Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 52 R with .257 | 100gr | Rhino Solid Shank bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N135, Accurate 2495 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 23.62"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 82% | 30,458 psi | 86% | 2300 fps | 97.1% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 92% | 31,473 psi | 89% | 2405 fps | 97.9% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,604 psi | 89% | 2408 fps | 99.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 98% | 31,415 psi | 88% | 1591 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,039 psi | 90% | 2425 fps | 96.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 98% | 31,430 psi | 88% | 1631 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 31,256 psi | 88% | 2290 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,299 psi | 88% | 2375 fps | 97.6% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 23.62"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,718 psi | 81% | 2257 fps | 96.5% |
| Accurate 2495 | 23 gr | 84% | 24,366 psi | 69% | 2215 fps | 95% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,237 psi | 74% | 2264 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,786 psi | 67% | 1434 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 84% | 28,572 psi | 80% | 2333 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 7.7 gr | 80% | 23,931 psi | 67% | 1473 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,557 psi | 78% | 2195 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | 22.2 gr | 84% | 25,962 psi | 73% | 2234 fps | 95.4% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
This overview compares 8 powders for 6.5 x 52 R loaded with the .257 | 100gr | Rhino Solid Shank. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,425 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,591 fps to 2,425 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 98 %, and 8 of the 8 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (245 MPa), the top charges use 86–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 100.0 gr projectile in 0.257" calls for a 1:12.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Vihtavuori N135, Accurate 2495, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 52 R with the .257 | 100gr | Rhino Solid Shank they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.