Max 6.5 Creed load question

[Basic user]

Quick question about max load for the 6.5 creedmoor in the book. My Berger manual says 40.7 grains of H4350, while Hogdons reloading site says the max is 41.8 grains; that's quite a bit off lol. I know each rifles different but how can they be 1.1 grains off?

 

[nn8734]

Quick question about max load for the 6.5 creedmoor in the book. My Berger manual says 40.7 grains of H4350, while Hogdons reloading site says the max is 41.8 grains; that's quite a bit off lol. I know each rifles different but how can they be 1.1 grains off?

Those numbers are largely irrelevant insofar as comparing them to each other when your rifle is concerned. Start with a nominal charge in the middle of the road (charge weight curve) and run a pressure ladder to see at what charge weight you start to see pressure signs.

Then back off by a safe amount (.5-.8g) and start seating depth trials.

What brass and bullet are you using?

Large or small rifle primer?

 

[supercorndogs]

Diffrent brass has diffrent internal capacity thus making siffrent amounts of pressure with a given powder charge. Diffrent bullets have diffrent bearing surface. Thus diffrent pressure at a given charge. If you are using Hornady brass and bullets their book will be closer. If berger and what ever brass they used their book will be closer.

 

[Basic user]

Those numbers are largely irrelevant insofar as comparing them to each other when your rifle is concerned. Start with a nominal charge in the middle of the road (charge weight curve) and run a pressure ladder to see at what charge weight you start to see pressure signs.

Then back off by a safe amount (.5-.8g) and start seating depth trials.

What brass and bullet are you using?

Large or small rifle primer?

I'm using Alpha srp brass and the Berger 144s. I guess my other question is (ive never loaded anything close to max yet, as to this point I've just been shooting for group size at a hundred, and that's satisfied me, plus, starting at the lowest charge saves powder too) what are safe step sizes in pressure ladders? .3 grains? .5? If I for example happen to start too close and my next step is say .5, and now I'm .5 too high, will that start destroying cases?

 

[nn8734]

I'm using Alpha srp brass and the Berger 144s. I guess my other question is (ive never loaded anything close to max yet, as to this point I've just been shooting for group size at a hundred, and that's satisfied me, plus, starting at the lowest charge saves powder too) what are safe step sizes in pressure ladders? .3 grains? .5? If I for example happen to start too close and my next step is say .5, and now I'm .5 too high, will that start destroying cases?

I do .3, others do .5 and some do .2 but to me that's too small of an increment.

If 100 yard groups/precision on paper are meeting your needs then there's no reason to do anything else other than start shooting the rifle out to 1000m+ to build out your dope book. You won't start destroying cases until your significantly over your rifle's maximum safe pressure threshold; most go by sticky bolts on extraction to let them know they've pushed it too far.