65-285 Norma Loads

kline27 · January 27, 2013, 05:19 PM

Hello, I'm new to this forum. At 73 years of age, I've been handloading for a long time - about 45 years. I recently became interested in the 6.5-284 from reading of long range target successes with this cartridge. I also became interested in Berger bullets from the blogs I read. I purchased a box of Berger 130 gr. VLD Target bullets to try. However, I've not had any success finding load data. I'm leaning to Reloader 19 powder because it's in the IMR 4350 and H4350 burn rate range and I have a quantity on hand. Can anyone tell me of a good starting point for RL 19 and either of the 4350s or 4831s for the 65-284 Norma? My recently purchased rifle is a Savage 116. I'm getting about 1/2 inch @ 100 yds with 140 gr. Sierra hunting bullets and about 3/4inch from Sierra and Nosler 120 gr. hunters using RL 19 and Federal 210M primers. BTW, I don't intend to try long range shooting but would like to tighten up my 100 yd. groups. Thanks in advance for any help.

**Unclenick** · January 27, 2013, 06:16 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Hodgdon's site has suggested loads for the all the powders you mentioned except RL-19. Hodgdon uses a Nosler Accubond bullet in a reformed .284 Winchester case, a Federal 210 primer, and they seat the bullet to just 2.950" COL. Based on QuickLOAD it looked to me like you might reduce the Hodgdon loads by about 2% for the longer Berger bullet. However, it also looked like the reformed Winchester case may be lower in capacity than some new manufacture cases, base on the QuickLOAD results, so that may not turn out to be so in the end.

For Reloader 19, under those same conditions, QuickLOAD thinks you will land somewhere between 45 and 50 grains, but it's just a computer simulation, so no guarantees there. Start low and work up while watching for pressure signs. I used a COL of 2.930" to get the bullet one caliber into the case, but that may not do, as suggested in the material linked to in the next paragraph.

Also, I'll add that with the Berger VLD shapes that are not their new "Hybrid" shape, they can be pretty picky about seating depth. You'll want to look at this note from Berger.

kline27 · January 28, 2013, 07:30 AM

Thank you Unclenick. I didn't notice until this morning the errors in my title. I should proof read a little closer. One thing that concerned me about he Berger bullets is the seemingly long bearing surface. My experience tells me longer bearing surface typically results in higher pressure, all other factors being the same. That's why I shyed away from using load data for other bullets. Again, thank you very much.

Scorch · January 28, 2013, 01:04 PM

The Hornady reloading manual has load data for the 6.5-284.

**Unclenick** · January 29, 2013, 03:30 PM

Yeah, but not with Berger bullets. Their one boat tail that is close in weight is their 129 grain SST. It starts with a lower charge of RL19 than QL came up with for the Berger, at 43.2 grains, and it probably wouldn't hurt to go down that far to work up from, even though they are using a shorter COL than I did.

kline27 · January 30, 2013, 10:59 AM

Starting in the 43 gr. range with RL-19 looks like a good approach. To revisit my "knowledge" of longer bearing surface/pressure issue, I did a cursory comparison of the Nosler 130 gr. and Hornady 129 gr. hunting bullets. As suspected, it appears the Hornady's longer bearing surface causes maximum pressure to be reached at a lower charge weight for comparable powder and provides a correspondingly lower muzzle velocity. There's a 2" difference in test barrel length but that wouldn't explain a considerable difference in charge weight nor the velocity difference. But I digress. Thanks again for the info on the Berger.

AllenJ · January 30, 2013, 02:58 PM

Here is Berger tech support email: [email protected]

I emailed them late last year asking for load data for 3 different cartridges using 2 different bullets and they sent the info within a couple of weeks.

January 27, 2013, 05:19 PM	#1
kline27 Junior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Posts: 4	65-285 Norma Loads Hello, I'm new to this forum. At 73 years of age, I've been handloading for a long time - about 45 years. I recently became interested in the 6.5-284 from reading of long range target successes with this cartridge. I also became interested in Berger bullets from the blogs I read. I purchased a box of Berger 130 gr. VLD Target bullets to try. However, I've not had any success finding load data. I'm leaning to Reloader 19 powder because it's in the IMR 4350 and H4350 burn rate range and I have a quantity on hand. Can anyone tell me of a good starting point for RL 19 and either of the 4350s or 4831s for the 65-284 Norma? My recently purchased rifle is a Savage 116. I'm getting about 1/2 inch @ 100 yds with 140 gr. Sierra hunting bullets and about 3/4inch from Sierra and Nosler 120 gr. hunters using RL 19 and Federal 210M primers. BTW, I don't intend to try long range shooting but would like to tighten up my 100 yd. groups. Thanks in advance for any help.

January 27, 2013, 06:16 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	Welcome to the forum. Hodgdon's site has suggested loads for the all the powders you mentioned except RL-19. Hodgdon uses a Nosler Accubond bullet in a reformed .284 Winchester case, a Federal 210 primer, and they seat the bullet to just 2.950" COL. Based on QuickLOAD it looked to me like you might reduce the Hodgdon loads by about 2% for the longer Berger bullet. However, it also looked like the reformed Winchester case may be lower in capacity than some new manufacture cases, base on the QuickLOAD results, so that may not turn out to be so in the end. For Reloader 19, under those same conditions, QuickLOAD thinks you will land somewhere between 45 and 50 grains, but it's just a computer simulation, so no guarantees there. Start low and work up while watching for pressure signs. I used a COL of 2.930" to get the bullet one caliber into the case, but that may not do, as suggested in the material linked to in the next paragraph. Also, I'll add that with the Berger VLD shapes that are not their new "Hybrid" shape, they can be pretty picky about seating depth. You'll want to look at this note from Berger. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle Last edited by Unclenick; January 29, 2013 at 03:30 PM.

January 28, 2013, 01:04 PM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	The Hornady reloading manual has load data for the 6.5-284. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

January 29, 2013, 03:30 PM	#5
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	Yeah, but not with Berger bullets. Their one boat tail that is close in weight is their 129 grain SST. It starts with a lower charge of RL19 than QL came up with for the Berger, at 43.2 grains, and it probably wouldn't hurt to go down that far to work up from, even though they are using a shorter COL than I did. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

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January 28, 2013, 07:30 AM	#3
kline27 Junior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Posts: 4	Thank you Unclenick. I didn't notice until this morning the errors in my title. I should proof read a little closer. One thing that concerned me about he Berger bullets is the seemingly long bearing surface. My experience tells me longer bearing surface typically results in higher pressure, all other factors being the same. That's why I shyed away from using load data for other bullets. Again, thank you very much.

January 30, 2013, 10:59 AM	#6
kline27 Junior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Posts: 4	Starting in the 43 gr. range with RL-19 looks like a good approach. To revisit my "knowledge" of longer bearing surface/pressure issue, I did a cursory comparison of the Nosler 130 gr. and Hornady 129 gr. hunting bullets. As suspected, it appears the Hornady's longer bearing surface causes maximum pressure to be reached at a lower charge weight for comparable powder and provides a correspondingly lower muzzle velocity. There's a 2" difference in test barrel length but that wouldn't explain a considerable difference in charge weight nor the velocity difference. But I digress. Thanks again for the info on the Berger.

January 30, 2013, 02:58 PM	#7
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	Here is Berger tech support email: [email protected] I emailed them late last year asking for load data for 3 different cartridges using 2 different bullets and they sent the info within a couple of weeks.