Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 120gr | Sako Powerhead Blade bullet and 32 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant Reloder-26, Somchem S365 and ReloadSwiss RS 70.
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% | 41,350 psi | 86% | 2703 fps | 96.2% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,553 psi | 85% | 2710 fps | 97.8% |
| ADI AR 2208 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,004 psi | 90% | 2680 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,772 psi | 89% | 2700 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,583 psi | 89% | 2779 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,714 psi | 89% | 2805 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-23ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,148 psi | 88% | 2792 fps | 99.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,973 psi | 86% | 2828 fps | 97.6% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,569 psi | 89% | 2707 fps | 99.6% |
| Hodgdon H380 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,279 psi | 90% | 2713 fps | 97.9% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,206 psi | 88% | 2720 fps | 99.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,752 psi | 75% | 1791 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,742 psi | 87% | 2717 fps | 98.1% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,800 psi | 87% | 2657 fps | 96.7% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,524 psi | 85% | 2707 fps | 97.6% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,496 psi | 89% | 2756 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,187 psi | 76% | 1834 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,583 psi | 89% | 2808 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,466 psi | 85% | 2730 fps | 97.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,975 psi | 90% | 2805 fps | 97.7% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,757 psi | 89% | 2707 fps | 99.5% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,800 psi | 87% | 2657 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,379 psi | 86% | 2707 fps | 98.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,192 psi | 88% | 2585 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,250 psi | 90% | 2707 fps | 99.4% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,568 psi | 87% | 2769 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2641 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,424 psi | 89% | 2710 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,843 psi | 87% | 2713 fps | 97.7% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,640 psi | 85% | 2753 fps | 98.4% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,134 psi | 88% | 2687 fps | 99.5% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,739 psi | 79% | 2808 fps | 99.6% |
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 3100 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,508 psi | 80% | 2644 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,648 psi | 68% | 2526 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2208 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,219 psi | 84% | 2625 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,987 psi | 84% | 2648 fps | 99.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,054 psi | 69% | 2549 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,664 psi | 72% | 2618 fps | 97.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 88% | 28,674 psi | 60% | 2451 fps | 95% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | 48.9 gr | 92% | 35,520 psi | 74% | 2694 fps | 95.6% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,769 psi | 83% | 2651 fps | 99.2% |
| Hodgdon H380 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,466 psi | 85% | 2654 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,413 psi | 59% | 2388 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,426 psi | 55% | 1598 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,171 psi | 71% | 2549 fps | 95.8% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,898 psi | 77% | 2552 fps | 95.1% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,141 psi | 69% | 2533 fps | 95.1% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,523 psi | 83% | 2690 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,890 psi | 56% | 1637 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,941 psi | 77% | 2687 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,983 psi | 73% | 2605 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | 45.3 gr | 86% | 37,420 psi | 78% | 2677 fps | 95.8% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,260 psi | 78% | 2592 fps | 98.6% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,898 psi | 77% | 2552 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,667 psi | 81% | 2651 fps | 98.3% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,668 psi | 83% | 2539 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,101 psi | 80% | 2598 fps | 98.6% |
| Somchem S365 | 39.3 gr | 80% | 27,572 psi | 58% | 2421 fps | 96.4% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,201 psi | 76% | 2533 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,534 psi | 72% | 2536 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,011 psi | 71% | 2536 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 88% | 31,053 psi | 65% | 2526 fps | 95.2% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,126 psi | 67% | 2461 fps | 97.1% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 92% | 28,776 psi | 60% | 2526 fps | 95.6% |
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 32 powders for 6.5 x 57 R loaded with the .264 | 120gr | Sako Powerhead Blade. Alliant Reloder-26 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,828 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,791 fps to 2,828 fps. Alliant Reloder-23 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 32 of the 32 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 1:8.5 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, Somchem S365, ReloadSwiss RS 70 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 57 R with the .264 | 120gr | Sako Powerhead Blade 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.