Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 156gr | Norma VULKAN bullet and 35 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon Retumbo, ReloadSwiss RS 76 and Winchester StaBALL HD.
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>> | 90% | 42,888 psi | 90% | 2425 fps | 99.2% |
| ADI AR 2209 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,467 psi | 89% | 2448 fps | 97.1% |
| ADI AR 2225ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,870 psi | 81% | 2461 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Power Pro Varmint | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,670 psi | 89% | 2444 fps | 97.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,801 psi | 89% | 2464 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-19 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,221 psi | 88% | 2438 fps | 97.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-22 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,728 psi | 89% | 2493 fps | 97.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,770 psi | 85% | 2444 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,134 psi | 90% | 2533 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,322 psi | 88% | 2543 fps | 99.9% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,192 psi | 88% | 2480 fps | 97.1% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,901 psi | 88% | 2510 fps | 96.4% |
| Bofors RP5 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,728 psi | 89% | 2493 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,293 psi | 88% | 2470 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,076 psi | 90% | 2405 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,177 psi | 88% | 2566 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,970 psi | 77% | 1594 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4350 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,134 psi | 90% | 2398 fps | 98.2% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,482 psi | 89% | 2411 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,495 psi | 87% | 2398 fps | 99% |
| Norma 204 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,004 psi | 90% | 2434 fps | 97.1% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,930 psi | 88% | 2503 fps | 98.4% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,612 psi | 89% | 2444 fps | 99.1% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,930 psi | 88% | 2470 fps | 97.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,652 psi | 79% | 1631 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,540 psi | 89% | 2490 fps | 99.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,727 psi | 87% | 2556 fps | 98.8% |
| Rottweil R 905 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,510 psi | 87% | 2425 fps | 97.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 8000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,147 psi | 86% | 2421 fps | 97% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,178 psi | 90% | 2454 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S385 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,134 psi | 88% | 2411 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,423 psi | 87% | 2392 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,076 psi | 90% | 2467 fps | 100% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,192 psi | 88% | 2595 fps | 100% |
| Winchester Supreme 780 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,234 psi | 86% | 2395 fps | 96.8% |
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>> | 80% | 30,705 psi | 64% | 2172 fps | 96% |
| ADI AR 2209 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,289 psi | 78% | 2339 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 94% | 32,285 psi | 67% | 2297 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Power Pro Varmint | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,463 psi | 78% | 2339 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-16 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,103 psi | 84% | 2415 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-19 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,115 psi | 78% | 2336 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-22 | <<locked>> | 86% | 37,492 psi | 78% | 2385 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,718 psi | 62% | 2205 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 84% | 29,472 psi | 62% | 2215 fps | 96% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,720 psi | 66% | 2313 fps | 97.9% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 88% | 37,014 psi | 77% | 2375 fps | 95.4% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,233 psi | 82% | 2454 fps | 95.5% |
| Bofors RP5 | <<locked>> | 86% | 37,492 psi | 78% | 2385 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 94% | 39,624 psi | 83% | 2415 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,623 psi | 79% | 2310 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | 45.3 gr | 90% | 34,838 psi | 73% | 2392 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,615 psi | 58% | 1421 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4350 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,466 psi | 85% | 2349 fps | 97.6% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,798 psi | 83% | 2362 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,081 psi | 63% | 2159 fps | 95.7% |
| Norma 204 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,016 psi | 84% | 2379 fps | 96.2% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,024 psi | 67% | 2287 fps | 95.1% |
| Ramshot Hunter | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,711 psi | 83% | 2388 fps | 98.6% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,069 psi | 71% | 2306 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,036 psi | 59% | 1453 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 70 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,610 psi | 83% | 2434 fps | 99.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | 48.5 gr | 90% | 33,997 psi | 71% | 2375 fps | 96% |
| Rottweil R 905 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,347 psi | 76% | 2320 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 8000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,013 psi | 75% | 2316 fps | 95.3% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,666 psi | 79% | 2359 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S385 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,722 psi | 73% | 2260 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,026 psi | 71% | 2241 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,967 psi | 69% | 2267 fps | 98.9% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | 41.3 gr | 80% | 26,136 psi | 55% | 2198 fps | 98.7% |
| Winchester Supreme 780 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,114 psi | 75% | 2293 fps | 95.1% |
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 35 powders for 6.5 x 57 R loaded with the .264 | 156gr | Norma VULKAN. Winchester StaBALL HD delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,595 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,594 fps to 2,595 fps. ADI AR 2225 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 35 of the 35 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (330 MPa), the top charges use 77–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 156.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:10.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. ADI AR 2225, 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. Hodgdon Retumbo, ReloadSwiss RS 76, Winchester StaBALL HD rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 57 R with the .264 | 156gr | Norma VULKAN 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.