Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 52 R with .257 | 120gr | Speer Spitzer Soft Point bullet and 12 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Accurate 4064, ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
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 2495 | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,082 psi | 90% | 2188 fps | 99.4% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,126 psi | 90% | 2178 fps | 96.1% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,140 psi | 90% | 2205 fps | 97.5% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,459 psi | 89% | 2182 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 96% | 31,662 psi | 89% | 1430 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,024 psi | 90% | 2208 fps | 98.6% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 82% | 30,719 psi | 86% | 2129 fps | 96.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 96% | 31,372 psi | 88% | 1460 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 29,965 psi | 84% | 2054 fps | 97.1% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,096 psi | 88% | 2152 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,806 psi | 87% | 2116 fps | 96.7% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,502 psi | 89% | 2146 fps | 96.4% |
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 2495 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,685 psi | 69% | 2014 fps | 97.3% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,240 psi | 85% | 2139 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate 4064 | 22 gr | 84% | 26,818 psi | 75% | 2080 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,559 psi | 83% | 2139 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | 7.2 gr | 80% | 24,540 psi | 69% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,369 psi | 80% | 2119 fps | 97.4% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,572 psi | 80% | 2080 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 7.3 gr | 80% | 24,381 psi | 69% | 1325 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 26,614 psi | 75% | 1975 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,831 psi | 73% | 2028 fps | 97.5% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,369 psi | 77% | 2031 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 84% | 29,791 psi | 84% | 2106 fps | 95.7% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
This overview compares 12 powders for 6.5 x 52 R loaded with the .257 | 120gr | Speer Spitzer Soft Point. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,208 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,430 fps to 2,208 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 96 %, and 12 of the 12 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (245 MPa), the top charges use 84–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 120.0 gr projectile in 0.257" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 4064, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 52 R with the .257 | 120gr | Speer Spitzer Soft Point 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.