6.5 Creedmoor Barnes LRX H4350

[cmahoney]

Looking for some advice here. I started working on a new load for my Tikka with the following:

New Hornady brass
CCI 200 primers
H4350
Barnes 127 LRX

5,000 the off my lands is 2.867 COAL. The Barnes book lists their load at 2.720, with a max charge of 40.4 grains at 2736 FPS (24” barrel).

I started out with a COAL of 2.867 at 38.2 grains, working up to 41.4 grains. My issue is detecting pressure signs. My bolt felt fine, all the primers look flat to me, just like they always have and I can’t see any obvious marks on the case head.

The MV spread between 41, 41.2 and 41.4 grains was 4 FPS from 2774-2778. Obviously this is a node and I would like to stay in this charge weight.

Does anyone think I’m pushing it?

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[Mulyhuntr]

No, you’re not pushing it. I get 2925fps with a 120gmx and 43.3gr of h4350 from my 24” tikka superlite.

The edges of your primers still look pretty round.

 

[Muley Buck]

I agree, I dont think so either. I get a 122 gr Lehigh C.C.C. 2900 fps with 44.5 gr of H4350 in my Tikka CTR 24".

 

[cmahoney]

Thanks, I’ll stick that node for now. This will be my first year using copper bullets, at least for CA.


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[Muley Buck]

Thanks, I’ll stick that node for now. This will be my first year using copper bullets, at least for CA.


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Right on, me too.

 

[ericwh]

Getting ready to start with this same load (except different primers).

 

[Mulyhuntr]

I can’t get copper bullets to shoot worth a darn out of my 6.5’s or 243. I’m in CA too, so they may just get a nice ride in the magazine and something that shoots better stuffed in the chamber if the need arises.

 

[deerkiller]

cci 200's are the lowest on the brisance chart - don't know what you are planning with this load but from your pics I agree that your primers look fine - 210 Fed primers seem to be favored by many to include myself - H4350 is a well mannered powder, sometimes primers are silent in the process and other times a primer change can be the answer
Fed 210M
Fed 210
cci BR2
cci 200
the only primers I use, have used for standard cartridges are 210M and occasionally cci 250 (work up with those) this is not due to supply or ignorance, I've just never needed any others

 

[Tartan]

I'm no quickload expert, but I did put your data in and tweaked case volume and burn rate to hit the velocities you got. It's showing around 54kpsi for a velocity of 2775 and H4350. The book load shows around 52kpsi with the default settings on burn rate and case volume and the velocity was within 10fps of the book.

obviously quickload is only as good as the inputs, but to me it looks like you're still well under any risk area.

when you mention 5,000 off the lands, do you mean 0.005" of the lands (five thousandths)? I believe that barnes recommends a more like 0.050" (fifty thousandths) due to possible pressure spikes with the mono bullet. I could be mixing that up with etips or some other mono bullet though.

 

[deerkiller]

I'm no quickload expert, but I did put your data in and tweaked case volume and burn rate to hit the velocities you got. It's showing around 54kpsi for a velocity of 2775 and H4350. The book load shows around 52kpsi with the default settings on burn rate and case volume and the velocity was within 10fps of the book.

obviously quickload is only as good as the inputs, but to me it looks like you're still well under any risk area.

when you mention 5,000 off the lands, do you mean 0.005" of the lands (five thousandths)? I believe that barnes recommends a more like 0.050" (fifty thousandths) due to possible pressure spikes with the mono bullet. I could be mixing that up with etips or some other mono bullet though.

BOTH Nosler and Barnes practice and preach this, I would assume that any monolithic bullet would be capable of the same things - I was talking with a Nosler employee who had begun using etips in his rifle in anticipation of an African hunt, he was citing quite slow velocities which simply tells me even "insider" Nosler folks avoid over pressure - I have not experienced like this at all, just be very careful as you advance, every single rifle barrel / chamber is unique

 

[ericwh]

I ended up very close to where you did for my 6.5cm tikka using the same components.

