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March 6th, 2019
Are you a PRS shooter or tactical competitor who may have to leave cartridge brass on the ground during a match? Or are you a varmint hunter who may need 1000+ cases for a big varmint safari? Here’s a deal for you — 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel brass for under forty cents ($0.40) per case. Right now Midsouth is running a big sale on bulk-bag, Hornady-brand 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel brass. The 6.5 Creedmoor is $194.99 for 500 cases, while the 6.5 Grendel is $184.99 for 500 cases. Either way you’ll pay less than $40 per hundred. Compare that to $110+ for some premium brands of brass for these cartridge types.
“Wait a minute”, you might say, “why would I want Hornady brass — shouldn’t I be using Lapua brass instead?” Well yes, in most situations you should use Lapua brass — you get what you pay for. Premium Lapua brass will deliver better ES/SD, better accuracy, and last longer (a LOT longer).
However, there are situations when you cannot recover your brass during a match or the range does not allow you to retrieve brass. Rather than leave precious Lapua brass on the ground, this cheap Hornady brass is a cost-effective alternative.
Likewise, if you need hundreds (or even thousands) of cases for a varmint hunt, where sub-MOA accuracy will suffice, you may want to buy this Hornady brass to get more quantity for your money. With this deal you can get FIVE HUNDRED cartridge cases for less than you’d pay for 200 premium 6.5 CM or 6.5 Grendel cases. That makes a difference when you may prepare 1000+ rounds for a multi-day varmint safari.
February 8th, 2019
Here are highlights from an article Glen Zediker wrote for the Midsouth Blog. In this article Glen focuses on cartridge brass for semi-auto rifles, AR-platform guns in particular. Glen notes that semi-autos are tougher on brass than bolt-action rifles, so you need strong, durable brass, that has been full-length sized. And you need to be careful about neck tension, and primers. The article starts with Glen’s recommendations for tough, hard brass, and then includes the points outlined below.
Glen is the author of many excellent books on reloading. This article is adapted from Glen’s books, Handloading For Competition and Top-Grade Ammo, available at Midsouth HERE. For more information about other books by Glen, visit ZedikerPublishing.com.
ONE: Full Length-Size Cases with Adequate Shoulder Set-Back
This is a huge source of debate… amongst my readers, but, since now I’m strictly speaking of semi-auto needs I doubt there will be much dissent: full-length resize all cases! Most cases from most semi-autos will emerge with a pretty well-blown case shoulder [taming down an excessively functioning gas system can reduce this]. Make double-sure you’re sizing the cases down to at least 0.003 clearance. If you don’t there are safety and function problems ahead.
TWO: USE Sufficient Neck Tension
The case neck [must be] reduced an adequate amount to retain the bullet. There should be a minimum net difference of 0.003 inches (three-thousandths) between sized outside case neck diameter and loaded round outside case neck diameter. [Editor — that means at least three thou of “grip”.] Reason: don’t take a chance of inadvertent bullet movement during the recoil and feeding cycles. That movement can be back or forward! It’s easily possible for a bullet to jump ahead when the inertia from the bolt carrier assembly chambers the next round.
THREE: Use Tough Primers
Choose a tough primer! There’s a floating firing pin on an AR15 (M1A also) that is supposed to be held in check but that system doesn’t always work! If you load and extract a round and see a little dimple in the primer, that’s from the firing pin tapping off of it (again, created by inertia of bolt closing). A combination of a high primer and a sensitive primer cup assembly can create a “slam-fire”. Brands? CCI has some mil-spec primers that work well, and I’ve had great success with Remington 7-1/2. Some of the well-respected “match” primers are a little thin. The CCI and Remington also hold up well to the (sometimes) greater firing forces working on the primer (again, from the quick unlocking).
Here’s what I use from Midsouth.
FOUR: Be Sure to Seat Primers Below Flush
And, finally, make double-sure that each and every primer is seated to below flush with the case head! That’s true for any firearm (because it also means that the primer is fully seated) but imperative for safety in a semi-auto. This is especially an issue for those who use a progressive-type loading press.
