New custom 6.5 PRC

DiscoSteve

DiscoSteve

Hammer Time Executive member
I finally got my 6.5 PRC this week. It was built by Ace rifles - www.aceriflesnv.com - and I'm super impressed with the build quality so far. Here's how I spec'ed it out:

20" Carbon Six 1-7" twist barrel
Manners EH5 thumbhole stock
775 Zermatt Arms action
Hawkins Precision bottom metal, DBM and scope rings
TBAC muzzle brake for a Dominus SR silencer
Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44 scope
2 stage flat trigger tech trigger
Javelin bipod mount

Initial impressions: I really like the palm swell on the manners stock. My first project is to raise the comb height a bit. This is my first FFP scope, so I'm still getting used to that, but the Mark 5HD glass is awesome. Trigger tech trigger breaks cleanly and I like 2 stage triggers. I like the flat trigger shoe too. It shot a sub 1.5" group at 300 yards with factory Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X ammo! I'm looking forward to breaking in the barrel and starting some load development with the 125 HHT first on deck. Brant, the owner of Ace Rifles was super responsive and easy to work with. I mailed him some of the components (scope, bipod mount, muzzle brake) and he assembled them all and shipped the completed rifle back to my FFL. I plan for this to be my "everything but bull elk" rifle (and I could probably make it my do everything rifle, but what's the fun in that?!).

For @gltaylor - I shot an initial 3 round ladder with N565. 125HHT, CCI200 primers, COAL 2.850", no crimp, virgin ADG brass
57 gr - 2829
58 gr - 2844
59 gr - 2898

No pressure at all, but about out of case capacity.
 

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I prematurely bought 4 lbs of N565 hoping it would work, but I think it's better suited to longer heavier bullets like the Berger EOLs. I think it's too slow for a 125 hammer. Next up I'm gonna try some 4831SC or staball 6.5.
 
gltaylor said:
If you've not found pressure and are about out of case capacity, go to a faster powder.
Would think you might get better velocity?
Click to expand...
I tried a short ladder with Staball 6.5 and 4831SC. Same rifle, 6.5 PRC, 20" 1-7 twist, 125 HHT, CCI200, 2.850 COAL, virgin ADG brass, no crimp.

Staball 6.5:
55 gr - 3061
56 gr - 3107
57 gr - 3165 no pressure. Still lots of case capacity left. 3" group at 200 yds.

4831SC:
55 gr - 2848
56 gr - 2906
57 gr - 2927. Almost out of case capacity. 3 shots went into 1" vertical string at 200 yds.

What do you guys think? Go up with staball until I find pressure and then back off and hope I can find a load that groups well? Or go with 4831SC until I run out of case capacity and see how fast that is?

I would really like to get an accurate hunting load at 3100+ fps. I can already get there with staball, just unsure of the accuracy. 4831SC seems very accurate, but might be a stretch to get the velocity I want.

Or should I even be messing with load development with only 50 rounds down the barrel?

@gltaylor - Do you want me to post this in the post your loads section? I don't want you to have to look in multiple places, but I also don't want to duplicate work for you.
 
hand skills said:
Got any H4350 or RL16?

Personal I would try a couple more powders and see what shows promise.

I like to do load development once the barrel has 100ish rounds on it and I'm using once fired brass.
Click to expand...
No 4350 or RL16. Powders I have: TAC, IMR4895, IMR4166, Staball 6.5, Ramshot big game, Ramshot hunter, 4831SC, N565. Any recs would be appreciated. Looking for a good "temp stable" load (pigs in TX to elk in WY).
 
BIG GAME might be a tad fast it works really well in my 260 and 7-08. Hunter is close to 4831 but it's almost like a ball powder so meters into cases better which might help in getting the most powder in there.
 
DiscoSteve said:
I tried a short ladder with Staball 6.5 and 4831SC. Same rifle, 6.5 PRC, 20" 1-7 twist, 125 HHT, CCI200, 2.850 COAL, virgin ADG brass, no crimp.

Staball 6.5:
55 gr - 3061
56 gr - 3107
57 gr - 3165 no pressure. Still lots of case capacity left. 3" group at 200 yds.

4831SC:
55 gr - 2848
56 gr - 2906
57 gr - 2927. Almost out of case capacity. 3 shots went into 1" vertical string at 200 yds.

What do you guys think? Go up with staball until I find pressure and then back off and hope I can find a load that groups well? Or go with 4831SC until I run out of case capacity and see how fast that is?

I would really like to get an accurate hunting load at 3100+ fps. I can already get there with staball, just unsure of the accuracy. 4831SC seems very accurate, but might be a stretch to get the velocity I want.

Or should I even be messing with load development with only 50 rounds down the barrel?

@gltaylor - Do you want me to post this in the post your loads section? I don't want you to have to look in multiple places, but I also don't want to duplicate work for you.
Click to expand...
The Share your loads section is easier on me.
Our computer is being replaced right now, so I have a backlog of data to enter😡
 
I went up with staball 6.5 and tried N560 and H4350. I posted my results in the reloading section, would love to hear what you guys think.

Shape/pattern of pressure ladder

I'm wondering how much importance you guys place on the shape of your group when doing pressure ladders, and what that tells you about continuing to test a certain powder. I've tried several powders in my 6.5 PRC and some of them group well, some string vertically, and some string horizontally...
hammerbullets.com

Still waiting on the Lee FCD.
 
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