6.5 prc reloading

[Backcast88]

I feel you on the NC weather. Saturday was brutal to shoot in and keep the barrel cool. Luckily my buddy 3d printed me a chamber fan and I also had a Milwaukee battery powered fan to blow on the rifle which all helped.

But onto the load development I did:
Vit N565
56.5g, 57g, 57.5g, 58g, 58.5g- 3rds each
143 ELD-X
2.340 BTO (forgot to record OAL)
Lapua brass (brand new brass)
CCI 200

Very slight ejector swipe on the 58.5g load. I feel confident I could go to 59g and be fine. Velocity and pressure was my main data goal since I still hadn't found pressure on my handloads in my new Seekins yet and had never tried 565 in the rifle. SD was great for most part. Going to tweak BTO a little and give it another go when I get free time to head back out.

 

[Backcast88]

The other week I made a batch of sighter rounds to warm the gun up that turned out pretty sweet.

Hornady 140 BTHP Match
54.5g H4831 SC
CCI 250
Once fired Hornady brass
- 288 SAC bushing
- 262 Mandrel
2.94 OAL
2.371 BTO


Called flyer. Form went to crap and pulled the last shot. But even with a called flyer, the group was under 1MOA and without the flyer it was more like 1/2MOA.


I shot these loads again Saturday and they didn't disappoint. Went 3 for 3 at 200 on steel off my tripod and then called it a day after going 2 for 2 on steel at 550 shooting off the tripod.

 

[northernalpine]

I feel you on the NC weather. Saturday was brutal to shoot in and keep the barrel cool.

I’m with you, it was so hot after the first 5 rounds I had to lay a towel on my shooting mat because the reinforced areas for elbows/knees was screaming hot.

Luckily my buddy 3d printed me a chamber fan and I also had a Milwaukee battery powered fan to blow on the rifle which all helped.

I need to quit kidding myself and go this route.

Thanks for posting your load info

 

[saiz11]

Hornady brass, CCI large rifle primers, 59 grains Retumbo. 2845 fps from a new 22 inch barrel.

How did it shoot?

 

[Fishmaster196]

How did it shoot?

I really haven’t done anything with this since.
I’m pretty sure I can tune it in a little better and it will probably speed up a little bit as I get a few more rounds down the barrel.
It actually prints about the same with factory 143 grain Precision Hunter ammo.

 

[saiz11]

I really haven’t done anything with this since.
I’m pretty sure I can tune it in a little better and it will probably speed up a little bit as I get a few more rounds down the barrel.
It actually prints about the same with factory 143 grain Precision Hunter ammo.

I’d take that group! I have some eldx I’m going to try but I loaded up some 142 ALBRs that I want to try with the retumbo but with a short barrel not sure if I’ll get the speed out of it.

 

[buddys1974]

59.5 gr H1000 2975 fps

59.5 of Magpro was pretty good as well at about same speed, but ever so slightly larger groups

 

[nighthawkf-117]

Im working on a load for 140gr ELDMs. With 57gr of H1000 out of a 21" barrel I'm getting around 2725 fps. No signs of pressure at all. Factory Nosler 140gr BTs getting around 2850. Should I try to keep pushing it to get closer to 2900 or call it good?

 

[saiz11]

Im working on a load for 140gr ELDMs. With 57gr of H1000 out of a 21" barrel I'm getting around 2725 fps. No signs of pressure at all. Factory Nosler 140gr BTs getting around 2850. Should I try to keep pushing it to get closer to 2900 or call it good?

If you aren’t showing pressure signs the I think you could keep going. How hot is it out? Make sure you leave some room for temperature change….although more I learn I’d chase a good SD and ES over velocity as well

 

[nighthawkf-117]

It's quite cold actually. About 20 degrees ambient. I've heard H1000 can be a little temperature sensitive?

 

[Harvey_NW]

It's quite cold actually. About 20 degrees ambient. I've heard H1000 can be a little temperature sensitive?

H-1000 is one of the more temp stable powders available, typically <1 fps/° in my testing. I have a 21 1/2" factory Tikka barrel and 58gr pushed 143's at 2930fps avg in hotter weather, I'm really surprised by the speeds you're getting. What primer and brass?

I recommend testing N565 too if you can find some, it was both faster and produced tighter groups for me.

 

[nighthawkf-117]

CCI BR2 Primers. I know that's not a typical choice but it's plentifully available local to me. AGD brass. Yea I was hoping to get closer to 2900 as well

 

[Backcast88]

CCI BR2 Primers. I know that's not a typical choice but it's plentifully available local to me. AGD brass. Yea I was hoping to get closer to 2900 as well

I run CCI200 and 59 grains of n565 so BR2's will work just fine.

Velocity is 2960 with a 140 tgk and peterson brass. I am .035 off jam but I do have a 24" barrel.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I run CCI200 and 59 grains of n565 so BR2's will work just fine.

Velocity is 2960 with a 140 tgk and peterson brass. I am .035 off jam but I do have a 24" barrel.

59gr of N565 in the PRC case is spicy lol.

 

[MHWASH]

H-1000 is one of the more temp stable powders available, typically <1 fps/° in my testing. I have a 21 1/2" factory Tikka barrel and 58gr pushed 143's at 2930fps avg in hotter weather, I'm really surprised by the speeds you're getting. What primer and brass?

I recommend testing N565 too if you can find some, it was both faster and produced tighter groups for me.

What primers are you using Harvey?

I'm getting 2855 With 140s using 59gr H1000 & Fed 210s. out of my 22" Tikka

 

[Kimber7man]

You may find more speed with N560 with the 140 grain bullets.

 

[Harvey_NW]

What primers are you using Harvey?

Rem 9 1/2's

 

[Backcast88]

59gr of N565 in the PRC case is spicy lol.

Oh she's spicy for sure.

I've run all the way to 60gr and started getting pressure but not bad. At 59, I've got no heavy bolt lift, no ejector marks, and primers are still round. So, I'll keep it at 59 and let er eat.

 

[MHWASH]

You may find more speed with N560 with the 140 grain bullets.

My plan is to shoot 147s, but I have a bunch of SSTs I wanna use up.

 

[saiz11]

I really haven’t done anything with this since.
I’m pretty sure I can tune it in a little better and it will probably speed up a little bit as I get a few more rounds down the barrel.
It actually prints about the same with factory 143 grain Precision Hunter ammo.

I finally got to the range for some testing with Retumbo and 142 ALBRs. Really happy with the results. Went from 57 -58.3 and all the groups shot great with decent velocity and in some 2x fired hornady brass. Might have to try some of it in my adv brass!