Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

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mikee
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Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

Just joined these forums as I figure this is the most likely place to find some help with load data for my new 6.5TCU.
Especially given the Cartridge seems to be have mainly used as a silhouette shooting round
I am in the process of having a rifle re-barreled and chambered in 6.5TCU
I decided on the calibre as I have buckets of 223 brass looking for a use and a similar excess of small rifle primers.

I wondered if any members here who shoot one of these would mind providing a little advice.
Rifle is a Remington M700, will have a barrel length between 22-24 inches and will be chambered to suit 123gmn Amax.

Its primary use will be as a general purpose gun for target shooting, Varmints (as you call them) spotlighting from a vehicle and as a "light deer" rifle. I already have a 6.5SAUM for long Range work

Powders I currently have at hand which might be useful are IMR 8208XBR and Vithavouri N530

I can find very little in the way of load data online for the 6.5TCU so was hoping members here might help

Thanks in advance for all or indeed any replies

Mikee
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by rr1220 »

I load with w-748 in a 14" t/c with 129gr hornady starting load is 24.6 to a max of 29.6 from complete reloading manual for t/c, hope this helps
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

rr1220 wrote:I load with w-748 in a 14" t/c with 129gr hornady starting load is 24.6 to a max of 29.6 from complete reloading manual for t/c, hope this helps
Thank you thats given me a start, I just need to find some W748.
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DanDeMan
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by DanDeMan »

6.5mm TCU Rifle Load for C, P & T: MV 2,250 fps; 26.0 N140; F205M; 140 A-MAX : VarGet & RL-15 work the same.

6.5mm TCU Ram Load: MV 2,520 fps; 29.0 N150; F205M; 140 A-MAX; RL-17 would be a good choice also, I think?

These are loads proven to be excellent out of a 24", 8-twist, SS barrel.
Cheers,

Dan Theodore
mikee
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

DanDeMan wrote:6.5mm TCU Rifle Load for C, P & T: MV 2,250 fps; 26.0 N140; F205M; 140 A-MAX : VarGet & RL-15 work the same.

6.5mm TCU Ram Load: MV 2,520 fps; 29.0 N150; F205M; 140 A-MAX; RL-17 would be a good choice also, I think?

These are loads proven to be excellent out of a 24", 8-twist, SS barrel.
Now we are talking, thank you for those suggestions. Do you have any suggestions for lighter 100gn to 123gn bullets?
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DanDeMan
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by DanDeMan »

mikee,

The silhouette rifle that I gave you loads for was throated for the 140 A-MAX bullets so I did not do any testing with lighter bullets. That rifle was all about simplicity in reloading, one bullet for all animals. I should add that the bullets were moly-coated, so drop the charges by 1 grain and carefully work up. The ram load used Lapua brass because the pressure is quite high and therefore, Win or Rem brass will not last long.

Here's link to a bunch of loads for lighter bullets. They should be able to give good guidance.

http://www.lasc.us/RangingShotBullberry6.5TCU.htm
Cheers,

Dan Theodore
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by edgehit »

Back when I was playing with a 7TCU I found Leverevolution gave me significant more velocity.

Be very wary of pressure signs. I strongly urge you to take micrometer to the bench and measure the case rim before and after you shoot the round to detect brass deformation. As soon as the rim increases diameter STOP. I'm talking less than 1/1000"

Work up the loads 0.2 gr increments because the case is so small.

I expect 8208 may give you an accurate load. I found N 540 pressured up really fast in 7mm bore didn't give me velocity I expected but very accurate
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

edgehit wrote:Back when I was playing with a 7TCU I found Leverevolution gave me significant more velocity.

Be very wary of pressure signs. I strongly urge you to take micrometer to the bench and measure the case rim before and after you shoot the round to detect brass deformation. As soon as the rim increases diameter STOP. I'm talking less than 1/1000"

Work up the loads 0.2 gr increments because the case is so small.

