Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 57 R with .264 | 160gr | Sierra SP SemiSp bullet and 35 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Winchester StaBALL HD, Hodgdon Retumbo and ReloadSwiss RS 76.
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>> | 88% | 41,742 psi | 87% | 2375 fps | 99.3% |
| ADI AR 2209 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,988 psi | 86% | 2392 fps | 97% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,612 psi | 89% | 2451 fps | 96.4% |
| ADI AR 2225ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,277 psi | 84% | 2470 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant Power Pro Varmint | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,466 psi | 87% | 2398 fps | 97.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-19 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,075 psi | 86% | 2392 fps | 97.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-22 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,626 psi | 87% | 2444 fps | 97.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,467 psi | 89% | 2441 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,698 psi | 87% | 2477 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,017 psi | 86% | 2490 fps | 99.9% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,089 psi | 86% | 2434 fps | 97.2% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,857 psi | 85% | 2464 fps | 96.5% |
| Bofors RP5 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,626 psi | 87% | 2444 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,002 psi | 86% | 2421 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,597 psi | 87% | 2352 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,046 psi | 86% | 2516 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,869 psi | 77% | 1578 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,467 psi | 89% | 2382 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 7828 SSC | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,844 psi | 90% | 2470 fps | 96.4% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,844 psi | 90% | 2395 fps | 99.4% |
| Norma 217ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,955 psi | 75% | 2402 fps | 97% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,857 psi | 85% | 2457 fps | 98.5% |
| Ramshot Grand | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,785 psi | 87% | 2464 fps | 96.4% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,829 psi | 87% | 2448 fps | 98.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,869 psi | 79% | 1617 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,250 psi | 90% | 2562 fps | 99.4% |
| Rottweil R 904 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,656 psi | 89% | 2375 fps | 96.3% |
| Rottweil R 905 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,873 psi | 90% | 2425 fps | 97.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 8000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,496 psi | 89% | 2421 fps | 97.7% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,843 psi | 87% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S385 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,756 psi | 85% | 2359 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,611 psi | 87% | 2369 fps | 97.8% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,785 psi | 87% | 2415 fps | 100% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,988 psi | 86% | 2539 fps | 100% |
| Winchester Supreme 780 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,886 psi | 85% | 2362 fps | 97% |
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% | 31,836 psi | 67% | 2175 fps | 96.9% |
| ADI AR 2209 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,998 psi | 75% | 2287 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,929 psi | 83% | 2398 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 92% | 31,270 psi | 65% | 2251 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Power Pro Varmint | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,230 psi | 76% | 2290 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-19 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,897 psi | 75% | 2283 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-22 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,303 psi | 76% | 2336 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,777 psi | 64% | 2208 fps | 99.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 82% | 28,572 psi | 60% | 2169 fps | 96% |
| Alliant Reloder-26 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,127 psi | 69% | 2323 fps | 98.7% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,085 psi | 75% | 2329 fps | 95.5% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,247 psi | 80% | 2411 fps | 95.6% |
| Bofors RP5 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,303 psi | 76% | 2336 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,421 psi | 80% | 2369 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,928 psi | 81% | 2306 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | 44.7 gr | 88% | 33,750 psi | 71% | 2343 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,615 psi | 58% | 1407 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4831 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,275 psi | 78% | 2287 fps | 99.5% |
| IMR 7828 SSC | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,900 psi | 83% | 2411 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 82% | 29,385 psi | 61% | 2116 fps | 95.8% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 96% | 31,604 psi | 66% | 2293 fps | 95% |
| Norma MRP | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,141 psi | 69% | 2290 fps | 96.1% |
| Ramshot Grand | <<locked>> | 84% | 38,827 psi | 81% | 2402 fps | 95.4% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,576 psi | 70% | 2274 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,311 psi | 59% | 1444 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | 47.9 gr | 88% | 32,909 psi | 69% | 2323 fps | 96% |
| Rottweil R 904 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,016 psi | 84% | 2326 fps | 95.5% |
| Rottweil R 905 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,143 psi | 73% | 2270 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 8000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,824 psi | 73% | 2264 fps | 95.2% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,088 psi | 82% | 2356 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S385 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,882 psi | 75% | 2260 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,258 psi | 72% | 2221 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N555 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,243 psi | 72% | 2267 fps | 99.3% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | 41.7 gr | 80% | 27,050 psi | 57% | 2208 fps | 99.4% |
| Winchester Supreme 780 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,346 psi | 74% | 2251 fps | 95.2% |
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 | 160gr | Sierra SP SemiSp. ReloadSwiss RS 76 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,562 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,578 fps to 2,562 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 75–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 160.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. ADI AR 2225, Hodgdon TrailBoss, Norma 217 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. Winchester StaBALL HD, Hodgdon Retumbo, ReloadSwiss RS 76 rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 57 R with the .264 | 160gr | Sierra SP SemiSp 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.