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I’m running 140’s at 3000 out of a 24” tube without pushing it and with H-1000 for the stability.... if 200 FPS faster is what your looking for then it’s worth it ! You can hot rod it with RL-26 and spread that gap even more, especially with a 26” barrel!!Is the general consensus that most everyone is happy with the 6.5 PRC? In my 26” 6.5x47 - my load is giving me 2780 and I’ve not tried to push them any harder - though I’ve got no pressure signs at all.
Just wondering how much of an improvement this really is over a 6.5 Creedmoor - considering the overall expense of getting another bolt, dies, etc. I believe the Creedmoor should easily be another 50 faster than my Lapua. Doesn’t seem like much difference to me for many. Again, is it worth it?
I did a load test on my 6.5 prc with a 24" 1:8 twist proof research barrel carbon fiber, bolly stock with a LRI break. This is built from a tikka t3 300wsm and still has the stock trigger. LRI did all the gunsmith work
I reloaded a barnes 127 lrx in hornady brass CCI BR2 primer and H1000 and got 3250,3224,3256 no pressure signs.
I reloaded a hornady 147 eld in hornady brass, federal primer, H1000 and got
3143,3153,3179 no pressure signs.
Do you know how far off the lands the factory 143 or 147s are in your Havak? What is the col you're using? I shoot a Havak as well but mainly for hunting and am trying to work up a load with the 143s. I'm using rl26 w/ 56.1 grns and running around 2910. And 2.097 col.In my 24” Havak with RL-26, ADG brass, CCI 250 and a 147 ELD-M I did a quick Chrono ladder/pressure test and found a .6 grain wide node from 54.8 to 55.4 (54.8, 55.1, 55.4) that had a velocity spread of 7 fps at 2930, 2937, and 2934 fps. I ran up to 57.2 grains and noticed a light ejector mark (3042 fps) so I stopped. None of the upper charges produced a flat spot. Is this node at 2935 fps as good as it gets in a 24” barrel? Has 8133, H1000, or 4831 SC created any higher velocity than RL-26?
Hornady brass
127 lrx h1000 59.3
147 eld h1000 59.7
For anyone interested in running the Berger 156,
I have tested them in 2 rifles, both 24” 8 twist barrels.
Hornady brass, fed primers and H1000.
Nearly all the loads I tried were sub moa, with many sub half moa.
Bullet seems easy to tune.
Both rifles shoot well with around 30thou jump and 57.5-58g H1000. ( I saw slight pressure around 59g )
Velocity is 2930 and 2945
Round count is sill under 100 on both rifles so the speed may pick up a bit more.
I believe N565 and RL 26 will offer more speed, but I am going bear hunting tomorrow and wanted to use a powder I am familiar with.
In testing to 1300 yds the Berger claimed bc has been spot on for me.
For anyone interested in running the Berger 156,
I have tested them in 2 rifles, both 24” 8 twist barrels.
Hornady brass, fed primers and H1000.
Nearly all the loads I tried were sub moa, with many sub half moa.
Bullet seems easy to tune.
Both rifles shoot well with around 30thou jump and 57.5-58g H1000. ( I saw slight pressure around 59g )
Velocity is 2930 and 2945
Round count is sill under 100 on both rifles so the speed may pick up a bit more.
I believe N565 and RL 26 will offer more speed, but I am going bear hunting tomorrow and wanted to use a powder I am familiar with.
In testing to 1300 yds the Berger claimed bc has been spot on for me.
Both are factory Fierce rifles with 188 freebore.
Coal is 3.55 but there was a good node @ 3.750 as well
Thanks. Are you meaning 3.055 coal and 3.075 ? No experience with that rifle so is it on a LA or SA. If SA do those rounds feed from a magazine?
Finished a bit of testing with the 156 EOLs. Using the hornady gauge, the max COAL was 3.074 (see picture attached) for the .188 FB. FWIW the bullets I measured were +- 6 thous in terms of OAL, so need to factor that into the measurement.
Best accuracy node was ~10-15 thous off. Running a 16.5” Proof CF barrel, 1:7 that was pushing them at 2750 FPS with H1000 and fed 210M primers... This was a hot load but anything under had an ES of 40+, whereas with this one the ES was holding at 15-20 FPS. Started losing primer pockets around load #6-8.
Regarding accuracy - I’m not totally satisfied, mostly because I was seeing flyers show up on a consistent basis. It would lay down two groups under 3/8”, and then the next would open up to an inch plus with a flyer. Could be related to the CF barrel heating up, but couldn’t really pin point the issue (checked action screw and scope ring torque, barrel clearance, switched to the VLD seating redding seating stem, etc.). Shot 200 rounds at various seating depths and charges. Lesson learned for me is that a “medium” action (e.g. defiance XM) is the way to go due to COAL restrictions on a normal short action with detachable mag. Due to the COAL restrictions and accuracy issues, I’m having a GAP 4s barrel spun up to see how these EOLs work... Will post results in the GAP 4s thread.
