Tooling up for loading the 6.5 Gibbs, powder recomendations?

Wambli Ska

Everywhere I look IMR-4831 pops up as an option for bullets 100-160 gr.  Thoughts?  Any other favorite powders out there that I should look for that folks have had decent results with big case 6.5 and 7mm cartridges?   I’m assuming magnum primers for this puppy since it seemed to call for slow burners.  Any guidance?  

Not a ton of information on this one out there.  I figured I’ll start with 6.5 Gibbs data that’s available and maybe hot 6.5-06 data as a starting point until I find the sweet spot.  For now I’ll be playing with 140gr ELDMs and I’ll also load some 120-130 class bonded SPs at for local hunting in the few places where long shots are available.

Zee

Retumbo is my favorite for big cases and slow powders. 

Zee

H4831 and H4340 are always good options in my rifles. 

Wambli Ska

what do you run on your 6.5-06?

Bigslug

H4350, H4831, and maybe H1000.

This is a hunting length barrel, so probably not the slowest of the slow burners.

mitdr774

The 4 powders that came to mind right away are the one mentioned already.  RL-22 may also be another good option.

Zee

Wambli Ska said:

what do you run on your 6.5-06?

I tried Retumbo, H4831sc, and H4350. 

They were all fast, but H4350 gave me the best velocity:

And the best accuracy:

Keep in mind, the reason these pics don’t have the powder charge……I’m so far off the reservation…….they sent Custer to get me. 

Bigslug

Can't argue with Zee's results. . .

In my long-tube .30-06AI, H4350 gave slightly better velocities, but the H4831 accuracy and chrono numbers were so stellar, that's what it stayed with.  H1000 gave very inconsistent numbers in that gun and got rejected, but it seems to have a following among the more overbore cartridges, so may be worth a try.

In my standard 24" .30-06, I started with H4350 and achieved Nirvana. . .with that load, I'm out there with Zee on the prairie waiting for Custer.

I don't think you need a magnum primer, but it wouldn't hunt to run a parallel string to see what it does for you.

Ernie Bishop

You don't need a magnum primer.

I don't even use a magnum primer for my 7mm Dakota or my 7mm-300 PRC.

H-4350 is about as fast as I would go.

As mentioned H-4831sc, H-1000, Retumbo.

FWIW I use Retumbo, Reloader 33, and H-1000 in 18" tubes and do just fine

Wambli Ska

Thanks guys.  You’ve given me a nice list of powders to look for.  I’ll be shopping around but nowadays it’s basically whichever I find first.  So far I got brass bullets and primers so powder is the last component I need.