Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass Performs Great in Tough Field Test
The verdict is in — Lapua’s new 6.5 Creedmoor brass is ultra-tough and very consistent. So sayeth the 6.5 Guys, who recently field-tested the brass, loading it to very stout levels. Even after 20 reloadings, the Lapua 6.5 CM brass held up extremely well. This brass, with its small primer pocket and small flash hole, really does out-perform other 6.5 Creedmoor brass offerings. Yes the Lapua brass is pricey, but it outlasts the alternatives, and, if the 6.5 Guys test is any indication, you can run higher velocities with this brass compared to other brands. Watch the 6.5 Guys Lapua brass test in this video:
If you have a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle, or are considering getting a gun chambered for this cartridge, we strongly recommend you watch the full 6.5 Guys Video. Ed and Steve spent a lot of time conducting this test, and the video includes helpful summaries of their findings.
The Evolution of the 6.5 Creedmoor
Over the last few years the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has become increasingly popular among precision rifle enthusiasts. However, availability of brass cases was limited to only a few manufacturers. In early 2017 Lapua introduced to the market its own 6.5 Creedmoor case with a unique twist — the case has a small rifle primer pocket and small flash hole — like the 6mmBR Norma and 6.5×47 Lapua.
Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass — Test Protocol
The 6.5 Guys tested a box of Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge brass supplied by Graf & Sons. The project involved two phases. First the 6.5 Guys weighed and measured the cases to assess weight uniformity and dimensional consistency (which was impressive). Then came phase II — the “torture test”. The 6.5 Guys loaded the brass with a very stout charge of H4350 pushing 140gr Hornady ELD bullets*. The brass was loaded and shot over 20 times. This durability test was conducted to see how many repeated firings and resizing/reloading cycles the brass could handle. Remarkably, after 20+ loadings, the brass was still holding up — no “blown-out” primer pockets. This stuff is tough. The 6.5 Guys note: “You can go at least 20 reloadings without a split neck…but brass spring-back may be another issue.”
After 20 Load Cycles — Going to the Extreme
Once the Lapua cases had been shot 20+ times, the 6.5 Guys tried something more extreme. They stuffed the brass with a very hot load — a powder charge weight well beyond a sensible maximum. Even with this “beyond max” load, the Lapua brass held up but there was some evidence of pressure on the primers: “You do see some cratering on the primer with a Remington 700 that you don’t see with a Defiance action, but nothing to indicate a potential pierced primer.”
WARNING: The 6.5 Guys deliberately used a very stout load for testing. Do not attempt to duplicate. This load was shot in a faster-than-average barrel with a chamber set up for long 140gr bullets. You may not be able to achieve similar velocities — maybe not even close. As with all hand-loading, always start low and work up charges in small increments.
6.5 Creedmoor vs. 6.5×47 Lapua — Battle of the Middle-Weights
With this new brass, does the 6.5 Creedmoor enjoy an edge over the 6.5×47 Lapua? The 6.5 Guys answer: “That’s hard to say. From a market share standpoint, the 6.5 CM is more popular in the USA. From a technical perspective, 6.5×47 Lapua offers near identical performance with better barrel life. But from our tests, you can drive a 140-grain bullet much faster with 6.5 Creedmoor than you ever can (safely) with a 6.5×47 Lapua. That’s our non-answer answer….”The 6.5 Guys concluded that the 6.5 Creedmoor will enjoy a velocity advantage: “We’ve had a number of discussions with RBros and other folks about this. It appears that 6.5×47 still has the edge as far as barrel life. But it also looks like you can push a 140gr bullet pretty fast with the 6.5 CM — speeds that are not obtainable with the 6.5×47 Lapua.”
* Why were the Hornady 140gr ELDs chosen for testing? The 6.5 Guys wanted a bullet in the 140gr weight range. Beyond that, the choice was fortuitous. Ed explained: “Our bullet selection was quite scientific — we sat down at my reloading bench and looked around. Saw the Hornady 140 ELD Match and decided to roll with that.”
Similar Posts:
- 6.5 Creedmoor vs. Other Mid-Sized .264-Caliber Cartridges
- Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass Has Arrived at Graf & Sons
- Lapua .308 Win Brass on Sale at Bullets.com
- New 6mm Creedmoor Cartridge Brass from Lapua
- Bargain Brass: 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 Grendel under $40 per 100
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Tags: 6.5 CM, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Guys, 6.5x47 Lapua, Lapua Brass, Reloading, Torture Test
OK – this is where the Dunning-Kruger Effect has to be dealt with early on. Shooting the same piece of brass 20 times and and calling the case superior misses two key and very important elements – accuracy and precision.
Now if this test had been run on a target and the groups had remained consistent, and did not grow as the brass become work hardened, then I might be more interested. In the interests of precision shooting – did that happen?
