6.5 Creedmoor and 127 LXR how hot is to hot?.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

I been working up a load for my new tikka 24" barrel superlite in 6.5 creedmoor. I worked my way up to this load
H4350 41.8 gr
cci 200
Barnes 127 LRX
Starline brass with large pocket
coal 2.75
Ojive 2.17
.092 off lands
muzzle velocity = 2779

I was using the Hogen's load data

Manufacturer

Powder

C.O.L.

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Hodgdon

H4350

2.750"

38.0

2,574

49,000 PSI

42.3

2,800

60,400 PSI

I not showing any obvious signs of pressure but I don't have much experience reloading. My MV of 2779 is slightly lower than the 2800 listed on hogans.

After working The load up I noticed the Barnes data List the charge for this bullet at H4350 36-40.4 Grains . using their data, I would be 1.4 grains over max charge. HMMM
bolt seems normal and primers look ok , but as i said i haven't had a lot of experience and have never loaded up to pressure signs. I afraid i might be missing something.
I am concerned I might be too Hot. What have others ended up with? The groups really like this load and hate to step down if its safe.
I know each gun and barrel is different.
This is such a popular gun and powder I thought others might have an opinion?
Barnse list their factor load with this bullet at 2850 on box. I not sure what it get in real world.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

For reference, my 21” Barrett Fieldcraft got 2780 fps from Factory 127 LRX. Your barrel probably hasn’t sped up yet either, if it’s new.

 

[z987k]

That is really slow for that load. You should be seeing 100fps more or so. I get that velocity out of an 18in barrel with that bullet and a similar load. I don't think you're anywhere near over pressure.

 

[wind gypsy]

You didn't list what brass you are using. That can also impact how much powder it takes to hit velocity/max pressure.

Personally, i wouldn't worry about being over pressure with that setup until I was at 2900 FPS+ or getting obvious pressure signs but caveat emptor.

 

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

You didn't list what brass you are using. That can also impact how much powder it takes to hit velocity/max pressure.

Personally, i wouldn't worry about being over pressure with that setup until I was at 2900 FPS+ or getting obvious pressure signs but caveat emptor.

Starline brass with large pocket

 

[JFK]

Tikka barrels are typically slower than most. You should pickup some more velocity once you have a couple hundred rounds through it.

If you are set on shooting monos I would look at a lighter bullet. Maybe the hammer hht in 118gr. Muzzle velocity at or above 3000fps should be the goal.

 

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Tikka barrels are typically slower than most. You should pickup some more velocity once you have a couple hundred rounds through it.

If you are set on shooting monos I would look at a lighter bullet. Maybe the hammer hht in 118gr. Muzzle velocity at or above 3000fps should be the goal.

I was running some hundred grains in it. in fact, I set it up quick and shot a Doe deer with it.. I just count get the 100 tssx to group as good as the 127 . I hear good things about the hammers, but rather stick with Barnes as can get them local. most the hunting back east is 250yards or less so the muzzle velocity 2779 would be fine. The load data only takes this load up to 2800 so i pretty close. Barnes factor lxr are 2850 on box

 

[JFK]

I was running some hundred grains in it. in fact, I set it up quick and shot a Doe deer with it.. I just count get the 100 tssx to group as good as the 127 . I hear good things about the hammers, but rather stick with Barnes as can get them local. most the hunting back east is 250yards or less so the muzzle velocity 2779 would be fine. The load data only takes this load up to 2800 so i pretty close. Barnes factor lxr are 2850 on box

Gotcha. All that makes sense. For 250 yards and in what you have is completely adequate. The LRX is the main bullet I take hunting as well and handload for it in 270. They work well.

 

[RMajors]

I been working up a load for my new tikka 24" barrel superlite in 6.5 creedmoor. I worked my way up to this load
H4350 41.8 gr
cci 200
Barnes 127 LRX
Starline brass with large pocket
coal 2.75
Ojive 2.17
.092 off lands
muzzle velocity = 2779

I was using the Hogen's load data

Manufacturer

Powder

C.O.L.

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Hodgdon

H4350

2.750"

38.0

2,574

49,000 PSI

42.3

2,800

60,400 PSI

I not showing any obvious signs of pressure but I don't have much experience reloading. My MV of 2779 is slightly lower than the 2800 listed on hogans.

After working The load up I noticed the Barnes data List the charge for this bullet at H4350 36-40.4 Grains . using their data, I would be 1.4 grains over max charge. HMMM
bolt seems normal and primers look ok , but as i said i haven't had a lot of experience and have never loaded up to pressure signs. I afraid i might be missing something.
I am concerned I might be too Hot. What have others ended up with? The groups really like this load and hate to step down if its safe.
I know each gun and barrel is different.
This is such a popular gun and powder I thought others might have an opinion?
Barnse list their factor load with this bullet at 2850 on box. I not sure what it get in real world.

It sounds like you're okay on pressure to me. Keep in mind it'll burn a little hotter when the weather warms up. Usually you will have cratered primers or ejector marks on the case head, along with sticky bolt lift if you're way over pressure. I've got some of Barnes' factory ammo with that bullet, and mine was either 2760 or 2670 on my chronograph from a 22" barrel. I'm pretty sure it was 2670, because I remember being hugely disappointed as my rifle put 3 into 3/8" with it. After reading JFK's comments, I remembered my solution to the weak velocity from the 127. I bought some 100 grain ttsx's, and worked up to a max charge of h4350. I'm getting 3140 out of them, and took a whitetail doe with one in November. The internal damage was catastrophic. I've been finding that grain weight isn't as important for deer, as tge copper will drive deep and exit 99% of the time.

