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6.5 PRC with 1-7” twist. Thoughts? Experience?

Is 1-7” twist to fast for 6.5 PRC?


  • Total voters
    23

PRCslut

Private
Minuteman
I’m looking at doing a rebarrel on my S20 6.5 PRC. 1-8” is to slow for long bullets and I’m thinking of going all they was to 1-7. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Is it to fast? Looking at HORNADY 143 eld-x or Berger 156.
 
I've had both 1-8 and 1-7 and they both worked well with everything I've shot. I've only gone up to 147s on the 1-8 though.

Next stick will be 1-7 just because...
 
How long is the barrel? 1:8 will stabilize 150's with enough velocity. I have a 1:7.5 pushing 150's 3025fps, stability isn't an issue.
 
This is a good point - my perspective is shorter barrels in the bitter cold with pressures well under max. Hence my preference for faster twists.

Do we have to guess the barrel length and conditions you have in mind or are you going to tell us? It's pretty doubtful you'd download 6.5PRC to the point 150's are too slow for 1:8 unless you talking about an SBR. You for sure can over spin them until they come apart though. 1:7 6.5 barrels are mainly for slow 6.5 with 150's, not 6.5PRC/6.5-284/6.5-06.
 
Yeah, also skeptical over here that it’s necessary. Let’s hear the bullet and expected MV, OP
 
1:8.5 in a creedmoor will have issues with some of the super heavies. 1:8 in a creedmoor or PRC is fine for pretty much everything on the market. 1:7 is overkill.

If you shoot in especially low altitude cold weather often, I could see maybe a 1:7.5" if you're scared but I still don't totally believe it's "necessary".
 
doesnt the PRC have a history of blowing up bullets on faster twist?

I run 147s at 3050 out of a 24" 1-8 with no issues.
 
1:7 works fine for most stuff in the 6.5 PRC. I did have 153 A-Tips start blowing up after about 1200 rounds on my last barrel. The Berger 153.5s have never had a problem. I also never had a problem with the Hornady 147ELDs either, but did not shoot them as much. I shoot all of these in the 2950-3050fps range.
 
1:7 works fine for most stuff in the 6.5 PRC. I did have 153 A-Tips start blowing up after about 1200 rounds on my last barrel. The Berger 153.5s have never had a problem. I also never had a problem with the Hornady 147ELDs either, but did not shoot them as much. I shoot all of these in the 2950-3050fps range.
…or you could go 1:8 and blow up less bullets?
 
Or just not use Hornady bullets which have known problems with blowing up. The Berger 153.5 LRH bullets shoot just as well as the 153 ATips and have no such problems. And 1:8 twist is marginal for stabilizing bullets in that class. But it really depends on what you want to shoot, 1:8 will work for a lot of stuff. I started with a 1:7 because it was what Marc at SAC recommended, and really have not had a good reason to re-consider.
 
I’m wanting
Do we have to guess the barrel length and conditions you have in mind or are you going to tell us? It's pretty doubtful you'd download 6.5PRC to the point 150's are too slow for 1:8 unless you talking about an SBR. You for sure can over spin them until they come apart though. 1:7 6.5 barrels are mainly for slow 6.5 with 150's, not 6.5PRC/6.5-284/6.5-06.
26 inch barrel. Will usually be over 1500 feet above sea level and between -10c and +18c.
 
Fwiw, Berger says most of their bullets will handle “up to 300k RPMs.” For certain bullets, especially if you call and talk to them, they’ll be like “300k *wink wink*.”

I’ve tested .224 85.5s in a 6.5t up to 355k RPMs (in a 28” barrel) without failure. Obviously not a 1:1 comparison, but bottom line is while they say 300k, and while I’m sure that there are certain bullets that will shed jackets around 300k, I think others will go higher.

I know that Berger has also started using thicker jackets in some of their designs because assholes like us like to make things as difficult as possible. I run a 1:7t 6.5x47L with 153.5s, but it’s really slow (~2600fps), so I don’t really have any concerns about blowing jackets apart.

All that to say, is a 7t probably unnecessary in PRC? Yes. Can you probably get away with it? Also yes.
 
I’m wanting

26 inch barrel. Will usually be over 1500 feet above sea level and between -10c and +18c.

1:8 is more than enough. I have a hard time keeping A-Tips together with 1:7.5. I stopped shooting Hornady bullets in it all together.
 
300K I'm a new barrel or 300K 1200rds in are two different things tho

It’s another factor to consider, sure, but no different than bullet selection or velocity. Hornady bullets are more likely to shed jackets than Berger, just like you’re more likely to blow them up at 3100 than 2800. Same thing for a new barrel vs one with 1200 rounds.

The point is that I think a 1:7t PRC can be made to work fine given the right combination of those things. It’ll never be optimized, but certainly not dead on arrival.
 
Any thin jacketed bullet is susceptible to coming apart. Tight spots in the barrel, copper build up, that could cause jackets to be torn off. I have absolutely seen Berger bullets have this happen.
 
This is bullshit. Don't whitewash and say Sierra and berger have a problem with bullets coming apart when they don't. There is documented pattern of hordnady bullets both eld and atips blowing up. I've seen it , many I know have seen it and if you search the net a decent amount of people saybthe same thing.

Hornady makes shitty, inconsistent bullets that are not ballanced. So when they get above some rpm, they come apart...usualy within first 100 yards of the muzzle.

You know what I haven't seen? A berger or Sierra bullet ever blowing up.