[Kevinbear]

My friend Bill and I went out to the range today, unusual that it was overcast, 69 degrees and relatively calm.
I found a pound of Reloader 26 a couple of weeks ago and was surprised that there's hardly any data on it, when the cartridge was first introduced it was supposed to be the end all powder for it.
Anyway I had shot the first 6.5 prc I had a Sauer 100 quite a bit on paper and over the chronograph but only sighted this gun in last year a couple of days ahead of deer season without any testing.
Today I shot 9 different loads for group and speed.
Nosler 120 with US869 grouped under 1/2 moa at 3232fps
Hornady 129 with US869 under 1/2moa at 3151fps
Hornady 143 ELD-x with US869 under 3/4 moa at 2887fps
Hornady 143 ELD-X with RL26 under 3/4 moa at 2932fps
Hornady factory 143 ELD-X from 2020 3/4 moa at 3124fps!!!
Hornady factory 143 ELD-X bought this week 1 moa at 2934fps
This cartridge/gun combination shows pressure two ways, stiff bolt lift{expansion in the web} and shiny ejector marks. Per normal of any cartridge velocity stops going up with increase in charges. What's a little unusual is the primers don't show any signs of flattening.
I used Strelok pro with the Vortex Diamondback 4x16, once all the data was entered I was able to hit the 12" gongs out at 500 and 600yds easily with the information provided in the application by either dialing up or using the christmas tree reticle.
I've always heard that Christiansen arms makes crazy accurate rifles and this one is proof positive.
Two things I dislike about it are the small bolt knob and the trigger feels heavier than my scale says it is, 2.5lbs.
First thing you'll notice is I'm not using my 600.00 rest, instead using a new set of bags from Vital Impact I just got for NLR22.
They're super light and filled with some sort of beads that really give good support, I'm planning on using them for antelope hunting in place of a bipod.
I did sight the gun in at the end of the day with my Silencerco harvestor on it, it lowered the poi about 1.5 minutes.

 

[Kevinbear]

So I finally chased down the RL 26 data, I had seen it in either Handloader or Rifle 2/23/21 at the grocery store and took a picture of the page with my phone.
It listed two loads with RL 26 and the Hornady 143gr ELD-X, 56 gr. gave them 2932fps and 57.5 gr. 3030.
My gun wouldn't tolerate those loads and the velocities are way off, 54.0 gr gave me 2932fps exactly, there's a huge coincidence!!
The chronograph told me that was maximum, all I got was more pressure by adding first .5 grain and then a full grain. Both 54.5 and 55. were inconsistent as well.
These are okay numbers, I think I can improve them by manipulating the seating depth, cutting the primer pocket square and watching the charges closer.
Not sure why but the primer pockets on these 6.5 prc cases are super tight with Remington large rifle magnum primers, I had a difficulty seating them all the way in. Also had a couple of cases that seemed to have excessive runout, that can negatively effect consistent chronograph numbers if the bullet is forced over to one side of the chamber not to mention accuracy. I'd like to see the average deviation down around 10fps.
54.0 gr. RL 26, 5 shots
Average 2932fps
High 2974
Low 2904
Extreme spread 70
Standard deviation 36.8
Average deviation 27.7
Strelok pro says the close zero is 44yds, far zero is 280yds and maximum point blank range is 337yds without 3.5" rise above or drop below the line of sight. 3.5 inches is a relatively tight parameter but I like precise shots on game, if the animal is farther than 337yds it's unlikely I won't have the time to check the drop and either dial or use the reticle for hold over.
I'm not the type to be shooting at unwounded game at 700yds but the numbers are good.
MV 2932fps
ME 2730.0 ft lbs
Retained velocity 2146 fps
Retained energy 1462 ft lbs
Those are great numbers out at 700yds and a testament to the bullet sleekness of .625 ballistic coefficient.
I have 60rds in the queue ready to load and shoot at the range before deer/antelope season, just need to confirm the accuracy of the dope from Strelok.

 

[JWSmith1959]

You've really got me looking at the PRC, but honestly all of the load data I look at has powders not currently in my cabinet. I'm still leaning towards the Grendel but you make an interesting case for the PRC.

Good info. Keep it coming.

 

[Kevinbear]

Nothing wrong with the 6.5 grendel but it's in a different class of cartridges limited in length because of the AR-15 magazine 2.26" and bullet weight because of the limited case capacity.
Depending on the barrel length the grendel has the same velocity and energy at 80-130yds as the 6.5prc has at 700yds.
I would describe the grendel as a good small deer cartridge out to 200yds. Lots of 125lb whitetails in this country are killed inside 200yds so it definitely has it's place.

