Thread: Load developement service Level 3 Waikato?

Hey team,

My new rifle has finally arrived, but thanks to this Covid thing and level 3, I am unable to take the next steps of going out and using it! I am sure I am not the only one in this boat!

I am wondering if anyone in the Level 3 Waikato area is willing to sight in and do some load developement for me?

I am not necessarily after a super accurate load or fastest load.
I am after the most forgiving in terms of repeatability when I start loading with less finesse and experience myself.
Primary use is hunting out to 400m, with the ability to start stretching further after plenty of practice.

I have;
Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Long Range in 6.5 PRC with VX5HD mounted on Top.
1x Box of 6.5 PRC Nosler 140gr BT
50 Unfired, FL Sized, Primed Hornady Brass
Enough 143gr ELD-X Projectiles
Enough Federal 205M Primers
1kg ADI 2217 Powder
Hornady Dies and Shell Holder
Basic Chrony

personally i would put some factory loads thru it first (preferably one that uses a comparable powder) to get a base line...... then work up some loads
but thats just me not saying its the best way

@scotty don't think thats a good idea in a residential area

Unfortunately, wouldn't have a clue which factory rounds if any, use a comparable powder to 2217.

I do have 1x box of 6.5 PRC 140gr BT Factory rounds.
However, I am also aware that this ammunition neither uses Hornady Brass nor Hornady Projectiles.

If I had a place to shoot, that I could head right now, I would, and I would just wing it, and work my way through it, but.. I dont.

Hoping someone who does, and has the know how and experience could have a play, and work something up, without wasting components like I potentially would, whilst components are scarce

those factory rounds would be fine ..... like i said its just to give a base line..... that is to say you can see how well it groups before you run reloads thru it ...... then you can know if your heading in the right direction.... the manufacturers website should give the specs on the ammo if its not on the box. jackboot might let you out soon and you can get to a range

@kiwi-adam or heres a starting point if you want to load up a few to compare to the factory loads

@scotty thanks for that. That is the data I had started on.
I am still very new to reloading, so my looking for someone who might like to do it for me, is down to both confidence and with current restrictions the ability to actually go and test these loads etc.

Now that we are in Level 3 Step 2, does anyone know if there are any Ranges open in the Level 3 Waikato region that I can go and test loads ?
I know Whatawhata is running again, however, if I am correct, there isn't really the ability to sight in and develop loads on the day.

Using the above Data I have worked up some loads, I know my powder charges should be pretty accurate, but my case prep not so much.
I have used digital Vernier's for measuring everything, but as I am missing the appropriate case trimming and case deburring tools, I expect a few inconsistencies here.

If I can get out and test these loads, I can properly start the journey down the rabbit hole!
If I can't, then I may need to recruit someone who both enjoys load development and would love the opportunity to play with a X-Bolt Hells Canyon and 6.5 PRC.

@Dusty Fog, Yes, the 6.5 PRC Hells Canyon Long Range 26in with a 1-7" Twist.

Tryooking for the prs shooters site on web or fb. I think they have a bunch of waikato members with same calibre and perhaps access to Whatawhata range.

Greetings kiwi-adam,
Perhaps rather than going straight into load development it might be best just to get the thing zeroed with the factory loads and go hunting with the rest of the box once the Covid fog lifts a bit. If you chronograph the factory loads while zeroing the rifle you will have a baseline to work with when you start loading your own. One problem that you may encounter is that you mentioned your new brass is full length resized. FL sized new brass can give so so accuracy until it has been fire formed due to the neck being out of line with the body. John Barsness talked about this in one of his articles in Handloader a while back. The case may not get any support from the resizing die while sizing. I would be inclined to use fired cases for accuracy testing with minimal resizing. Hopefully your chamber will be tight which is what I would expect with a new cartridge. Some on the forum will tell you that a long load development is essential but for me once you have a load that shoots to your needs further development is optional. Don't waste all those factory cartridges on just shooting paper.
Finally I am green with envy. I have always been a fan of 6.5 cartridges and the 6.5 PRC looks like a cracker.
Regards Grandpamac.