 

[BrBa]

Different cartridge (6.5x55) and brass (Lapua), but I went up to 2906 fps using 44.7 gr H4350 in a factory 22.4" Tikka with the 127 gr LRX. Coal was 3.05" which was 0.11" off the lands. No pressure signs on the brass or primers. I estimated the pressure to be around 66500 psi in QuickLoad, which might be useful for you, assuming there is a rough correlation between pressure and velocity between the two cartridges.

 

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

It sounds like you're okay on pressure to me. Keep in mind it'll burn a little hotter when the weather warms up. Usually you will have cratered primers or ejector marks on the case head, along with sticky bolt lift if you're way over pressure. I've got some of Barnes' factory ammo with that bullet, and mine was either 2760 or 2670 on my chronograph from a 22" barrel. I'm pretty sure it was 2670, because I remember being hugely disappointed as my rifle put 3 into 3/8" with it. After reading JFK's comments, I remembered my solution to the weak velocity from the 127. I bought some 100 grain ttsx's, and worked up to a max charge of h4350. I'm getting 3140 out of them, and took a whitetail doe with one in November. The internal damage was catastrophic. I've been finding that grain weight isn't as important for deer, as tge copper will drive deep and exit 99% of the time.

When i got the gun we had a week of deer season left. I loaded up a middle power charge of h4350 and 100GR tssx . I quickly Got it on the paper and went hunting. wasn't worried to much about groups at the time. Shot a doe about 120 yards. was snowing. when I got down the Hill I didn't see any blood. I could see where the running tracks were. Deer went downhill about 50 yards. very steep hill. Field dressing her I noticed heart and lungs where exploded. I couldn't not find an exit hole. This was the first deer I shot with a copper bullet. Honestly I was feeling a little discouraged. After processing i was amazed at the entrance hole. It broke 2 ribs on way in .deer was quartering away hard. After tracing the path there was a exit hole after all. Bullet hit her on right side and continued threw vitals and came out of chest low on opposite side still under skin then hit bone in upper leg and exploded that bone. I found one of the petals in that bone. exited the front of the high leg. I thick the fact i dint have mush blood was because of the exit in the leg joint. after seeing this i was feeling much better about the copper. after that worked the load but could the best groups. how far off the lands where you running? they say start at.050 I did that and went out to .100 . now I thinking maybe I should have tried going closer. I would love to get the 11gr flying good, but the 127 are under a inch. Maybe I will try working that 100GR again .

 

[RMajors]

I've still never recovered a barnes bullet from a deer. Mine have always exited, and I've shot a bunch of grain weights in a bunch of calibers. I always just run Barnes at the published coal for the load data I'm using, and have always been able to keep 3 shots under an inch. I've never found them to be finicky, but I've always heard you want at least .050 jump. I forget what the length is, but its Barnes' data. But as far as performance, I've always thought they do better when they hit bone. The doe I shot was hit right in the center of the shoulder, and took 3 attempted steps..It broke that scapula, and almost severed the offside leg. There was no bone left, only tissue, and it broke ribs on both sides.by the time I gutted it, about a 3lb blood clot had formed in the chest cavity. It was honestly an even more nasty wound than my 7mm rem mag made with a 120 ttsx at 3400 fps.

 

[Benjblt]

This and other threads make me rethink my 6.5 PRC purchase. Factory Barnes 127 grain LRX in the 21" barrel (Seekins Element) is only getting about 2800 fps. Even if the rifle had 3 more inches it would only be about 50 fps faster than a creedmoor. Hardly worth it.

 

[Woitey]

I have a Creedmoor with a 22-inch barrel and a PRC with a 24-inch barrel. Shooting the 6.5 Creedmoor, I use 124 grain Hammer Hunters with 38.0 grains of Varget. 2870 FPS per Labradar. Using the same bullet in the 6.5 PRC, and 61.0 grains of Magnum I am getting 3100 fps. A difference of 230 fps. I enjoy the almost negligible recoil of the Creedmoor, and the added velocity of the PRC. These short-barrel rifles are for suppressors. And if you don't use one, you lose a lot of what the PRC can offer.

 

[caramon]

I run the 127lrx at 2825fps with alpha brass and imr 4451, 210s.

 

[JFK]

 

[RMajors]

This and other threads make me rethink my 6.5 PRC purchase. Factory Barnes 127 grain LRX in the 21" barrel (Seekins Element) is only getting about 2800 fps. Even if the rifle had 3 more inches it would only be about 50 fps faster than a creedmoor. Hardly worth it.

Yeah I don't know why Barnes is loading their factory ammo so slow here. I've shot lots of their factory stuff, and it's usually pretty spicy velicity-wise. I remember looking at their data on the prc when I was looking at getting one, and I seem to remember 3150 being around the top end for that bullet.

 

[MuleDeerFever]

I am still shooting the factory hornady precision hunter in my 6.5 prc because it’s hotter than the other ammo I looked at by a good margin and shoots well. I am going to reload just to have a better bullet at a reasonable velocity, I don’t expect I will do much better accuracy wise than the less than .5 moa I get now

 

[Woitey]

If your getting less than .5 MOA with factory, I'd call it a win and leave it alone. I've killed elk with that exact round.