All of my reloading experience is with bulk rifle and pistol reloading. By bulk, I mean full length resizing, bulk trimming, mostly with mixed brass and dropping powder loads.

I just bought a Bergara B14-HMR in 6.5cm. I want to reload/handload for this rifle. I currently do not have any 6.5 reloading tools. All the ammo I have bought is Hornady. I am not opposed to buying new brass if that's what needed.

So, what are the specific tools and brands I need to squeeze the most accuracy out of my reloads/handloads?

What are the different/additional steps for precision loads?

Thanks for the help!

You will need a good load and quality balanced bullets. The rest is up to you.
Your equipment has pretty much nothing to do with precision ammo. Most of my special equipment is for ease and speed, not required to make good ammo.

A $60-100 press is plenty, standard rifle FL die set will get you well on your way

This is where a lot of work can be expended for marginal gains.

Weighing each bullet and putting each weight into each of their own "lots"

Water measuring internal volume of brass and putting them into the same volume lots

Triple ensuring brass is the same length

Ensuring powder charges are the same from round to round

Ensuring the flash hole in the primer pocket are consistent across pieces of brass.

Each loaded round is the same OAL

Don't do any of that crap* bowmarch mentioned, at least not to start.


1.  Buy match grade bullets - Sierra MatchKings or better (Berger, etc).

2.  Buy and learn to use a Hornady Head and Shoulders gage set up.

3.  Trim, chamfer and deburr all your brass.

4.  Hand weigh charges during load development.

5.  Use Federal 210M primers.  I don't know if they make a difference but I know they work well.  Other, less expensive primers, may work just as well but these are a known quantity (to me) and they work. Whichever primer you use, stick with it until proven otherwise.


Make the best ammo you can with the press and dies you have.  When you feel the ammo is holding you back, come back and we can talk again.


*  Even he knows it is marginal at best.  No offense meant, bowmanch.

Keeping things simple and being consistent is the best advice.  Going overboard as a new reloader and inexperienced shooter is a waste of time!  Establish good habits!

Dump the hornady brass it has no case life!  Look for Lapua or Starline or Peterson Brass

I hope that is 6.5 mm (~.256) since 6.5 cm is ~2.559 inches.

Pretty much any press but I prefer match dies (Redding S-Type, Forster, etc.)
Uniform primer pockets and keep brass sorted by times fired and batch (if possible)
I use Hornady bullets mostly and have had great results (sub-moa out to 1K)
Chronograph even though it is only really needed to find out the velocity for ballistics programs
RCBS Chargemaster if you can afford it as it makes loading much faster and easier


Doing the above produces .5MOA and under 5-shot groups for me at 100yds with my AIAT and the factory 20" barrel.


Shoot...a lot!  Practice will trump gear most of the time.

Well, if you haven't purchase a press, then you should look for one that 'floats' the dies during operation.  That pretty much leaves you to Wilson dies or Forster Presses.  It is easier to get concentric ammunition with these approaches.

Around here, most people have had excellent outcomes with Hodgdon 4350 behind 120 grain bullets, and Hodgdon 4831 Short Cut behind 140 grain bullets.  These have become the 'go-to' combinations for all the folks I shoot with.

For Bullets, get the Amax or new polymer tipped Sierra.  The old, hollow point designs get so damaged in transit that flyers are inevitable.  Use only polymer tipped bullets!

Don't load to max intensity.  The 6.5mm bullets will carry through to 1200 yards on moderate loads.  Their ballistic coefficient saves the day, even when starting velocity is on the low side.  The nice thing about the powders I've suggested is it will quickly become apparent where the sweet spots are in load density.  We've always found lower intensity loads to work best.

As was mentioned above, get the Hornady comparator tools for measuring the throat on your rifle(s).  Seat bullets accordingly.  Start with bullets .015 to .005 off the lands.  

Milder primers are preferred.  I use pistol primers.

Once you've done those things you can play around with weighing bullets, measuring volume of cases, indexing cartridges to chamber, etc.  All those things are a waste of time in my experience.

At the smaller group sizes wind flags and learning how to 'read' them becomes critical.

I use a lot of BR techniques in both guns and ammunition for longer range varmint hunting.


I prefer farm fields that have enough crop on them that the to serves as wind flags.

Groundhogs that have been hunted over quickly learn to watch for human outlines at any distance they can see.

Plenty of shots over 400 yards.

Any closer and they go to burrow and often stay there for hours.

Sometimes peeking out to see if you are still near.

Range practice at least allows you to make sure your shooting is going to make it.

And then sit back with a gallon of lemon-aid and wait.

a lot of truth right here.  Nothing will get someone into reloading quicker than paying $1.50 plus a round for target ammo and then see the bullet mis aligned .

If you are not able to swing the prices for the Wilson and Forster, the Hornday bullet seating die with the alignment sleeve is a good starting point that won't break the bank.

Creedmoor.

If you're going to buy new brass, I'll make the choice easy for you - the only brass to buy for precision (in general) is Lapua.  And you're in luck, they just started making brass for 6.5 Creedmoor this year (check out the video lower down the page).

Yes, it's pricey (although NOT the priciest) but it's worth it!  



...and if you're looking for bullet recommendations, have a look at Berger Bullets.

I did not know about that

What's the opinion on the Redding premium 3 die set?

You don't need 3 dies.  There is no place for a neck die in precision reloading IMO.  You want to do the same thing every time. There are different ways to go as far as that goes, but the easiest is probably a Full length bushing die to bump the shoulder .002 each loading.  Neck sizing just complicates things and in my experience is less overall consistent.  

There are a lot of steps you can go through making precision ammunition and it really depends what your goals are.  I want accurate ammunition with a low ES so I can make hits at longer ranges predictably.  If you are just getting started it's pretty easy to make decent ammo that will get you out there having fun, and then you can make changes to your process from there.

Yeah I used the Hornady with the " alignment sleeve" to make crooked ammo for my testing against the Forster Ultra seating die.

The alignment sleeve is useless on the Hornady die.

Lots of Good points already mentioned.  

The biggest thing is use a good bullet.  Sierra, Lapua, Berger, Hornady.  

Then don't F up the assembly.  

Best dies are probably Forster followed by Redding S type.  With the Forster you lack a bushing to change neck tension.  Forster will hone it to fit if you want.   No bushing "slop" to worry about if that is even a real thing.    FWIW I use bushing dies.

I will give a nod to the Forster CoAx press too.  Floating the die does work.   You can tweak a normal press set up to reduce runout and you should.  I have done side by side tests with the same components and dies but using a friend's CoAx.   The ammo off his press was more precise on paper.   I guess I suck on die set up.

I did buy a CoAx later.  Basically fell into a deal at less than half price.

Difference between bench rest loading and precision F class or long range match.    The Nth degree on bench rest stuff is likely wasted for others.  It won't hurt but you may not even see a payoff down range.

It has its uses but in general I agree.  I bought the type of seater for .22 hornet to reduce ruining case necks.   It's good for
that.