18” 6.5PRC - handicapped with a SA?

[Sevens]

Been more and more interested in shorter and shorter barrels with suppressor use. The 6.5 PRC seems to get good performance from an 18” barrel.

Am I handicapping the cartridge if I was to build the 6.5 PRC in a short action? Seems a lot of folks recommend a long action to allow seating bullets out further, especially if using a shorter barrel. I don’t reload, would this still come into play on factory ammo (cartridge not fitting in a short action)?

What is everyone seeing for velocity on factory 6.5 PRC ammo in short(er) barrels?

 

[grfox92]

Been more and more interested in shorter and shorter barrels with suppressor use. The 6.5 PRC seems to get good performance from an 18” barrel.

Am I handicapping the cartridge if I was to build the 6.5 PRC in a short action? Seems a lot of folks recommend a long action to allow seating bullets out further, especially if using a shorter barrel. I don’t reload, would this still come into play on factory ammo (cartridge not fitting in a short action)?

What is everyone seeing for velocity on factory 6.5 PRC ammo in short(er) barrels?

If the magazine supports the COAL of factory ammo, the only thing I could think of is feeding issues

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[bergie]

My new Seekins Havak in 6.5 PRC will be here next week. Its got a little longer barrel than you are talking (21") but I plan on trying 5 different types of ammo in it and getting the speeds for every shot. I have a post on here about it that I plan on updating once I get the data. If I remember I will update you on this post as well.

 

[madcalfe]

Been more and more interested in shorter and shorter barrels with suppressor use. The 6.5 PRC seems to get good performance from an 18” barrel.

Am I handicapping the cartridge if I was to build the 6.5 PRC in a short action? Seems a lot of folks recommend a long action to allow seating bullets out further, especially if using a shorter barrel. I don’t reload, would this still come into play on factory ammo (cartridge not fitting in a short action)?

What is everyone seeing for velocity on factory 6.5 PRC ammo in short(er) barrels?

if you don't reload and are only using factory ammunition building on a short action will be fine.
even if you do plan to reload you can get a notch milled in your feed ramp and run terminus mags or hawkins hunter mags with a coal of 2.980"

 

[WRO]

Been more and more interested in shorter and shorter barrels with suppressor use. The 6.5 PRC seems to get good performance from an 18” barrel.

Am I handicapping the cartridge if I was to build the 6.5 PRC in a short action? Seems a lot of folks recommend a long action to allow seating bullets out further, especially if using a shorter barrel. I don’t reload, would this still come into play on factory ammo (cartridge not fitting in a short action)?

What is everyone seeing for velocity on factory 6.5 PRC ammo in short(er) barrels?

I shoot a lot of critters with factory match ammo 20” barrel. No issues about 2900 fps


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[mtnrunner260]

I have a 18' PRC with a banish 30.
W/o suppressor it's loud enough to get everyone's attention at range.
For me I was happy even if I only had Creedmoor velocity with the short barrel.
It will still more than do the job.

 

[Kimber7man]

Short action with Hawkins Hunter M5 DBM and their mags works great for me. I went with the 140 elite hunter as my barrel is 20”. N560 under it got 2,950 which is a nice place to be, the elite doesn’t drop nearly as much my H1000 load with 139 scenar.

 

[D R T]

I shoot a lot of critters with factory match ammo 20” barrel. No issues about 2900 fps


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What ammo is giving you that velocity?

 

[BIDAHOME57]

My new Seekins Havak in 6.5 PRC will be here next week. Its got a little longer barrel than you are talking (21") but I plan on trying 5 different types of ammo in it and getting the speeds for every shot. I have a post on here about it that I plan on updating once I get the data. If I remember I will update you on this post as well.

What have you decided? I'm in this same boat.

 

[Weldor]

I've shot Norma match out of 20" 6.5 pretty slow. 2660 on a new barrel. I've messed with 4831 getting 2880. All suppressed. Just got ahold of some Retumbo and H1000. Going to see if I can pick up some velocity.

 

[khuber84]

SA vs Med or long isn't going to handicap anything. What is handicapping performance, is the 18" barrel. I'd be shooting 130s in that short a barrel in hopes of keeping stuff over 2900fps. Plenty of kick ass hunting bullets in the 130 class, 130otm, 130tmk, 130eldm.