February 4th, 2019
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Grafs.com — All Lapua Products on Sale — Brass, Bullets, Ammo
If you want to win, and want brass that lasts, think Lapua. Over 90% of all modern benchrest records have been set with Lapua brass. What’s more, Lapua makes outstanding bullets. Lapua Scenars have delivered superb accuracy in our site’s benchrest and tactical rifles. As for factory ammo, again Lapua is hard to beat. We got our hands on some Lapua 90gr 6mmBR factory ammo a few seasons back. That stuff was amazing. It delivered honest 5-shot, quarter-MOA groups! If you want these superior Lapua products, now is a great time to buy. Grafs.com is running a giant sale on all Lapua-brand products, including brass, bullets, and loaded ammo. You’ll save at least 10% on everything, with many items 20-24% off, and select loaded ammo up to 59% off. Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor SR brass is discounted 22%, a great deal. Plus, if you spend $250 or more you’ll get a free box of Lapua Center-X.
2. GunPrime — 6mm Creedmoor Ruger Precision Rifle, $788.00
Get a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6mm Creedmoor for $788.00 complete. That price, which includes rings, is great for a Gen 2 model. If you’ve been thinking of purchasing a Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) chambered for the 6mm Creedmoor cartridge, this is a killer deal. Right now GunPrimer.com is offering this popular tactical rig for under $800.00, in the 6mm Creedmoor chambering. This shoots faster and flatter than the 6.5 Creedmoor — so many PRS guys have switched to it. This is a good choice for the PRS production class, or you can take in to another level of performance with a Pre-Fit 26″ cut-rifled barrel from Krieger. This is the lastest RPR Gen 2 version with the upgraded handguards. Heck of a bargain boys — you can pay $1200 or more elsewhere for the same rifle.
3. Midsouth — 6.5mm 123gr Match Bullets, $119.99 for 500
This is a great option for PRS and tactical shooters. These 6.5mm bullets work great with the popular 6.5mm cartridges such as 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Grendel, and 6.5×47 Lapua. With a shorter length than the 140s, these fit magazines better. Plus we’ve found you can run these significantly faster than the 140gr class 6.5 mm bullets, so you are not giving up that much in drop or windage. G1 Ballistic Coefficient is .510
Reloading information is interchangeable with 6.5mm Nosler Custom Competition bullets with the same grain weight. NOTE: These Match Monster Bullets are NOT BLEMS!
4. Al’s — Vortex Razor HD 20-60x85mm Spotting Scope, $809.99
AMAZING DEAL — save $390.00! Other vendors sell this very same Razor HD spotter for $1199.
Here’s a great deal on a high-quality spotting scope from a top optics maker. AL’s Sporting Goods has last year’s model Vortex Razor 20-60x85mm spotter for only $899.99, including eyepiece. This impressive HD-glass spotter sells elsewhere for $1200.00. But it gets better — use Code ALS10 for another 10% Off, bringing the final price down to $809.99. This is a very good spotter for the money and Vortex has one of the best warranties in the business.
5. Powder Valley — Hodgdon Powders In-Stock at Great Prices
H4895, Varget, H4350 — these are all great powders for competition cartridges such as the 6mmBR Norma, 6 Dasher, 6.5 Creemoor, and .284 Shehane. Because these powders work so well, they can be hard to find. Right now Powder Valley has a great supply of these and other excellent Hodgdon powders (such as H4198 and H4831sc) in both 1-lb and 8-lb containers. For example H4350 and Varget are $27.35 for 1-pounders, while H4895 and H4198 are just $26.35 for a 1-lb bottle. An 8-lb jug of H4350 is $194.50, a lot less than you’d pay in most retail stores.
6. Sportsman’s Guide — Browning Buck Mark, $279.99 with Code
Everyone should own a nice .22 LR rimfire pistol. The Browning Buck Mark is a classic, and for good reason. These pistols are reliable, well-balanced, have a good trigger, and they are very accurate. We have nothing but praise for the bull-barreled Buck Marks. And now you can get one for a super-low price. Sportsman’s Guide has the Browning Buck Mark Camper UFX with 5.5″ Barrel on sale for $299.99 ($284.99 member price). But it gets even better — if you use Code “WARRIOR” during check-out, you save $20.00, putting your total price at just $279.99 (or $264.99 for SG members). That’s a great deal on a very solid rimfire pistol that can serve you well for decades.
