Non lead 6.5 PRC data.

[Azone]

I have 100 virgin pieces of Hornady brass.

One brand new set of Lee Pacesetter dies.

I have CCI 250 mag primers, Federal 215 Match primers and regular Federal 215 mag primers.

Powder at my disposal will be H1000, IMR 7828ssc, IMR 7977 and some N565 that just got ordered off Midway right now.

Bullets will be from Barnes and will consist of the 120TTSX and 127LRX.

I will be sending these out of a 7.5 twist, 24 inch Proof barrel.

Not much data floating around, so any advice from some of you gurus would be nice. I’m a competent reloader, so definitely not new to this but far from a wizard at it as some of you on the forum are. Since this will be a CA “rig” I’m legally not allowed to use all the bad ass lead bullets that you guys back east can for hunting. If anyone has proven, safe info on Cutting Edge or Hammer bullets that will work with the twist rate of the barrel mentioned feel free to post it up if you want to. Thanks in advance.

Update: I will be adding 131 grain Hammers into the mix as well.

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

I'm interested in what you find. I'm shooting the ELDX now but would like a Mono option for elk.

 

[carter33]

I have only started reloading 6.5 PRC recently but the N565 seems to be the ticket to fill case capacity without compression and achieve the best velocity. From what I have read the large rifle primers are a better fit than magnum. I have been using the fed210LR with good luck.

I worked up from some other loads I had read about and am ~2900fps MV with the 156 Berger eols in a 20” barrel. Oddly enough when I seated them deeper was the only time I had pressure signs but my neck tension is also high, working on correcting that.

I am probably not the “wizard” you’re referring to but with the N565 I would grab some large rifle primers and start working up from about 56 grains of that N565.

I am also curious to see advice on seating depths for mono metal bullets out of the 6.5PRc

 

[HawkinsPrecision]

You should be able to start with Hodgdon's numbers for H1000 and 7977. Probably in the 58-60 grain range. We haven't used the other powders.

Had a lot of luck and great accuracy from H4831SC. It would probably do well with a lighter bullet.

 

[Azone]

You should be able to start with Hodgdon's numbers for H1000 and 7977. Probably in the 58-60 grain range. We haven't used the other powders.

Had a lot of luck and great accuracy from H4831SC. It would probably do well with a lighter bullet.

I do a have a pound of H4831SC and a few pounds of IMR4831. I may give those a go if the powders mentioned previously don’t work out. What primers are you using?

 

[HawkinsPrecision]

Using 210Ms. Below are some numbers on it. With 143 ELD-X, Hornady Brass. This is on a 24" barrel, Havak rifle. This rifle hasn't hit the speeds some people are claiming, but shoots well.

Using H4831SC has been the best this rifle has ever shot. It was shooting like a match rifle in 6BR or Dasher until it got close to pressure. You can see the big velocity node at 51.5-52.5, and a smaller one at 53.5 - 54.

50.5 - 2795 FPS
51 - 2820
51.5 - 2853
52 - 2859
52.5 - 2865
53 - 2910
53.5 - 2931
54 - 2932
54.5 - 2955
55 - 2981 (Pressure)

I do want to try the 127 LRX but going through some more powders before I change bullets. Also a 156 EOL. They are the two other most common bullets people are asking about. You may have read this, and we're working on part 2 with H4831SC, VV N565, Retumbo and RL23. http://www.rockymountainhunting.com/b/reloading-for-65-prc.html

 

[Skykarp]

Following!

Just picked up a CA Ridgeline. Have RL 26 , RL 23 , and H1000 waiting to get dropped in Gunwerks brass

 

[Kiwihunter]

6.5 Prc
20 inch 8 TWIST suppressed
120 Barnes ttsx
59 grains superformance
ADG brass
CCI BR2
3210 fps
0.4 moa @100 yards

 

[Azone]

My apologies for not updating sooner, work has been rough the past few weeks. I will finally get to loading in the next week (bad excuse, I know). I was able to pick up some ADG brass and some 210m primers. So I will be posting results ASAP.

@Kiwihunter
What was your starting load with Superformance?

