6.5 PRC Reloading Noob

[MDCrab]

Have never entertained the thought of reloading, because I have always been fairly satisfied with group performance of factory loads for other rifles, used for whitetail hunting. Now that I have gotten into Elk hunting, my OCD has taken a front row seat in search of accomplishing a sub 1/2 MOA group.

My Tikka T3X loves the few boxes of Choice Ammo from their March to near present lots with CCI LMR primers and the powder they used. FFWD to now. The powder from that lot has ben discontinued and Choice, through their testing has now changed to Winchester LMR primers and a different powder.

For the Tikka shooters here, do any of you have a load that shoots the 156 Berger EOLs at sub 1/2 MOA? Are you willing to help this noob get started in the reloading world with recommendations of temperature stable powder and primers!

My friend has a manual, single reloading setup I am welcome to use for my load development, just need to purchase the appropriate 6.5 dies. I have plenty of once fired brass to reload from the past year.

Thanks in advance for any inputs you provide to support my OCD.

 

[TradLife406]

Go listen to Hornadys podcasts on your group is too small, still too small and on rifle dispersion.
It's almost impossible to have a gun especially factory gun shoot a large sample size group of 20 or more land consistently .25 moa. Realistically you're looking for about 1 moa with a .30 mean radian.

 

[TaperPin]

Have never entertained the thought of reloading, because I have always been fairly satisfied with group performance of factory loads for other rifles, used for whitetail hunting. Now that I have gotten into Elk hunting, my OCD has taken a front row seat in search of accomplishing a sub 1/2 MOA group.

My Tikka T3X loves the few boxes of Choice Ammo from their March to near present lots with CCI LMR primers and the powder they used. FFWD to now. The powder from that lot has ben discontinued and Choice, through their testing has now changed to Winchester LMR primers and a different powder.

For the Tikka shooters here, do any of you have a load that shoots the 156 Berger EOLs at sub 1/2 MOA? Are you willing to help this noob get started in the reloading world with recommendations of temperature stable powder and primers!

My friend has a manual, single reloading setup I am welcome to use for my load development, just need to purchase the appropriate 6.5 dies. I have plenty of once fired brass to reload from the past year.

Thanks in advance for any inputs you provide to support my OCD.

If you have OCD tendencies, reloading will be right up your alley! I don’t have a load for you, but can save you time working up a load.

There are two different philosophies in reading groups - to either INCLUDE or EXCLUDE a load. To include a load it takes a larger number of rounds, say 10. However to exclude a load and not need to consider it any further is often accomplished in the first two or three shots. Firing additional rounds will never shrink a group - if the first two for a specific load are larger than your 1/2 MOA goal, stop there and never feel the need to shoot that load again. You’ve just saved 8 rounds by excluding it instead of trying to include it with 10 rounds.

If a load can put 3 into 1/2 MOA it’s not excluded or included yet - fire three more on the same target. If it’s over 1/2 MOA exclude it and move on. If the second group stacks neatly over the first three, shoot a third group. If all nine rounds together are a nice 1/2 MOA group I’d stop there. Done. No need to shoot another load, you’ve reached the goal.

Usually a true 1/2 MOA rifle will put most in 3/8 MOA - two 5 round groups may each be 3/8 MOA, but together they are more like 1/2. Because of this, one 3 round group of 1/2 MOA probably means it’s a 5/8 or 3/4 MOA rifle at best.

If every load you’ve tried opened up past 1/2 MOA, the next step is either adjust your goal down, or get a new more accurate barrel (you’ve just excluded this barrel).

 

[MOwhitetail]

Go listen to Hornadys podcasts on your group is too small, still too small and on rifle dispersion.
It's almost impossible to have a gun especially factory gun shoot a large sample size group of 20 or more land consistently .25 moa. Realistically you're looking for about 1 moa with a .30 mean radian.

I came here to make this same comment. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend listening to those podcasts before going very far with the reloading. They completely changed the way I work up new loads and I’ve been way happier with my reloading process since then.

 

[KnifeLicker3000]

loads that work well in other folks rifles may not shoot as well in your rifle / may be dangerous for your rifle. your powder vendor probably has test data they've published to give you an idea of where to start. Vihtavuori lists Berger 156 data as they share a parent company. here's another thread with 65prc loads; do not start with those as that crowd runs hotter than avg and are not geared for hunting.