7. CDNN — Cleaning Set and Tool Kit in Wooden Box, $19.89
We doubt $20 spent any other way could deliver more utility (for a gun owner) than this Outers Combo Cleaning Kit and Driver Set. In a nice wooden box there is a 28-piece gun cleaning set, PLUS you get a 51-piece screwdriver and tool kit that includes Flat, Phillips, and Torx heads in multiple sizes. Here’s what you get for just $19.89:
28-Piece Cleaning Kit
Wooden Storage Box
3 Brass Rods
7 Bronze Brushes
7 Wool Mops
3 Slotted Plastic Loops
2 Spear-pointed Plastic Jags
Shotgun Adapter
Cleaning Cloths and Patches |
51-Piece Screwdriver Driver Kit
Molded Driver with Magnetic Tip
15 Flat Head Bits
10 Hex Bits (inch)
9 Hex Bits (metric)
4 Phillips Bits
9 Torx Bits
2 Extra Long Phillips Bits
1 Hex to Square Adapter |
8. Stocky’s — LR Stocks with Aluminum Bedding Block, $199.99
Here’s a good deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $199.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with handsome hydrographic or web-pattern baked-on textured finishes for $219.99.
9. Amazon — Jialitte Scope Bubble Level, $10.99
All serious rifle shooters need a scope level. This nicely designed Jialitte Scope Bubble Level features a 30mm milled inside diameter, plus an inner insert ring so it will also fit 1″-diameter main tubes — that dual-diameter versatility is a nice feature. We also like the way the unit is nicely radiused, and has a low profile in the middle. Price is just $10.99 with free shipping. User reviews have been very positive. You could easily pay $35.00 or more for a 30mm scope level. Purchasers have praised this product — nearly all verified buyers rated this five stars.
10. Amazon — 12″ x 12″ Splatter Grid Targets, 10 for $9.99
This 12″x12″ Splatterburst Target combines splatter shot marking with a grid background, with five aiming points. The bright neon shot circles make it easy to see your shots. And the handy grid lets you quickly estimate your group size. Get a 10-pack for $9.99, or a 25-pack for $17.99 (better deal). This particular target has earned rave reviews — 87% of verified buyers gave this a FIVE-Star rating. One example: “Excellent quality and durability. The adhesive is really strong. High contrast makes down range targeting easy and the splatter contrast is [great].”
January 5th, 2019
Sometimes everything comes together — a great barrel, the right load, good bullets, and, of course, a gifted trigger-puller. Check out this target from Forum member Mike Ezell. That’s five (5) shots at 100 yards from Mike’s 30 Major benchrest rifle. When this group was shot a while back, Mike reported: “I fired a few groups in the great weather. No surprises — it did VERY well! My little wildcat, the 30 Major, has always been a shooter. That target was not a fluke — I shot a few groups today and Agg’d a high One.” Mike is a Kentucky gunsmith who builds his own rifles.
30 Major is Based on 6.5 Grendel
What’s a “30 Major” you ask? This is Mike’s own wildcat, a 6.5 Grendel necked up to .30 caliber. Mike writes: “The 30 Major is essentially a .070″-long 30 PPC. With the great 6.5 Grendel brass available from Lapua, all you need to do is neck-up and turn the necks to prep the brass.” Mike says it is very much like a 30 BR, but you just start with 6.5 Grendel brass instead of 6mmBR brass.
