The Creedmoor Forum

Hello All,

I have an FN SPR rifle chambered in 308.  The action is factory bedded into a McMillan A1 stock. I have been thinking about getting it re-barrelled and chambered in 284 Winchester.   I have a question for those of you who shoot this caliber.  What barrel contour, twist rate and length  would you recommend?  I am planning on using Berger's 180 grain Hybrid Targets. 

I am just a recreational shooter and I am a member of a club/range where we can shoot, from a bench, out to just past 1000.  I've been reading a bit and about the 284 Win and seems like many competitors shooting this distance are shooting/using 284 Wins.

Thanx and happy Thanksgiving, lg

Late last summer I began using a Sinclair carbide mandrel (OD .262) and holder to resize my 1XF Hornady 6.5CM brass.  Figured I'd get better (more consistant) neck tension sizing the 'out of round' and 'varying case neck thickness' issues by sizing the neck from the inside.  And hopefully this all would result in lower SDs/EDs.

So, I removed the expander ball from my RCBS FL sizing die.  Per usual wiped clean and inspected my cases, deprimed them and cleaned the pockets, lubed them, resized them, then cleaned them in my ultrasonic machine, let dry.  My normal routine and procedure.  Next I trimmed to length, then chamfered and deburred the necks' mouths.  Finally, ran the case/neck up into mandrel.  Primed the cases, charged them and seated the bullets, all went per usual.

It went up into the mandrel with a little less than 2x the amount of force it takes to seat a bullet.  I did not lube the mandrel or inside of the case neck, figuring I would not need to because it was a carbide mandrel.    I loaded about 30 of these.  When I got to the range, I fired my foulers and then started shooting these loads.  First couple rounds chambered per normal.  Then on an intermittant basis I had a heck  of a time getting these to fully chamber.  I was single hand feeding.  I used the heal of my hand as a hammer against the back of my bolt handle to drive the bolt forward (about an inch) to get it closed enough to lock down the bolt..   I figure a total of 2/3s of the  cartridges were difficult to feed.

The loads shot great (shooting steel at 300-800 yards). & I achieved my first single digit SD and ES of 20 or under.  I was not developing loads, just trying the new to me mandrel system.  So was using a normal load and its charge weight is well under max.  Hornady 140 HPBT, Fed 210 primer, 41 gn of H4350, 2.80" COAL.  Also , I was able to eject the fired case with no issue as the bolt lifted up per normal, pulled back per normal, and ejected the fired case per normal. 

I figure what happened was when I ran the case up into the mandrel that there was enough tightness where the mandrel pushed down on the brass hard enough to cause the body of the case to expand and below the shoulder somewhere.  When I inspected the case after firing I did not see any scrape or wear marks on the brass and no doughnut at the shoulder/body area.  Could not see anything different about these cases than the cases that did chamber.

What do any of you think caused this problem?   And, what am I doing wrong or out of order, or what should I be doing differently? 

Thank you anyone and everyone for your reply.  lg

Hello QL owners,

I am wondering where in thr QL menus I can find 6.5mm Lapua brass to get is volume?

I've been loading using Hornady brass and have measured its 1xF brass volume.  I've also measured volume of my 1xF Lapua brass.  I've read where that there is approximately 1 grain (H2O) less volume in Lapua than Hornady.. Yet per my measurements I am only seeing 0.25-ish grain less volume in Lapua vs Hornady.

I'm on the road this month so do not have my loading bible with me.  Nor do I have QL on this device.  Anyone else getting similar measurements to mine between their 1xF Lapua and Hornady? 

If 6.5CM brass is not in QL's menu, I , as a work-around, could use the Hornady cartridge and subtract from its volume.  Just want to double check what others are getting for volume differences before I do that.   TIA, lg

Bought a 20 round box of Berger 140 gn Hyb Tgt ammunition on sale, just to try it out.  Figure to use Berger and Lapua brass when my new rifle is finished being built.  And this ammunition uses Lapua brass.

