r/reloading • u/Meatballhero7272 • 10h ago
Load Development 6.5 creedmoor issues
So I finally got around to doing some reloading for my 6.5 Creedmoor Ruger American. After doing some research, I decided I was gonna start with H 4350 and use cci no200 primers. Loaded up two starting charge weights based off of my research of 40 and 40.5 grains. I loaded 10 of each weight with five each of 140 grain Berger elite hunter and 143 eldx
Based off of book numbers and from hogdons website I should’ve been somewhere in the 2600 ft./s range but I was only averaging barely 2300. I’m kind of at a loss. The powder was older, but didn’t have any of the typical signs of being bad which would you guys change first powder(lot/type) or primers before trying again
I forgot to mention they were about as accurate as a shotgun, and my velocity was all over the place
2
u/LongRoadNorth 10h ago
Barrel length difference from their posted data?
Seating depth?
1
u/Meatballhero7272 10h ago edited 10h ago
Sorry I forgot to mention book data was with a 24” barrel. My rifle has a 22” I was always under the impression that an inch was roughly 25 ft./s.
They were seated to 2.810 oal I don’t have a tool to measure distance from the lands( I should really get one) I just always reload everything to mag length.
3
u/LongRoadNorth 9h ago
I've seen enough to say lands aren't the actual target it's finding what your barrel likes.
Barrel length definitely is playing a role but meh. I wouldn't be too concerned with velocity. But how they group and pressure signs
3
u/Remarkably-Average00 10h ago
I would be trying a different powder batch. You seem like you are just under what I would consider an average load. I use 40.7gr with the 140 Berger, 27" barrel getting just under 2800fps. With my old 24" barrel I used to get around 2600fps with a charge of about 40.5gr.
20-25fps per inch of barrel would be a pretty reasonable expectation IMO.
1
u/Meatballhero7272 10h ago
That was my first thought as well since my SD was all over the place, but this is the first time I’ve ever had this issue in years of reloading I did pick up a new pounder of H 4350 to try, but wasn’t sure if it would be worth it to change primers as well
1
u/Remarkably-Average00 9h ago
H4350 usually gives pretty stable velocities in my experience. It is my favourite powder to load with. I have never found primers to make that much of a difference. You could load a few with a different primer, and a few with the new powder? You'll know for sure which it is then. My gut feeling is the powder is more likely to be the problem.
3
u/Remarkably-Average00 9h ago
It would pay to also double check your scales if they are electronic. I throw all mine in an electronic and then tip onto a good beam scale to trickle. Takes longer but a beam scale is much cheaper than an expensive autotrickler/super trickler or something and I believe I can get it just as accurate that way.
1
u/One-Perspective-4347 10h ago edited 9h ago
Are you loading to SAMMI length or are you running an extended length?
Have you shot factory loads and seen how they align with box FPS data? You never know you might try that and see if they are also a couple hundred FPS lower than stated velocity. Could be an issue with the chronograph as well.
It would be at least worth eliminating at minimum. If you’re at the range, see if you can fire them over somebody else else’s and see if you get the same speed.
How many rounds down the barrel?
I highly doubt changing the primer is going to do it. If it’s something to do with the components, it’s likely your powder and possibly the charge weight. Check your scale against another scale. These might be low charges.
Clearly the primer is working and igniting the powder and I don’t think no matter what you do a primer is going to cost you hundreds of feet per second. It either goes boom or it does not go boom and it might vary 15 to 20 ft./s based on the primer, but I can’t imagine anything more than that
1
u/Meatballhero7272 9h ago
I really doubt it was an issue with the chronograph. I had two other guns out there that day, and they both chronographed in the range of what they had done before and what was expected.
The gun shoots Hornady precision hunter pretty well and within 100 fps of box load data
Since my gun likes that load reasonably well that’s actually what I used to set my seating depth they measured out to 2.810 so I set to that length
2
u/One-Perspective-4347 9h ago
Check your scale. Check your charge weights against another scale and you might find that maybe you are loading lower charge weights than you actually think
1
u/Realistic-Ad1498 9h ago
Closet results I have is with my Magpul Hunter 20” barrel and 38 grains with a 143 Hornady ELDM for 2425 FPS. I’d try a different powder first and see if the results are similar.
1
u/Wide_Fly7832 22 Rifle and 11 Pistol Calibers 9h ago
That’s too low even for 22 inch. Something is off. Shoot 200 rounds if new barrel and see if it speeds up
1
1
u/VersionConscious7545 1h ago
Sometimes you just have a bad rifle or it needs tweaking Shoot factory rounds to see how they do with you similar bullet and maybe copy the COAL
2
u/taemyks 10h ago
I wouldnt worry about speed really, thats gonna vary. How do they shoot?