The cartridge has one major benefit — it utilizes a PPC-diameter bolt face. That makes it easy to convert your group-shooting 6 PPC to shoot score with .30-cal bullets. Mike explains: “If you have a PPC, to shoot score, all you have to do is chamber up a [.30 caliber] barrel and screw it on your PPC.”
| From 7.62×39 Russian to 30 Major — Full Circle
Arms expert Neil Gibson has an interesting perspective on the lineage of the 30 Major. He reminds us that this wildcat has returned to its roots: “Start off with the 7.62×39 Russian [cartridge]. The Russians then modify it, necking it down to .223 for deer hunting. The U.S. benchrest guys then modify that, necking it up to 6mm and blowing the case out making the 6mm PPC. Someone takes that case, necks it out to 6.5 mm, making the 6.5 PPC. Alexander Arms takes that and makes the 6.5 Grendel. Then finally Mike Ezell takes the Grendel and necks it up to 30 caliber, making the 30 Major. From 30 caliber, back to 30 caliber. OK, the original uses .31 caliber bullets, but the bore is still .300. Talk about almost coming round full circle!” |
7.62×39 Russian
v
.220 Russian
v
6mm PPC
v
6.5 PPC
v
6.5 Grendel
v
30 Major |
The 7.62×39 Russian was the Grand-Daddy of the 30 Major…
Great Accuracy Restored after Solving Mystery Problem
To get his 30 Major rig shooting this well, Mike had to solve a mysterious problem that cropped up last year. Mike explains: “Two years running, I have finished in the top 15 in IBS points shooting [the 30 Major], but last year’s benchrest season was tough.” Mike was having some accuracy issues that defied explanation. But he figured it out: “The front action screw was bottoming out against the barrel extension – just barely. A simple fix brought the gun back to life. It’s a Stiller Viper Drop Port. The action is screwed and glued into the stock, so I was a bit surprised … especially after having checked for [that issue] while looking for the problem. I’m just glad to have found the trouble so I can begin to re-instill some confidence in the gun and myself, after last year.”
December 1st, 2018
Since 2010, Lapua has shipped its quality cartridge brass in sturdy blue plastic boxes. Here’s a handy tip for you — don’t toss the plastic boxes when you load up your brass! These are double-duty containers. If you’re not familiar with “Blue Box” Lapua brass, you may not realize that the boxes are designed to serve as 50-round carriers for your loaded ammo and fired cases. (Yes we know some folks who’ve been tossing out their blue boxes without knowing how the boxes work as caddies.)
Snapped in place under the box lid is a rectangular plastic grid that fits in the bottom of the box. Pop the grid loose and slide it into the box with the smooth side facing up. Side supports molded into the lower section hold the grid in place.
Voilà, instant Ammo Box! Each grid contains holes for fifty (50) loaded rounds or empty cases. The convertible plastic container/ammo box is a great idea that Lapua executed very nicely. Now you have even more motivation to purchase your cartridge brass from Lapua.
USER TIPS: When transporting ammo you may want to put some foam over the loaded rounds. That will protect the bullet tips. Also, with shorter cartridges, this will help keep your loaded ammo and fired cases from moving around. You can also tape the FREE Redding Ammo Box Labels on the underside of the lids to list your load information.
May 24th, 2018
 Here is interesting news, particularly for pistol shooters and PRS competitors. You can now get premium, induction-annealed cartridge brass from SIG Sauer, the noted maker of Swiss-designed pistols and rifles. SIG Sauer is now manufacturing pistol and rifle brass at its state-of-the-art ammunition facility in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Notably, all Elite Performance rifle shell cases are induction annealed for consistent neck tension and case longevity. SIG states this brass is “engineered to exacting tolerances” and “the geometric consistency … ensures each primer is held tightly in its pocket. Flash holes are precise with no burrs and the superior metallurgical properties of the SIG Sauer cases enable repeated reloading.”
Rifle Brass Pricing is Attractive
We haven’t tried SIG Sauer rifle brass yet, but we are tempted as pricing is competitive. For example, a 50-count bag of 6.5 Creedmoor brass costs $33.95 on SIG’s online store. Varminters take note — 50 22-250 brass cases cost $25.95, while a 100-ct bag of .223 Rem brass is $35.95 (just 36 cents each).