Which brand mag is 2.980?2.950 should fit in a short action, 3.050 probably won’t. My longest mags are 2.980.
Dam your 147 is close to my 147 w RL-26 from a 28 5r 1-7. Had issues w the last batch of 147.I have a 6.5 prc, 24" cf proof research barrel 1:8 twist built built off of a tikka t3 300wsm action and bolt.
At 59.7 hornady eld 147 h1000, federal primer, hornady brass 3179 fps .20 otl Top picture
At 59.3 barnes lrx 127 h1000, cci primer, hornady brass 3250 fps .20 otl bottom picture. I am working on this one tomorrow
I have a Bighorn TL3 short actionAccurate WSM and Alpha WSM Type 4. I’m having good luck at 2.970 from a Surgeon 591 WSM. Not sure your setup?
Sad these longer bullets come out and we can’t mag feed them in a true short action. I will still test the 156 berger for fun I’ll just have to single feed them in
This I want to pay attention to! I was having the same thoughts of getting my barrel with a .130 freebore just to see what I could get away with when seating to fit in the mag with the 153 and 156 grainers just for fun. I won’t be using any factory ammo at all for the gun. All hand loads.Yea a LA is ideally the way to go. I however am having TSCustoms spin up a barrel with a short .125 freebore right now so I can still mag feed the 156gr Berger and 153 A tips without having a crazy jump. At mag length it's not a crazy deep seating.. we'll see what pressure and velocity I get with these with RL26.
I have a .130 FB cut by Bugholes. 153gr A-Tip measures 2.968 (2.303C) to the lands and 150 SMK measures 3.013 (2.295C) to the lands. If you're using a finishing pilot reamer you might consider .115 or .120 FB. I'm sure both of these bullets are going to shoot but as the throat burns out you won't have a lot of room to grow, if any. I don't see much difference between .125 and .130, if you're going with a shorter throat you may as well give yourself some room.
For anyone interested in running the Berger 156,
I have tested them in 2 rifles, both 24” 8 twist barrels.
Hornady brass, fed primers and H1000.
Nearly all the loads I tried were sub moa, with many sub half moa.
Bullet seems easy to tune.
Both rifles shoot well with around 30thou jump and 57.5-58g H1000. ( I saw slight pressure around 59g )
Velocity is 2930 and 2945
Round count is sill under 100 on both rifles so the speed may pick up a bit more.
I believe N565 and RL 26 will offer more speed, but I am going bear hunting tomorrow and wanted to use a powder I am familiar with.
In testing to 1300 yds the Berger claimed bc has been spot on for me.
Just ran a pressure test with H1000, 156eol, cci250s, ADG brass .015" jump @ 3.070oal 24" 8 twist.
Worked up in 1grn increments just looking for pressure.
With the new ADG brass about 60grns is about all the case will hold for capacity.
Ran 3020fps @ 60grns pretty good ejector swipe. Probably a little over Max w/ADG. Probably ok with Hornady brass. 2900fps+ should be real easy.
my bad i mis-read your post, you're asking about dies...i'm using Redding competition dies. Redding competition seating die...i think, i'm using the VLD style bullet seating stem
Had another wee play with my prc today. I think I might off lucked out with my barrel as it seems to be a fast one. Tryed 3 slight variations off my load today. All loads was with 147 eld-m. First load was 57.8 grains off h1000 loaded factory length .51 moa 3 shoot group and 3180 FPS. Is a tad warm and getting slight ejector swipe. Federal mag primer
57.6gr .55 moa group and 3150 FPS no pressure sign federal large mag primer
57.8 gr and cci large mag primer .59 moa and slight ejector swipe
So am going to try 5 at 57.5 gr and see how that goes. I’d be happy round 3120 FPS
A bit of a quick one for sure. I am quite happy with the 3020 I get with 54.14 of RL26...Unobtanium.
Yep I’m from just out off Christchurch in the South Island. The main reason I went for mag primers is I’m cheap lol. I’ve got a couple off thousand off them as I run them in my 300 win mag so I pretty much just run them in all my rifles. Saves haveing a few different kinds off primers and getting themAre you here in the states or New Zealand as your moniker suggests? What made you decide on a mag primer vs.large rifle?
26" MPA barrel. My DA (two posts up) is around 10k but that has nothing to do with MV.
147 ELDs at 2.955 COAL, Fed 210s, - not magnum, and Hornady Brass