Andrew/7mmSAUM used to do this as a service. And bloody good at it.

Might be worth flicking him a PM

He's based in Napier but nothing to say cant courier your shit to him.

Originally Posted by Proudkiwi

Andrew/7mmSAUM used to do this as a service. And bloody good at it.

Might be worth flicking him a PM

He's based in Napier but nothing to say cant courier your shit to him.

Yeah I'd second this

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

Greetings Again kiwi-adam,
Have been thinking of your predicament holed up in Lower Gotham City waiting for opening up and had a few thoughts that may help.
As I said previously I would not be in any desperate hurry to get on to load development. Rifles usually take a number of rounds to smooth up and settle down. For your rifle I suspect that accuracy will be good to start with and better as it beds in. You said in your OP that the primary use for the rifle is hunting out to 400 metres. This does not require .25 minute accuracy so your current need is for a load that duplicates your factory loads. As suggested earlier zeroing the rifle and conserving your remaining factory loads for hunting. I looked at some of the loading data and it seems pretty consistent so coming up with a factory duplication load should not be that difficult. Please chronograph your factory loads as part of your zeroing process but I suspect that they will give a little under 3,000 feet per second. I will do some more notes tomorrow but in the mean time I would work on doing your load development yourself once all of your cases have been fire formed and conditions improve. No point letting someone else have all the fun at your expense.
Regards Grandpamac

Greetings once more kiwi-adam and All,
Both Hornady and Hodgdon (ADI) provide load data for the 143 grain ELD-X projectiles and AR2217 (H1000) for the 6.5PRC which is broadly similar. Hodgdon data is developed in a 24 inch barrel which would give roughly 60 to 80 fps less velocity than your 26 inch barrel. Hodgdon lists 58.1 grains of AR2217 with the 143 ELD-X for 2,917 fps at 60,200 psi. Hodgdon's start load is 51.1 grains for 2,708 fps and 51,000 psi. Assuming you have solved your range problem you may wish to load a couple of rounds at the start load to compare with your factory loads for both velocity and point of impact. Your handloads should deliver around 2,780 fps in your barrel. If this checks out you could adjust the charge to about the same velocity as your factory loads. You should expect around 30 fps increase in velocity for each grain of powder added. You may wish to do this in a couple of steps checking velocity along the way. There is nothing to be gained in working up in tiny increments at this stage until your barrel is run in. Brian Pearce chronographed 143 grain ELD-X factory loads in a PRC 24 inch factory barrel at 2,955 fps so 3,000 fps should be achievable in your rifle.
All the best Grandpamac.

Hi @grandpamac, I appreciate all the info.
I still havn't fixed the range issue. Other than Whatawhata, all other ranges fall outside the Level 3 Waikato Boundary.
Previous conversation with the Whatawhata club suggested they are not set up for Sighting in rifles etc. Just competition shoots when the farm allows.

I started up some reloads a couple of weeks back using some once fired (not from this rifle) Hornady Brass, which I had full sized and rough trimmed, chamferred, and deburred. I dont have the right trimming tools right now.
Although brass size is within a couple of thou, I can't say they are consistently even.

As I was just going to look for the nodes where multiple load weights share similar velocities, I wasn't too sure how much the brass would hurt the data.

I had loaded the following;
5x 51.1 for verification
1x 51.4
1x 51.7
Not sure what my thought process was, because I then jumped up to the other end of the scale.
1x 55.4
1x 55.7
1x 56.0
1x 56.3
1x 56.6
1x 56.9
1x 57.2
1x 57.5
1x 57.8
1x 58.1

If anything, I figure the above will at least help with some initial barrel break in.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings Again kiwi-adam,
No point letting someone else have all the fun at your expense.
Regards Grandpamac

Best advice ever, you will learn an awful lot and gain confidence and familiarity with the rifle at the same time.