Fired three rounds and it shoots good.   Was resizing the brass when I ran into great difficulty.  I used my normal process:  I wiped it clean, lubed it with Hornady One Shot, then put it in my Forster CoAx press and raised it up into my FL sizing die (decap pin and expander ball removed).   

I had to use great force to get the brass up into the die to size it and even greater force to get the brass back down out of the die.  It was even harder with the second piece I sized.  I thought I might end up with a stuck case situation.  After this I did not even try to resize the third piece.  Figured I better ask around to see if I am doing something wrong here. 

I know Lapua brass is stronger, thicker(?).  I mostly use Hornady brass with never an issue like this.   Can anyone explain why this happened?   Is this normal?   I clean my dies after using and I was using an RCBS die, that I always use. 

I'm a proud uncle of my nephew who is a  relatively newly minted gunsmith/stock maker.  To help him get started (& to end up with a custom built rifle) I am having him build me a rifle.  6.5 Creedmoor.

I figured to use more expensive loading components than I normally use with this rifle.  I bought a box of 20 Berger 140 gn Hybrid Target ammunition to get started and to see if the barrel 'likes' this.  If so, I plan to load this bullet and Lapua brass.  And RL-16 powder (a new to me powder).  Lapua brass uses small rifle primers.

I normally use large rifle primers in the two 6.5s I own.  So, have no experience with using any of the SR primers.   I shoot paper targets at out to 200 yards and steel beyond that and look to sub MOA (half inch) groups in my reloading.  My MVs run around 2700-ish. 

What is a good small rifle primer to use loading this bullet in the Lapua brass?   Looking for recos.  Thanx to all who reply.  lg

PS: rifle will be done next spring.  I may be his uncle but I am still third in line! 

Just sharing a great CS experience I had with US Optics.  I think it right to give credit where it is due.  I had a problem with threads on their Anti Cant Device ( Level) and contacted them, thru their website/email.   I got an acknowledgement immediately and a couple hours later a contentful reply.  After another back and forth message, to clarify exactly what my problem was and they without  a problem, sent out the part I needed to get the device working.  (threads went south on the side of it that the protective cap is stored on).

Their ACD costs much more than two others I own.  A Vortex and a Caldwell  (both good, btw).   Definitely worth  more money to me when I get such exemplary CS when/if I need it.   I got the part two days after my first point of contact.  Free.  I bought my last scope from Kahles.  I looked hard at US Optics' offerings (B-25), along with other Tier 1 glass.  I'd give US Optics another look should I want another scope.  Anyway-  FWIW, lg 

I had trouble understanding the manual on how to set my zero stop after zeroing my Kahles K624i scope.  I emailed Kahles asking for help.  That same day I received a reply.  Somehow I developed a mental block and was still not 'getting it' and an email turned into an email thread running for a couple days.   Each time I wrote, I received a reply within the hour and the reply was patient and courteous in tone.  Well, I finally 'got it' and am now fully able to set the zero stop. 

I'm happy to report that Kahles has such good customer service.  My problem was minor yet I got treated as if I had a catastrophe.  The only way I can thank them is to give them a shoutout on shooters' forums I participate in.   I looked at and studied up on most the Tier One scopes on the market and am totally satisfied with my choice in buying the Kahles and would both reco the scope and do it again myself.  I also own a Vortex Gen1 HD Razor that I am happy with, so am not being a fan-boy here.   I am confident the other Tier 1 scopes are just as good; at the level it boils down to features.  But, a person never knows about the customer service til they need it.  Thumbs up for Kahles'

FYI and FWIW, lg

Hi All,

A question for those of you who anneal their brass (well maybe two).  One is-  at what point in your reloading steps do you anneal your brass?  My process goes like this:  I wipe my fired brass clean and inspect it.  Then lube it and FL size/decap it.  I'll skip some steps- then clean it (ultrasonic) trim it, chamfer/debur it, charge it, seat the bullet.    When along in here, if you were me, would you anneal it?  I would think before charging and seating the bullet.

