The Creedmoor Forum

Three of us have been pooling resources for the last several months.  Most of the equipment is mine.  Old, reliable stuff and some new tech upgrades. I used to reload years ago and just got away from it.  Had a master refresh me and train the other two.  Came up with two sub moa loads in my friend Jim's Tikka.  143ELD-X and 140 Speer Gold Dot.  Ran some over my Magneto.  Backed the ELD-X off to about 2800. Have several hundred Berger 156 EOL's but no data. Will call Berger tomorrow and try to get min, mid, max and COAL for the 156's.  They were ragging me because I did not bring a rifle to play with.  Told them bluntly.  When I show up to bake mine, you will see OCD in it's full glory.  They are dedicated and serious overall, but a little casual in with case management.  Once fired factory and some reloads they got from a unserious reloader.  After break-in and hunting season, have accumulated about 45 once fired Hornady's.  Lost two cases in south Texas because I got caught up in the heat of the moment. 

We worked with H1000 today.  I am holding H1000 and H4831sc.  Both recommended 6.5 PRC powders.

Wayne heres some hornady data for the 153 atips.. thats what i used to start my load development with the 156 bergers..

Hopefully this pic is clearer

With zero 6.5 PRC experience I'd pick one of those powders running comfortable at 2900 - 2950 and see if it liked it.

H1000 or Retumbo or H 4831 sc would be my picks

Grant,
Thank you sir.  Have gotten dribs and drabs from other forums with recommended charges.  COAL is the dragon I was chasing.
Wayne

Dave,
Roger.  We are chasing Retumbo. Ready to draw straws if a human sacrifice is required.
Wayne

Have H1000 and H4831sc.  Were after RL26 until I read the gman experience.

The more i think on it if i had all three 4831 sc would be my first try.  Shoots 250 hybrids fast and sub MOA out to 1600 yards in my. 338 Lapua mag

Quote from: HufD63 on January 12, 2022, 07:48:32 PMWith zero 6.5 PRC experience I'd pick one of those powders running comfortable at 2900 - 2950 and see if it liked it.

H1000 or Retumbo or H 4831 sc would be my picks

Dave,
Concur, with a bonded bullet at those speeds.  Factory 143 ELD-X is lethal.  Dead within 40 yards of impact.  But, absolutely no blood trail.  Heart and lungs a mushy red oatmeal.  I want two holes letting air and blood out of my targets.  Not a Hornady ballistician.  Think the ELD-X does it's magic past two hundred.  Longest shot I had this year was 130.  Closest on my best deer, 50 yards.  If I have to shoot long, ELD-X is the choice.  When I am close in TN and LA, leaning toward 7-08 and 6.5 CM with Bergers and Accubonds.
Wayne

Grant,
BTW, the two good loads today had COAL of 2.950. We were like chickens in a hail storm.  The myth of the Berger "jump" shut us down.   
Wayne

I tried all 3 of them powders in my 2nd prc barrel.. if i remember right the 4831sc gave the best velocity and accuracy out of the 3.. but i went back to rl26.. had to see if i had got a bad barrel the first go around.. i didn't.. lol.. now on my 3rd barrel im using rl23.. its not blazing fast like the 26 was but the accuracy is there with the 153.5 bergers.. running it in the low 2900's. I haven't been shooting my prc alot here lately . Mainly due to my brass being on its last leg and hard to come by right now..

Thumbs up for Berger.  Just printed a load chart they e-mailed for the 156 EOL.  Covered most powders. MV based on a 26" barrel.  We all shoot 24's. Can do the math and get where we need to be without injury or damage to equipment.

Quote from: gman47564 on January 12, 2022, 09:20:54 PMI tried all 3 of them powders in my 2nd prc barrel.. if i remember right the 4831sc gave the best velocity and accuracy out of the 3.. but i went back to rl26.. had to see if i had got a bad barrel the first go around.. i didn't.. lol.. now on my 3rd barrel im using rl23.. its not blazing fast like the 26 was but the accuracy is there with the 153.5 bergers.. running it in the low 2900's. I haven't been shooting my prc alot here lately . Mainly due to my brass being on its last leg and hard to come by right now..

Just da'am Grant.  Missed the part where you went through #2 and transitioned to #3.  I need to pay closer attention.
Wayne

My friend Jim cornered me at the local diner today.  He had rolled solo and tried to duplicate the 140 Speer
 Gold Dots we did yesterday. 1/4" out of his Tikka.  2.950 COAL. Said at that length they would not even seat.  The "Master" and I had called the COAL back/forth and recorded at least four times.  Told him the calipers or his tired old eyes had failed.  Can talk rough because we started first grade together.     He called tonight. Calipers the culprit. Told him I will bring my S's and M's if he promises to burn sage, and sleep with them under his pillow,