I expect 8208 may give you an accurate load. I found N 540 pressured up really fast in 7mm bore didn't give me velocity I expected but very accurate
Thanks for the advise, I chose this because I have a very large amount of .223 brass. While I fully ntend to relaods part of the attraction to the 6.5TCU is that It should be accurate with fireforming loads and if fired cases get lost "off the truck" when spotlighting its not big deal. Also my 6.5Saum suppressor will fit and all my cleaning gears remains the same so whats not to like............. so far. Barrel and action should be beck in next two weeks so I'll post some pictures if you like
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by kevinbear »

I have a 6x47 which is close to your caliber but obviously not exactly the same. I chose BLC-2 because it's a very dense powder and good velocities can be gotten with the 115 DTAC bullets, my load is 28.0 grains for 2650fps. Your 6.5 would probably be very close to that with the 123gr. bullets.
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by ywltzucanrknrl »

I have a friend who bought one. His is on a Remington XP action and it has a 24” barrel. The loads that are attached are from a Hornady Silhouette manual that was published in the 1970’s or 1980’s---As you can see these were published for a Contender pistol but he has used several of these and they worked fine for him. I hope you can read it, the print is small. The first set of loads are for a 129 grain Hornady. We also loaded up some rounds using 8208 with 123 Sierra MK’s. The load info came from Quickload. He started at 21.5 grains and went to 23 grains. The 23 grain load was running around 2,350fps out of his rifle.
6.5 TCU info.pdf
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mikee
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

Ok, here it is. Well pleased with how it turned out. You cant see it but it is also threaded to take a suppressor (as are all my rifles)

Have not shot it yet, Still have a few bugs to sort out feeding wise. I used a 204Ruger M700 action. Spacer has been removed from mag well and feeds first round OK but not the next, any ideas
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by kevinbear »

I like the rail, allows much more movement of the scope.
My 6x47 Remington. Cartridge is second from the left, made from 222magnum cases. I've given up on trying to make it feed from the magazine, nothing seems to work.
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Last edited by kevinbear on Sat May 02, 2015 8:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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mikee
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

kevinbear wrote:I like the rail, allows much more movement of the scope.
My 6x47 Remington. Cartridge is second from the left, made from 222magnum cases. I've given up on trying to make it feed from the magazine, nothing seems to work.
Image
I have to find a way, mine is also my "Truck gun" so needs to feed from the mag if possible
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by mikee »

Ok, I have had my rifle for a few weeks now and here is some of the data from the loads I have found so far
OBVIOUSLY ALL USUAL DISCLAIMERS APPLY WITH THIS DATA

Brass was Winchester .223 necked up and trimmed to 1.740
Primers were fioochi small rifle
Chronograph is Ohler and rifle has 24 inch barrel

LOAD ONE, (5 rounds)
100gn Sierra HP / 27 grains IMR8208XBR
Velocities
Shot 1 2494fps
Shot 2 2521fps
Shot 3 2520fps
Shot 4 2477fps
Shot 5 2509fpa

Load 2 (4 rounds)

100gn Barnes TTSX / 28grains IMR8208XBR
Shot 1 2637fps
Shot 2 2632fps
Shot 3 2617fps
Shot 4 2601fps


Load 3 (4 rounds)
123gn AMAX / 28.5gns IMR8208XBR (MAX LOAD)
Shot 1 2617fps
Shot 2 2634fps
Shot 3 2609fps
Shot 4 2610fps

Load 4 (4 rounds)
100gn Sierra HP / 28.1gns Vihtavouri N530 (almost MAX load)
Shot 1 2763fps
Shot 2 2765fps
Shot 3 2777fps
Shot 4 2780fps

most accurate load was load 1 with approx 6mm group centre to centre @ 90m (100 yards)

going to work on load for hunting using N530 and the 100gn ttsx
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Re: Hello from New Zealand and help with 6.5TCU loads

Post by Jerry G »

If you are having feed problems from the magazine, usually an adjustment to the lips on the mag are all that is needed. It is either feeding the point of the bullets too high or too low. Bending the lips on top of the mag one way or the other should cure that.
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