Post by GLSHOOTER on Jun 16, 2015 16:17:28 GMT -8
The 6.5X6.8 has been getting shot quite a bit by some guys across the country and we have been chatting back and forth about the 123 grain bullets. There accuracy has been off and on so I told one I would load up a few and do a fast drive by on them.
I was shooting a 22” BHW barrel 1:9 3 grove polygon barrel on my AR. Pretty standard upper with a BTE FF tube and the lower was sporting a 3 pound BTE for the day. I had already shot my 6.8 bolt gun so I had the distance figured pretty well at 100 yards per the Leica.
Loads were ten each of the 123 Nosler CC’s loaded to 2.30 with no attempt to do a ladder. I just picked a load out of some data that Ritch had shared and went for the gusto. A slight jump to the lands but not much according to my Sinclair tool measurements. Powders chosen were XBR 8208, Benchmark and AA 2520. Temperature was in the upper 80’s. No wind. Mirage was boiling like a pot of crawdads down in New Orleans.
I started off with the Benchmark. I had just set the scope up on this one so I needed a few rounds to get it dialed in. I shot a three shot and four shot after eating up three to get close to the aiming point. Thank goodness the Leupold has consistent adjustments as it makes getting on much easier. Like everyone else I’ve had some that were less than accurate when you dialed for a bullet move.
This was the pick of the litter. I guess I could have stopped after shot number ten. Accuracy is the king but I do want to see if I can get a bit more speed in it and hold that edge. The only issue is that 123’s eat up case capacity badly in the 6.5X 6.8 variant. It’ll go but powder density is certainly a consideration.
I was pretty happy but interested in how the others would do. The next up was the XBX 8208. Nothing stellar but it seemed to want to shoot. A pair that were right on 1.30. Not surprising but I do want to revisit it. Not a bragging powder yet.
I tried some AA 2520 on a whim to see what Accurate could do. Velocity was good but I will state categorically I have found the powder for shooting kangaroos in a herd. Just point the rifle amongst them and yell pulling the trigger. That bullet is bound to get something but surgical precision is not happening. I’ll leave this one on the shelf for the big guys. It may well do far better on the lighter pills but time will tell on that.
It was as down and dirty as I could get it short of just shooting three shot groups. With the conditions I was dealing with I expected some degradation. If I ever get one of those nice cool Minnesota mornings I may well find out how it does. More time on the desert floor will get me honed back up again for testing.
Greg
I was shooting a 22” BHW barrel 1:9 3 grove polygon barrel on my AR. Pretty standard upper with a BTE FF tube and the lower was sporting a 3 pound BTE for the day. I had already shot my 6.8 bolt gun so I had the distance figured pretty well at 100 yards per the Leica.
Loads were ten each of the 123 Nosler CC’s loaded to 2.30 with no attempt to do a ladder. I just picked a load out of some data that Ritch had shared and went for the gusto. A slight jump to the lands but not much according to my Sinclair tool measurements. Powders chosen were XBR 8208, Benchmark and AA 2520. Temperature was in the upper 80’s. No wind. Mirage was boiling like a pot of crawdads down in New Orleans.
I started off with the Benchmark. I had just set the scope up on this one so I needed a few rounds to get it dialed in. I shot a three shot and four shot after eating up three to get close to the aiming point. Thank goodness the Leupold has consistent adjustments as it makes getting on much easier. Like everyone else I’ve had some that were less than accurate when you dialed for a bullet move.
This was the pick of the litter. I guess I could have stopped after shot number ten. Accuracy is the king but I do want to see if I can get a bit more speed in it and hold that edge. The only issue is that 123’s eat up case capacity badly in the 6.5X 6.8 variant. It’ll go but powder density is certainly a consideration.
I was pretty happy but interested in how the others would do. The next up was the XBX 8208. Nothing stellar but it seemed to want to shoot. A pair that were right on 1.30. Not surprising but I do want to revisit it. Not a bragging powder yet.
I tried some AA 2520 on a whim to see what Accurate could do. Velocity was good but I will state categorically I have found the powder for shooting kangaroos in a herd. Just point the rifle amongst them and yell pulling the trigger. That bullet is bound to get something but surgical precision is not happening. I’ll leave this one on the shelf for the big guys. It may well do far better on the lighter pills but time will tell on that.
It was as down and dirty as I could get it short of just shooting three shot groups. With the conditions I was dealing with I expected some degradation. If I ever get one of those nice cool Minnesota mornings I may well find out how it does. More time on the desert floor will get me honed back up again for testing.
Greg
