Looking for a good load using the 130 RDF nosler bullet. I've used 41.5 h4350 in Starline, and Lapua brass with seating depths -.020, -.030, -.040 off the lands, and nothing really consistent. So far, the best load looks like -.020. I can't load closer to the lands as the OAL of loaded rounds won't work in factory mags.
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Anyone have a good load for 130 RDF Nosler
- Thread starter raven88
- Start date
With 130's I run 42.8-42.9 of H4350 or Reloder 16 in either Prime or Hornady brass. This charge gives 2850 out of my Tikka, and on par with Prime Factory ammo.
I'm not sure what the H2O capacity or weight of your Starline brass is. My empty Prime and Hornady brass weigh about 150-158 grains. If your starline is large rifle primer and about that same weight, you should be able to go with 42.8gr of H4350. You may need to add or subtract 0.2-0.3gr of powder depending on whatever the magic needs.
Start your jumps with RDF's at .060 and go out to .120 in 0.010 steps. They need to be jumped long. Nosler has them at a 2.775 OAL I believe in their data.
I'm not sure what the H2O capacity or weight of your Starline brass is. My empty Prime and Hornady brass weigh about 150-158 grains. If your starline is large rifle primer and about that same weight, you should be able to go with 42.8gr of H4350. You may need to add or subtract 0.2-0.3gr of powder depending on whatever the magic needs.
Start your jumps with RDF's at .060 and go out to .120 in 0.010 steps. They need to be jumped long. Nosler has them at a 2.775 OAL I believe in their data.
Nosler RDF 130 grain for 6.5 Creedmoor
Well, here we are, on the general life quest to not suck. During my personal quest, like you, ideas pop into my head and I decide to investigate them to see if they may or may not suck. I was investigating the Nosler RDF (Reduced Drag Factor) 130 grain .264" bullet for my 6.5 Creedmoor and...
www.snipershide.com
thank you for your response.... never jumped them that far.... will give that a try. I started at -.020 and went out to -.040 and groups were going in the wrong direction....so the next go round I tried -.015 and another -.020 with similar results.
No problem, buddy. In the big picture of things, the number amount of jump is pretty much irrelevant. What matters is the amount of jump the works for that bullet in your chamber.
When I did a seating depth test for my Tikka T3x Tac A1, it has a long throat, so seating close to the lands was impractical. I tested 0.030, 0.060, 0.090, and 0.120. I ended up going with .90 because the 90 and 120 jumps shot best. That way, as the throat eroded away, I would have an area of jump that would stay at 90 and erode out to 120. Make sense?
I used the concept of the Berger Seating Depth Test and below were my results:
www.snipershide.com
bergerbullets.com
When I did a seating depth test for my Tikka T3x Tac A1, it has a long throat, so seating close to the lands was impractical. I tested 0.030, 0.060, 0.090, and 0.120. I ended up going with .90 because the 90 and 120 jumps shot best. That way, as the throat eroded away, I would have an area of jump that would stay at 90 and erode out to 120. Make sense?
I used the concept of the Berger Seating Depth Test and below were my results:
Seating depth test interpretations... uh... assistance.
Full disclosure: I've never really done an actual seating depth test before in my 10 years of loading for bolt guns. I've only really tried to duplicate factory match ammo dimensions with better velocity, SD, and ES. It works, but I wanted to actually see what magic could happen. I'm going...
www.snipershide.com
Getting the Best Precision and Accuracy from VLD bullets in Your Rifle
VLD bullets are designed with a secant ogive. This ogive shape allows bullets to be more efficient in flight (retain more velocity = less drop and wind deflection). While this result is desirable for many rifle shooters the secant ogive on the VLD bullets produces another result in many rifle.
