Load Development – 6.5x55 First Time Reloader With Two Fallow

AllThingsShooting

Well-Known Member
So, after three weeks of researching everything I felt I needed to know the day arrived yesterday where I had all of the equipment and the load data ready. Having put together all of the loads correctly labelled and target cards with all of the information written out from the manual and cross referenced with QuickLoad it was on…. I was ready…

Morning arrived and I went up to a good friend’s farm, set up the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] of 12 targets with all the information recorded in the top corner and matched it up with data card and the labelled 5 rounds. (I tested 2 powders and three different load weights).

First group wasn’t spectacular but having already pre-judged and made an educated guess from the performance of QuickLoad I had a good idea of which loads would work better…

Working my way through the different loads, starting from the bottom end of the safe load and working my way up, leaving a good amount of time in between and pulling though on each of the cycles, I was feeling good…and the elements were on my side.

The first few loads weren’t great, at a max of 1.93 inch group…but as the “QuickLoad” predicted higher end arose the better the group…

(My best group with Factory Norma, Nosler 120 BT the day before was just over an inch, 3 round group not the 5 with the reloads, at night with slight/marginal cross wind)…

Attached are the final first targets for the best groups - both Varget, but 1g apart with the best 5 round group of .84 (end to end – not middle to middle)

After returning home, I reloaded two more batches of 5 rounds and headed up to my local farm, fired two sets of groups to confirm which load felt the best and grouped. “These are the target/cards with X2 in the top corner”.

As you can see by the cards the groups are divided – the reason being is that it’s a Blaser and holds only three in the mag, therefore slight shift in position to reload the other two before continuing with the shots (excuse).

Needless to say that the final group confirmed it – 4 rounds through the same hole and one inch off to the left (my mistake).

Load data.

  • Blaser R93
  • 6.5 x 55
  • 120BT
  • Varget
  • 37.5g
  • 3.0 OAL
  • 97.37% Burn (Quickload Data)
  • 23.7% Ballistic Co (Quickload Data)
  • 2542 Fps (Quickload Data) Not Chronograph but want to if anyone in Sussex wants to meet up I would repay the favour.

Later yesterday afternoon, I was invited out on a friends permission just 5 minutes away, so loaded with my new reloaded ammo I was off…after sitting in a high seat for 30 minutes they popped out…we watched a group of 10 just 500 meters away, we decided to stalk the hedge line to get a bit closer.

Unfortunately as we moved just over the dead ground along the margin we must have spooked them, wind wasn’t in our favour. We stalked a bit further and came across three stragglers, within 175yds I took the first shot, it went down…taking advantage of the Blasers quick reloading ability the second shortly followed.

Needless to say, yesterday was one of the best days I have had in a long time, not only did I get to test the loads I had made myself, but managed to group to a standard I am happy with and take two fallow later in the evening.

I am no means an expert when it comes to reloading or stalking but can see why there are so many stalkers who really become addicted…

So, do I regret working from the bottom end of the power weight and taking several days before touching the loading equipment, NO – I would recommend any new loader to do this, pulling the trigger with your first loaded round is not only a proud moment but also a daunting one, especially if you have learned everything from a book, YouTube or members of the forum sharing their tips.

As your confidence increases so does your ability to load correctly (without complacency), and produces an even better feeling when pulling the trigger with your cull animal in sight.

My tip as a complete amateur/beginner in reloading – be safe and do as much research as you can before putting a round in your mag…double check everything at least three times and check again (I made one mistake, fortunately I saw it on the second check, not fatal but would have not been consistent with the rest of the loads)….

B

In the pictures you will see one of my loading cards, these are cards i have made up to record all of the data...this is then transfered to the target...

I would like to thank ACM...and Spud for making my reloading fun and safe...

Load Development 004.jpg

Final Group 4 through same hole - my mistake on the 3rd shot.

Load Development 001.jpg
Load Development 002.jpg
Load Development 003.jpg
 
What can one say?









​But well done. A methodical approach and realistic expectations in hand loading.
 
Back
Top