6.5 PRC Hammer Hunter recipe (131 or 124)?

OG-danimal · May 21, 2022

Looking for some reloading info!
This will be a hunting round for mule deer and potentially elk.
Components are as follows;
Powder options: H1000, Retumbo, N160, N565, RL16
Primers: BR2- large rife
Hornady brass, COAL 2.925 to fit in mag
22" proof barrel 1:7.5 twist

Thanks!

Shane Lindsey · May 21, 2022

Check this out...

Hammer 139gr shock hammer vs Berger 140 elite hunter

I am currently loading Berger 140gr elite hunter for my PRC. I was considering using the Hammer 139gr Shock hammer. But the G1 and G7 are better in the Berger's at one half the cost of the Hammers (Cost differential is really not a consideration). My use is for cow elk out to 600yd. Maybe I...

www.longrangehunting.com

RockyMtnMT · May 21, 2022

My personal favorite is the 124g Hammer Hunter. We have done very well with rl26 and n560. Use standard lr primers not magnum. Both powders have ended up between 3450 & 3500 fps. Start either powder at 57g and work up.

shinbone · May 21, 2022

JMHO: Rather than loading up a cartridge for elk, and then using it mostly on deer, I would work up a load for deer, and then revisit it if I were to get lucky and draw an elk tag. Mule deer and the 6.5mm cartridge go together like peanut butter and jelly, and Hammer bullets perform best at higher speeds, anyway.

As Steve mentions, the 124g is a great bullet. But, with the above in mind, I would load 117g Shock Hammers in a 6.5mm based cartridge to use on mulies. You will have a laser beam of a rifle, and the 117g Shock Hammer will do short work on any deer.

Again, JMHO.

OG-danimal · May 21, 2022

RockyMtnMT said:
My personal favorite is the 124g Hammer Hunter. We have done very well with rl26 and n560. Use standard lr primers not magnum. Both powders have ended up between 3450 & 3500 fps. Start either powder at 57g and work up.

Wish I had those powders! I'll keep my eyes out

OG-danimal · May 21, 2022

shinbone said:
JMHO: Rather than loading up a cartridge for elk, and then using it mostly on deer, I would work up a load for deer, and then revisit it if I were to get lucky and draw an elk tag. Mule deer and the 6.5mm cartridge go together like peanut butter and jelly, and Hammer bullets perform best at higher speeds, anyway.

As Steve mentions, the 124g is a great bullet. But, with the above in mind, I would load 117g Shock Hammers in a 6.5mm based cartridge to use on mulies. You will have a laser beam of a rifle, and the 117g Shock Hammer will do short work on any deer.

Again, JMHd

shinbone said:
JMHO: Rather than loading up a cartridge for elk, and then using it mostly on deer, I would work up a load for deer, and then revisit it if I were to get lucky and draw an elk tag. Mule deer and the 6.5mm cartridge go together like peanut butter and jelly, and Hammer bullets perform best at higher speeds, anyway.

As Steve mentions, the 124g is a great bullet. But, with the above in mind, I would load 117g Shock Hammers in a 6.5mm based cartridge to use on mulies. You will have a laser beam of a rifle, and the 117g Shock Hammer will do short work on any deer.

Again, JMHO.

Do any of the powders I listed in my original post work with the 117g shock hammers? If so which one and what starting point do you recommend for charges?

RockyMtnMT · May 21, 2022

djprice91 said:
Do any of the powders I listed in my original post work with the 117g shock hammers? If so which one and what starting point do you recommend for charges?

Nosler data for the prc will line up fairly well. The Hammers will show a bit less pressure so listed start loads will be nice and mild to work up from. Look at the 120g data for the 117g Shock Hammer and the 125g data for the 124g Hammer Hunter.

6.5 PRC Load Data

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Garyinmt · May 21, 2022

RockyMtnMT said:
My personal favorite is the 124g Hammer Hunter. We have done very well with rl26 and n560. Use standard lr primers not magnum. Both powders have ended up between 3450 & 3500 fps. Start either powder at 57g and work up.

