Lee 6.5 140 new style

[bruce drake]

I think this mold will be a picky mold for proper velocity. see my text below.

Quick update with a shot report. I didn't have any empty 6.5 Grendel Brass available for reloading but I did have a bunch of primed 6.5 Creedmoor (Win LR primers) brass sitting on the shelf.
I got the new LEE Mold from Midsouth 3 weeks ago but yesterday was the first day I could cast, pc coat & size and then load them for a test at the rifle club this morning.
I used the same load data I have previously used for my Lyman 266369 (140gr RN) that has given me great 50 and 100 yard accuracy out of my AR10 rifle in the past.
So, the particulars:

LEE 140gr FN-Spirepoint (I don't recall LEE or Midsouth actually naming its specific profile on this mold so this is my description of it)
Lead range alloy popped out at ~140gr when dropped out of the mold to aircool.
Coated with single coat of Eastwood Blue PC powder before sizing and checking. weight at ~143gr after sizing and check steps.
sized at .266" with a Lee Sizing die.
Gaschecked with an Aluminum GatorCheck
powder: 28gr of IMR 4895
bullet seated right after the top lube ring and as the bullet begins its nose taper to ensure the nose didn't bind in my tight chamber and prevent full seating of the bolt carrier group.
overall cartridge length was well within the AR-10 mag length limits
expected velocity was to be about 2100fps with the 20' barrel.
cartridge fired, ejected and cycled the next round with no problems. Most brass went out at 3 o'clock while the 266369 bullet/load combo shot them out at around 5 o'clock. minor datum point but one that may help to determine the better cartridge)
recoil was mild as befitted the reduced load velocity (600fps slower than my comparable jacketed load with a Hornady 140gr ELD)

accuracy....yeah. Its got to go back to the bench as it didn't match the older Lyman bullet design for accuracy and there was a sign of two of the 20 shot beginning to tip at 50 yards. I need to try a slower velocity load (around 1600fps) as well as potentially a faster load closer to 2200-2400 fps to determine which is better for my 1-8" twist barrel.
20 rounds averaged 2105fps over the Chrony. Grouping was minute of wheelbarrow...
So I know my powder throw and brass prep is pretty consistent so that leaves me with trying to find the perfect velocity for this cast boolit and perhaps deciding if the TC Spirepoint is actually better than bore-riding 266369.
This powder load and size combo with a Lyman 266369 bullet in the same 1-8" AR10 gives me 3MOA at 100 and very tight groups at 50 yards but it was not having any luck today with the new bullet. today was about using all of the target frame and getting my money's worth out of the target...
I also will try a different load combo next time to see if its not a n IMR-4985 issue. Might even try to use it in my Grendel for next time's feedback.

Bruce

[Stewbaby]

What diameter are the boolits dropping at? The Swedes usually like a fat boolit.

268

[TD1886]

I think this mold will be a picky mold for proper velocity. see my text below.

Quick update with a shot report. I didn't have any empty 6.5 Grendel Brass available for reloading but I did have a bunch of primed 6.5 Creedmoor (Win LR primers) brass sitting on the shelf.
I got the new LEE Mold from Midsouth 3 weeks ago but yesterday was the first day I could cast, pc coat & size and then load them for a test at the rifle club this morning.
I used the same load data I have previously used for my Lyman 266369 (140gr RN) that has given me great 50 and 100 yard accuracy out of my AR10 rifle in the past.
So, the particulars:

LEE 140gr FN-Spirepoint (I don't recall LEE or Midsouth actually naming its specific profile on this mold so this is my description of it)
Lead range alloy popped out at ~140gr when dropped out of the mold to aircool.
Coated with single coat of Eastwood Blue PC powder before sizing and checking. weight at ~143gr after sizing and check steps.
sized at .266" with a Lee Sizing die.
Gaschecked with an Aluminum GatorCheck
powder: 28gr of IMR 4895
bullet seated right after the top lube ring and as the bullet begins its nose taper to ensure the nose didn't bind in my tight chamber and prevent full seating of the bolt carrier group.
overall cartridge length was well within the AR-10 mag length limits
expected velocity was to be about 2100fps with the 20' barrel.
cartridge fired, ejected and cycled the next round with no problems. Most brass went out at 3 o'clock while the 266369 bullet/load combo shot them out at around 5 o'clock. minor datum point but one that may help to determine the better cartridge)
recoil was mild as befitted the reduced load velocity (600fps slower than my comparable jacketed load with a Hornady 140gr ELD)

