What would you load next? 6.5 PRC

[Betarider]

Just my two cents, but here's what's working best for me. I have an off the shelf Christensen MPR. 55.7 gr. RL-26, Hornady 140 gr. ELD-M, CCI BR-2 primers, 0.02" off the lands. 5 shots in .248". 153 gr. A-Tips are loaded, but I can't shoot them yet; broke a rib last week, typical old guy stuff! Good shooting and good luck.

Don't tell me that broken ribs is something else I have to deal with as I get older!! This getting old is getting old!!!

 

[Shane Lindsey]

With the Berger, I would seat .010" deeper than current and similar to BoomFlop but with .003", .006", .009" deeper all with 58.6 grains. If you don't mind shooting without the suppressor.

With the ELDX I would do the same but at 58.1 grains.

My reasoning is the groups seem to be very similar there with two/one. I have tightened these up with seating depth before. If it does, go up .2 grains and down .2 grains on each side of it to see if it is relatively stable/forgiving. Won't be exactly the same, but should be close (forgiving).

FWIW

 

[Bill28]

Hi Guys, I shot two OCW tests today in my brand new 6.5 PRC from Pierce Engineering, one with the 143 ELDX and one with the 156 Berger. I attached pics below, would be grateful on feedback for which loads you would shoot again or how you would go about determining your next steps. I shot these groups at 100 yards, the boxes on the targets are 1/2 inch.
One interesting thing was that I noticed heavy bolt lift on the Berger load at 57 when I had my Ultra 7 threaded on, once I removed it the pressure signs disappeared and the groups tightened up. The ELDX loads were all shot suppressed.

these were all shot consecutively after completing the proof barrel break in instructions (shoot 5, clean, repeat 3x). I was wondering if maybe it needed to be cleaned again before I retest.

many input appreciated, I did shoot all the lower weights on the pics but the groups were high and off the target so didn't record them, they were all pretty large.

I shoot the 156's in my PRC and I'm at the top end of the powder range (from Berger) Hornady brass and H1000 Magnum primers

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Just an observation, but the rifle seems to prefer the 143 eld-x over the 156 eol. I would explore that bullet some with some seating depth testing. Strange part I'm seeing is the poi shift between groups. There's nothing that keeps a solid same poi. Which would lead me to believe that none of these particular loads are going to be consistent. Nothing really jumps out to me in this test. 57.6-58.2 have similar poi. 57.9 kinda buggered that up though. You could explore 57.9 and run a seating depth test.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

@Jud96

 

[AkBirder300]

Thank you all for the help. With components scarce these days I really appreciate the feedback pointing me in the right direction. Could the fact that this is a brand new barrel be impacting my POI? I have read that barrels typically "settle in" after a certain number of rounds.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Thank you all for the help. With components scarce these days I really appreciate the feedback pointing me in the right direction. Could the fact that this is a brand new barrel be impacting my POI? I have read that barrels typically "settle in" after a certain number of rounds.

It very well could be. I dont know how many rounds are on it but with a custom barrel it shouldn't take very long

 

[Shane Lindsey]

If doing serious load work (like what you are about to start), I would clean back to steel and only shoot one manufacturer bullets through it. Clean again and shoot the others. I have seen sometimes properties in the jackets do not play well together. Other times I have seen that they shot really well after another and then once cleaned, never got back to what I had during development. I have seen this really bad with Barnes monos.

 

[foul bore]

I have a 6.5prc as well H1000 145 Berger. I have found that seating depth makes more difference than anything else as far as group size. For me that is the first thing I do. saves time and ammo

 

[Jud96]

I want to tag in and comment that I too agree with the others. Seating depth plays the biggest role in shear accuracy and group size in my opinion and experience. I want to see how well this Pierce rifle shoots for you! I'm excited that you got it and have some shots down it. Keep us updated.

