 600-1000 yard br...

The rifle weighs 31lbs it is mostly billet aluminum the action is completely one off it has a tri lug design it is as near perfectly square as anyone can make it.

I guess my question is am I expecting to much by looking for 1" groups at 400 yards for my load development?

What would y'all do different as far as loading?
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Your 6.5 should shoot close to 1" at 400 yards given good conditions. You may want to try 4831-SC in the 32" barrel. With the 142 SMK, you need to chronograph your load and get it to shoot right at 2950 fps. You can shoot them faster but it usually opens up the groups. Slower will also open them up although there seems to be a node down about 2770 that will shoot well. If you end up with a barrel under 28" or so, then I would go back to the 4350. It seems to match the shorter barrels a bit better.

Joe
 
Try H4831SC as Joe suggested. I will PM you a load we use in my 6.5-284. Are you coming to match in Huntsville Saturday?
I would guess that 25 to 30 of the shooters are using 6.5-284 so you can ask lots of questions and get lots of answers.
My old barrel like 49.5 of H4350 but the new barrel likes H4831SC. Seating depth may take some experimentation to get right. A lot of us use the 142 SMK so I dont think that is an issue.
Tell us about the rifle. Hope to see it Saturday.
Mike
 
I am going to be there should get into H-ville late tomorrow night...

I have a brand spanking new Nightforce 12-42x that I am going to have to sight in... I just got it mounted and the retical leveled.

I loaded about 200 (most in virgin brass) at 49gr and using the 142 SMK just off the land's this load was the most consistent that I had hovering around 2" I believe my leupold 36x is going to have to go back very hard to see out of... and the x hair looks like ink or etching has bled out into the glass some how???

I have high expectation's but will settle for the expertise and good food!

Mike I will call you friday morning when headed your way...
 
The rifle is unique at the very least... the bolt is a tri lug it is made from Stainless the locking lug sleeve is made from 4340 and the rest is 7076 aluminum... it is just thrown together for now it will shed some weight clean up some bumps and scrapes prolly polish the whole thing and make a muzzle brake. it has taken about 1 year of spare time and a few hectic weekends to get to shooting ability.... Trying to get the bolt lift corrected (it is a bit stiff) It did not turn out as smooth and streamlined as my initial sketches but it is attention getter for sure.

Most folk's initial reaction is whoa is that a 50?

It ought to make for some good conversation at the very least.
 
My first 6.5-284 barrel, I tried 10 or so different powders, and came to the conclusion I was just wearing my barrel out looking for the holy grail. So, I just bought 48 pounds of H4831-SC of the same lot and worked with that. You may find a powder that might beat it, but all in all, it's a great powder for the 6.5. If it don't, I'd guess you've got other problems......

My last load work with H-4831-SC, moly plated 142's, square marks on the bullet, at 500 yards. The very first shots down the tube.

55 grains gave 3050, and brass still going strong. My powder seems to be a tad slow, so don't copy directly.

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Barrel Length, Barrel whip

The barrel is a litle long, I have found over alot of years shooting this cal, 27" is the length you want with a 8.5 twist. H4831sc, WLR primer, Norma or Lapua Brass, 140 Berger BT or 140 Amax. 2950fps to 3000fps is where it will perform best at 600yds. Get your smallest group at 300yds and then start playing with the rear action screw. If you have an 8 twist barrel? 142 sie with Fed210 Primer, RL-19. In a 27" barrel it will get you 3010fps. Don't be afraid to play with RL-17. The big secret is finding a powder that will fill as much of the casing as possible. Air space kills ya. My 300wsm proved that. I run my wsm over a chrono and get readings for a 5 shot group of 2850, 2852, 2849, 2850, 2853.
that's the majority of the time. My casing is full with H4350, 65.5gr out of a 10 twist Barrel, 30" long, with a 210 Sie or Berger. Hope this helps. I just retired that cal and went a 6.5 x 250.
 
My 30" 8 twist loves the 140VLD bergers. I have loaded both lapua and nosler brass and for me they shoot in the same hole @100 and I can't tell the difference down range either. I use 49.5 Grains of 4831SC and Federal 210 Match primers.
 
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