New load development and scope for the Howa 6.5 CM

[Cleveland48]

I ordered some Peterson small rifle primer brass and should be in tomorrow. Stopped and picked up a pound of IMR 4451(never tried this powder before), and also a box of nosler 140 grain custom competition bullets. Gonna try to have a ten round load work up done by Sunday, and I’ll post up the results as soon as I do. Since the Howa is a range toy now I decided I needed to upgrade its glass. Last Saturday I picked up a new vortex viper pst gen 2 3-15x44 with the ERB4 reticle. Really itching to try it out, and hope it’s a good scope. Definitely the most money I’ve spent on one anyways. Here is a pic of the Howa now, and also a pic of its replacement hunting rifle. I picked up one of the Ruger American predators in 6.5 CM, with the new aics type magazine set up. It will get shot for the first time this weekend. I hope it shoots like my last RAP did in this caliber. Gonna probably fork out some dough for atleast two real aics magazines.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TackDriver284]

Nice rifles there. Keep us posted how the Petersons and small rifle primers works for you. I have never tried the small rifle primers. Still got those two full boxes of Nosler brass, it will be a while before I can switch to small rifle brass. What primers will you be using?

4451 is indeed a great powder, shooters are switching from H4350 to Enduron 4451 and had great success with it as well.

 

[DrMike]

I had a PST. It was a fine scope that performed quite well. I believe you'll enjoy it. Great looking setups. I have some Peterson brass I need to load up for my 6.5 CM. You'll stimulate me to get going.

 

[salmonchaser]

Good looking rigs, looking forward to your report.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

Nice rifles there. Keep us posted how the Petersons and small rifle primers works for you. I have never tried the small rifle primers. Still got those two full boxes of Nosler brass, it will be a while before I can switch to small rifle brass. What primers will you be using?

4451 is indeed a great powder, shooters are switching from H4350 to Enduron 4451 and had great success with it as well.

Thanks! I’m gonna try the cci 450 first. Seems that’s what most folks are using in the small rifle primer for these.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

I had a PST. It was a fine scope that performed quite well. I believe you'll enjoy it. Great looking setups. I have some Peterson brass I need to load up for my 6.5 CM. You'll stimulate me to get going.

Thanks dr Mike. I’ve heard some great reviews of the Peterson brass. If it’s as good as everyone says it will be a steal of a price. Was gonna go lapua, but figured I’d try the 50 cases of Peterson first to test the waters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

Good looking rigs, looking forward to your report.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks salmonchaser! Hopefully have some results by Sunday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Michael C. Smith]

I have had really good luck with the Peterson brass with my 6.5 creedmoor. I am using the large rifle primer brass. Water capacity on my fired cases is 50.2 grains I think. I have some with 6 firings on it with some top in loads and the pockets are still good and tight. They come in a really nice case too! Those rifles look great! What stock is on the howa?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

I have had really good luck with the Peterson brass with my 6.5 creedmoor. I am using the large rifle primer brass. Water capacity on my fired cases is 52.7 grains I think. I have some with 6 firings on it with some top in loads and the pockets are still good and tight. They come in a really nice case too! Those rifles look great! What stock is on the howa?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thanks! It is a bell and Carlson. I believe it is called the medalist type 6 or something like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Michael C. Smith]

I have had really good luck with the Peterson brass with my 6.5 creedmoor. I am using the large rifle primer brass. Water capacity on my fired cases is 52.7 grains I think. I have some with 6 firings on it with some top in loads and the pockets are still good and tight. They come in a really nice case too! Those rifles look great! What stock is on the howa?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thanks! It is a bell and Carlson. I believe it is called the medalist type 6 or something like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice. I need to see if they offer that for my savage.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

I have had really good luck with the Peterson brass with my 6.5 creedmoor. I am using the large rifle primer brass. Water capacity on my fired cases is 52.7 grains I think. I have some with 6 firings on it with some top in loads and the pockets are still good and tight. They come in a really nice case too! Those rifles look great! What stock is on the howa?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thanks! It is a bell and Carlson. I believe it is called the medalist type 6 or something like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice. I need to see if they offer that for my savage.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thank you this is it on the stockys website. Appears to be in savage also.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