#2 while posting/asking-  I've looked at the various means and equipment to anneal.  From the AMP at over $1100 to (more or less) hand torching it.  If I were to buy an annealing machine, the Annealeaze (sp?) is within the amount I would spend on such a thing.

#3  How often do you anneal?  After every firing, after every 5th firing, etc etc.   

Thank you all, lg

Hi Everyone.  Questions to owners/users of a LabRadar chrono and a Ruger RPR.  I just bought a LabRadar.   Sitting at the rifle looking downrange, what side of your rifle do you put your LabRadar?   And where in relationship to the RPR's muzzle do you place your LabRadar? 

My muzzle brake, stock, blasts air backwards at about a 30-45 degree angle and also straight out to the sides (90 degrees left / right) at the muzzle.  So, I am thinking of putting my LR on my left side (easier to reach its switches with my off hand).  And either setting the LR ahead of my muzzle an inch or two, and off to its left side 6-12".    That or bringing the LR rearward , just across from my scope's objective lens and 6-12" off to the side. 

Before posting, I searched the internet, Youtube and viewed LabRadar's videos.  From what I can gather either of the above methods should be okay.  But, I have not seen my specific combination (LR/RPR) in my searches.  So, thought I would ask specifically, here.

Answers, suggestions, much appreciated!

TIA, lg

Hi Everyone,  I posted what I am going to post here in another thread, as a comment in another thread and my comment was off-topic to the point of almost hijacking the member's thread.  So, decided to start my own subject, which is what I should have done to begin with, though I did eventually opine on the OP's question.  Here goes-

I own an AR in 6.5CM  and a bolt gun in 6.5CM  Just took up reloading.  And bought some  Nosler 140RDFs and working on loads for it.  I'm using Superformance and RE-17.  Loading to COAL of 2.81.  Hornady 1x fired brass and Fed 210 primers.  So far just been reloading for the bolt gun (Ruger RPR).  Loaded up to 43.5gn of the SP and up to 40.4 gns of RE-17.  I'm off the lands quite a bit, but have a reason for the COAL.  Which is if I find a good load it will work in my AR-10's magazines.  I'm single feeding the Ruger, which is fine for now.  I'm getting speeds of 2600s with SP and 2700s with the-17.  My AR-10 likes box ammo with MV of right around 2700, so I am close MV-wise.  Groups are right at an inch though I have only been at the range 3x so far and had strong winds 2 of those trips.  Been shooting 6 to 10 round sets with each powder type , splitting these rounds using my Magneto speed to find MV and plain barrel for grouping  (the wind's been blowing me and my rifle at the bench)  I'm hoping in better conditions my groups will get tighter.  So far with the winds being what they've been on my range-trip days, I've seen little sense in shooting more rounds per set.

Soa; since all this has been going on, I have been looking on-line for load data for the 140 RDF in  6.5CM, and these two powders,  with limited success.  And therefore, I've been extrapolating using Sierra's data for their 142SMK and Hodgdon's for 140s/143.  Nosler's data does not list the powders I am using and that , powders I use, is why I am having limited success in finding load data for the bullet.  So am wondering whether anyone here is loading this bullet with either of these two powders and at what COALs and charge weights.  I've searched high and low, 'google', 'forums' , 'youtube'.  I've found some other load data but according to published sources, some of it has been over the max. I stay under max loads. 

I'm not the litigious type.  Just looking to see whether anyone else is using this combo, and if so what exactly and what kind of results.  I've no sign of pressure in either of my loads above.   

TIA, lg   

Just an FYI:  I just ordered an ammo can with two hundred rounds of Hornady American Gunner 140 gr BTHP ammunition from Sportsmans Warehouse.  $140, free shipping.  Works out to be 70 cents per round.  My rifle 'likes' it.  So, if yours does , get some.  Last time SW did this they sold out pretty quick.  So, I got on their mailing list to be notified when it was back in stock.  I got the email an hour ago.   FWIW, lg