What’s a realistic number for 6.5prc velocity

[Jlowry809]

Like the title says I’m wondering what some realistic velocities would be for the 140g Berger Elite hunters out of a 24inch barrel.

I have tested pretty much every factory loading of 6.5prc and my tikka likes the 140g Berger Elite Hunters the most. Accuracy is great with the factory loading and at 100 yards I can get a .5inch 4 shot group and be around 1.25-1.3 inch 12 shot group. My only complaint is the speeds I’m getting. Regardless of batch numbers I’m getting between 2790-2810, no where near the 3100 advertised box speeds.

Before I make the investment into a reloading kit I wanted some opinions on if that 3100fps is really attainable.

So far have been very happy with my current set and successfully harvested my first elk last year with a 515ish yard shot. Slightly quartering away and got a double lung with the bullet lodging in the opposite shoulder blade. Elk ran about 75-100 yards before he dropped in his tracks.


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[Vicomb]

Sauer 100 Pantera 6.5 PRC - 22" barrel 1-8 twist

Berger VLD Hunting 140gr. #26504 - Lapua Brass

250 O.E.M. CCI Primers

RL-26

Getting 3000fps consistently .5 MOA

 

[Backcast88]

3100 is likely a bit of a stretch with 140gr bullets.

3000fps is likely where you'd end up. In my Seekins 2950-2980 is where my gun shoots best. I can get a bit more velocity but accuracy suffers and I get into heavily compressed loads at that point.

 

[huntnful]

In a 24", 2950ish fps with 4831SC or H1000. A little faster with N560 or N565

 

[The Guide]

Not the same bullet but factory loads none the less...

Tikka factory 24" Barrel gets me 2773 fps with the factory Berger 156 load.
Tikka with 22" PBB prefit barrel gets me 2843 fps with factory Hornady 147 ELDM and 2739 fps with the factory Berger 156 load.
Howa factory 24" barrel gets me 2867 fps with the factory Hornady 147 ELDM ammo.

I think you should be getting higher velocity with a 140gr bullet than I get with a 147 grain and the 156 isn't much lower than where you are with a 140.

Jay

 

[Smithb9841]

Like the title says I’m wondering what some realistic velocities would be for the 140g Berger Elite hunters out of a 24inch barrel.

I have tested pretty much every factory loading of 6.5prc and my tikka likes the 140g Berger Elite Hunters the most. Accuracy is great with the factory loading and at 100 yards I can get a .5inch 4 shot group and be around 1.25-1.3 inch 12 shot group. My only complaint is the speeds I’m getting. Regardless of batch numbers I’m getting between 2790-2810, no where near the 3100 advertised box speeds.

Before I make the investment into a reloading kit I wanted some opinions on if that 3100fps is really attainable.

So far have been very happy with my current set and successfully harvested my first elk last year with a 515ish yard shot. Slightly quartering away and got a double lung with the bullet lodging in the opposite shoulder blade. Elk ran about 75-100 yards before he dropped in his tracks.


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What kind of chrono are you using? Have you tried someone else’s to see if you’re getting an accurate reading? That seems pretty low for a 140grain bullet.

How many rounds do you have through the barrel I know mine settled in at around 70-100 rounds if I remember correctly. I’ve heard guys claim that tikkas are notorious for having slower barrels idk if there is truth to that or not but sure seems like a lot of guys claim that.

I’m getting 2940ish with 156 bergers with h4831SC and a 24” proof prefit carbon barrel.

 

[Jlowry809]

What kind of chrono are you using? Have you tried someone else’s to see if you’re getting an accurate reading? That seems pretty low for a 140grain bullet.

How many rounds do you have through the barrel I know mine settled in at around 70-100 rounds if I remember correctly. I’ve heard guys claim that tikkas are notorious for having slower barrels idk if there is truth to that or not but sure seems like a lot of guys claim that.

I’m getting 2940ish with 156 bergers with h4831SC and a 24” proof prefit carbon barrel.

I have only used one and it’s one of the Garmins. It’s a buddies but there is a group of 5 of us that all use it. With other guns I have chronod they were all close to box velocity, this Tikka is just slower than factory stated velocities with everything.

I’m probably in the 140-150 round count.

I have heard that about tikka barrels as well but not really interested in rebarreling it. If I did I would just go wildcat with a 6.5/7prc.


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[sr80]

I was working a load up with 140 berger EH with my 6.5 prc, H4831sc in a tikka i was getting just over 3000 fps . They haven't been as accurate as the 147 eldm's for me though. Anyone know of a sweet spot they like from the rifling??

 

[Jlowry809]

I was working a load up with 140 berger EH with my 6.5 prc, H4831sc in a tikka i was getting just over 3000 fps . They haven't been as accurate as the 147 eldm's for me though. Anyone know of a sweet spot they like from the rifling??