The Peterson brass came in today. Have to say it is very nice brass, not a single dented neck out of 50. The nice ammo box is an extra plus too. I started running them through my neck sizer, because I usually run about .002” neck tension. Plugged my chargemaster lite in to warm up. Started getting everything ready to load ten for the ten round load development. Realized I had not stopped and got any small primer [emoji19]. Have a 1,000 BR2 primers on my desk, but don’t reckon those are gonna do me any good lol. Well tomorrow guess I’ll be getting some primers. Pretty sure I’m gonna try cci 450’s. Unless I can’t find any then I’ll get the 400’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cleveland48]

Alright today I chronographed the first of the loads. I started pretty low just in case since this brass is so much heavier than hornady brass. Probably started to low and then stoped to soon. I added 7 more powder charges I’m gonna load tonight and try to find the max or hopefully 2700 fps, since that’s all I’m gunning for this target load. Strange though the first three loads actually had light ejector marks?? Never had this happen on such a low charge. Once I got to the fourth load and up I had no more ejector marks. Any ideas? Was a couple good nodes this round, but velocity wasn’t what I expected. Let me know what you guys think.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TackDriver284]

Cleveland, here are the results from QL from the data you sent to me with fired brass after adjustments.

Cartridge          : 6.5 Creedmoor Hornady
Bullet             : .264, 140, Nosler CC HPBT 26725
Useable Case Capaci: 44.951 grain H2O = 2.919 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.780 inch = 70.61 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : IMR 4451 Enduron ?, Temperature: 65 °F

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   93    37.98   2402    1794   41075   8257     89.1    1.436
-09.0   94    38.40   2429    1834   42362   8371     89.7    1.415
-08.0   95    38.82   2456    1874   43690   8483     90.2    1.395
-07.0   96    39.25   2482    1915   45062   8595     90.7    1.375
-06.0   97    39.67   2509    1957   46479   8704     91.2    1.355
-05.0   98    40.09   2536    1999   47942   8813     91.7    1.336
-04.0   99    40.51   2563    2041   49454   8919     92.2    1.317
-03.0  100    40.93   2589    2084   51016   9023     92.7    1.298
-02.0  101    41.36   2616    2128   52630   9126     93.1    1.280
-01.0  102    41.78   2643    2172   54299   9227     93.6    1.262  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  103    42.20   2670    2216   56024   9326     94.0    1.244  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  104    42.62   2697    2261   57808   9422     94.4    1.227  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0  105    43.04   2724    2307   59653   9517     94.8    1.210  ! Near Maximum !
+03.0  106    43.47   2751    2353   61562   9609     95.2    1.193  ! Near Maximum !
+04.0  107    43.89   2778    2399   63539   9698     95.6    1.176  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  108    44.31   2805    2447   65584   9785     96.0    1.160  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    103    42.20   2802    2441   65637   9509     98.4    1.160  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    103    42.20   2506    1952   46679   8788     86.6    1.351

 

[Cleveland48]

Cleveland, here are the results from QL from the data you sent to me with fired brass after adjustments.

Cartridge          : 6.5 Creedmoor Hornady
Bullet             : .264, 140, Nosler CC HPBT 26725
Useable Case Capaci: 44.951 grain H2O = 2.919 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.780 inch = 70.61 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : IMR 4451 Enduron ?, Temperature: 65 °F

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   93    37.98   2402    1794   41075   8257     89.1    1.436
-09.0   94    38.40   2429    1834   42362   8371     89.7    1.415
-08.0   95    38.82   2456    1874   43690   8483     90.2    1.395
-07.0   96    39.25   2482    1915   45062   8595     90.7    1.375
-06.0   97    39.67   2509    1957   46479   8704     91.2    1.355
-05.0   98    40.09   2536    1999   47942   8813     91.7    1.336
-04.0   99    40.51   2563    2041   49454   8919     92.2    1.317
-03.0  100    40.93   2589    2084   51016   9023     92.7    1.298
-02.0  101    41.36   2616    2128   52630   9126     93.1    1.280
-01.0  102    41.78   2643    2172   54299   9227     93.6    1.262  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  103    42.20   2670    2216   56024   9326     94.0    1.244  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  104    42.62   2697    2261   57808   9422     94.4    1.227  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0  105    43.04   2724    2307   59653   9517     94.8    1.210  ! Near Maximum !
+03.0  106    43.47   2751    2353   61562   9609     95.2    1.193  ! Near Maximum !
+04.0  107    43.89   2778    2399   63539   9698     95.6    1.176  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  108    44.31   2805    2447   65584   9785     96.0    1.160  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    103    42.20   2802    2441   65637   9509     98.4    1.160  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    103    42.20   2506    1952   46679   8788     86.6    1.351

Thank you TackDriver!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk