Orcon
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I don't know if you've tried but the Winchester LRM have the lowest SD in my 300WSM, 6.5 WSM and there's a couple of guys that gave up on the Feds and CCI shooting 338 Edge and 6.5-280 out my way.
Another Kimber Montana 8400 WSM conversion ... this time to 6.5 PRC
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Gtscotty
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Yes, very true ... and shooting other stuff too along with home projects completely unrelated to shooting. I'm hoping to buy a used gas-powered concrete mixer this weekend and then there'll be more projects.
You must have some kind of "spidey sense" because I was at Proof Research yesterday afternoon discussing my 6.5 PRC project. Kelly told me that the current "best" twist rate is 1:7.5 which is what they use and yet I had barrels made with a 1:8 twist based on Horndady's recommendation. She also mentioned that a tight chamber with "lots" of freebore helps. I don't think that the twist difference would be a deal breaker but I still haven't managed to get consistently good results. I was thinking about trying different torque values at the barrel receiver interface to see if it makes a difference. Overall this project hasn't gone that well and I really don't know why. I was expecting greatness from this rifle/cartridge combination but so far all I see is mediocrity.
What all powders and bullets have you tried thus far? Have you tried a bunch of combinations and it hasn't liked any of them? What's your ultimate goal for the rifle? Are there certain levels of velocity/accuracy/SD you're aiming for?
I'm just curious what your expectations are/were for the rifle.
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horsemen61
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Hope the accuracy picks up
Gtscotty said:
I've only tried H1000 powder with Hornady 143gr ELD-X and 147gr ELD Match bullets. You ask an interesting question or two about my goals and expectations for the rifle and my desired velocity/accuracy numbers. The velocity and accuracy parts are easy. The 6.5 PRC had better shoot as well as most of the 6.5 CM rifles on the market and velocity had better be 150 fps to 200 fps faster than typical 6.5 CM loads to make it worthwhile. I get 2,900 fps with a 140gr bullet using my 24" barreled/suppressed AI AW in 6.5 CM so I need/want a 143gr to be moving around 3,100 fps for the cartridge to have any merit for me. If the rifle/load could perform well, the goal for the rifle would be to give me two rilles that would cover all hunting situations for me in Montana. I have a great .375 H&H Mag and this PRC would complete my two gun hunting set up.
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I forgot mention, the good folks at Proof Research very kindly offered to take a look at the rifle and see if they had any input on why it's not shooting the way I hoped. They might need to put me under the microscope! I like to solve my own problems so I'm hesitant to take the rifle to them since it would be an admission of failure on my part. I tried to check the barrel twist but got very inconsistent results but the vendor assures me that they are 1:8. I'm not done with this project yet and will try to get back on it and figure out the annealing process for the Hornady brass. I'll also try using GM215M rather than GM210M primers in case that helps any.
I like to solve my own problems so I'm hesitant to take the rifle to them since it would be an admission of failure on my part. I tried to check the barrel twist but got very inconsistent results but the vendor assures me that they are 1:8. I'm not done with this project yet and will try to get back on it and figure out the annealing process for the Hornady brass. I'll also try using GM215M rather than GM210M primers in case that helps any.horsemen61
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Op I’m with you if I can’t get a 143 eld x to 3,000 FPS with a high level accuracy then i won’t keep it no point to burn extra powder
Do you think that the folks at Hornady had your needs or application in mind when designing the 6.5 PRC or the 143 gr. ELDX? What were their standards? Objectives and application? Did they meet those objectives with factory systems?I forgot mention, the good folks at Proof Research very kindly offered to take a look at the rifle and see if they had any input on why it's not shooting the way I hoped. They might need to put me under the microscope!
mshootnit said:
Hornady has sold the 6.5 PRC as being a precision cartridge along the lines of the 6.5 Creedmoor. There are a number of rifle companies offering 6.5 PRC but I haven't seen much in the way of results, and nothing with a barrel that has an O.D. at the muzzle of .56".
I've been thinking about Proof's comment re the twist rate. All 6.5 CMs that I'm aware of use a 1:8 twist and easily handle the 147gr bullets from Hornady at typical velocities. The PRC adds 150 to 200 fps over the CM so that's only going to help bullet stability, so why the 7.5 twist? Maybe it's for solid copper bullets or something but the barrels I have should easily be able to stabilize the Hornady bullets that I'm using. I still think that the issues I'm having are partly due to the brass from Hornady, how big a part I don't know.
horsemen61
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Interesting
mshootnit said:
Still 6.5 PRC at the moment, but it would take 10 minutes to swap out the barrel for the original 300 WSM or the .308 Win that I tried. It's been on the back burner for a while now but I'll get back on it at some point. I need to try a different powder and work up some AccuBond LR handloads. I have a bunch of the 142gr ABLR bullets to try and I don't think the 1:8 twist rate is a problem at all.
still fighting with mine as well. I'm going looking for some factory fodder today hopefully.
I can break 3k with good accuracy from mine, but not with anything resembling book data.
I appreciate you gents sharing your experience with this one. Really makes me think maybe I ought to just stay in the leopard camp after all when I build my 6.5 screamer....
Nature Boy
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Too many rifles, so little time. I get it
horsemen61
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I’d love to hear how them 142’s do for you!
Nature Boy said:
Yep, that really is a recurring theme for many of us. I still need to get a Remington 700 Alaskan Ti project wrapped up so that I can sell it.
horsemen61 said:
I'll definitely report back on any load development for the ABLRs. I've been working for months on my driveway in preparation for 9,000+ sq.ft. of asphalt. I have a small Kubota tractor with a loader and backhoe so it takes a lot of time and effort to move many cubic yards of dirt and rocks, some the size of an armchair! The paving company were at my house last Friday to grade, fill and compact, and yesterday they were here to lay asphalt. It's all done now so hopefully I can get back on some load development in between sifting dirt and back-filling where necessary, building retaining walls, extending the barn, etc.
horsemen61
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This is an old thread that didn't end too well. None of the Bergara made barrels performed the way I'd hoped so I ended up going in a different direction with a couple of Proof barrels on the same 8400 action and a Sako S20. See the links below. As for your question, I'm not familiar with the Lee case conditioning kit, but as you mention, the PRC uses a longer case than both the Creedmoor and Grendel.
Another Kimber project rifle | The High Road
Sako S20 Hunter 6.5 PRC | The High Road
Nothing to report at the moment but hopefully this spring I'll be able to work up a load using the ABLRs. I placed an order with Redding in January for a powder measure, 6.5 PRC dies and 7mm-08 AI dies. The check was cashed a couple of days ago so I assume that they'll be shipping the order out soon.
horsemen61
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Sounds like good gear! Can’t wait to hear about it!!!
horsemen61
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horsemen61
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