I finally got around to working up some loads for the 6.5 Creed Tikka. It seemed to like H4350 loads of 42.4 and 43.2. I did not see any over pressure signs on the 43.2 and wondering if I should try 43.1, 43.2 and 43.3, thoughts?

The pic of the cases shows the 43.2 (top) and 43.0, anything alarming on the primers?

nope, lookin good, shoot pretty darn good, you gonna debut at jg's?


It's good to see what a good bullet will do for a Tikka

Tim, 42.4 is exactly the same charge my 6.5 Creedmoor and a friend's 6.5 Creedmoor shot. After having done a 500 yard ladder test, then group shooting it at 500. Group shooting at 100 yards is tougher to find what the rifle wants.

42.4 seems to be "the" charge for the 6.5 CM and a 140 gr. When I switched lots, I had to bump it up to 42.8 gr, so you are in the sweet spot at 42.4. But if you want to retest, shoot the 42.4 and the 43.2 at 300 yards or more.

Thanks Jason, that is what I plan to do and then will begin playing with seating depths, currently .015 off the lands.

Buzz, this is the rifle I'll shoot at Jason's competition. I'm playing catch-up with all you accomplished shooters!

I shoot 42.3 in my Creedmoor with a 140 AMAX, so I think right in there is the zone. I can actually run up to 42.5 in the winter pretty easy, but that is too hot shooting fast and heavy in the summer. The rifle will handle it, but it starts loosening up primer pockets to fast on that soft Hornady brass.

Nice shooting, I would want to try between 43 and 43.2, if the velocity was higher than the others.

Hey BIGFITZ,

where were you seating the new ELD's touching, .02 off??

Unfortunately, I did not use a chrono (on wait list for Lab Radar unit) so I can't use SD or ES to decide on the load. 43.2 seems like a hot load from what I've read so wondering if I should just stick with the 42.4 for now and experiment with seating depths (shooting at 300 and/or 500) or if I should load up corresponding 43.2 and 42.4 loads with differing depths and compare.

Any thoughts on this? No pressure signs on cases or sticking bolt on any of the loads.

Also, below is my data and, in addition to 5 shot group size, I've also measured approximate group center from target (down and right in all these cases). I believe there are programs that do this but wondering if any others use this technique?

oal?

Buzz, I did not measure OAL at the tip but did with the Hornady OAL gauge with the 25 caliber insert (did not have the .264) so it will not mean much to anyone. I will provide on the next load... after Jason's competition.

Buzz, .015 off the lands as measured by the Hornady OAL gauge. I plan to try a few above and below at 300 or 500 to see if there is any measurable difference.

that's what I need thanks

Is that 4+1 or 3+2 on the 42.1 group? I'd be tempted to shoot more at that charge as well. I never did have good luck running higher charges and keeping primer pockets on creed brass on any of mine. Nice freaking shooting too!

Am I crazy or is 43.0gr the best load? There's almost 0 vertical stringing in that group

Plenty of horizontal stringing, though.

Tim proved his rifle is shooting well, and he has good form, and good trigger control with the other groups.

I still say right around the 42.4 range, and not just because that is nearly the exact charge weight I use, or because the group was tight. One tight group could be a fluke.

Look at the lighter weights, POI is higher. As the charge goes up, POI comes down until 42.4, then it stabilizes. By 42.7 POI is still the same but the group is opening up. That tells me there is a good node somewhere between 42.2 and 42.5. At least that is the way I would read the tea leaves.

Velocity data would be good to check against as well. Depending on temp and barrel length I would bet you are in the 2750-2800 range at 42.4 grains.

You might could run the 43.2 now, but I bet you would start losing primer pockets when it got hot. Maybe not. I guess it depends how much you like uniforming new brass though. I hate it, so I try to preserve mine.

Jeff, it is a 4+1 group (these are all 5 shot groups) but I noticed center of the POI continued a bit lower on 42.4 so it seems to be closer to the node or end of sine wave (if that makes sense). The 42.4 measured .315 and the 43.2 measured just slightly higher at .331. It was a calm evening and I've had a good instructor...but still a lot to learn.

I am going with the 42.4 load and will play around with seating depths and see what shoots best out at 300 or 500. I got skeered away from the 43.2 group as it seems it is on the hotter end of the spectrum (even though I saw no pressure signs).

I will probably tweak the load again once the Lab Radar comes in...one more data point.

I think you will be really close right there. The ELD really interests me. Especially the 7mm/162. I have a 7x57 with intermediate magazine length (3.4" max OAL) I think it would work really well in. That may be a summer project once the ELD becomes more available. The ELD would be really fun to try in the Creed too.

Okay, just finished loading both the 140gr ELD-Match and 143gr ELD-X for my 6.5 Weatherby, just off the lands,

68.0 RL-26, (testing new powder)
67.5 H-1000, my go to load with the Berger 140-VLD.

Not sure when I can test for accuracy, soon I hope, then off to the 800 steel range to see how it does at range...
stay tuned

^^Imma shoot that rifle^^

you knew where I was going to shoot that 800 yards didn't you

When are you shooting, Buzz. I'm going tomorrow late morning or early afternoon. I've got a few others I need to shoot as well.

I shot pistols today at Frisco Gun Club. shoulda shot rifles...what a beautiful day for shooting.

BigF where do you shoot?

Did you get a chrono?

clone this day for the rifle match at Jasons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where do you think he shot today?

Terrific weather, and Tim is deciding on 300 yard groups that differ by 1/16".

Yep, great day out at Jason's place. I will post pics tomorrow of the groups...got to decide on two loads.