My 160 grain 6.5 Hornady round nose sits over 41.3 grains of Reloader 19, for which the book promises 2300 +/-. OAL is 3.152", slightly longer than factory max, but i have a very long throated rifle.
My rifle is a Winchester model 70, and i don;t think that the loads are being loaded to their potential, but they are well mannered enough that i don;t intend to juice them up any. In my opinion, if you have around 1800 fps impact velocity, then you are going to get good expansion in soft tissue, and penetration like there is no tomorrow. The bullet itself is so long, I am thinking that you could push it pretty fast before it expanded south of its cannelure, at which point i start to become concerned about jacket and core seperation.
This is not a long range cartridge by any stretch, but ought to be a dandy at up close. Additionally, my first batch was not up to my own accuracy standards, in that i could not cover them all up with a skoal can. (close, but no cigar) My rifle loves 120 grain bullets, likes 140 grain spitzers very well, is learning to tolerate the 160s, but cannot stand the 100 grainers.
You might try Re19, but anything about that speed works. Anything about IMR 4320 or slower will work, and in all of the loading i have done, i get the best results from the slightly faster powders that manage to fill the case the fullest, which thus far has been Re19.
Enjoy it, shoot a great big one.
Steve
My rifle is a Winchester model 70, and i don;t think that the loads are being loaded to their potential, but they are well mannered enough that i don;t intend to juice them up any. In my opinion, if you have around 1800 fps impact velocity, then you are going to get good expansion in soft tissue, and penetration like there is no tomorrow. The bullet itself is so long, I am thinking that you could push it pretty fast before it expanded south of its cannelure, at which point i start to become concerned about jacket and core seperation.
This is not a long range cartridge by any stretch, but ought to be a dandy at up close. Additionally, my first batch was not up to my own accuracy standards, in that i could not cover them all up with a skoal can. (close, but no cigar) My rifle loves 120 grain bullets, likes 140 grain spitzers very well, is learning to tolerate the 160s, but cannot stand the 100 grainers.
You might try Re19, but anything about that speed works. Anything about IMR 4320 or slower will work, and in all of the loading i have done, i get the best results from the slightly faster powders that manage to fill the case the fullest, which thus far has been Re19.
Enjoy it, shoot a great big one.
Steve
