I'll be using primarily 120 grain bullets, and wondering what is your favorite load? Have heard that AA 2520 gives good velocities, as well as Varget? e-mail at drminak@hotmail.com Thanks!

My favorite is 33.5 gr. 2520. Minute of "golf ball" at 100 yrds. this past weekend. My barrel is so accurate, it got boring on paper, till I found a golf ball, then got fun for 4 shots till it finally expired.
Jeff

Hey Dennis,
I will look for some old data I had around from when I had a 6.5. Not sure if I still have it, but if I do I will let you know.
Rob Reiman

34.5 grains of Re-15, 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip: MV from a 14" bbl. = just over 2400 fps

or, a Speer 120 grain spitzer for app. 2385 fps

Accuracy is well under MOA with both loads.

HHI 812,
Here's my experiece w/ my 6.5 JDJ , including bullets other than 120 gr. All loads from a 14" barrel. My favorite 6.5 JDJ loads are as follows:

85 gr Sierra HP
powder grains primer OAL velocity fps
RL 15 38.0 WLR 2.650" 2750
H322 34.6 CCI 200 same 2680

100 gr NBT
RL 15 36.5 Rem 9 1/2 2.80 2575

120 gr NBT
RL 15 35.0 CCI 200 2.970 2410

120 gr Speer Spitzer
RL 15 35.5 CCI 200 2.885 2400
H4895 33.5 Fed 210 same 2315
H4895 34.0 same same 2444***

120 gr Sierra Spitzer
IMR 4320 34.5 Rem 9 1/2 2.895 2300

***This load may be a little "warm" in my gun; still in "developmental" stages .

When I do my part, all the above loads will print less than, or equal to, 1" groups at 100 yds.

I couldn't reach 2400 fps w/ 120 gr bullets in my barrel w/ the powders JD recommended at the time ('92). These powders included: IMR 4320, AA2520, H414, and IMR 4350. Also couldn't get desired velocity w/ AA2495 BR, AA2700, and RL 19. H335 and H322 burning rates were too fast w/ the heavier bullets, but ok w/ lighter bullets. AA2015 BR looked, and behaved, very much likeH322. JD rec'd only using Australian made H322, so that's what I used. Since my initial developmental work, I've also tried Varget, VV 140, and VV 130, but again the velocity was subpar (w/ 120 gr bullets). 748 may have some promise, if I ever get a chance to play w/ it some more. W/ 120 gr bullets, my barrel gets best velocity w/ RL 15 and H4895.

I killed 3 or 4 small South Tx whitetail doe w/ the 100 gr NBT. I lost confidence in this bullet and quit using it after a bad case of core/jacket
separation combined w/ poor penetration. I've shared this experience elsewhere and have been told by others at a forum that Nosler has since
"toughened" up the bullet some. That could be since this happened to me probably 6-7 years ago. Nevertheless, I'll only use the 100 gr NBT's I have as a last resort. The 120 gr NBT's and Sierra spitzer work very well. The 120 gr Speer spitzer is reputed to work just as well, but I've yet to kill anything w/ it. My brief work w/ 129 gr Hornady and 140 gr bullets was disappointing as I couldn't get acceptable velocity. I think you'd be hard pressed to improve on the 120 gr NBT/Speer spit/Sierra
spit bullets. Personally, I wouldn't put too much faith in the 100 gr NBT w/ larger deer until I had some favorable experience w/ it on smaller deer.

By the way, for some really fun loads, try the following reduced/squib loads:

Powder grains OAL Velocity fps
IMR 700X 8.0 2.700" 1200
Red Dot 8.0 same 1150
Red Dot 9.0 same 1230
W/W 231 9.0 same 1270

I use a small tuft of dacron filler w/ above reduced loads. I sight my 6.5 1" high at 100 yds w/ 120 bullets. Using same scope settings, w/ the scope at 4X, I use the juncture of the thick to thin vertical, bottom cross hair
as my aiming point; this puts the point of impact 1/2" high at 25 yards. Makes a great squirrel hunting load (if legal in your area). I use Rem 120gr PSP-CoreLoct bullets since they're pretty inexpensive. Prints one ragged hole at 25 yds.

Hope I haven't bored you w/ the info. You'll have a lot of fun w/ your 6.5. You've got a very versatile hunting barrel. Gary T