 

[Kevinbear]

I can't look at that picture of the owl with his head turned sideways without smiling JW, I have a customer who has them in her barn, they raise a brood every year. No rodent problem in that barn, not a healthy place for snakes either, ha ha. One of my places where I shoot prairie dogs every month has those little burrowing owls, there right up there on the cuteness scale as well.

 

[JWSmith1959]

I can't look at that picture of the owl with his head turned sideways without smiling JW, I have a customer who has them in her barn, they raise a brood every year. No rodent problem in that barn, not a healthy place for snakes either, ha ha. One of my places where I shoot prairie dogs every month has those little burrowing owls, there right up there on the cuteness scale as well.

I've been a bird watcher all of my life. I hunted ducks in the marshes and tidal lakes since I was a kid. About 15 years ago, we had a pair of Burrowing Owls descend on Galveston County. I found them. They had taken up residence in a fence post hole. They were super rare there. Loved them ever since. We also had a Souther Flamingo that gracied our shores on the upper Texas coast (juvenile that got lost). I have a life list book that I have kept for close to 40 years. I lost it once but found it after my Mom died. Hallelujah.

 

[Kevinbear]

Roger Tory Petersons field guide to western birds is my favorite, has a list in the back you check off when seeing a specific bird, only a few I have not seen.

 

[Im2Tall2Play2!]

Kevinbear & JW,
Wow, that thread really went sideways! From 6.5 to owls in no time flat!

Darrker's gonna get ya!

 

[Kevinbear]

It'll get back on track soon, I loaded some ammunition for it today, need to clean the barrel for round two out at Colorado rifle club next week.
There's lots factors that prevent ethical shots at extreme long range, wind, accuracy of the gun, shooters ability to shoot from field positions being the most obvious. With practice those can be overcome, the factor that cannot be predicted with certainty is the animal moving after the shot before the projectile arrives. The farther the animal is away the more risk involved due to time of flight. When the speed of sound vs. the time of flight is considered this is a huge deal for archery hunting and especially crossbow hunting. Crossbows are as loud if not louder than a 22lr yet even the fast ones rarely clock over 400fps, mine sends the bolts the advertised 350fps, doing the math and figuring in the reaction time of a whitetail deer I don't take shots past 38yds
Arbitrarily I've decided that the time of flight can't exceed one second in rifle hunting not because of the sound of the gun because that really doesn't enter into the equation with them but because of my experience unexpected movements by big game animals.
Just for academic reasons it's interesting to note where the bullet from this rifle hits that one second threshold, 820yds.

 

[oloutlaw]

It'll get back on track soon, I loaded some ammunition for it today, need to clean the barrel for round two out at Colorado rifle club next week.
There's lots factors that prevent ethical shots at extreme long range, wind, accuracy of the gun, shooters ability to shoot from field positions being the most obvious. With practice those can be overcome, the factor that cannot be predicted with certainty is the animal moving after the shot before the projectile arrives. The farther the animal is away the more risk involved due to time of flight. When the speed of sound vs. the time of flight is considered this is a huge deal for archery hunting and especially crossbow hunting. Crossbows are as loud if not louder than a 22lr yet even the fast ones rarely clock over 400fps, mine sends the bolts the advertised 350fps, doing the math and figuring in the reaction time of a whitetail deer I don't take shots past 38yds
Arbitrarily I've decided that the time of flight can't exceed one second in rifle hunting not because of the sound of the gun because that really doesn't enter into the equation with them but because of my experience unexpected movements by big game animals.
Just for academic reasons it's interesting to note where the bullet from this rifle hits that one second threshold, 820yds.

had a 6.5 Creedmore.....sold it, bought a Howa TSP X 6.5 PRC....stuck a brake on it and it kicks less than my creed did love this thang !....shooting 129 Nosler ABLRs in it, some 143 gr ELDX'x...and bought a buncha Nosler 130 RDFs...had trouble getting the RDFs to shoot until I pulled them back110 tho jump or longer...now less than 3/4 MOA...the A BLRs are runnin less than 1/2 MOA have one bunch at .338" ......only thing done to the Howa was cut the spring in the HACT Trigger and lapped the lugs a bit...have my 5x20 SWFA on it, on Leupold twist in mounts, lined up with the lapping bars.....only has a 24" bbl....think it needs a 26, which it will get when this one is gone....velocity is running 150 fps slower than it should be...speeded up a bit after a couple hunnert rnds.....
using MagPro behind the ABLRs....H4831 behind the RDFs and Magpro behind the ELDXs....start low and work up this cartridge gets pressure in a hurry.....oh, and I do not use anything but Lapua brass....