A suggestion, pick the bullet you want, and have someone model it in quickload for you. Set it up at 65k psi max, 2.95 coal, and have them run the powder eval. Will give you estimated speeds with all avaliable powder run at your max pressure.

 

[bergie]

What have you decided? I'm in this same boat.

Speeds have pretty much across the board have been slower than I was expecting, and on some ammo they were quite slow (ELD-X). Now, I am only shooting factory ammo so take that for what its worth. I have a cheap prochrono so also take the speeds with a grain of salt. I say all this to head off the guy who will inevitability tell me that I am a moron and he gets 3000+ fps with a 16" barrel from his hand loads...I'm sure he does but this is the data I got from my situation, could certainly have flaws but here we are.

Average speeds:
Hornady ELD-M 147gr: 2720
Hornady ELD-X 143gr: 2634
Nosler E Tip 120gr: 3027
Hornady CX 130gr: 2762
Barnes 127 LRX: 2860

 

[Ganderzone]

I have a Mesa fft 6.5 prc, actual barrel length is about 19", with the radial brake 20". I swapped my radial for a hellfire 2port as I wanted to go between a brake and a suppressor. When I'm at the range I start off with my 2 port to clear the tables right and left of me then switch to the can. I chronographed Hornady 147 Eld-m at 2730fps, Berger 156 factory load 2675, Winchester match 140 sierras 2925fps. I'm currently running hand loads with h4831 142 Nosler ABLR moving 2900, also Berger 140 VLDs at 2900. These are already high pressure so I wouldn't expect more then 6 reloads off the brass.

 

[khuber84]

Speeds have pretty much across the board have been slower than I was expecting, and on some ammo they were quite slow (ELD-X). Now, I am only shooting factory ammo so take that for what its worth. I have a cheap prochrono so also take the speeds with a grain of salt. I say all this to head off the guy who will inevitability tell me that I am a moron and he gets 3000+ fps with a 16" barrel from his hand loads...I'm sure he does but this is the data I got from my situation, could certainly have flaws but here we are.

Average speeds:
Hornady ELD-M 147gr: 2720
Hornady ELD-X 143gr: 2634
Nosler E Tip 120gr: 3027
Hornady CX 103gr: 2762
Barnes 127 LRX: 2860

Most this factory stuff is at 55-58k psi levels , you know, sane stuff that should be safe in any near spec bore/groove diameter barrel. The guys running 2900 I'd say is the very top end, and likely around 70k psi. I'm guilty too, one my prc is running 140s up around 3080 from a 24" barrel.

 

[call em in]

I’ve been interested in doing the same thing. This post has been very interesting. I finally picked up a chronograph so I can get real data moving forward.

 

[Leinad]

just finished my 18 inch 6.5PRC build that has been my summer project.
I was hoping for 2800 plus, I’ve only chronographed one factory load, federal terminal ascent. It’s all I have right now.
Getting 2750-2780. Pretty Big SD.

I’m interested in this thread. If anyone has chrono data specifically for 18” factory loads I’d love to hear more. Seems like my barrel is speeding up a bit, 80 rounds down.

Keep me posted and as I chrono more loads I’ll post em.
Cheers

 

[Weldor]

Those are pretty close to the Creedmoor, what's the gain? 18" bbl is convenient but seems like a handicap for the PRC. My 20" is not unwieldly with a suppressor on it.

 

[Quicksilver]

Threw together a quick load with a buddies 18” prc suppressed and 124 hammer hunters. Using retumbo and getting 2905fps average. May revisit the load later with a quicker powder and see what happens.

Factory 143 ammo was 2694 average.

 

[Cameron.25]

Threw together a quick load with a buddies 18” prc suppressed and 124 hammer hunters. Using retumbo and getting 2905fps average. May revisit the load later with a quicker powder and see what happens.

Factory 143 ammo was 2694 average.

That seems a bit slow. Do you have any RL26 to try? I only briefly messed with hammers in my 6.5/300 prc's but for monos in general it gave me good speed

 

[Quicksilver]

That seems a bit slow. Do you have any RL26 to try? I only briefly messed with hammers in my 6.5/300 prc's but for monos in general it gave me good speed

It is slow, and I’m out of case capacity with the retumbo. He wanted something cleaner than rl26 as that’s what he used to use, but it we have to go there we will haha. H4350 and standard primers will be a test along with n565. I bet 3000 is doable.

His CA ridgeline was using rl26 and a 24” barrel and we got like 3175fps with the same bullet.