Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 52 R with .257 | 100gr | Winchester Silvertip bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Accurate 2495, Vihtavuori N135 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>> | 84% | 31,865 psi | 90% | 2329 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 92% | 31,009 psi | 87% | 2388 fps | 97.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,227 psi | 88% | 2395 fps | 99.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 98% | 31,488 psi | 89% | 1588 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 88% | 31,691 psi | 89% | 2408 fps | 96.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 98% | 31,488 psi | 89% | 1627 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,922 psi | 87% | 2277 fps | 96.9% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,530 psi | 86% | 2352 fps | 97.3% |
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% | 28,253 psi | 80% | 2241 fps | 96.2% |
| Accurate 2495 | 23.2 gr | 86% | 25,483 psi | 72% | 2244 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,904 psi | 73% | 2244 fps | 97.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,743 psi | 67% | 1427 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 86% | 29,921 psi | 84% | 2362 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 7.6 gr | 80% | 23,888 psi | 67% | 1470 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,180 psi | 76% | 2178 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | 21.9 gr | 84% | 25,628 psi | 72% | 2218 fps | 95% |
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 | Winchester Silvertip. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,408 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,588 fps to 2,408 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 1:11.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2495, Vihtavuori N135, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 52 R with the .257 | 100gr | Winchester Silvertip 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.