accuracy....yeah. Its got to go back to the bench as it didn't match the older Lyman bullet design for accuracy and there was a sign of two of the 20 shot beginning to tip at 50 yards. I need to try a slower velocity load (around 1600fps) as well as potentially a faster load closer to 2200-2400 fps to determine which is better for my 1-8" twist barrel.
20 rounds averaged 2105fps over the Chrony. Grouping was minute of wheelbarrow...
So I know my powder throw and brass prep is pretty consistent so that leaves me with trying to find the perfect velocity for this cast boolit and perhaps deciding if the TC Spirepoint is actually better than bore-riding 266369.
This powder load and size combo with a Lyman 266369 bullet in the same 1-8" AR10 gives me 3MOA at 100 and very tight groups at 50 yards but it was not having any luck today with the new bullet. today was about using all of the target frame and getting my money's worth out of the target...
I also will try a different load combo next time to see if its not a n IMR-4985 issue. Might even try to use it in my Grendel for next time's feedback.

Bruce

I'm finding the same thing you are Bruce. I'm working with the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x54 MS, and the 6.5 Carcano. I did include the 260 Rem but it was horrible out of it. I made a nose punch for my bullets and then don't get bent sizing them and they seat straight in the case. To early to tell, but I think this may be a crap bullet at any velocity. Oh I'm starting off with Unique first.

[blue32]

I'm swinging gongs at 200 meters consistently. 1,600 fps is a nice spot. 300 meters is a challenge but it looks like I'm transonic at that distance so will have to create a new load and maybe a harder alloy for longer distance (currently using 12.4 bhn). The Lee shoots about 1.5" higher at 100 yards than my RCBS 6.5 SILH with the same charge but gives up a half inch in accuracy.

[TD1886]

I'm swinging gongs at 200 meters consistently. 1,600 fps is a nice spot. 300 meters is a challenge but it looks like I'm transonic at that distance so will have to create a new load and maybe a harder alloy for longer distance (currently using 12.4 bhn). The Lee shoots about 1.5" higher at 100 yards than my RCBS 6.5 SILH with the same charge but gives up a half inch in accuracy.

What cartridge you shooting?

[blue32]

What cartridge you shooting?

260

[TD1886]

260

I was out today shooting all my 6.5's using Unique. So were bad and a few has possiblities. What powder and load are you using?

[blue32]

Re: 260

I had some luck with 11.0 gr Unique using the 6.5-140 SILH but sometimes it would be awful. I never put it over the chrono. After sourcing data from Lyman's 4th Ed. Cast for the 7mm-08, I switched to 13.0 gr of 2400 and worked up to 14.0 gr. and it proved repeatable. I switched to the Lee and experienced the same accuracy. COAL: 2.745". The case should just cover the top lube groove. No contact with lands on chambering. Savage 11, 1:8. The Lee is three parts range scrap to one part lino and aged for 2 weeks. Carnauba red lube. Sized .266.

I'm going to try A5744 at 17.0 gr. on my next test.

[TD1886]

Re: 260

I had some luck with 11.0 gr Unique using the 6.5-140 SILH but sometimes it would be awful. I never put it over the chrono. After sourcing data from Lyman's 4th Ed. Cast for the 7mm-08, I switched to 13.0 gr of 2400 and worked up to 14.0 gr. and it proved repeatable. I switched to the Lee and experienced the same accuracy. COAL: 2.745". The case should just cover the top lube groove. No contact with lands on chambering. Savage 11, 1:8. The Lee is three parts range scrap to one part lino and aged for 2 weeks. Carnauba red lube. Sized .266.

I'm going to try A5744 at 17.0 gr. on my next test.

I'm going to try that Blue and I sure do appreciate the information. I'll keep you in tune of the result. Will be loading them this evening.

[BrianL]

268

Is the forward band also .268? Mine is .268 on the rear band and only .263 on the forward band.

[Oldfeller]

Here it is:

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...l-order-moulds

Open the link and go look at our "precursor list" joint past efforts on original custom 6.5 Swede and large throat Yugo 8mm molds. We "as a Shooters list group" developed the dimensions mentioned on posted threads and I ramrodded the deals with Midsouth.

