The Barnes 6.5mm 140 grain Match Burner OTM really came together today after Roy and I completed our jump tests.
I should start the story about the Barnes Match Burner by explaining our current team load uses a 139 grain Lapua Scenar. The load shoots great out of all of the team rifles. We have shot the load in barrels as short as 16.5” and, as long as 26” and it shoots excellent in both and everything in between. We wanted to see if we could duplicate the success we’ve had with the Scenar and do it with a more affordable, yet high quality bullet.
I started by measuring from the ogive the team Lapua load. I then seated the Barnes Match Burner to the same ogive measurement and did a powder charge work up from 41.6 (team load charge) to 42.4 grains in 0.2 grain increments. The stand out was 42.2 grans with a node between 42.0 and 42.2 grains. I then loaded 42.1 and 42.2. My rifle liked 42.1 grains and did okay with 42.2. I then handed out some of the rounds to my team mates and had them shoot groups to see how the load would do in other rifles. The load did solid out of Roy, Jorge and Dale’s rifle’s but it wasn’t a one hole load yet.
Roy and I were on the same page and today tested different COAL’s with 42.1 grains of H4350 and the 140 grain Barnes Match Burner. I had a set of rounds with 0.015” of jump and Roy had a set with 0.020” of jump. When I shot the rounds through Dave’s chronograph I was very happy with the SD and accuracy. The velocity wasn’t too shabby either! When Roy shot his rounds he produced a very similar group. We could tell both groups we had shot were under 0.5 MOA.
After today’s testing we now have a solid load for the Barnes bullet. 42.1 grains of H4350 puts you right in the middle of the powder node and 0.015”-0.020” of jump from the lands eliminates the stringing Jorge and Dale were seeing. Finding the proper jump and loading the middle of the powder node should give us a round that will shoot very well out of our club members rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor.
It was a lot of fun seeing things come together for us with the load. Working together and having more than one shooter testing made load development faster. Also using quality chronograph equipment gave us more indicators about the accuracy of the load. The low SD number put a smile on my face! I loaded up more of “The Barnes Load” and will shoot them tomorrow. I will also have my Dad run them through his rifle just to make sure the load is going to do what we want.
This is a good example of how the load was shooting before the jump test. It wasn't bad but not great, it would shoot better from some rifles than others and some preferred 42.1 while others like Dale's preferred 42.2.
This is a 5 round group by Roy with 42.1 and 0.020" of jump.
This is the group I shot through Dave's chronograph, 42.1 and 0.015" of jump.
Chronograph information.
5 rounds, 686 yards, 140 Barnes Match Bruner/42.1 grs
