6.5 Creedmoor and H4350

J

Janders

Inactive
I have been reading through these and other forum threads regarding which powder is best for this popular cartridge.
I went to my local Sportmans Warehouse to pick up a few things and a pound or two of H4350. I couldn't find any. There were two guys in the same isle and we started talking about the 6.5 Creedmoor. I was advised to use lapua brass, "dont forget to use small primers" I was told, and 140 AMAX which was not a new idea but I listened.
Then he told me to use H4350. Again with the H4350.
They don't have it. I went online and could not find it. I finally found some on a popular auction site and purchased 3 lbs.
I sure hope this stuff is worth the price. I have read there are good results with other powders with lighter bullets like Varget. I have plenty of that.
Hey Hodgdon, make more of this stuff and it will sell.
I am building a Howa 1500 barreled action. Hey, don't make fun, it's what I want to do.
I can just see the purists out there with there one of a kind $5,000 + rifles throwing rocks at my Howa. I work for a living.
Thanks for listening.
 
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Both H and IMR4350 are in high demand and is THE goto powder in the 6.5CM. I didn't fool around trying to find it, I just went with IMR4451, one of the new Enduron powders, it's right in the burn range as the 4350's and I don't have to fight for it.

Just FYI, PowderValley has 4350... right now.
 
I have used IMR 4350, IMR4451 Enduron, R17 and N150.

While IMR4350 is different that H4350, it is quite similar and produces good results. Hodgdon, from what I have seen, seems to produce powders in 6 month intervals and the popular powders get bought up before they resupply.

The IMR4451 is new and it is difficult to get loading data but Hodgdon/IMR has the min / max load data on their web site.
IMR 4451 has characteristics similar to IMR4350 but is enough different that you will need to find what works best.

I load for two different 6.5mm Creedmoor rifles.
One has IMR4451 in three of the top 5 powder/bullet combinations and 3 in the top 10 out of a table of 24 powder-bullet combinations that includes 5 different powders.
(I have only shot 3 different bullets with it so I guess with 3 in the top 5 shows it isn't so hard to find what charges to load with it.)
A powder bullet combination includes and average of all loads with the powder and bullet regardless of charge, velocity, seating depth or trim length.
IMR4350 is in second place with 5 of the top 10 and RL-17 is in 3rd with 2 of the top 10.

The other rifle has 4 IMR4350 powder-bullet combinations in the top 10, with 3 of the 5 in the top 5 out of 19 powder bullet combinations.
RL-17 powder-bullet combinations also has 4 in the top 10 and 2 in the top 5.
IMR4451 has 2 powder-bullet combinations in the top 10 but one of those is the best result with the bullet used. There are only 3 IMR4451 powder bullet combinations in the table of 19
 
Don’t feel bad OP, Savage 10T plus Ar10 in 6.5 CM. 4350 is the go to powder. But I’ve also had good grpoups with Varget and the lighter bullets.
 
Both H and IMR4350 are in high demand and is THE goto powder in the 6.5CM. I didn't fool around trying to find it, I just went with IMR4451, one of the new Enduron powders, it's right in the burn range as the 4350's and I don't have to fight for it.

Just FYI, PowderValley has 4350... right now.

Dang-SOLD OUT
 
Rimfire, thank you for all the information. Your response certainly details the exhaustive work involved to identify the best bullet, weight, type-Best powder, amount- OAL, Brass, Primer combination etc.
AND, every rifle is different. What works for you may not work for me.
Aint it great!!
Better get to work!!
 
I've been reading that the new RL26 is very good too, but I can't find any. It is supposed to give a little more speed with equal accuracy. If I can find any I want to try it.

I'm using H4350 with excellent results, but have also experimented some with Ramshot Hunter. It seems to be readily available and is another good powder if you can't find H4350.

Load data here:

http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WesternLoadGuide1-2016_Web-1.pdf

I hear RL17 is supposed to be good too, but I've not tried it
 
I have a 260, which is about the same as the 6.5CM. I use IMR 4064 on the 100 gr bullets and R17 on the 120’s. I get superb accuracy with R17. Some folks say that it’s temp sensitive, but the new 1lb bottles say that it isn’t. The old bottles didn’t address the issue. If I needed a new powder, I might try the new R16.
 
For 140 grain bullets I go with IMR8208XBR. It works very well. Other than that I would advise trying 130 grain Hornady ELDMatch with Reloader15. An awesome combination.
 
Has anyone noticed any difference between H4350 and IMR4350? I've just started loading the 6.5 CM and have used H4350 but not IMR4350. I've seen a price difference of $50 between the two and a 8 lb jug.
 
Take a look at the Hodgdon Load data. IMR 4350 is not interchangeable with H4350. And those two powders perform differently when loaded with the same projectiles. Both are good products, but not the same stuff.
 
I too hope IMR 4350 will preform well in the 6.5 CM. I just bought 11 pounds at an estate sale for a really good price. I understand they're not interchangeable but maybe the IMR will produce loads as good as the H version.
 
I have been shooting the 6.5 for a little over a year now. Initially the 4451 was all I could find readily so went with that. Its not bad with the 140 grn bullets. I have one 6.5 lightweight hunting rifle I worked up a load for the 143 Eld-x Hornady. I couldn't get as good a result out of the 4451 and ended up using Vihtavuori N550 which is quite good with those heavier bullets and is more than acceptable for hunting. I have used both the large rifle and small rifle brass for it. the later seems a tad bit more consistent but mainly it's tougher brass. Varget shoots ok, better in the 24'' Savage T10 than the longer 26'' FV.
The H4350 comes from Australia. Rumor was it was getting used up by Hornady for the factory ammo they were making. It was also rumored that the factory in aust. burned and they shut down to rebuild it. No proof on any of those so who knows.
It has been easier to find here lately, I have a pretty good supply on hand.
 
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