To see all the babies still in production all lined up in a row does my heart good.

.263" on the first band of the Cruise Missile was intentional ...... this fitted the 96 Swede throat exactly but gave you a fair chance to extract a bulleted round if you seated it to do that by leaving it a smidge short of cramming the tapered first band into the forcing cone portion.

Most of us at the the time just crammed it in tight anyway and we always shot a loaded round ---- accuracy was improved by doing so.

[Oldfeller]

A tapered nose slopping around all loosey goosey (taking the whole cartridge along with it) in a standard Swede chamber and throat simply won't work out well for accuracy.

Powder coat it and size it to .268 - .270 over the bands and it may do a little bit better ....... however, folks seem to have lost the "fit it and fill the throat with lead completely" operating philosophy on making up custom bullet molds.

Realize there are a whole lot more modern 6.5 rounds and chambers now than there used to be ....... some throats built for long low profile high BC jacketed bullets are very tight to pretty much nonexistent now-a-days.

[BrianL]

Open the link and go look at our "precursor list" joint past efforts on original custom 6.5 Swede and large throat Yugo 8mm molds. We "as a Shooters list group" developed the dimensions mentioned on posted threads and I ramrodded the deals with Midsouth.

To see all the babies still in production all lined up in a row does my heart good.

.263" on the first band of the Cruise Missile was intentional ...... this fitted the 96 Swede throat exactly but gave you a fair chance to extract a bulleted round if you seated it to do that by leaving it a smidge short of cramming the tapered first band into the forcing cone portion.

Most of us at the the time just crammed it in tight anyway and we always shot a loaded round ---- accuracy was improved by doing so.

I was hoping that this was the case. I did shoot twenty of them loaded with 15 gr of 2400 in 5 shot groups at 50 yds. Shown are the first from a clean barrel and the last.

[Oldfeller]

Another reason the bullet is so long and so large in diameter is you must fill and fit that "mud coated bullet clearance" throat design and that you must also contend with a cast bullet RPM ceiling that comes in at lower FPS due to the Swede's high twist rate.

Yes, best shooting with the Cruise Missile does indeed take place around 14-1500 fps velocity.

[WRideout]

Is this a first for Lee? I don’t remember them selling a 6.5 mold.

There was a special run of 6.5 mm 160 gr molds for one of the stores (Midsouth, Titan?) don't remember which one. Generically called the "Cruise Missile." I tried one in my 6.5 Jap, but it was just too heavy for that cartridge and rifling twist. I eventually sold it off. Apparently those who shoot Swedes like them.

Wayne

PS: I just realized that I had answered the first post of interest, without checking to see what others had posted to date.

[michael.birdsley]

i just picked the new lee mold up for my sweede. $40 with handles from midway is worth a shot atleast . i just need to get some gas checks for it and i should be ready to cast


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[michael.birdsley]

NOE 268-140-fn-bm3 nose punch fits the lee boolit perfectly. i gas checked mine with gas checks from sage. the gas check shank seems undersized but, once the gas checked is crimped it seems to hold onto the shanks. i lightly tried pulling it off and it didn’t come off.


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[BrianL]

NOE 268-140-fn-bm3 nose punch fits the lee boolit perfectly. i gas checked mine with gas checks from sage. the gas check shank seems undersized but, once the gas checked is crimped it seems to hold onto the shanks. i lightly tried pulling it off and it didn’t come off.


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I had the same experience and also found that the Sage standard sized check was tight after going through a Lee sizer

[Oldfeller]

I guess I need to make me a prediction on this new bullet ...... it will only work on cartridges with very very short throats and only when the bullet long ogive unsupported nose is loaded to strongly engage the rifling. You are using rifling engagement to center up the entire cartridge to the bore axis as the enlarged throats on milsurps will be too large to centralize the cartridge off the non-existent bullet to throat engagement.

Swedes and Japs and other WW1 or WW2 style cartridges need not apply as the "mud clearances" built into old throats will allow this new design to slop around A WHALE OF A WHOLE LOT upon loading.

You will have to engage the rifling to centralize the round in these old guns, but you may have to protrude the bullet further than the magazines will actually permit in order to engage the rifling enough.

Look to older, blunter bullets to more accurately fit older gun's throats ......

Because of the high twist rates in 6.5 rifles, expect to be fps speed limited to 1400 to 1500 fps in the Swede.