Steve, a question about your recommendation for lr primers in those loads, rather than lrm. Since one would likely end up with over 60 grains of powder, which I've heard others say is the threshold to start using magnum primers.
Also where do RL 23 and n565 fit in for the 6.5 PRC? Thanks,

RockyMtnMT · May 21, 2022

Garyinmt said:
Steve, a question about your recommendation for lr primers in those loads, rather than lrm. Since one would likely end up with over 60 grains of powder, which I've heard others say is the threshold to start using magnum primers.
Also where do RL 23 and n565 fit in for the 6.5 PRC? Thanks,

We are generally mag primers guys in everything. Something with the efficiency of the prc that the mag primers will cause it to pressure out prematurely. By running lr primers we gained 4g of powder and over 200 fps.

We couldn't get enough of Rl23 or n565 in the case to get to pressure.

laker · May 22, 2022

RockyMtnMT said:
We are generally mag primers guys in everything. Something with the efficiency of the prc that the mag primers will cause it to pressure out prematurely. By running lr primers we gained 4g of powder and over 200 fps.

We couldn't get enough of Rl23 or n565 in the case to get to pressure.

Interesting. I'll have to try some standard primers in mine

dogz · May 22, 2022

RockyMtnMT said:
We are generally mag primers guys in everything. Something with the efficiency of the prc that the mag primers will cause it to pressure out prematurely. By running lr primers we gained 4g of powder and over 200 fps.

We couldn't get enough of Rl23 or n565 in the case to get to pressure.

A really interesting test regarding this would be to try standard and mag primers in a 7 PRC and 30 PRC.

I've a LOT of experience with the 6.5/06 and the 6.5 PRC is basically just a 6.5/06 AI. My long winded comment is to get to this. Far and away the 6.5/06 has popped more primers than all the other rounds I've ever been around. I take that to mean that it's a bit quirky when it comes to pressure and it hits it fast!

When we were running the 6.5/06 at top end and especially during the summer we had to use standard primers! I'd only run magnums in either of the rounds if I was running ball powders and in sub zero temps!

NZTahr · May 22, 2022

N565. 124 Hammer Hunter. 20" barrel. 3130 fps. Accurate and deadly on deer out to the 400 yards I have tried them.

laker · May 22, 2022

dogz said:
A really interesting test regarding this would be to try standard and mag primers in a 7 PRC and 30 PRC.

I've a LOT of experience with the 6.5/06 and the 6.5 PRC is basically just a 6.5/06 AI. My long winded comment is to get to this. Far and away the 6.5/06 has popped more primers than all the other rounds I've ever been around. I take that to mean that it's a bit quirky when it comes to pressure and it hits it fast!

When we were running the 6.5/06 at top end and especially during the summer we had to use standard primers! I'd only run magnums in either of the rounds if I was running ball powders and in sub zero temps!

That's interesting. Wife and I ran 6.5-06 for a few years killing lots of animals and never had issues with primers popping. Running h4350 and h1000

dogz · May 22, 2022

Laker if I recall right it mainly in the summer out shooting chucks on warm days. Generally 23" barrels give or take an inch. Generally when the speeds with the 140's ventured north of 2900 accuracy two things would happen.

One accuracy would go to heck in a hand bag, two we'd often have primers pop. Get them back sub 2900 and viola. 2850 is where we found the sweet spot to be with 140's.

Just one mans experience (with 8 or 9 barrels...)

(edit, that was mainly 20 years ago and powders have changed a lot)

6.5 PRC Hammer Hunter recipe (131 or 124)?

OG-danimal

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Shane Lindsey

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Hammer 139gr shock hammer vs Berger 140 elite hunter

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shinbone

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OG-danimal

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6.5 PRC Load Data

Garyinmt

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laker

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