 

[Kiwihunter]

I started at 58 grains of superformance with the same accuracy, didn't chrony. Magneto chrony effects my groups so I was only looking at how it printed on paper.
57 grains of rl22 was also looking good but I chose to go with superformance as I am using this for my 147 eldm load @2990fps which gives the same point of impact as the TTSX.
I plan on using the TTSX inside 350 yards for spook and shoot and if further I will use the eldm

 

[Kiwihunter]

6.5 Prc
20 inch 8 TWIST suppressed
120 Barnes ttsx
59 grains superformance
ADG brass
CCI BR2
3210 fps
0.4 moa @100 yards

The chrony say 3220fps avg

 

[JakeSCH]

I’ve found 3220 to 3240 is a common velocity node for the 6.5 PRC and the 127 LRX (124 hammers is same too). Mine is shooting .3 MOA with 57.1gr of RL26 (100 degree heat) and 57.7 gr under 80 degrees. ADG brass and Fed210M .05 off lands.

CA Mesa

 

[Bowhunter559]

Hmm I starting out with 7977, ADG, and 125gr Cutting Edge Lazers. Will be my dedicated deer gun. Keep you posted on results.

 

[Azone]

I ended up settling on a 210 match primer, 58.0 grains of N565 behind the 131 Hammer and I have the bullet in ADG brass .040 off the lands so it fits in the magazine. It’s very accurate and so far the 131 Hammers have not disappointed in performance on game. I can’t remember what the chronograph numbers were off the top of my head.

 

[PowPowHawg]

I have same spec setup… It a hammer at 300yds!!! Around 58gn H1k, Hor Brass, 127 LRX about .060” off but pretty sure I use 210M primers… I’ll have to double check my book. Right at 3060 fps accuracy node…

 

[7wssm]

A bit late but here’s my data for comparison or future reference if anyone else searches

125 Badlands and H4831sc

 

[Bowhunter559]

Okay update on my load data… Very disappointed with accuracy of IMR 7977. Shooting once fired ADG brass. I shot 50 rounds of the Cutting Edge 125 Lazer and 140 Lazer. Both had a good node at 58.3gr IMR 7977. FPS on both loads was 3050. I never got to max pressure or any signs of pressure. Case volume and compressed loads didn’t allow me to move up. However, I couldn’t get either group under 1 MOA. I played with the land from .005 up to .050. Since IMR 7977 and H1000 are nearly identical, I’ll be trying out H4831SC in the 127 LRX Barnes. Might give the Cutting edge 125’s 1 more chance with H4831SC…

 

[OXN939]

I ended up settling on a 210 match primer, 58.0 grains of N565 behind the 131 Hammer and I have the bullet in ADG brass .040 off the lands so it fits in the magazine. It’s very accurate and so far the 131 Hammers have not disappointed in performance on game. I can’t remember what the chronograph numbers were off the top of my head.

Those 131s should handle anything in CA no sweat. If you haven't tried it yet, the Lee factory crimp die is really the best $20 you'll ever spend with Hammers. Giving the brass a slight crimp basically increases the dwell time, which creates a similar effect to the "jump" a lot of monos like. Every load I've ever seen with Hammers has improved significantly with either a 1/8 or 1/4 turn crimp of the FCD.

 

[Azone]

Those 131s should handle anything in CA no sweat. If you haven't tried it yet, the Lee factory crimp die is really the best $20 you'll ever spend with Hammers. Giving the brass a slight crimp basically increases the dwell time, which creates a similar effect to the "jump" a lot of monos like. Every load I've ever seen with Hammers has improved significantly with either a 1/8 or 1/4 turn crimp of the FCD.

Dwell time? You mind going into detail?

 

[OXN939]

Dwell time? You mind going into detail?

As I'm told...

Basically, copper monos "like" a longer interval between ignition and when they interface with the lands. Both jumping and giving the cases a slight crimp help to achieve this- the crimp basically retains the bullet for a millisecond longer than rounds when loaded without it.

I'm sure there are reloading wizards who could add more on this. Just passing on my observations on 4 different loads I've come up with using Hammers that have all benefitted from the Lee FCD