Range Report 6.5 PRC or maybe just a stupid expensive 6.5 Creedmoor?

[45/30-06OKIE]

Moved this discussion from the Reloading Room thread to here
Let me preface this with saying I am running a Mossberg Patriot Predator with a 24in barrel.
Ok so I got some new 156gr Bergers in this week and loaded up a few test batches.





Here's the chronograph results.

156gr Berger 58.5gr Retumbo


156gr Berger 57.4gr H1000


156gr Berger 59.5gr StaBall HD


I also shot my 150gr Sierra MatchKing, 140gr Sierra MatchKing, and 140gr Partition loads as well.

150gr SMK 58.5gr Retumbo


140gr SMK 59gr H1000


140gr Partition 59gr H1000


So as you can see if seems like the velocity is pretty low compared to what book data says for 150-153gr bullets.
Here's Hornady and Hodgdon data.




Thoughts?? Anyone running a 6.5 PRC shooting 150gr class bullets with these powders??

 

[JmacD]

I’m not (yet ). But I’ve been rolling it about in my head this afternoon, and I’m wondering how many rounds down the pipe? Barrel break in, cleaning etc. It is a sub $500 rifle, and I’m going to be surprised if pushing it that hard is where it’s most accurate. It may be a bit slower barrel. I’m guessing the test barrels the data is based on is probably not a budget hunting barrel. A super good quality cut rifle vs a “chattery” button rifled barrel might be a simple explanation. Not at all knocking your rifle, not seen down your barrel; just random ramblings from my pea brain. I personally go backwards from some perspectives. I hunt accuracy. And when I feel I’ve wrung all of that I can, I then see how fast it is. FWIW, it never has matched the book for speeds. I never did quite buy into the “magnumitis speed craze” where elephant guns were necked down to bb guns(exaggerated on purpose! Haha). Hooray it’s 4000 fps, but it’s about 5 moa… I have always wanted to run heavy, and let the bullet do the work. The PRC family is really onto the right recipe imho. Ok I’m really rambling, and with no real experience with this particular cartridge … I’ll shut up…

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I’m not (yet ). But I’ve been rolling it about in my head this afternoon, and I’m wondering how many rounds down the pipe? Barrel break in, cleaning etc. It is a sub $500 rifle, and I’m going to be surprised if pushing it that hard is where it’s most accurate. It may be a bit slower barrel. I’m guessing the test barrels the data is based on is probably not a budget hunting barrel. A super good quality cut rifle vs a “chattery” button rifled barrel might be a simple explanation. Not at all knocking your rifle, not seen down your barrel; just random ramblings from my pea brain. I personally go backwards from some perspectives. I hunt accuracy. And when I feel I’ve wrung all of that I can, I then see how fast it is. FWIW, it never has matched the book for speeds. I never did quite buy into the “magnumitis speed craze” where elephant guns were necked down to bb guns(exaggerated on purpose! Haha). Hooray it’s 4000 fps, but it’s about 5 moa… I have always wanted to run heavy, and let the bullet do the work. The PRC family is really onto the right recipe imho. Ok I’m really rambling, and with no real experience with this particular cartridge … I’ll shut up…

No you do have a point about chasing stupid speed! I'm not shooting a 300WinMag here lol. Anyway, I have probably shot 100+ rounds through it? Idk exactly but it's not a crap ton. I use copper solvent/oil on a bore snake to clean my barrel.

 

[troy fairweather]

Something is way off, I know guys shooting the 156 at 3000 from 24" barrels. I'm getting over 3 k with 147s in my 24" .

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Something is way off, I know guys shooting the 156 at 3000 from 24" barrels. I'm getting over 3 k with 147s in my 24" .

Yeah but I'm not really sure where to start? I wish I had access to a loaner higher end 6.5 PRC rifle that I could shoot.

 

[Legionnaire]

I'd try shooting something else of known velocity through your chrono setup. If that seems low, too, you may have a problem with your chronograph. I'd get some pretty wonky numbers from my Shooting Chrony Alpha if the unit was not shaded; stick it in the sun and readings could vary greatly. Do you know anyone with a Magnetospeed or LabRadar to compare with?

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I'd try shooting something else of known velocity through your chrono setup. If that seems low, too, you may have a problem with your chronograph. I'd get some pretty wonky numbers from my Shooting Chrony Alpha Chronograph if the unit was not shaded; stick it in the sun and readings could vary greatly. Do you know anyone with a Magnetospeed or LabRadar to compare with?

See I've shot other stuff like Greek HXP ball out of my M1 and it was 2700fps and Ive shot 230gr 45 Auto and it was 850-860fps. So I don't think the chronograph is necessarily "bad" it was in the sun the whole time too. And no I don't have access to a labradar or magnetospeed sadly. However, my readings were extremely consistent, just very low.

 

[troy fairweather]

Ya check your chronograph, maybe worth checking the bore and slug it never know maybe they put a 270 barrel on or something. Even a super long throat you would be that slow with starting llads.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Moved this discussion from the Reloading Room thread to here
Let me preface this with saying I am running a Mossberg Patriot Predator with a 24in barrel.
Ok so I got some new 156gr Bergers in this week and loaded up a few test batches.

View attachment 1159605

View attachment 1159606

Here's the chronograph results.

156gr Berger 58.5gr Retumbo
View attachment 1159607

156gr Berger 57.4gr H1000
View attachment 1159608

156gr Berger 59.5gr StaBall HD
View attachment 1159609

I also shot my 150gr Sierra MatchKing, 140gr Sierra MatchKing, and 140gr Partition loads as well.

