Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 120gr | Barnes TAC-TX BT bullet and 33 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant Reloder-26, ReloadSwiss RS 70 and Vihtavuori N555.
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 3100 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,858 psi | 87% | 2717 fps | 96.5% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,075 psi | 86% | 2723 fps | 97.9% |
| ADI AR 2208 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,236 psi | 90% | 2690 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,047 psi | 90% | 2710 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 90% | 43,091 psi | 90% | 2792 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,221 psi | 90% | 2818 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-23ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,569 psi | 89% | 2802 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,655 psi | 87% | 2848 fps | 97.9% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,844 psi | 90% | 2713 fps | 99.6% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,714 psi | 89% | 2730 fps | 99.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,679 psi | 75% | 1795 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,264 psi | 88% | 2730 fps | 98.2% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,279 psi | 88% | 2671 fps | 96.9% |
| Lovex S070 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,743 psi | 89% | 2697 fps | 95.8% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,060 psi | 86% | 2720 fps | 97.8% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,641 psi | 89% | 2759 fps | 96.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,100 psi | 75% | 1834 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,786 psi | 89% | 2815 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,959 psi | 86% | 2740 fps | 97.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,379 psi | 84% | 2749 fps | 96.9% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,033 psi | 90% | 2713 fps | 99.5% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,279 psi | 88% | 2671 fps | 96.9% |
| Shooters World SW4350 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,743 psi | 89% | 2697 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,582 psi | 87% | 2713 fps | 98.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,743 psi | 89% | 2595 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,988 psi | 86% | 2661 fps | 99.2% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,061 psi | 88% | 2779 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,756 psi | 87% | 2648 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,931 psi | 90% | 2723 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,076 psi | 88% | 2720 fps | 97.8% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,162 psi | 86% | 2766 fps | 98.5% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,540 psi | 89% | 2697 fps | 99.6% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,101 psi | 80% | 2818 fps | 99.7% |
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 3100 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,972 psi | 81% | 2657 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,141 psi | 69% | 2539 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2208 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,495 psi | 85% | 2631 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,263 psi | 84% | 2654 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,286 psi | 70% | 2556 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,853 psi | 73% | 2625 fps | 97.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 88% | 28,848 psi | 60% | 2457 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | 49.3 gr | 92% | 35,882 psi | 75% | 2707 fps | 95.8% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,016 psi | 84% | 2657 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,645 psi | 60% | 2398 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,426 psi | 55% | 1601 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,140 psi | 67% | 2500 fps | 95% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,115 psi | 78% | 2559 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S070 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,074 psi | 84% | 2641 fps | 95% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,402 psi | 70% | 2543 fps | 95.3% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,943 psi | 83% | 2703 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,890 psi | 56% | 1640 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,173 psi | 78% | 2694 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,447 psi | 74% | 2618 fps | 95.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | 45.7 gr | 86% | 37,811 psi | 79% | 2690 fps | 96% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,768 psi | 79% | 2605 fps | 98.7% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,115 psi | 78% | 2559 fps | 95.3% |
| Shooters World SW4350 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,074 psi | 84% | 2641 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,928 psi | 81% | 2657 fps | 98.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,943 psi | 83% | 2546 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,377 psi | 80% | 2605 fps | 98.7% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,007 psi | 59% | 2434 fps | 96.7% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,709 psi | 77% | 2546 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,998 psi | 73% | 2552 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,461 psi | 72% | 2549 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | 43 gr | 88% | 31,314 psi | 65% | 2533 fps | 95.3% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,314 psi | 68% | 2467 fps | 97.2% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 92% | 29,095 psi | 61% | 2543 fps | 95.9% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 33 powders for 6.5 x 57 R loaded with the .264 | 120gr | Barnes TAC-TX BT. Alliant Reloder-26 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,848 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,795 fps to 2,848 fps. Alliant Reloder-23 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 33 of the 33 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (330 MPa), the top charges use 75–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 120.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:9.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant Reloder-23, Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Alliant Reloder-26, ReloadSwiss RS 70, Vihtavuori N555 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 57 R with the .264 | 120gr | Barnes TAC-TX BT 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.