Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 123gr | Sierra MatchKing bullet and 27 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant Reloder-26, Winchester StaBALL HD 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% | 43,236 psi | 90% | 2703 fps | 97% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,467 psi | 89% | 2707 fps | 98.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2720 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,423 psi | 87% | 2740 fps | 99.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,843 psi | 85% | 2730 fps | 99.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,685 psi | 89% | 2831 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,915 psi | 85% | 2657 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,013 psi | 75% | 1768 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,611 psi | 85% | 2654 fps | 98% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,294 psi | 90% | 2651 fps | 97.3% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,090 psi | 88% | 2700 fps | 98.2% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,017 psi | 86% | 2687 fps | 96.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,521 psi | 76% | 1808 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,973 psi | 86% | 2736 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,279 psi | 88% | 2730 fps | 98.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,510 psi | 87% | 2736 fps | 97.5% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,582 psi | 87% | 2641 fps | 99.4% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,294 psi | 90% | 2651 fps | 97.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,815 psi | 89% | 2697 fps | 99.2% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,235 psi | 88% | 2644 fps | 99.4% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,451 psi | 85% | 2710 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,004 psi | 90% | 2628 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,147 psi | 86% | 2648 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,236 psi | 90% | 2703 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,627 psi | 89% | 2756 fps | 98.9% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,669 psi | 85% | 2621 fps | 99.4% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,363 psi | 82% | 2812 fps | 99.9% |
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>> | 94% | 37,565 psi | 78% | 2589 fps | 95.3% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,213 psi | 67% | 2477 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,271 psi | 67% | 2490 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,027 psi | 75% | 2615 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 86% | 28,166 psi | 59% | 2398 fps | 95% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | 47.3 gr | 90% | 34,650 psi | 72% | 2638 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,646 psi | 62% | 2388 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,861 psi | 56% | 1578 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,388 psi | 70% | 2490 fps | 95.8% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,853 psi | 75% | 2490 fps | 95% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,474 psi | 68% | 2480 fps | 95.1% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 86% | 38,479 psi | 80% | 2631 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,137 psi | 57% | 1614 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,305 psi | 80% | 2680 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,214 psi | 71% | 2549 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | 43.7 gr | 84% | 36,187 psi | 76% | 2612 fps | 95.6% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,088 psi | 82% | 2592 fps | 99.1% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,853 psi | 75% | 2490 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 11 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,089 psi | 84% | 2641 fps | 98.7% |
| Somchem S355 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,523 psi | 83% | 2589 fps | 99% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,109 psi | 61% | 2431 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,840 psi | 79% | 2530 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,765 psi | 71% | 2484 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,214 psi | 69% | 2480 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 86% | 30,530 psi | 64% | 2477 fps | 95.2% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,388 psi | 70% | 2457 fps | 97.8% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | 45.4 gr | 90% | 28,282 psi | 59% | 2477 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 27 powders for 6.5 x 57 R loaded with the .264 | 123gr | Sierra MatchKing. Alliant Reloder-26 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,831 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,768 fps to 2,831 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 27 of the 27 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 123.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:9.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Winchester StaBALL HD 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, Winchester StaBALL HD, ReloadSwiss RS 70 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 57 R with the .264 | 123gr | Sierra MatchKing 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.