I finally received my new 6.5 WSM rifle. I am hindered by the fact I live in Podunk, New Mexico. My gunsmith included data he worked up for the rifle using Retumbo and RL-25. I cannot find either powder within 100 miles. I did find a pound of H1000. I am leaving for work for a week and have an antelope hunt the day I come back. Would very much like to use the new rifle.

How can I figure a starting load with 270 WSM data. I can and will try to do it myself, and I am sure I'll get how I can start low and build up. I really don't want to waste 100 rounds by starting at 25 grains and move up to 66. The data on the Hodgdon website lists a starting load for the 270 WSM at 66.0 grains and a max at 70.0C. I know that they are not going to be exact, but shouldn't my gun of very similar caliber be close??? Any positive advice will be appreciated.

I also have RL-22. Van Zwoll did a load development with the 270 WSM. His gun maxxed with RL22 at 64 grains. Can we get a starting load fom this also???

Jesse,

The 6.5WSM should use around the same powder charge as the 270WSM for a bullet that weighs about 80% of the 270 bullet weight. That is, the loads for a 120 grain bullet in 6.5WSM will be about the same as a 150 grain bullet in 270WSM

Mike

My internal program for a 6.5 X .300 WSM, 79 gr water capacity, 120 gr bullet that's 1.2" long, and 54,000 CUP <--that's high pressure,shows a starting load of 59.3 gr of H1000 at 3170 fps and 43,500 CUP and the max is 65.9 gr at 3310 fps and 52,200 CUP.

There is no way I would use this data without a lot of thought and comparison.

You could download the Powley formula and use imr powder or buy an internal program.

This is max loads from Hodgdon website for 150 grains in 270 WSM. I reckon they will be in the ball park for 120 grains in 6.5 WSM. that is basd on this data. Actually, if the 6.5 WSM is almost the same capacity as the 264 Winchester and allowing for the fact that shorter fatter cases seemed to have a "speed up" effect on burn rate, I don't think 60 grains of H4831 with a 120 grain bullet will be real hot in a 6.5 WSM.

H1000 67.5C 3001 62,800 PSI

H4831 60.0 2962 63,100 PSI

H4350 56.5 2978 63,000 PSI

H414 57.5 2991 63,200 PSI

H380 54.5 2885 63,100 PSI

[ 09-13-2002, 17:25: Message edited by: Mike375 ]

look at quickload, for 264 jamison. His wildcats are all basically the wsm. start low.
jeffe

Rather than screw around with other powders, I would drive to buy the powders the 'smith used or I would order it thru the mail and pay the $20 extra for the hazard fee.....it would probably be cheaper than driving. UPS will deliver it right to your door.

JJ - you said that the gunsmith worked up loads for your rifle using RL25 and Retumbo so you do know that the rifle has been tested and is safe to use.
Some thoughts;

1. Call your 'smith and ask him where he derived data using those powders. Ask him for his recommendations regarding H1000 and other powders that you do have.

2. I have found that H1000 and Reloader 25 are close in burning rate with H1000 being slightly faster. Most of my loads show H1000 using 2-3 grains less powder.

3. I think Don and Mike are probably right on for H1000 and 65.7 grains as being a max load. Don's program showing a starting load of 59 grains of H1000 is a good place to start.

Talk with your gunsmith first.

Thanks for the assistance. Here's what I've found. A fellow by the handle Grdlock has a 6.5 WSM and I found one of his loads. His gun is close to max with 65.0 grns of H1000. He said a load of 63.7 grains is very easy. So, whoever determined the data near 65 grains is or was very close.

The difference in water capacity for the 264 Winchester and 6.5 WSM is 79 grains vrs. 82.5 I think. I don't know how to make the figures work for me and no one is testing any of the newwer powders in the 264 Winchester, I guess they fighure it's already dead.

