2 powders for 6ARC and 6.5CM ?
#1
New reloader/Hunter target for fun. Right now I am using Leverevoiution for 6ARC and like it but also shoot a 6.5CM and was thinking of also reloading it.
Anyone on here shoot both and can recommend powder for the 6.5 . Would like one that works for both but at most just want 2 powders in the house
Like I said I hunt and am not into tack driving just bring home a nice deer or 3. So 6" circle at 300 works for me. 99% of my shots are in the 150yd range

Right now I am shooting Hornady 120 GMX/CX superformance and am happy with it but since I have gotten everything to reload for 6arc, I might as well go whole hog.
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#2
I shoot both, kind of in the same boat as you are.
If you only want one powder for the 6.5 Creed, then H4350 is your game. I'm finding I saty in the h4350 world more and more, so others are on reserve. I4350 is not the same, period. So no sense even asking. I was gifted 6# and frankly it just sits on my shelf.
I shoot 100 ttsx, 120's both gmx/ttsx as well as the nosler 120's, 130's a lot 3 flavors, 140-143's some but more often than not, the 130 class.
My second most used CM powder, for me, is Varget, primarily for 130 and below class bullets.
So if you wanted 1 powder for the Creed and the 6Arc, and can stand for the lower velocity in 6Arc and possibly the Creed, then look at Varget for that, but you give up a lot so why do it.

Honestly, though, Lever will do most of the work for you in the Arc and H4350 for the big boy.

There's your 2, lever and H4350. There is a lot of difference in the burn requirements of these 2 calibers that makes 2 powders for both all the time, hard to do.
If you only want 2 in your cabinet, then pick 1 good one for each like the above.
H4350 is available again, so its not a problem to find.
If either becomes scarce, then there are alternates you can look at for either, when the time comes. Like in the scam-demic unpleasantness, H4350 was scarce as hen's teeth (as were many), but there were alternates so I could keep going.

Other thing about Lever and the Arc, you don't need much powder due to small case size, so each pound goes a long way.

Biggest help you can do for yourself is to buy 2-3 lbs minimum of the same lot#, for each powder. Here in the real world, a change of lot# for a given powder will affect your MV, sometimes by a lot sometimes only a little. You can of course adjust for it by shooting your old lot# weight with the newer lot over a chrony and tweak, but having it all in 1 lot# saves you time and effort.

So when I restock, I don't just buy 1#, I get 2, 3, or 4 depending on my budget.
Do plan ahead and keep some reserve on your shelf. In today's wack-o political time, scarcity will be a recurring event.
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#3
(01-01-2024, 03:05 PM)grayfox Wrote: I shoot both, kind of in the same boat as you are.
If you only want one powder for the 6.5 Creed, then H4350 is your game. I'm finding I saty in the h4350 world more and more, so others are on reserve.  I4350 is not the same, period. So no sense even asking.  I was gifted 6# and frankly it just sits on my shelf.
I shoot 100 ttsx, 120's both gmx/ttsx as well as the nosler 120's, 130's a lot 3 flavors, 140-143's some but more often than not, the 130 class.
My second most used CM powder, for me, is Varget, primarily for 130 and below class bullets.
So if you wanted 1 powder for the Creed and the 6Arc, and can stand for the lower velocity in 6Arc and possibly the Creed, then look at Varget for that, but you give up a lot so why do it.

Honestly, though, Lever will do most of the work for you in the Arc and H4350 for the big boy.

There's your 2, lever and H4350.  There is a lot of difference in the burn requirements of these 2 calibers that makes 2 powders for both all the time, hard to do. 
If you only want 2 in your cabinet, then pick 1 good one for each like the above.
H4350 is available again, so its not a problem to find.
If either becomes scarce, then there are alternates you can look at for either, when the time comes.  Like in the scam-demic unpleasantness, H4350 was scarce as hen's teeth (as were many), but there were alternates so I could keep going.

Other thing about Lever and the Arc, you don't need much powder due to small case size, so each pound goes a long way.

Biggest help you can do for yourself is to buy 2-3 lbs minimum of the same lot#, for each powder.  Here in the real world, a change of lot# for a given powder will affect your MV, sometimes by a lot sometimes only a little.  You can of course adjust for it by shooting your old lot# weight with the newer lot over a chrony and tweak, but having it all in 1 lot# saves you time and effort.

So when I restock, I don't just buy 1#, I get 2, 3, or 4 depending on my budget.
Do plan ahead and keep some reserve on  your shelf.  In today's wack-o political time, scarcity will be a recurring event.

Thanks for the reply . Right now I just have 1# of LR to play with but like it  Probably will get an 8# next and with what I shoot that will be my lifetime. Same with the 6.5 I'll try a pound and if I like it get 8# and go for it. 
I think I was told before powder is good for 10 to 15 years if stored right. So 72 - 87 don't think I have to worry past that.
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#4
H4350 is a solid option for the CM and just great to have around as it is good for several popular calibers. I only dialed in one gun chambered in 6.5CM (130gr bullets) but have tinkered quite a bit with 260 Remington. If you aren't too set on the more "temp insensitive" powders, A4064 and IMR3031 are liked by QuickLoad (>90% case fill and ~100% burn) and could run both cartridges. RL16 (temp insensitive) could be efficiently loaded for both but good luck finding it in stock.
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#5
I'm liking W748 in the 6mmARC, and it doesn't appear to give up much velocity in the 6.5CM with 120gr according to Hodgdon's load data.
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#6
The software likes W748 as well.
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#7
Quite a few good powder choices for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Expect Bassfish will be focusing on CX bullet offerings in either 120 or 130 grain offerings. This may make a difference in recommendations.