SIG rifle cases are available for these cartridge types: .223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .300 BLK, .308 Win, .and 300 Win Mag. Coming soon are .270 Win and .30-06 Springfield brass. Cases for most rifle cartridge types are sold 50 to a bag (100 for .223 Rem).
SIG Pistol Brass Sold Both Primed and Unprimed
SIG’s pistol brass is offered either primed or unprimed, at affordable prices. For example, 100 .45 ACP cases cost $33.95 primed, or $27.95 unprimed. 9mm Luger is even cheaper — just $25.95 for primed cases, or $20.95 for 9mm unprimed. To save time, we’d be tempted to buy the primed cases.
SIG pistol cases are available, primed or unprimed, in 100-ct bags for the following cartridge types: .380 Auto, 9mm Luger (9x19mm), .357 SIG, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, .45 ACP.
COMMENT: Honestly, we don’t see many Benchrest and F-Class competitors moving away from Lapua brass which is superb, and holds the vast majority of records in those disciplines. However, for other disciplines, such as 3-Gun and Tactical matches, where you may not be able to recover your brass, it makes sense to consider cheaper alternatives. Likewise, varminters, who may shoot hundreds of rounds in an outing, may favor less costly cartridge brass.
“Each brass case undergoes rigorous in-line and post production quality assurance testing to ensure a flawless casing”, said Brad Criner, SIG Sauer’s Senior Director of Brand Management and Business Development. “The result is unparalleled durability and dependability.” All SIG Sauer Elite Performance ammunition and components are manufactured at SIG’s new ammo plant in Jacksonville, Arkansas. For more information on SIG cartridge brass visit the SIG Sauer Brass Webpage.
May 5th, 2018
 If you have a rifle chambered in .260 Remington, you may be wondering if the Lapua .260 Brass is worth the money compared to domestic-made brass. Well, the answer is “yes” if you demand consistent weight and dimensional uniformity (including neckwall thickness).
Mike Harpster of Dead Center Sports took the time to weigh and measure Lapua .260 Rem brass. His test show this brass to be extremely uniform. Weight variance was less than one (1) grain in a 20-case sample. And case neckwall thickness was very consistent.
Report by Mike Harpster: Lapua .260 Rem Brass Test Results (with Comparisons)
I pulled twenty (20) pieces randomly from one Lapua box to do some measurements. I weighed them on my Mettler-Toledo digital lab scale and here are the individual weights of each case. Remarkably, the Lapua brass had less than one grain total weight variance among all 20 cases!
While checking the Lapua brass I remembered I had just received some Winchester brand .308 brass, so I thought it would be interesting to do a comparison between the two brands. I again pulled 20 cases at random from a bag of 50 and repeated the same measurements. The results are shown in the right half of the table below.
Weight Variance Lapua .260 Rem Brass vs. Winchester-Brand .308 Win Brass
| LAPUA .260 Rem Brass |
Winchester .308 Win Brass |
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Average: 172.20 grains
ES: 0.94 grains
SD: 0.259 |
Average: 158.49 grains
ES: 2.64 grains
SD: 0.678
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 Winchester Brass Further Inspection
The flash holes on the majority of the Winchester brass were not round or centered and they had large burrs inside. The neck wall thickness was pretty consistent, varying only .0015″ (.0125″ – .014″). As you can see in the photo (right) many of the Winchester cases were badly dented while the Lapua brass showed very few minor dents. The annealing on the necks of the Lapua brass was clearly evident while the Winchester showed no signs of being annealed. [Editor’s note: Winchester tumble-polishes its brass before shipping — so you would not notice annealing coloration if annealing had been done.]
Lapua Brass Further Inspection
With sample Lapua .260 Rem cases, I also measured the neck wall thickness in four places with calipers, not the most accurate method but I feel confident that the thickness did not vary more than .001″ over the 20 cases (.0145-.0155). The inside diameter of the neck measured .260 which would give .004 of neck tension out of the box. I visually checked the flash holes and I did not find any flakes of brass or burrs inside, the holes were round and centered.
