New to 6.5 Creedmoor

luv2safari

luv2safari

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I have a Kimber Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor on the way and would appreciate some loading experience/advice. I have various bullets for my 6.5X57R from 120gr to 142gr, and I have a selection of the old standard powders for 30-30 to 300 Wby and 375 H&H. It looks like R17, H and IMR 4895, H and IMR 4350 should work well.

If you found a magic load I'm all ears. ;)
 
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H4350 is your friend, it's the top powder in the cm like varget is in the 308. Nice on getting the hunter they have been on my to get list since they came out but haven't had the money when a 7-08 or 280ai were in stock. Passed on a new 6.5cm at a lgs for $650 a few years go, I think I had a fresh hair cut some the creedmoor mogo wasn't working on me that day. Mcmxi on here designed the magazine and stock for the hunter. Take the gel out of the butt stock and grip its like 1/2 lb and will be lighter then the Montana.
 
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All of my 6.5creeds are in AR's. Best factory loads have been Hornady 123a-max and set's. I haven't nailed down any bullet weights w/powders yet, but working with superformance and 3 if the 500 series powders for now.
 
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The IMR4350 has produced very good results in my Tikka 6.5CM, using 120-140 grain bullets. Are you loading for target shooting or hunting? All the bullets I've used have been for target/precision. Barnes Match Burners have been the top of the heap for me so far.
 
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As was mentioned, H4350 is the Easy Button for the 6.5CM. If you are target shooting... I have had good results with the 142grn SMK across 3 different rifles. If you are hunting, pick a bullet...
 
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So far, my Savage 6.5 CM shoots best with IMR 4350 and 140 gr Hornady SST. I’ve tried Varget and Superformance and keep going back to IMR 4350. That works for me because I use that powder in .243, 30-06 and it’s shooting good in , 300 WSM as well.
 
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troy fairweather said:
H4350 is your friend, it's the top powder in the cm like varget is in the 308. Nice on getting the hunter they have been on my to get list since they came out but haven't had the money when a 7-08 or 280ai were in stock. Passed on a new 6.5cm at a lgs for $650 a few years go, I think I had a fresh hair cut some the creedmoor mogo wasn't working on me that day. Mcmxi on here designed the magazine and stock for the hunter. Take the gel out of the butt stock and grip its like 1/2 lb and will be lighter then the Montana.
Click to expand...
Wow...thanks for the heads up on reducing weight. My left arm and shoulder are so compromised that saving weight is a BIG DEAL. I have a couple of pounds of H4350, or even IMR for heavy bullets and might use the R17 for medium weight ones.

I ran onto a box of 129gr SST's in the back of my components cabinet. Seems these might be a good Creedmoor bullet in the 1-8 pitch Hunter barrel. (???)
 
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Thank you to all who responded. It's got me comfortable about my choices.

My next question is regarding brass. What should I get? I'll be using the Kimber for hunting and a little casual paper punching.

I'm contemplating on getting 100 of these for starters.

PULL DOWN BRASS 6.5 CREED MOOR "PRIMED"(SR) PER 100 - Graf & Sons

Pull Down Brass - May contain a mix of Headstamps or Primer Pocket depending on caliber. This is not loaded ammunition.
www.grafs.com www.grafs.com

How well does this brass work with small pistol mag primers and the slower powders?

Peterson Brass 6.5 Creedmoor Small Rifle Primer Unprimed Box of 50 - Graf & Sons

All 50 count listings of Peterson Cartridge casings come in one of their plastic ammo boxes. Made in the U.S.A. NOTE: If you plan to load above SAAMI max pressure and are concerned about primer-pocket leak, Peterson recommends you try their 6.5 Creedmoor Small Rifle Primer. While they do not...
www.grafs.com www.grafs.com
 
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luv2safari said:
Thank you to all who responded. It's got me comfortable about my choices.

My next question is regarding brass. What should I get? I'll be using the Kimber for hunting and a little casual paper punching.

I'm contemplating on getting 100 of these for starters.

PULL DOWN BRASS 6.5 CREED MOOR "PRIMED"(SR) PER 100 - Graf & Sons

Pull Down Brass - May contain a mix of Headstamps or Primer Pocket depending on caliber. This is not loaded ammunition.
www.grafs.com www.grafs.com

How well does this brass work with small pistol mag primers and the slower powders?

Peterson Brass 6.5 Creedmoor Small Rifle Primer Unprimed Box of 50 - Graf & Sons

All 50 count listings of Peterson Cartridge casings come in one of their plastic ammo boxes. Made in the U.S.A. NOTE: If you plan to load above SAAMI max pressure and are concerned about primer-pocket leak, Peterson recommends you try their 6.5 Creedmoor Small Rifle Primer. While they do not...
www.grafs.com www.grafs.com
Click to expand...
If you hunt in the cold I would avoid small rifle primed brass, if it's in the 40s or hotter it should be fine. Peterson brass is very good, probably about as good as lapua. The sst will work fine but they do damage meat more then regular cup and core bullets. See what your gun shoots good and stick to that. If you never had a light rifle you need to shoot it a bit different from the bench, I'd recommend a softer rest and you need to hold tight into your shoulder, until you get used to a light gun don't be upset if your not getting the best group. The post 2017 kimbers all seem to shoot really good after they got there barrels straightened out, think they started using McGowan blanks but not sure what now.

Ya the gel remove hack is nice, you may need like a lag screw or something to put the gel out you will be surprised how heavy it is. Cut some light foam to fill the stock or some spray foam, the grip you may need to glue it back on there's some videos out there how to do it.