bergerbullets.com
On my RPR, I had an LRI (KP) barrel. It shot the Hornady match load extremely good. I had a load that duplicated the factory load. 41.5 H4350 with 140 ELD-M at 2.146 case base to bullet ogive. The 130 ELD-M with same powder charge also printed ragged hole groups at 2.151 base to bullet ogive. Well, after 2900 rounds it was difficult to get a 3/4" group. I got another LRI barrel, but the throat (freebore) in this barrel is much longer (.039) than the other barrel I had. Initial testing was done with the 130 RDF Nosler bullet and powder charge was 41.5 of H4350. I was also using Prime brass. The Magnetospeed sd/es were (8.4-17 for SD) not pleasing, although one group actually looked pretty good. On the second outing I used Lapua brass and bracketed the best looking group's load and got similar results, but the sd / es were really good. (5.5/11, 3.6/7, and 6/11) I was only getting 2720 for MV, so I'm going to test 41.8, 42.1 and 42.4 with the 130 RDF loaded at .060 off lands.
thanks for your insight
thanks for your insight
Definitely explore more jump with the RDF’s.
They seem to really like it.
They seem to really like it.
There's another velocity node up around 42.5-43 area with 130's and H4350/Reloder 16. Should get you up to 2850-2900 fps safely.
Unfortunately, I never really walked them out past like 250-ish. So, unable to true the data.
When I did shoot them at 250, I put the box G7 BC and shot at a rock at that distance and the impact was reasonably with the MOA-sized area of impact. So, it'd say the BC is reasonably close.
Unfortunately that isn't quite true. Your BC could be off by 10 to 15 points either way and still not show up at 250 yards. The same could be said for 500 yards. Its not until you stretch it out to 900 and 1000 yards that differences in BC become apparent.
Ideally you shoot to the yardage that corresponds to about 1350fps for your particular rifle. Thats right about where the bullet begins to go transonic. So in the case of my 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 130gr RDFs, that's about 1250 yards.
When truing up my bullet I zero at 100 yards over my Magnetospeed. I have a Wiser mount so it doesn't interfere with my point of impact. I then verify my velocity at 500 yards. BC has a very marginal impact on bullet flight at that distance so long as its in the ballpark. If I'm hitting at the point of aim vertically, then I know my velocity is good. I then go out to 1250 yards and look for vertical impacts. I leave my Magnetospeed on the entire shot string to verify I dont have any velocity swings that will slough my point of impact data. If my impacts are too low, my BC is too high, and vice versa. Adjust BC to line up with your dope and you're done.
In my case I have a verified BC of .294 using the 130gr RDF in my rifle. Which is 43.4grs H4350 with a BR2 primer in Hornady brass.
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We've had some not so good weather, but I did manage to get out for a couple more tests with this LRI ELD-X barrel and the 130 Nosler RDF pills. I cleaned the barrel. Checked it with my bore scope and it looked good. Shot a 3 shot group with the old standby (good for .25 or under) load to foul the bore. Let the barrel set for 5 min, outside temp was 45 degrees. Then I shot 3 shot groups, with 5 min between groups. Started with 41.8 H4350 (MV 2723), then 42.1 (MV 2739), then 42.4 (MV 2749). All were at .050 jump. Groups were disappointing starting with sight in group measured 1", then .9 for the 41.8 load, then .7 for the 42.1 load......but the 42.4 load was .19 with 8 SD and 16 ES.
I wanted to test at .060 jump to see what would happen. I loaded up 5 cases at 42.4 H4350 with .060 jump and that group opened up to .72. I shot another group loaded at 42.7 H4350 and group was 1".
I guess the next step is to go back to .050 and make sure the 42.4 load at .050 was not an accident. I've got 92 shots on this barrel now, and it is much slower than my previous LRI barrel. The 42.7 load showed no pressure signs using the Lapua SRP, but the book says 42.8 is max for H4350.
thanks for the info..... i did not know how to do that. Since 43.4 of H4350 is a little above max shown in the loading manual I am wondering how the primer pockets are holding up in your hornady brass.