Summary — This Lapua Brass is Impressive
I have never done these measurements on any other brass so I don’t know how they compare, but I am very impressed with the overall quality of the Lapua .260 brass. If they prove to hold up to the repeated firings I get from my Lapua 6BR brass I believe .260 shooters will be very happy.
Mike Harpster — Dead Center Sports
105 Sunrise Drive
Spring Mills, PA 16875
phone: 814-571-4655
www.deadcentersports.com
February 12th, 2018
Photo by Sherri Jo Gallagher
The 2018 Berger SW Nationals are now history. The fun, action, challenges, and rewards now pass into memories. Once again, the Berger SWN was a great shooting match — a great way to advance your shooting skills, reconnect with old friends, and enjoy warm weather. If you are a serious long-range shooter, this is definitely one of the best-managed, most rewarding matches on the planet. In 2018 the match “sold out” in a matter of hours. If you plan to go next year, watch for the registration notices. You don’t want to be left out.
2018 Berger Southwest Nationals Long Range Results
The SWN has three new individual champions. Congratulations to the three divisional Match Winners: Bob Sebold (F-Open), Phillip Kelley Jr. (F-TR), and Allen Thomas (Sling).
Top Five Overall – F-Open
Bob Sebold, 843-49X
Keith Glasscock, 843-38X
Jay Christopherson, 841-45X
Stephen Potter, 841-37X
James Crofts, 841-34X |
Top Five Overall – F-TR
Phillip Kelley Jr., 838-35X
Ellis Berry, 837-42X
Niklas Montin, 836-35X
Peter Johns, 835-36X
Edward Shelley, 832-33X |
Top Five Overall – Sling
Allen Thomas, 844-37X
Oliver Milanovic, 843-45X
Trudie Fay, 842-32X
Nancy Tompkins, 840-43X
Angus McLeod, 840-43X |
The Berger SW Nationals are made possible through the principal support of Berger Bullets and Lapua, both part of the Capstone Precision Group, which also distributes Vihtavuori powder and SK Ammunition in the USA. Berger and Lapua both generously donated product prizes for 2018 SWN competitors.
Today’s Champions… And Tomorrow’s New Talent
Here is the Sling Winner, Allen Thomas, with Bill Gravatt, President of Capstone Precision Group. (Bill was formerly the President of Sinclair International).
Bob Sebold, of Team Lapua/Brux/Borden also won the individual F-Class SWN Title. He’s definitely one of the nation’s top F-Open pilots.
There were a dozen or so talented juniors competing at the Berger SW Nationals. Some of the youngsters posted scores that would put the “old guys” to shame. We definitely expect to see some of these young shooters standing on the podium at future Berger SWN events. We asked them to strike a “cool pose” and the Harris boys delivered…
Berger SW Nationals Gallery — Parting Shots
Does this competitor know something we don’t know. Perhaps he is testing a new “Stealth” rifle stock from McMillan. Or maybe this is some kind of Zen body/mind melding practice. We do advocate “dry firing”, but that normally involves holding a real rifle…
Look carefully and you’ll see quite a lot reflected in this SWN competitor’s shooting eyewear. Can you identify the type of rifle?
Michelle Gallagher — She’s probably smiling at an ‘X’ — or maybe she just nailed a tough wind call. The SW Nationals is a great event because of the hard work and dedication of talented folks like Michelle.
Can you name all the pieces of hardware in this image? We see at least a dozen. Don’t forget the little items like the bubble level and mirage shield.
How do you anchor a SEB MINI coaxial rest in under ten seconds? With MAXI feet of course! These over-size hooves belong to shooter Mark Fairbairn, a very tall, MAXI-sized Australian. Who needs to pound those F-Class feet into the ground with a mallet when you can simply “stand and deliver”.
We think some competitors came to Ben Avery just for the great Barbecue lunches — well that plus the great weather and the amazing prize table. Everyone goes home a winner in one way or another.
Texas gunsmith Richard King showed us the biggest rifle action we’ve ever seen. This 13-lb monster is the BAT .50 BMG Action. Honestly it was HUGE — with the bolt fully extended it was the size of your forearm (to the finger tips). Richard joked “This weighs almost as much as an F-TR rifle (before optic) all by itself”.
