Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 132gr | Peregrine Bushmaster (VRG-3) bullet and 37 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>> | 96% | 42,003 psi | 88% | 2605 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,191 psi | 86% | 2605 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,859 psi | 90% | 2671 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,917 psi | 90% | 2687 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,627 psi | 89% | 2684 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-25ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,856 psi | 83% | 2648 fps | 97.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,713 psi | 87% | 2736 fps | 98.8% |
| Bofors RP7 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,091 psi | 90% | 2566 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon H414 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,857 psi | 85% | 2598 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,699 psi | 89% | 2608 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon Superformance | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,091 psi | 90% | 2674 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,897 psi | 75% | 1709 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4451 Enduron | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,047 psi | 88% | 2546 fps | 96.3% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,279 psi | 88% | 2608 fps | 99% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,858 psi | 87% | 2549 fps | 97.7% |
| Lovex S070 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,496 psi | 89% | 2579 fps | 96.8% |
| Lovex S071ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,958 psi | 83% | 2562 fps | 97% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,524 psi | 87% | 2694 fps | 96.3% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,973 psi | 86% | 2598 fps | 98.6% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,757 psi | 89% | 2648 fps | 97.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,709 psi | 77% | 1755 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,714 psi | 89% | 2690 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,002 psi | 86% | 2625 fps | 98.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,178 psi | 90% | 2700 fps | 98.7% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,004 psi | 90% | 2589 fps | 99.9% |
| Rottweil R 907 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,091 psi | 90% | 2566 fps | 96.1% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,858 psi | 87% | 2549 fps | 97.7% |
| Shooters World SW4350 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,496 psi | 89% | 2579 fps | 96.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 7000 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,234 psi | 86% | 2497 fps | 96.3% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,351 psi | 88% | 2661 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,597 psi | 87% | 2526 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,830 psi | 89% | 2602 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,032 psi | 88% | 2598 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,626 psi | 87% | 2654 fps | 99.2% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,206 psi | 88% | 2575 fps | 99.9% |
| Winchester 760 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,857 psi | 85% | 2598 fps | 96.2% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,031 psi | 86% | 2782 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% | 34,127 psi | 71% | 2441 fps | 95% |
| Accurate 4350 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,127 psi | 69% | 2428 fps | 96.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,127 psi | 69% | 2448 fps | 96.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,434 psi | 78% | 2575 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | 40.3 gr | 84% | 27,151 psi | 57% | 2306 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,983 psi | 73% | 2533 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | 45.4 gr | 86% | 31,256 psi | 65% | 2477 fps | 95% |
| Bofors RP7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,611 psi | 85% | 2516 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H414 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,189 psi | 80% | 2543 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,661 psi | 64% | 2349 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon Superformance | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,045 psi | 84% | 2612 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,731 psi | 56% | 1526 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4451 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,668 psi | 83% | 2497 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,271 psi | 67% | 2392 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex S065 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,941 psi | 77% | 2444 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex S070 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,463 psi | 78% | 2474 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,896 psi | 73% | 2457 fps | 95.3% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,812 psi | 81% | 2631 fps | 95.3% |
| Norma URP | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,475 psi | 70% | 2434 fps | 96.5% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,751 psi | 73% | 2474 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,267 psi | 57% | 1565 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,856 psi | 83% | 2635 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 62 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,011 psi | 69% | 2448 fps | 96.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,634 psi | 68% | 2451 fps | 95.1% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,132 psi | 84% | 2536 fps | 99.6% |
| Rottweil R 907 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,611 psi | 85% | 2516 fps | 95.4% |
| Shooters World Long Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,941 psi | 77% | 2444 fps | 96.3% |
| Shooters World SW4350 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,463 psi | 78% | 2474 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 7000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,566 psi | 81% | 2441 fps | 95.5% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,936 psi | 63% | 2385 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,856 psi | 81% | 2474 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N160 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,809 psi | 73% | 2434 fps | 96.9% |
| Vihtavuori N550 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,374 psi | 72% | 2438 fps | 96.5% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 84% | 29,602 psi | 62% | 2379 fps | 95.8% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,272 psi | 72% | 2411 fps | 98.8% |
| Winchester 760 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,189 psi | 80% | 2543 fps | 95.3% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | 43.6 gr | 86% | 25,556 psi | 53% | 2326 fps | 95% |
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 37 powders for 6.5 x 57 R loaded with the .264 | 132gr | Peregrine Bushmaster (VRG-3). Winchester StaBALL HD delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,782 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,709 fps to 2,782 fps. Alliant Reloder-25 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 37 of the 37 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 132.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:10.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant Reloder-25, Hodgdon TrailBoss, Lovex S071 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 | 132gr | Peregrine Bushmaster (VRG-3) 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.