Idk what book you're using, but Sierra says 44.1 is max for 130's and H4350.
Hornady says 42.8 is max
Nosler says 43 is max
Hodgdon says 39.2 is max
I've been using Sierra data exclusively because it seems to mimic the real world we real reloading folk actually do.
Hornady says 42.8 is max
Nosler says 43 is max
Hodgdon says 39.2 is max
I've been using Sierra data exclusively because it seems to mimic the real world we real reloading folk actually do.
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No problem, buddy. In the big picture of things, the number amount of jump is pretty much irrelevant. What matters is the amount of jump the works for that bullet in your chamber.
When I did a seating depth test for my Tikka T3x Tac A1, it has a long throat, so seating close to the lands was impractical. I tested 0.030, 0.060, 0.090, and 0.120. I ended up going with .90 because the 90 and 120 jumps shot best. That way, as the throat eroded away, I would have an area of jump that would stay at 90 and erode out to 120. Make sense?
I used the concept of the Berger Seating Depth Test and below were my results:
Seating depth test interpretations... uh... assistance.
Full disclosure: I've never really done an actual seating depth test before in my 10 years of loading for bolt guns. I've only really tried to duplicate factory match ammo dimensions with better velocity, SD, and ES. It works, but I wanted to actually see what magic could happen. I'm going...
Getting the Best Precision and Accuracy from VLD bullets in Your Rifle
VLD bullets are designed with a secant ogive. This ogive shape allows bullets to be more efficient in flight (retain more velocity = less drop and wind deflection). While this result is desirable for many rifle shooters the secant ogive on the VLD bullets produces another result in many rifle.
I'm going to try .080 and .100 jump next.... the attachment ....thank you for the advice.
My sierra manual must be old....doesn't even list 6.5 cm 5th edition
The 6th Edition is where it's at!My sierra manual must be old....doesn't even list 6.5 cm 5th edition
Sierra even has it as an app for your phone. Very reasonably priced.
The 6th Edition is where it's at!
Sierra even has it as an app for your phone. Very reasonably priced.
thanks gents! I've got the hornady app on my phone... and the 10th edition manual in print. I'll check that Sierra app out. If it is like Hornady's each caliber is like .99.
I'm shooting a 6.5 cm with 42.8 of H4350.... MV is 2780..... barrel is a new 26" LRI "ELD X" and hopeful it speeds up a little....I am disappointed at the results I have had so far.
Are you seeing pressure at that load, if not I would work up some more. I am loading Varget and also I am shooting a 6.5 SLR, if you have some Varget or RL16 you might try that. My load is 40.2 gr in Peterson SRP brass and is running 2920 out of a 22” left hand gain twist suppressed
I've read of guys going up to 44gr of H4350 with 130's.... and Sierra's max is 44.1. So I wouldn't be too afraid to incrementally step up to 44 or so. Depends on what your rifle and brass tell you.
I did an initial bullet seating depth test with 130Rdf using a light load of 42.0gr H4350. The Cbto into the lands is around 2.200in. Seating appears to be more forgiving at 0.030-0.040 off.
With 3 rounds left, I seated the bullet at 2.190 to confirm. Results look promising and will do further testing.
With 3 rounds left, I seated the bullet at 2.190 to confirm. Results look promising and will do further testing.
My 130 Rdf load.
4 shot group at 550 yards.
42.1 gr H4350 at 2920 fps
Cbto 2.185(not sure how much jump now)
Lapua brass, Cci br2
4 shot group at 550 yards.
42.1 gr H4350 at 2920 fps
Cbto 2.185(not sure how much jump now)
Lapua brass, Cci br2
I run these out of my 22" gas gun.
42.2grs of H4350 is pretty much money. It seems like 42.something is always a great load for 4350 in the 6.5.
42.2grs of H4350 is pretty much money. It seems like 42.something is always a great load for 4350 in the 6.5.