The big news is that I drove 58 miles to go shop at Wal mart, and was going to buy the can of H1000. I stopped at a small shop, and found enough powder to bath in. He actually had RL-25 and Retumbo. Bought them both. I'll be reloading in the early AM tommorrow. I'd still like to know how to swap data for similar cartridges.

I failed to mention that I had my gun built specifically around the 140 flat base Hornady Interlock. Grdlock's load of 65 grains of H1000 was for his rifle and a 139 Moly Scenar bullet.

The smith has a load for my rifle with 59.5-60 grains of RL-25 being most accurate, but can handle 62 grains. I think the Retumbo data was most accurate with 66 grains, but will handle 68. I thought he said the RL-25 does 3189 out of my Lilja 26"+ tube.

Jesse, my 6.5 WSM should be ready around the end of the month, and I would like to have come to terms on the powder I'm going to be using in it by then. I see that you have chosen a 140 gr. bullet and fairly slow burning powder like H-1000. I plan to start with a 120 gr bullet, like the Nosler BT, and then look at a little faster burning powder, say RL-19 are maybe H-4831sc, with a starting load of 61 gr., and go up from there. I'm going somewhat, by Nosler manual, based on their 270 WSM data, for their 130 gr. bullets, which give that (61 gr.) as a starting load, what do you think? Any advice is appreciated. jjdero

jjdero

As I posted above, if you are going to use 120 grainers in the 6.5 WSM then look to data with 150 grain bullets in the 270 WSM. That data will probably be mild to start with as is the general trend with loading data these days.

Mike

Mike, thanks for the heads-up. jjdero

jjdero,

As I suggested before go and get a internal program. I just ran your 6.5/.300 WSM on mine with 79 grs of water, a 24" bbl and the 120 gr bullet at 1.2" long. It shows 61 gr of 4831SC with a maximum load of 60.9 gr at 53,900 CUP! But this is only paperwork. The suggested load of 4831SC by the way is 54.8 grs.

Re 19 is not on the programs list of suggested powders but the program runs it at 59 grs max.

I am using Calculoader from www.aement.com It's only $30 and you will have the CD in a week. Order it or another similar one.

[ 09-14-2002, 20:10: Message edited by: Don Martin29 ]

Don:

Thanks for the link, I'm starting to plan next year's project and this program will help.

FWIW 'cat on a 250 sav case in a S/A short bbl. target weight = 4 3/4 lbs scoped.

JimF

Jesse Jaymes,

I have made two rifles chambered for the 6.5 WSM and have posted data in 2 or 3 locations on different forums. For my PAC-NOR barrel(27") 62gr of H1000 produced about 3350fps 65Kpsi on peak strain testing with the 120gr Nosler bullet and good accuracy. I used 69gr of Retumbo (60Kpsi) with the 108gr Lapua bullet about 3550fps. The second rifle I built for my father and had a Douglas XX airgauged barrel the internal barrel diameter was .001 larger than the PAC-NOR barrel. It took alot more powder to generate the same pressure and the Douglas barrel never produced the same velocity. Every gun is its own law!

Have fun with your new rifle!
grkldoc

I shot the rifle for the first time today. I was breaking in the barrel and cleaning between each shot. I can say that the loads I used were OK according to bolt lift, case extraction and primer flattening. I shot all 140 Hornady's. I used two loads I listed earlier, 60.0 RL-25, and 66.0 Retumbo. The Retumbo felt to produce less pressure than the RL-25 load, but this is not scientific, just gut and felt. Accuracy was no where near what I expected. Groups were 1.2" and 1.4". These were foulers and some 2 or 3 shot groups all inclusive. I have a day to play with it on Sunday, then an antelope hunt. Hope tommorow goes better. May switch to a 210GM primer instead of a 215 and also no more cleaning every shot. The truck tailgate and sandbags and 15 mph winds may not have helped. Will try some concrete benches soon.

That wind speed has a lot of energy. At 18 knots small craft advisories are posted and your truck has similar windage to a boat. Shoot from the ground the next time.