November 14th, 2017
Sierra Bullets has recently released load data for the 6mm Creedmoor cartridge, a necked-down version of the 6.5 Creedmoor, a popular PRS, tactical, and hunting cartridge. Sierra has released very comprehensive 6mm Creedmoor load data, covering fifteen (15) different bullets from 55 to 110 grains. NOTE: Hornady-brand brass was used for Sierra’s 6mm Creedmoor load tests, not the newer, stronger Lapua 6.5 CM brass with small primer pockets. Hand-loaders using Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass necked to 6mm may have to adjust their loads.
Sierra writes: “As soon as the 6.5 Creedmoor was released in 2007, a 6mm version was being envisioned. After the 6mm Creedmoor demonstrated its worth at 1000 yards it began to catch the attention of Precision Rifle Series (PRS) competitors. The 6mm/6.5 Creedmoor is a great fit for those looking for an AR platform-friendly cartridge. It delivers velocities very similar to the .243 Win and yet fits the AR10 magazine length[.] The 30-degree shoulder makes this a very efficient case and helps prolong case life as well. The 6mm/6.5 Creedmoor works well with powders such as H4350, RE-17, and Ramshot Hunter for heavier long-range bullet weights. Slightly faster powders such as RE-15, Win 760, and Vihtavuori N540 work well with lighter weight bullets.”
| Sierra Bullets Tested for 6mm Creedmoor Load Data |
55gr BlitzKing (#1502)
60gr HP (#1500)
70gr HPBT (#1505)
70gr BlitzKing (#1507)
75gr HP (#1510) |
80gr SBT (#1515)
85gr Spitzer (#1520)
85gr HPBT (#1530)
90gr FMJBT (#1535)
95gr HPBT (#1537) |
95gr TMK (#7295)
100gr Spitzer (#1540)
100gr SBT (#1560)
107gr HPBT (#1570)
110gr HPBT (#1575) |
In developing its 6mm Creedmoor load data, Sierra tested a very wide selection of propellants, two dozen overall. For the smaller bullets, fast-burning powders such as Benchmark, H4895, and CFE223 were tested. For the heavier 100+ grain bullets, Sierra tested a selection of medium-burn-rate powders including H4350, Reloder 16, Reloder 17, Varget, and Superformance. Sierra did a very thorough job. We know this information will be welcomed by 6mm Creedmoor shooters.
Don’t know what powder to try first? For the 107-110 grain bullets, if you want best accuracy and low ES/SD, our Forum members recommend Alliant Reloder 16 and Hodgdon H4350. If you are seeking max velocity with the 110-grainer, look at Hodgdon Superformance and Reloder 19.
Here are Sierra’s 6mm Creedmoor Load Data Charts for the 107gr MK and 110gr MK. There are a half-dozen other tables for lighter-weight bullets.
October 7th, 2017
You may not know this, but Creedmoor Sports sells very high-quality loaded ammunition crafted with top-quality bullets and premium-grade Lapua brass for .308 Win and .30-06. We have friends who have shot some of this ammo in .223 Rem and .308 Win, and it is very impressive. The 6.5 Creedmoor ammo is capable of winning PRS matches outright. Creedmoor’s rifle cartridge match ammunition includes:
.223 Rem: (55gr FMJ, 68gr HPBT, 69gr TMK, 75gr HPBT, 77gr TMK)
6.5 Creedmoor: (140gr HPBT Hornady, 140gr HPBT Nosler, 142gr Sierra — all Hornady brass)
.308 Win: (155gr, 167gr, 168gr Sierra, 175gr all in Lapua Brass; also precision hunting in other brass)
.30-06 Springfield: (167gr Lapua Scenar HPBT in Lapua Brass)
Use Coupon Code CS929 to receive Free Ground Shipping on orders over $99!
Oh, the beauty of it — all that Lapua brass. From Finland with love….
What does 13,005 pounds (6.5 tons) of powder look like? That would last most reloaders a few seasons. Hoarders, eat your hearts out….
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