I had a batch of people ask me to do this, so I will.



Deer Season is coming up and I have been asked to come up with loads that should be good loads for kids to use to hunt deer with. Parameters are that the round should be effective on taking a deer, intended distance should be 200 yds or less since 90% of all deer is taken at 100 yds or less. Recoil should be as low as possible.



So with a little testing this afternoon, the first round tested was the 6.5 x 55. For bullets I have a lot of faith in the Ballistic Tip especially below 2800 fps MV, for opening up and penetration. I tested the 120 grain BT and the 100 grain BT.



The 120 only gave me a velocity of 2250 fps before popping a primer. NOt sure why, it did at this load, except maybe it did because the temp was a little over 100 degrees here today.



The load I am settling on is with the 100 grain Ballistic Tip. The 100 grain Partition can be substituted.



The load was 24 grains of Blue Dot with a Fed 210 primer.

MV was at 2650 fps out of a 22 inch barreled Ruger 77 Mk2, standard factory barrel. Accuracy was 1/2 or less at 100 yrds.



2.5 inches high at 100 yds will put it dead on at 200 yds.

Recoil in the Ruger was in the 22/250 range in my opinion.



Cheers and Good shooting

seafire



PS Please work up this load in your rifles. T.Y.

"

Quote:

---

The 120 only gave me a velocity of 2250 fps before popping a primer. NOt sure why, it did at this load, except maybe it did because the temp was a little over 100 degrees here today."

Prop Job! Do you really think that the Blue Dot is that sensitive to ambient temperatures? I don't have the foggyest.

I,ve gone over your data and my data on the 6.5X55 and for reference our data for 7X57.In your original data for both you achieved larger loadings than I before you got any indication of high pressure. Now with the `120 gr. 6.5 you're seeing pressure signs in the area that I did. From your description yours is somewhat more severe. I think we have a lot of food for thought here. The Blue Dot scynario is still exciting and maybe more so but it appears that we may need a little more understanding of what's going on with the internal balistics.We could guess at it or hypothosize all day but at sunset we'd still be working in the dark.

I don't want to be a nay sayer as I don't have a handle on the magnitude of the problem. It would, however, be interesting to study and conduct controlled experimentation to arrive at some ground rules for using Blue Dot in the variety of rifles you have so far.Personally I don't feel that I am adequately equipt to do this job thoroughly but I do think that a comprehensive study is necessary.With all the conditions that you can think of that affects pressure in a rifle, a one grain over load of 4831 is far more forgiving than a one grain overload of Blue Dot. Now,what suggestions do you have in going from point A to points B&C? yb roger

Roger Dodger:

The only conclusion I can make on the Blue Dot load with the 120 grain bullets, is the ones I have used so far have been boat tales.

I have used 24 grains of Blue Dot with bullet weights up to 140 and 160 grains with no problems.

My only real conclusion is that is must be effected by the bullets load bearing surface. I have had this problem with the 120 Ballistic Tip and the 120 Sierra HP match bullets.

All other 6.5 bullets will take this charge weight, that I have tested.

Not having anything fancy either, I test each bullet weight up until I blow a primer or loosen it. But that is why I test each bullet, weight. Anomolys happen, and I want to know where they may be before we report this to other people.

Thanks for the question
cheers and Good shooting
seafire/ prop job ( to Roger D)