6.5 PRC with very light copper bullets

[elkhunter505]

Hey everyone,

I’m newish to the reloading game and have done a couple of loads in the past for my 7 mag when I still shot it. Last year I bought a Christensen Mesa FFT in 6.5 PRC prior to seeing the .243 and 6mm efficacy and got super lucky that it was not a dud from what it sounds like. Either way the gun shoots factory Hornady outfitter (130 cx) lights out, but I am considering building a load using very light copper bullets (80-100 gr HHT) to potentially lower the recoil a bit and have higher velocity for most of my hunting shots. I toyed around with the idea of getting a .243 but my current funds are just not going to allow that any time soon. I want to stay in the copper ammo realm just due to personal preference, so my question is does anyone have a similar load that they have worked up and saw good terminal performance on game? The 130 CX has killed just fine but I’m just kind of curious given I could get a 80 gr HHT to shoot close to 3500 and it would be an absolute laser to 500 yards which I have no plans on shooting past. Thanks for any info!

 

[elkhunter505]

Buehler?

 

[JFK]

No direct experience with light for caliber monos in the 6.5prc, but have loaded them for 270’s. Similar muzzle velocity as the PRC. They work very well terminally. Better than a heavier mono. Only downside is they are worse in the wind or once you get past 400-500 yards they drop quickly due to low bc. My dad was shooting 110 Barnes yesterday from his 270 going 3350fps that I load for his rifle. At 300 yards you just hold top of plate or animals back. That’s really where that load shines for a no dial setup.

 

[AZ Gator]

You probably want to check the hammer forums. They have easy to find reloading data for their HHT line. Most folks running monos will take one or two steps down in weight, not 4 or 5 steps down. So you are looking for some niche data with 80-100 grain bullets out of a 6.5 PRC.

I’m sure there will be a slight improvement, but if you are equally increasing velocity out of the lighter bullets, Will you be seeing a significant change in recoil to quit using what you know already works?

 

[AZ_Hunter]

DISCLAIMER: I do not have experience with what you are asking about.

I am on the Hammer forum and the only concern I would have of your plan is that people on that forum have reported that the HHT has an upper speed limit. What has been shown/described is when the HHT impacts at high speeds (I believe is was 3200ish) instead of forming petals that shear, the nose turns into “pepper” (how it was described) and the tiny flakes leave a very shallow messy wound - the base will continue forward, but without the larger petals the typical Hammer-type wound channel doesn’t occur.

The Hammer Hunter with its 2mm HP, is reported to not have an upper speed limit. You do lose BC, but you do anyway with going light for caliber and within normal hunting ranges, especially with the velocities you will be getting, who cares.

Again, this is just the repeat of the research I have done investigating the same premise.

 

[TaperPin]

The nice thing about light copper bullets is you can’t get them fast enough to not work. One of the joys of reloading is experimenting with a wider variety of bullets and velocities than are available in factory ammo. 100 gr mono in other calibers isn’t a giant killer, but they work, so no reason you can’t get 25-06 results from your PRC.

 

[180ls1]

124 hammer hunter @ 3400 here. The shock from the speed at impact (I am guessing) has dropped more animals than any other combo I've used.

 

[TaperPin]

DISCLAIMER: I do not have experience with what you are asking about.

I am on the Hammer forum and the only concern I would have of your plan is that people on that forum have reported that the HHT has an upper speed limit. What has been shown/described is when the HHT impacts at high speeds (I believe is was 3200ish) instead of forming petals that shear, the nose turns into “pepper” (how it was described) and the tiny flakes leave a very shallow messy wound - the base will continue forward, but without the larger petals the typical Hammer-type wound channel doesn’t occur.

The Hammer Hunter with its 2mm HP, is reported to not have an upper speed limit. You do lose BC, but you do anyway with going light for caliber and within normal hunting ranges, especially with the velocities you will be getting, who cares.

Again, this is just the repeat of the research I have done investigating the same premise.

That’s interesting - hadn’t heard that before. I really like how the Hammers are available in so many weights and configurations. Definitely at the top of my list to try.

 

[wyosam]

124 hammer hunter @ 3400 here. The shock from the speed at impact (I am guessing) has dropped more animals than any other combo I've used.

The 124 HH is one of the most consistently good performers in the line. Great bullet. I killed a bunch of elk with them before I left Wyoming.

If really want to go fast, I shoot the 105 AHT (absolute hammer tipped) at 3100 out of a 16” CM.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[180ls1]

The 124 HH is one of the most consistently good performers in the line. Great bullet. I killed a bunch of elk with them before I left Wyoming.

If really want to go fast, I shoot the 105 AHT (absolute hammer tipped) at 3100 out of a 16” CM.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How have you liked that on game? I have a 20" CM I will be building.

 

[elkhunter505]

You probably want to check the hammer forums. They have easy to find reloading data for their HHT line. Most folks running monos will take one or two steps down in weight, not 4 or 5 steps down. So you are looking for some niche data with 80-100 grain bullets out of a 6.5 PRC.

I’m sure there will be a slight improvement, but if you are equally increasing velocity out of the lighter bullets, Will you be seeing a significant change in recoil to quit using what you know already works?

This is fair, my concern essentially with the CX at the moment is primarily due to what I believe is a bull that is still living following a weird shot placement. Friend of mine used my gun to shoot a bull and right before the shot the bull repositioned in his bed and the bullet impacted lower than I had anticipated. Of course it does come down to shot placement, but I firmly believe if we had a more frangible bullet that bull would be dead. Appeared to be a single lung hit that was very low. It was a shot placement thing but I’m suspecting a bullet that fragments some amount may have killed that bull with fragment ending up going higher into the lungs, but I am not 100% sure.