150gr SMK 58.5gr Retumbo
View attachment 1159610

140gr SMK 59gr H1000
View attachment 1159611

140gr Partition 59gr H1000
View attachment 1159612

So as you can see if seems like the velocity is pretty low compared to what book data says for 150-153gr bullets.
Here's Hornady and Hodgdon data.
View attachment 1159613

View attachment 1159614

Thoughts?? Anyone running a 6.5 PRC shooting 150gr class bullets with these powders??

Well, since starting at max isn’t getting it, try going up to +P+ loads. See if that gets the job done.

 

[troy fairweather]

Well, since starting at max isn’t getting it, try going up to +P+ loads. See if that gets the job done.

He's pretty much maxed out on powder charge, not much more I'll fit in the case.

 

[horsemen61]

See I've shot other stuff like Greek HXP ball out of my M1 and it was 2700fps and Ive shot 230gr 45 Auto and it was 850-860fps. So I don't think the chronograph is necessarily "bad" it was in the sun the whole time too. And no I don't have access to a labradar or magnetospeed sadly. However, my readings were extremely consistent, just very low.

I still think it’s the chronograph no way it should be that Slow with That Much Powder I’d check it out real good before I ruled it out

 

[JFrank]

Moved this discussion from the Reloading Room thread to here
Let me preface this with saying I am running a Mossberg Patriot Predator with a 24in barrel.
Ok so I got some new 156gr Bergers in this week and loaded up a few test batches.

View attachment 1159605

View attachment 1159606

Here's the chronograph results.

156gr Berger 58.5gr Retumbo
View attachment 1159607

156gr Berger 57.4gr H1000
View attachment 1159608

156gr Berger 59.5gr StaBall HD
View attachment 1159609

I also shot my 150gr Sierra MatchKing, 140gr Sierra MatchKing, and 140gr Partition loads as well.

150gr SMK 58.5gr Retumbo
View attachment 1159610

140gr SMK 59gr H1000
View attachment 1159611

140gr Partition 59gr H1000
View attachment 1159612

So as you can see if seems like the velocity is pretty low compared to what book data says for 150-153gr bullets.
Here's Hornady and Hodgdon data.
View attachment 1159613

View attachment 1159614

Thoughts?? Anyone running a 6.5 PRC shooting 150gr class bullets with these powders??

I’m wondering if this is some kind of load development process? It appears you are just grabbing a number out of a book.

 

[Blue68f100]

At what distance was the crony setup at? I find on rifle it need to be at least 15' away, otherwise I get some odd readings when shooting rifle.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

At what distance was the crony setup at? I find on rifle it need to be at least 15' away, otherwise I get some odd readings when shooting rifle.

Hmm, I would guess it was close to that but I didn't have a tape measure lol.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I’m wondering if this is some kind of load development process? It appears you are just grabbing a number out of a book.

I have had good luck with just loading max charge in the past with no real issues. So I figured this would be no different?

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Anyway, I caved and got this from Sheels online!

 

[JmacD]

Anyway, I caved and got this from Sheels online!
View attachment 1159692

I’m dreadfully jealous

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I’m dreadfully jealous

PayPal monthly is awesome for stuff like this! 54 bucks a month! Yeah you end up paying like 130 bucks in interest but I've got better things to spend 800 bucks on... Car payment/credit cards stuff like that lol. Heck I spent 100 bucks on a washer fluid pump and level sensor and associated grommets/seals for my explorer last week lol.

 

[JmacD]

PayPal monthly is awesome for stuff like this! 54 bucks a month! Yeah you end up paying like 130 bucks in interest but I've got better things to spend 800 bucks on... Car payment/credit cards stuff like that lol. Heck I spent 100 bucks on a washer fluid pump and level sensor and associated grommets/seals for my explorer last week lol.

Don’t you love it? Car parts are crazy! Oil change sure ain’t cheap… I use Mobil 1 and generally a k&n filter…$$$$ I’m looking at ball joints and possibly struts…

 

[JFrank]

I have had good luck with just loading max charge in the past with no real issues. So I figured this would be no different?

I don’t mean to troll but I’m still confused, why worry about speed if you’re not worried about accuracy ?

Why not test your chronograph against a factory loaded round or two before spending $800 ?

 

[Walkalong]

I have had good luck with just loading max charge in the past with no real issues. So I figured this would be no different?

That will bite you in the proverbial butt one of these days, always start low.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I don’t mean to troll but I’m still confused, why worry about speed if you’re not worried about accuracy ?

Why not test your chronograph against a factory loaded round or two before spending $800 ?

I shot Nosler ballistic tips and they were giving me vastly different numbers. Two at 2700 one at 2900 one at 3000 and one error. The 3000 one had the same recoil as the 2700 so idk.
Also, we can use the labradar indoors.

 

[Walkalong]

Anyway, I caved and got this from Sheels online!
View attachment 1159692

Sweet!

I wouldn't give up on the old chrono just yet though, folks are right, they'll do weird stuff sometimes if the conditions aren't favorable. Sun not right mostly.

 

[Walkalong]

I’m dreadfully jealous

Me too, have drooled over them a time or two, spent the money elsewhere.

 

[JmacD]

Me too, have drooled over them a time or two, spent the money elsewhere.

I’m jealous of that new action too. Lol