 

[Ckleeves]

Just an observation, but the rifle seems to prefer the 143 eld-x over the 156 eol. I would explore that bullet some with some seating depth testing. Strange part I'm seeing is the poi shift between groups. There's nothing that keeps a solid same poi. Which would lead me to believe that none of these particular loads are going to be consistent. Nothing really jumps out to me in this test. 57.6-58.2 have similar poi. 57.9 kinda buggered that up though. You could explore 57.9 and run a seating depth test.

The poi shift would have me real nervous. I like to see some consistency when I overlay groups. Maybe try the 143's at the factory Hornady coal and +10 thou and -10 thou. When doing seating depth testing it seems like Hornady kinda nailed it with the COAL they are loading factory Ammo for the PRC's at. Seems to work in a high % of them anyway.

If that doesn't do anything then you may be looking at a powder change. Seems like the 6.5 prc is pretty picky on powder gun to gun. Some love RL26, others H1000 or N565. One of my buddies has one that only likes h4831sc. Shoots 1/2 moa with it, load a equal FPS charge of 26 or h1000 at the same seating depth and it's lucky to shoot under about 1.25 moa.

 

[AkBirder300]

The poi shift would have me real nervous. I like to see some consistency when I overlay groups. Maybe try the 143's at the factory Hornady coal and +10 thou and -10 thou. When doing seating depth testing it seems like Hornady kinda nailed it with the COAL they are loading factory Ammo for the PRC's at. Seems to work in a high % of them anyway.

If that doesn't do anything then you may be looking at a powder change. Seems like the 6.5 prc is pretty picky on powder gun to gun. Some love RL26, others H1000 or N565. One of my buddies has one that only likes h4831sc. Shoots 1/2 moa with it, load a equal FPS charge of 26 or h1000 at the same seating depth and it's lucky to shoot under about 1.25 moa.

Thanks for the feedback! Testing the ELDX at different seating depths is my next game plan as I do mainly want to shoot suppressed. I got two boxes of factory precision hunter so as much as I love reloading I am hoping those shoot well and I can table load development until I get another powder to test for a consistent POI.
I realize MagPro is not a commonly used powder for the PRC but I have not been able to find H1000, RL 26 or N565 and I've been looking for about 6 months now.

 

[AkBirder300]

I want to tag in and comment that I too agree with the others. Seating depth plays the biggest role in shear accuracy and group size in my opinion and experience. I want to see how well this Pierce rifle shoots for you! I'm excited that you got it and have some shots down it. Keep us updated.

Thanks! I'm confident she will shoot, probably better than me I've got it scoped up with a NXS 2.5-10 and added an Atlas V8 bipod and my Ultra 7. Haven't weighed it fully loaded but it's a joy to carry around. The recoil with the AllTerra stock is super manageable too, even with the ultralight pad. Recoil is WAY less noticeable than my Kimber Montana.

 

[AkBirder300]

Thanks again for all the input! I have some more data. I think testing different seating depths was very helpful and helped me determine that 57.6 was where the accuracy was. It produced a very tight group when seated at 2.915.
I made a critical error and realized I forgot to reattach my suppressor last week after that heavy bolt lift with the Berger's so I loaded both 57.6 and 58.4 grains at the 4 seating depths and shot groups of three, this time all suppressed. The shortest loads were off the page and not good so they didn't make the picture.
I have more questions now too
1. Does anyone shoot suppressed with their magnetospeed on? It says not to use suppressed on my model but I'm not sure why as long as it is clear if the bullet path and I let the can cool down between shots.

2. Unfortunately my results with factory precision hunter (PH) were pretty terrible. Sorry, forgot to take a pic of that target but I shot Two 6 round groups and each was about 1.75 - 2.25 inches. Do you think it might be worth seating some of them back to the 2.915 OAL that's shooting better like my hand loads? I still have 28 rounds left and I'd like the option of shooting factory ammo if possible, even if I have to seat it slightly deeper with my press.