Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 6.5 x 58 R with .264 | 130gr | Merlin Virtus bullet and 26 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 60, Lovex D073.6 and Shooters World Match Rifle.
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 2015 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,463 psi | 90% | 2165 fps | 99.8% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,506 psi | 90% | 2234 fps | 99.9% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,695 psi | 90% | 2231 fps | 97.9% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 94% | 36,390 psi | 90% | 2251 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,969 psi | 89% | 2228 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,013 psi | 89% | 2133 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,128 psi | 87% | 2218 fps | 96.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,895 psi | 81% | 1421 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,477 psi | 90% | 2257 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,492 psi | 90% | 2192 fps | 97% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,027 psi | 86% | 2211 fps | 97.5% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,853 psi | 86% | 2178 fps | 98% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,996 psi | 81% | 1457 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,099 psi | 86% | 2260 fps | 96.3% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,926 psi | 88% | 2162 fps | 98% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,027 psi | 86% | 2211 fps | 97.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,925 psi | 86% | 2100 fps | 97.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,114 psi | 89% | 2139 fps | 99% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,433 psi | 87% | 2188 fps | 96% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,172 psi | 89% | 2142 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,737 psi | 86% | 2106 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,491 psi | 87% | 2198 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,809 psi | 86% | 2159 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 96% | 35,781 psi | 88% | 2192 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,781 psi | 88% | 2195 fps | 98.1% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,419 psi | 90% | 2241 fps | 96.9% |
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 2015 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,908 psi | 79% | 2077 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,076 psi | 59% | 1969 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,878 psi | 74% | 2093 fps | 95.8% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 84% | 26,252 psi | 65% | 2034 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,544 psi | 73% | 2100 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,634 psi | 83% | 2083 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,764 psi | 81% | 2169 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,511 psi | 60% | 1273 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,963 psi | 69% | 2073 fps | 97.7% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,997 psi | 84% | 2142 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex D073.6 | 23.4 gr | 82% | 28,471 psi | 70% | 2073 fps | 95.2% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,471 psi | 70% | 2041 fps | 95.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,279 psi | 60% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | 26.8 gr | 92% | 33,199 psi | 82% | 2215 fps | 95.4% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,981 psi | 79% | 2080 fps | 96.9% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | 23.4 gr | 82% | 28,471 psi | 70% | 2073 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,937 psi | 76% | 2018 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,961 psi | 61% | 1900 fps | 95.4% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,054 psi | 81% | 2139 fps | 95.1% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,095 psi | 74% | 2021 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,792 psi | 76% | 2031 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,701 psi | 63% | 1988 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,876 psi | 66% | 1985 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 94% | 33,736 psi | 83% | 2152 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 82% | 27,456 psi | 68% | 2014 fps | 95.2% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,763 psi | 78% | 2142 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 26 powders for 6.5 x 58 R loaded with the .264 | 130gr | Merlin Virtus. ReloadSwiss RS 60 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,260 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,421 fps to 2,260 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 26 of the 26 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (280 MPa), the top charges use 81–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 130.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:8.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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. ReloadSwiss RS 60, Lovex D073.6, Shooters World Match Rifle rank at the top here: for 6.5 x 58 R with the .264 | 130gr | Merlin Virtus 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.