But was it more or less accurate? That is all we are interested in.
I’m still trying to figure out why the heck someone would shoot off a camera/spottingscope tripod.
Will be interesting to see how the Peterson brass compares – at $30 less per 100.
Richard – interesting comments. I’m up to 21 reloads with Norma 6XC. When using 22-250 brass fireformed into 6XC, never got more than 8 reloads. The following techniques are important – precise chamber, case preparation, annealing, careful case sizing (neck or full length with competition dies) etc., Case preparations with good brass will definitely increase case life while maintaining accuracy.
Hi Charles York,
A camera tripod equipped with a HOG Saddle is very common in PRS style shooting events. It allows you to shoot over tall grass and other obstacles, engage targets at extreme angles, etc.
Hi Richard,
Our primary objective was to address a common question in PRS shooting circles: We run hot loads and large primer pocket 6.5 CM brass rarely lasts past half a dozen reloads. From that perspective, the Lapua brass exceeded our expectations. We always anneal our brass but didn’t in this case because we wanted to see what would happen in a worse case scenario from a durability standpoint. To your point, if we wanted to test for accuracy and consistency we would have taken a different approach.
I have no experience with the 6.5 but use a lot of small primmer Lapua .308 palma brass and it does last forever with that small pocket and all that brass in the case head. Several I known are trying the 6mm/47 with the new Sierra MK 110 grain and its .62 BC this year.
With a well built rifle, and loading dies that are a correct match to the chamber, I doubt that shooters would be able to distinguish between the best, and mediocre brass in any field shooting situation, if good reloading and load development practices are followed…BUT there is no doubt that having primer pockets that open up after a half dozen loadings is a significant problem. That is the reason for the test, a point that seems to have been missed by some. These are not bench rifles. The challenges in this sort of competition are significant, but very different from benchrest.
Ed – you could have done both and ended up with some useful results. In fact a good study of the two factors of brass life versus accuracy would have provided a solid foundation of understanding for PRS shooters in so far as there is a direct relationship between accuracy and precision and hitting the target.
good test,
but can you say that small primer pocket gives longer life?
because you dont have lapua large pocket vs lapua small pocket test, but shity LP vs lapua SP test…
Hi Mark,
You bring up a good point. Lapua does have LP and SP .308 brass so such a test could be conducted.
Ive shot a lot of both Lapua LP and SP .308 brass and there is no doubt the SP brass lasts longer.
I have run 308 Palma vs large primer made into 6.5 Creedmoor, also use Norma brass, for awhile now, the small primer is superior except when it’s very cold in my findings.
so I guess that we can safely conclude that 6.5CM small pocket brass lasts longer because of 308 palma, which fact is known for very long.
and now the real test: accuracy!
Good test. Results consistent with my personal observations, particularly, concerning greater resistance to loosening of primer pockets. I have experienced similar loosening with all the major brands, using the larger primers, even the ones costing as much as and more than Lapua. Regarding price, considering the foregoing, Lapua is a bargain. And at the same time, more consistent, requiring less prep. than at least one of the others and no more than the rest.
Please. Can you do the same test again, only this time for accuracy.
Take five cases, shoot them for group at 300 metres/yards. Prone bipod position.
Measure record conditions and group size.
Repeat another 19 times for a total of 20.
Graph results.
Do the same thing with other cartridges.
Publish series on your blog.
For the life of me, I can’t find any Hornady 140 gr. ELDx listed anywhere. Help!
Does the small primer make that much difference for long range shooting just asking
I would be more concerned with SD and velocity than anything else. If you can get a single digit SD and a low extreme spread then your accuracy should be there after finding an optimal seating depth for accuracy. If the accuracy node is around 2750 fps with single SD and low ES then Lapua has done it again.
Initially, the cost of the brass won’t matter to me, but accuracy and velocity will. I’ve collected around 60 rounds of once fired factory Hornady at the range in the last few months, and bought another 60 rounds of Hornady Match, American Whitetail just to break my new X-bolt in. If I can get it to shoot .25-.5 MOA consistently like my 243 X-bolt, I’m good with that. But I’m interested in how much more accurate and how much faster the Lapua brass with small rife or small mag rifle will be, and will it keep it’s accuracy for the 15+ reloads I’m hearing about. And what about annealing? Seems like that will have to happen if intending to shoot the brass that many times.
When you are changing over to SRP cases for 6.5creedmoor, are you still going by the book/manuals load data min and max charge weights, to start with for the 6.5creedmoor listings? Given most manuals I have, current with Lyman 50th, lists the data with Large Rifle Primers for their setup/testing.
Is there a rule of thumb?
For the life of me, I can’t understand why some old Fudd benchrester is reading an article on a PRS cartridge.