What hunter did you get, I like the look of that black dissolve or whatever it's called. Don't see any 7-08 anymore on there sight so probably get a 308 when I can get one. Talley lightweights would be good mounts for it there less then 3 oz for everything, what scope you thinking.
 
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troy fairweather said:
If you hunt in the cold I would avoid small rifle primed brass, if it's in the 40s or hotter it should be fine. Peterson brass is very good, probably about as good as lapua. The sst will work fine but they do damage meat more then regular cup and core bullets. See what your gun shoots good and stick to that. If you never had a light rifle you need to shoot it a bit different from the bench, I'd recommend a softer rest and you need to hold tight into your shoulder, until you get used to a light gun don't be upset if your not getting the best group. The post 2017 kimbers all seem to shoot really good after they got there barrels straightened out, think they started using McGowan blanks but not sure what now.

Ya the gel remove hack is nice, you may need like a lag screw or something to put the gel out you will be surprised how heavy it is. Cut some light foam to fill the stock or some spray foam, the grip you may need to glue it back on there's some videos out there how to do it.

What hunter did you get, I like the look of that black dissolve or whatever it's called. Don't see any 7-08 anymore on there sight so probably get a 308 when I can get one. Talley lightweights would be good mounts for it there less then 3 oz for everything, what scope you thinking.
Click to expand...
I shot a Kimber MT in 257 for years but sold it to pay some pressing bills...Big Mistake! It weighed nothing with the Leupold VariX 3-9 compact in Talley LW mounts. I also had a MT in 325 WSM that was my elk rifle. My grandson talked me out of it, but he lends it to me...lol. My FN LW 30-06 in a Pound's stock with a LW 22" barrel is also very light but not Kimber MT light. I Totally Agree with you regarding holding onto the LW rifles, and I had to develop much better trigger habits, also. These don't lie there like more conventional heavier rifles.I feel it has a lot to do with the "innacurate" bad rap some LW rifles get.
;)

The SST's were bought for a 6.5-300 Wby Vanguard I had for longer range coyote shooting and will probably do the same in the Creedmoor, just not as far. I loved the Vanguard 6.5 Bee, but it is now too heavy for me.

I have a good Loopy 4X that might go on top of the Hunter; my grandson got my 6X. I might take a 2-7 VariX II off a rifle and top the new-to-me Kimber. Keeping rifles light is a high priority where I hunt...a lot of rough vertical. Big heavy scopes feel like dragging boat anchors up and down.
:oops:

OH, and it's the garden variety tan finish. I might get out my dash spray gun and add some "camo" after I gut the jell out.
 
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My "standard" load is 41.5gr of H4350 behind any pointy 140....this is over Hodgdons recommended, but even with the lower capacity cases (Peterson, Federal) I've not seen any issues in 6 different CM rifles, and accuracy is always MOA or better.
So far my favorite CM brass has been Starline, tho Peterson was also very good, just lower in capacity. Honestly, none of the cases I've used have been noticeably better tho, just different capacity and slightly different longevity.
 
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Wish I had a older 4x leupold laying around lol, maybe some day I'll find a nice m8 fx to pickup. I like how simple they are and not having to worry what power it's on. My varix-iic pretty much stays on 4x since in the cold it's about impossible to turn, maybe I should send it in worst it gets fixed or a new freedom but that gloss looks nice on my ruger.
 
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troy fairweather said:
Wish I had a older 4x leupold laying around lol, maybe some day I'll find a nice m8 fx to pickup. I like how simple they are and not having to worry what power it's on. My varix-iic pretty much stays on 4x since in the cold it's about impossible to turn, maybe I should send it in worst it gets fixed or a new freedom but that gloss looks nice on my ruger.
Click to expand...
The Hunter comes with Talley LW mounts. I might change them out for Weavers, however. They're light, tough, and I have some older low rings with the large steel knobs. The Talleys are a bit high. They also allow me to have a second scope along on trips in case I bugger the one on the gun. Weavers are good repeatable QD mounts if properly installed. The secret is spreading the rings as wide as you can, so they have "push-pull" pressure in the base grooves.
 
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luv2safari said:
The Hunter comes with Talley LW mounts. I might change them out for Weavers, however. They're light, tough, and I have some older low rings with the large steel knobs. The Talleys are a bit high. They also allow me to have a second scope along on trips in case I bugger the one on the gun. Weavers are good repeatable QD mounts if properly installed. The secret is spreading the rings as wide as you can, so they have "push-pull" pressure in the base grooves.
Click to expand...
That's true, if they talleys are like new talley will exchange them for you.
 
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If starting from scratch I'd consider Small Rifle Magnum primers and single base powder. Maybe IMR 4895 for under 140 and IMR 4350 for above. H4350 isn't as fat but I prefer IMR when loading - effected less by temp change IMO. I believe both are single base powders though.

LRPs are still hard to come by. If you have supply then that's different. CCI BR2 LRPs would be my top pick if availible or if I already had an ample stock.

SP and LP cases can be sourced from Starline but you may want to anneal before using for longer case life and better accuracy. Might get one or two more cycles out of it.

With the neck length and shoulder angle of the CM case you wont have brass flow or barrel burning like in many cartridges so powder selection is easier. Any of the 308 class powders will work and there is no need to use a bulky powder that is compressed - find one that fills to about 95% with the bullet your using and ladder test 'til you get what you want.
 
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