Loading 6.5 PRC to CM speeds

[Megalodong]

Wanted to see if anyone has recommendations on powders or even just feasibility of this.

Wanting to get a double duty rifle I can shoot NRLH comps with but also take backpack Elk hunting.

Any chance I can run the 156 or 153.5’s down around 2700 from a 22” barrel and have good accuracy and SD? Main worry I think is case fill.

I have a 21” 6.5 PRC right now that I’m going to try some test loads out of. I have H4831SC, H4350, H1000, N565, N570, and Retumbo.

 

[Dogtown]

This is what Quickload is perfect for. Here I've set the cartridge, bullet and 21" barrel, then asked it "give me a list of powders that get this combo to 2700 fps"

Lots of options there for you. In situations like this, let Case Fill % & Propellent Burn % help drive your decision.

 

[acourvil]

It seems doable to me. I shoot the 153.5s in a 28” barrel with a moderate load of H1000 at just about 3000fps. I think once you adjust for barrel length and maybe drop the load a grain or 2, you will be right in the ball park. I don’t see H1000 on the list above, but it should be in between 4831 and Retumbo.

 

[Dogtown]

H1000 looks too slow

 

[acourvil]

Interesting. Seems odd to me, since Retumbo is slower. And I think there might be something wrong with the fill % number, I don’t think 54-55 grains is a compressed load. But I do see Holden has 55gn of H1000 listed as a max load for a 153gn ATip bullet, so I guess my load might be hotter than I thought.

 

[Dogtown]

Quickload is predictive and not ground truth, so only use it as a ballpark guide, not gospel.

 

[acourvil]

Understood. It might have something to do with the brass; I’m using ADG brass with a H2O volume of 68.3, other brass might have less volume. But when I first started out with the 6.5 PRC, I tried Retumbo in some loads and got less velocity than with H1000, so that was part of why it seemed odd to me.

 

[Dogtown]

Maybe...here's the default case capacity QL uses for 6.5PRC

So if I plug your value into QL and run it for H1000...

...and Retumbo

Notice that when they're both at 100% case capacity, H1000 still gives you a bit more velocity

 

[acourvil]

O.k., that looks more like what I would have expected.

Back to the OP‘s question, looks like 4831sc or H1000 might work (depending on brass capacity), and for the shorter barrel I would probably try the 4831sc first. Not sure about the VV powders, I don’t have much experience with them.

 

[straightshooter1]

O.k., that looks more like what I would have expected.

Back to the OP‘s question, looks like 4831sc or H1000 might work (depending on brass capacity), and for the shorter barrel I would probably try the 4831sc first. Not sure about the VV powders, I don’t have much experience with them.

I recently got ahold of some 4831sc to try for the first time and based on what I'm getting in my 6.5 PRC, it's not a good fit . . . mainly because of low case fill bumping up against max pressure. It's an excellent powder for non magnum cases, like .243 Winchester. H-1000 would be better.

Running the 156 or 153.5-grain bullets at 2700 fps from a 22" barrel is feasible. You might want to experiment with powders like H4350 or N570 for good accuracy and low SD, considering case fill. Testing loads with your existing 6.5 PRC barrel is a great starting point.

H-4350 has the same problem as 4831sc. N570 can work, though it's a little the oppose of H-4350 in that a full case barely gets one to the upper velocities one might be after. N565 works much better (lol, assuming one can find any ).

 

[wade2big]

Everyone on the Hide are loading 6.5CM to 6.5 PRC speeds. Completely opposite of what you are wanting to do. If you ain’t pushing a 140gr to 2900 fps out of a 22” CM then you haven’t been taking advice from the men here. Nobody that logs on can help you.

 

[Schütze]

Everyone on the Hide are loading 6.5CM to 6.5 PRC speeds. Completely opposite of what you are wanting to do. If you ain’t pushing a 140gr to 2900 fps out of a 22” CM then you haven’t been taking advice from the men here. Nobody that logs on can help you.

Your Sarcasm in a reloading forum may not be noticed by a new reloader…and therefore could be quite dangerous?

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Not knocking your question since a .30-06 can be reloaded from .30-30 velocities up but what is the advantage to slowing down the PRC when you already have zeroes and data from known ranges?

 

[IdahoRenegade]

Not knocking your question since a .30-06 can be reloaded from .30-30 velocities up but what is the advantage to slowing down the PRC when you already have zeroes and data from known ranges?

I can't speak for the OP, but I followed this thread because I had the same question. My thought would be if the PRC were "downloaded" to CM velocities, could you match CM barrel life and low recoil, maintain the same accuracy, but still have the option for "hot" (normal?) loads for extreme ranges, windy conditions or hunting. Just a thought-not sure how practical it is.

 

[Top O' Texas]

It would help knowing what capacity your cases/brass is as to adjust for/in ql.

 

[supercorndogs]

It would help knowing what capacity your cases/brass is as to adjust for/in ql.

It helps to read the thread. Post #7

 

[Top O' Texas]

It helps to read the thread. Post #7

That only supports your inputs. I haven't seen what capacity his cases have nor stated.

 

[supercorndogs]

That only supports your inputs. I haven't seen what capacity his cases have nor stated.

Could you please make your answers in the form of intelligible sentences and complete thoughts?

 

[Top O' Texas]

Could you please make your answers in the form of intelligible sentences and complete thoughts?

Still not an answer regarding the op

 

[supercorndogs]

I see. Its been 4 months with no responses to this thread by the OP. I would guess he already got what he needed.

 

[Overclok79]

It seems doable to me. I shoot the 153.5s in a 28” barrel with a moderate load of H1000 at just about 3000fps. I think once you adjust for barrel length and maybe drop the load a grain or 2, you will be right in the ball park. I don’t see H1000 on the list above, but it should be in between 4831 and Retumbo.

Out of curiosity, what charge weight and COAL are you using? I'm struggling to fit enough H1000 in the case to get the 153.5s to 3000 FPS and still fit within mag length. 59 gr of H1000 at a 2.950" COAL only get me 2950 fps out of a 28" barrel and its a crunchy load.

 

[acourvil]

My load is 57.2 of H1000, OAL is about 2.95 (I measure BTO, OAL varies a little). Also a 28” barrel, I guess mine is a bit faster than yours. If yours is a new barrel, it may speed up. IIRC, mine picked up about 100fps from 0 to 200 rounds.

 

[Megalodong]

Sold my 6.5 PRC before getting to do any testing.

Primary use as stated in the OP was a NRLH competition gun. Wanted to run the Bergara MG Lite, but shelling out $3,000 would be a lot easier to stomach if it could also pull double duty as a hunting gun, hence the PRC question. Save some barrel life, less recoil, etc.

I changed direction with the Seekins PH2 NRL offering coming out, as I can get it in 6CM which qualifies for factory division. Also picked up a CDG action I'm getting a barrel in 300 PRC for. So probably not saving any money like I had intended, but gets my needs filled.



If I had stuck with the 6.5 PRC I actually would've probably abandoned the question at the beginning of this thread anyways and gone with a lighter bullet pushed faster. I think ultimately that would've benefited the find/range/engage comp format better giving me more error in the ranging department. Think the 135 Atip going ~3000 fps.