Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 130gr | Berger VLD Hunting 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, Winchester StaBALL HD and Alliant Reloder-23.
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>> | 94% | 41,205 psi | 86% | 2605 fps | 97.3% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,120 psi | 90% | 2661 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,843 psi | 87% | 2667 fps | 99.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,669 psi | 87% | 2680 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,843 psi | 87% | 2687 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-25ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,437 psi | 87% | 2703 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,393 psi | 84% | 2723 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon H414 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,018 psi | 90% | 2661 fps | 96.8% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,756 psi | 87% | 2608 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,274 psi | 76% | 1736 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4350 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,728 psi | 89% | 2598 fps | 96% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,293 psi | 88% | 2628 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,886 psi | 85% | 2546 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S070 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,466 psi | 87% | 2575 fps | 96.5% |
| Lovex S071ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,032 psi | 88% | 2621 fps | 97.5% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,221 psi | 90% | 2746 fps | 96.7% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,641 psi | 89% | 2651 fps | 98.9% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,510 psi | 87% | 2641 fps | 97.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,825 psi | 77% | 1775 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,656 psi | 89% | 2674 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,800 psi | 87% | 2690 fps | 98.3% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,886 psi | 85% | 2546 fps | 97.4% |
| Shooters World SW4350 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,466 psi | 87% | 2575 fps | 96.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 7000 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,830 psi | 89% | 2543 fps | 96.7% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,176 psi | 86% | 2657 fps | 100% |
| Unknown powder | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,250 psi | 90% | 2651 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,162 psi | 86% | 2536 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,451 psi | 85% | 2569 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,147 psi | 86% | 2615 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,930 psi | 86% | 2657 fps | 99.1% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,872 psi | 85% | 2569 fps | 99.8% |
| Winchester 760 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,018 psi | 90% | 2661 fps | 96.8% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,627 psi | 89% | 2831 fps | 100% |
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>> | 90% | 35,969 psi | 75% | 2493 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,099 psi | 73% | 2490 fps | 97.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,447 psi | 72% | 2497 fps | 97.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,769 psi | 81% | 2621 fps | 99.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | 40.2 gr | 82% | 26,861 psi | 56% | 2310 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,301 psi | 72% | 2530 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | 46.3 gr | 86% | 32,735 psi | 68% | 2533 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon H414 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,292 psi | 84% | 2605 fps | 96% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,068 psi | 67% | 2398 fps | 97.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,035 psi | 56% | 1549 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4350 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,089 psi | 84% | 2546 fps | 95.2% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,748 psi | 64% | 2365 fps | 95.6% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,392 psi | 80% | 2490 fps | 96.7% |
| Lovex S070 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,943 psi | 81% | 2523 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,534 psi | 72% | 2461 fps | 95.1% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,524 psi | 85% | 2687 fps | 95.8% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,940 psi | 73% | 2484 fps | 97% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,245 psi | 76% | 2523 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,601 psi | 58% | 1588 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,722 psi | 73% | 2503 fps | 96.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,069 psi | 71% | 2507 fps | 95.7% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,392 psi | 80% | 2490 fps | 96.7% |
| Shooters World SW4350 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,943 psi | 81% | 2523 fps | 95.7% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 7000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,652 psi | 79% | 2438 fps | 95.1% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,618 psi | 66% | 2444 fps | 99% |
| Unknown powder | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,884 psi | 79% | 2543 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,303 psi | 76% | 2441 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,869 psi | 79% | 2516 fps | 97.8% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,580 psi | 81% | 2562 fps | 97.8% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 82% | 29,356 psi | 61% | 2385 fps | 95.5% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,636 psi | 74% | 2457 fps | 99% |
| Winchester 760 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,292 psi | 84% | 2605 fps | 96% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | 44.5 gr | 86% | 26,948 psi | 56% | 2392 fps | 96.1% |
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 63 powders for 6.5 x 57 R loaded with the .264 | 130gr | Berger VLD Hunting. Winchester StaBALL HD delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,831 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,736 fps to 2,831 fps. Alliant Reloder-25 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 63 of the 63 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (330 MPa), the top charges use 76–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 130.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:9.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant Reloder-25, Bofors RP30, Hodgdon H1000 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, Alliant Reloder-23 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 57 R with the .264 | 130gr | Berger VLD Hunting they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, ADI AR 2209, ADI AR 2213, Alliant Reloder-19 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.