Ill toss two more considerations that seem like top contenders from my view & to be honest I am not able to limit it to 2 lets consider 4 powders.

H4350 is defiantly a top contender.
Not to overlook 6.5 stable
Varget deserve consideration
Reloader 17 looks promising as well
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#8
Anyone have any better temp stability info than what Johnys Reloading bench offers in the link below?

https://www.thereloadersnetwork.com/2019...vity-test/
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#9
(01-01-2024, 03:05 PM)grayfox Wrote: I shoot both, kind of in the same boat as you are.
If you only want one powder for the 6.5 Creed, then H4350 is your game. I'm finding I saty in the h4350 world more and more, so others are on reserve.  I4350 is not the same, period. So no sense even asking.  I was gifted 6# and frankly it just sits on my shelf.
I shoot 100 ttsx, 120's both gmx/ttsx as well as the nosler 120's, 130's a lot 3 flavors, 140-143's some but more often than not, the 130 class.
My second most used CM powder, for me, is Varget, primarily for 130 and below class bullets.
So if you wanted 1 powder for the Creed and the 6Arc, and can stand for the lower velocity in 6Arc and possibly the Creed, then look at Varget for that, but you give up a lot so why do it.

Honestly, though, Lever will do most of the work for you in the Arc and H4350 for the big boy.

There's your 2, lever and H4350.  There is a lot of difference in the burn requirements of these 2 calibers that makes 2 powders for both all the time, hard to do. 
If you only want 2 in your cabinet, then pick 1 good one for each like the above.
H4350 is available again, so its not a problem to find.
If either becomes scarce, then there are alternates you can look at for either, when the time comes.  Like in the scam-demic unpleasantness, H4350 was scarce as hen's teeth (as were many), but there were alternates so I could keep going.

Other thing about Lever and the Arc, you don't need much powder due to small case size, so each pound goes a long way.

Biggest help you can do for yourself is to buy 2-3 lbs minimum of the same lot#, for each powder.  Here in the real world, a change of lot# for a given powder will affect your MV, sometimes by a lot sometimes only a little.  You can of course adjust for it by shooting your old lot# weight with the newer lot over a chrony and tweak, but having it all in 1 lot# saves you time and effort.

So when I restock, I don't just buy 1#, I get 2, 3, or 4 depending on my budget.
Do plan ahead and keep some reserve on  your shelf.  In today's wack-o political time, scarcity will be a recurring event.
Good advice for any round you re-load for!

(01-01-2024, 06:28 PM)icallitmaize Wrote: H4350 is a solid option for the CM and just great to have around as it is good for several popular calibers.  I only dialed in one gun chambered in 6.5CM (130gr bullets) but have tinkered quite a bit with 260 Remington.  If you aren't too set on the more "temp insensitive" powders, A4064 and IMR3031 are liked by QuickLoad (>90% case fill and ~100% burn) and could run both cartridges.  RL16 (temp insensitive) could be efficiently loaded for both but good luck finding it in stock.

These are two of the key parameters I consider when developing a load. Price per load is my third concern.
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#10
(01-01-2024, 06:28 PM)icallitmaize Wrote: H4350 is a solid option for the CM and just great to have around as it is good for several popular calibers.  I only dialed in one gun chambered in 6.5CM (130gr bullets) but have tinkered quite a bit with 260 Remington.  If you aren't too set on the more "temp insensitive" powders, A4064 and IMR3031 are liked by QuickLoad (>90% case fill and ~100% burn) and could run both cartridges.  RL16 (temp insensitive) could be efficiently loaded for both but good luck finding it in stock.
Powder Valley has Reloder16 in stock, 1# or 8#.

Winchester Staball Match looks like it might be a good fit for both cartriidges, and is one of the new "wonderball" powders that is supposed to be temperature insensitive.
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#11
For my 2 cents, I have staball 65 and have shot it, I do not find it to be superior to the H4350 in 6.5 CM, so for me it is a backup. Now in the 6 creed it is a main powder for me.
4451, RE17, and most others mentioned, to me they are alternates when you can't find your main one. R17 has some temp sensitivity, I found above ~90 degF (summertime workups). 4451, I use in 243 but it is a B/U for other calibers. Not a bad idea to have some overlaps IMO.

And the new staball whatevers, maybe they will show themselves well in time but I'm personally not at the point of wanting to experiment any more. So I'll wait on them. OP or others, maybe you want to try 'em.
But for others, maybe they want to try some of all these out, none of them are bad choices to be sure. The 4451 and endurons, however, are not being made any more. So whatever you find or have on hand, that's it.
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#12
Thanks for all the opinions . I think I have changed my mind . I like LR for 6arc so I think I will keep it then get 1 powder that will work for both and one that will give me the best out of the 6.5.
Think I will start reading about the difference in powders and look up all that have been mentioned .


Again Thanks
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#13
I used some Shooters World Tactical Rifle powder for loading the 6.5 Creedmoor for my Grandson. I was at Scheel’s and was looking for a powder that would work in my 6.5 Grendel and his 6.5 CM. Shooters World Match Rifle would probably be better in the 6.5 CM but still suitable in 6.5 Grendel and there is data for 6 ARC. Shooters World Precision is close to the burn rate of Varget.

Shooters World has loading data for the 6 ARC and is available as a PDF at the link below.


https://shootersworldpowder.com/wp-conte...-16-16.pdf
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