I was just doing some load development for my .30-06 and had some impressive results as loads approached 100% load density.

Loading our 6.5cm long like we are, I think our load density is fairly low - I wonder if we could do even better with a different powder. Any suggestions? I was thinking maybe Hunter or RL22 would be closer to 100% load density at our cartridge length?

 

[mvrk28]

I ended up very close to where you did for my 6.5cm tikka using the same components.

I was just doing some load development for my .30-06 and had some impressive results as loads approached 100% load density.

Loading our 6.5cm long like we are, I think our load density is fairly low - I wonder if we could do even better with a different powder. Any suggestions? I was thinking maybe Hunter or RL22 would be closer to 100% load density at our cartridge length?

If you can find it, you will get much closer to 100% Load Density with RL-26. I think I am at 47 grains in Alpha Munitions Brass with CCI BR-4 primers. I could keep going but I found a good load pushing a similar bullet at 2915 fps avg with great groups so I stopped there. Another option would be to get some ADG brass, you will get to 100% with a lot less poweder in that brass. According to my Lab Radar, a 140 gr Speer Gold Dot is moving at 2550 avg out of ADG brass and 38 gr of H4350 with a 22" barrel.

 

[Cant hit em]

Factory loaded Barnes 127 LRX
Tikka T3x
6.5 creedemore
I had the barrel chopped to 22” and a break put on for my daughter to shoot this gun when im not. I shot 1 at 50yds then these are 1st 8 at 100 OFF A BACKPACK and making a few adj. after 3 shots. I suck at shooting so this was good for me. Ill run a couple box’s of these through it to see if it tightens up

 

[Muley Buck]

Factory loaded Barnes 127 LRX
Tikka T3x
6.5 creedemore
I had the barrel chopped to 22” and a break put on for my daughter to shoot this gun when im not. I shot 1 at 50yds then these are 1st 8 at 100 OFF A BACKPACK and making a few adj. after 3 shots. I suck at shooting so this was good for me. Ill run a couple box’s of these through it to see if it tightens up

Come on, you can't suck that bad. Are you sure your shooting a Tikka?
Seriously though, that rifle obviously doesn't like what your feeding it. Have you shot lead through it? If so how did that look downrange? A Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor with a brake is one of the easiest shooting rifles I've ever been behind. If you don't mind me asking, who did you have do the barrel work and brake installation?

 

[Cant hit em]

First time i shot it cold bore only 9 down the pipe.Barnwood arms in Ripon cut thread to 1/2x28 and reblued it

 

[Muley Buck]

First time i shot it cold bore only 9 down the pipe.Barnwood arms in Ripon cut thread to 1/2x28 and reblued it

Oh nice, looks like they did a good job.

 

[MuleyFever]

Come on, you can't suck that bad. Are you sure your shooting a Tikka?

You must have missed his user name

 

[Muley Buck]

Hahaha! Right??

I know that can't entirely be the case because he's taken some good animals here in California which is not easily accomplished. Not to mention elsewhere as well.

 

[MattB]

Factory loaded Barnes 127 LRX
Tikka T3x
6.5 creedemore
I had the barrel chopped to 22” and a break put on for my daughter to shoot this gun when im not. I shot 1 at 50yds then these are 1st 8 at 100 OFF A BACKPACK and making a few adj. after 3 shots. I suck at shooting so this was good for me. Ill run a couple box’s of these through it to see if it tightens up

Handle checks out. ;-)

 

[Olythom]

Handle checks out. ;-)

I am new to Barnes bullets. I am working on the same load as the OP. When I assembled a load that was .050 off the lands (Suggested by Barnes), the case mouth sits in between the two grooves in the LRX bullet.

I can’t think of a reason that this (having one of the grooves exposed) would cause a problem but my old brain sees that groove and says the bullet needs to be deeper. This thought process is probably rooted in the days of cannelures and my eyes want to see those grooves all the way inside the brass.

so... is it typical that one of the Barnes grooves is actually outside the case?
>T
ps. I tried, but it appears I do not yet have permission to upload pics.