6.5 PRC Adventure

Joined
Aug 18, 2015
Messages
985
Location
Harrisburg, Oregon
I mentioned in another thread that my brother bought a 6.5 PRC Tikka Veil Alpine and I’m working up a load for him. I’m starting with R26, WLR, 156 EOL, and new Nosler brass.

I used the venerable Sharpie method to determine max length at 2.429” on the comparator, which equates to 3.130.” I’m using 7mm Rem Mag/30-06/300 Win Mag magazines instead of the 4-round magazine the rifle came with so I can load as long as I want.

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I prepped and primed the brass then started on a pressure/velocity test. I started at 55.0 grains and went up in .5 grain increments, firing three shots of the same charge over the chrono. I ended up at 57.6 grains at 2955 fps, SD 1, ES 3. Brass looks good, no cratering, maybe the slightest hint of ejector mark, easy bolt lift. All rounds at 2.429.”

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So now we’re ready for the seating depth test. I loaded 4 each at 5 different OAL, starting at 2.429” and working backward in 0.40” increments.

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Somewhere in there I expect my brother to find accuracy, then I’ll fine-tune to maximize the load. I can still go shorter, since the shortest load is still over SAAMI max.




P
 
OP
Pharmseller
Joined
Aug 18, 2015
Messages
985
Location
Harrisburg, Oregon
So he found his load.

Windy and cold, about 38F. Five targets at 100 yards. Each target got a bullet, then on to the next OAL on a different target. He thinks this process leads to enhanced consistency. Suppressed.

The longest load was just into the lands, the next longest was 0.04” off. The longest load won.

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Second place wasn’t bad.

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Only 3 shots at 100 yards off a bipod, I know, but it looks good to me.

Chronoed the 4th round, got 2932, which is close to the 2955 I got with the suppressor off.

He‘s pretty pleased.




P
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
3,076
I would back off your longest load a bit since it was into the lands. Go somewhere between that first and second comparator length.
 
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