I have a 6.5 JDJ in both a 14" and 21 " barrel. I'm shooting 34 gr IMR 4320 with 120 gr Noslers. I'm using this as my primary gun for deer season here in Maine this year.Would like to know favorite loads from those who use the 6.5 JDJ.Thanks

Howdy Yosey12!

I don't have a 6.5JDJ, however, there is a wonderful recourse that is often overlooked on this wonderful sight. There is a "Reloading" section under "Member Services" that has quite a deal of handgun data. It also has a couple of loads for the wonderful 6.5 JDJ

6.5 Reloading Data

33 gr 4320 with 120 Nosler or Speer work well in both of mine.

I use AA 2520 with either the 120 Speer or 120 BT. Average velocity is a little over 2400fps in my 2 barrels which are both 14 inches each. Hope this helps. Another powder I would look at is Varget.

I have hunted with one for 17 years now and it has stacked deer deep in the freezer for me. I shot 120 ballistic tips over 34gr of Vaeget. I would work up to it. The combo has worked well on NC whitetails out to 368 yards for me. I have used it on a 180lb boar as well and it dropped withn 10 yards of where it was shot. Massive internal damage.

It"s on my must have list.

An avid 6.5 fan here, but just got my first 6.5 JDJ barrel this year - can't wait to play and do some load development!

14" Tender.

SC, careful, it may become your favorite deer gun for bean fields. It definately is mine.

For years I shot nothing but 120 grain bullets and 33.5 grains of 4320. Just recently I mixed things up and switched to Varget and it might even be more accurate than the 4320 loads.

For 25+ years , 555 groundhogs and 100+ deer 33.5 gr. AA2520 and 120 gr. BT has done everything I wanted.

I can't match Doc's animal numbers for sure, but in years using the 6.5 JDJ I can. It has taken truckloads of antelope for myself and my son Joe, as well as over a dozen big western mule deer, quite a few coyotes, a hundred marmots (the western cousin of the groundhog) badgers, hundreds of prairie dogs, and a big bobcat with the tried and true 120 grain Speer and 34 grains of IMR 4320.