I don’t want to say mine disliked the 147’s, I believe it was just under a 1 inch 5 shot group and somewhere close to a 1.5-1.75 inch 12 shot group.


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[Castle Rock]

I was working a load up with 140 berger EH with my 6.5 prc, H4831sc in a tikka i was getting just over 3000 fps . They haven't been as accurate as the 147 eldm's for me though. Anyone know of a sweet spot they like from the rifling??

Have you tried.05-.06”

 

[Smithb9841]

I have only used one and it’s one of the Garmins. It’s a buddies but there is a group of 5 of us that all use it. With other guns I have chronod they were all close to box velocity, this Tikka is just slower than factory stated velocities with everything.

I’m probably in the 140-150 round count.

I have heard that about tikka barrels as well but not really interested in rebarreling it. If I did I would just go wildcat with a 6.5/7prc.


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sounds like there’s no issue with the chrono then just a slow barrel. And if you already have that many rounds I don’t see it speeding up.

I know you mentioned possibly getting into reloading to get more Speed but I don’t think
You would get much more out of handloads before hitting pressure. I’m sure
You could squeak out more than the factory loads but not a lot more.

But if you want an excuse to get into reloading go for it.

I don’t blame you I would be really disappointed in those speeds with that weight bullet out of a 6.5 prc.

 

[Quandary]

140 VLD Target 2,975 in a 26" barrel with 4831SC in a load that is not "hot". This is with a Benchmark 26" Palma barrel in a weighted MPA chassis. The load is also .75ish large group MOA.

 

[Kimber7man]

58.3 grains N560 got the 140 elite hunter going 2,950 over a year ago in my 20” Bartlein barrel. Tested that load again this spring and my barrel had sped up to 2,977.

4” more barrel might get you 3,050?

Lapua brass, F210M primer, 2.95” COAL

 

[wind gypsy]

Before I make the investment into a reloading kit I wanted some opinions on if that 3100fps is really attainable.

Not really at modest pressures from a 24" tikka. I'm surprised Berger lists that speed on factory ammo.. 26" barrel with the hottest powders, probably doable top end but I wouldn't go into anything expecting to settle there.

 

[Firestone]

I get 2930 with retumbo and 156s out of a 23". I think 3000 should be pretty attainable with 140s

 

[TheViking]

I have only used one and it’s one of the Garmins. It’s a buddies but there is a group of 5 of us that all use it. With other guns I have chronod they were all close to box velocity, this Tikka is just slower than factory stated velocities with everything.

I’m probably in the 140-150 round count.

I have heard that about tikka barrels as well but not really interested in rebarreling it. If I did I would just go wildcat with a 6.5/7prc.


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My old Tikka Roughtech 6.5 PRC took like 200-250 rounds before I saw speed improvement. But it jumped up like 50 fps!

 

[seand]

Like the title says I’m wondering what some realistic velocities would be for the 140g Berger Elite hunters out of a 24inch barrel.

I have tested pretty much every factory loading of 6.5prc and my tikka likes the 140g Berger Elite Hunters the most. Accuracy is great with the factory loading and at 100 yards I can get a .5inch 4 shot group and be around 1.25-1.3 inch 12 shot group. My only complaint is the speeds I’m getting. Regardless of batch numbers I’m getting between 2790-2810, no where near the 3100 advertised box speeds.

Before I make the investment into a reloading kit I wanted some opinions on if that 3100fps is really attainable.

So far have been very happy with my current set and successfully harvested my first elk last year with a 515ish yard shot. Slightly quartering away and got a double lung with the bullet lodging in the opposite shoulder blade. Elk ran about 75-100 yards before he dropped in his tracks.


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I’ve never had a rifle that couldn’t obtain book max velocities. Charge weights may vary but the book max velocity is the best approximation of max saami pressure the handloader has. Some barrels are “slower” because due to bore diameter, chamber dims, etc., they are generating less pressure. Example: tikkas with factory ammo that are “slow”

Ref hornady load data for 26” barrel and 140-143’s. My approach would be to Subtract 25fpsx2” =50 fps to account for the barrel length. I’d expect to hit 3050 with H1000 or 3000 with H4831 at close to max pressure. And I’d likely load under that for hunting ammo.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I think you'd be able to safely get around 3,000fps by handloading the 140 with N565 or H1000. My factory barrel is cut down to 21" and I ran the 143 that fast in testing, but that was max. Add a few inches of barrel and deduct a couple grains of bullet weight, I bet she'd be right there.

 

[1990DSM]

Although not the same bullet, but same weight I got Barnes 140g Matchburners doing 3092fps without pressure in my factory Tikka Roughtech. Using VihtaVuori N560 with Hornady brass with a Fed210 primer. I have it settled around 3050fps now shooting very well.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

24" barrel
* 147 gr ELDM w/ RL 26: 3050 fps
* 156 gr EOL w/ RL 26: 3025 fps