Thread: N565 & R26 in 6.5PRC - anyone using it?

Yes me to, good luck Friday

Shot a Fallow doe at 279 yards. Didn't dial and just aimed dead on. Sighted in for 200 yards
The person with me, using my 7-08 with 140 SST and sighted in at the same distance did exactly the same on its mate.

Both hit in the crease. Both severed the heart.

Between the 2 the only difference was that the 7.08 hit lower by about 6", and the PRC 6.5 Berger shredded the heart more. The 6.5 Berger didn't exit, the SST did.

Nothing conclusive except you can kill 'em with either.

The M18 was nice to shoot and handle. Everything works. The 6.5PRC is very mild to shoot (with a DPT magnum suppressor). I need to try it on a proper sized Red.

Excellent start, have we seen a photo of this new rifle?

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

Excellent start, have we seen a photo of this new rifle?

I will post a pic.

@outdoorlad

Here you are. They are pretty plain but functional. I like the stock shape.

Originally Posted by Mauser308

Sorry been hanging around the wife's friends again. New car comment from the girls that always irks me haha

The blue/black stands out for my tired eyes. Besides, it matches the Zeiss logo on the 'scope.

Nice

Continuing on this PRC theme, I've now shot 5 deer with it.

Last night, 3. It was a meat collecting exercise for a soup kitchen and a cull.
All with 140 grn Berger hunter at 2.9K

This one was 254 yards just on dark. Neck shot so there wasn't any fuss.



Then it got dark. And I continued with a torch.
This one was 150 yards and as can be seen it was flattened where it stood. The cheap Mauser PRC is very easy to shoot.



I shot this one at about 30 yards. Centre shoulder sot. Great big hole through the ribs on the entry side and no exit. She ran 30 yards which surprised me - these are big deer though.



Then a bonus.



Overall I like the rifle and caliber combo. It was very easy to get to shoot and it is very mild. Its an easy case to reload. Im not so sure about the Bergers though - I lost a runner last night and there was no blood trail (the dog was at home). In my 6.5x55 the 140 Amax seem to perform better. I look forward to trying some ELDX and I've got some 140 grn Gold Dots and the Amax too.

Bonus pic for @Moa Hunter

Gold dots should go mint at those ranges given the speeds. I've been really happy with their repeatedly good performance in 223.

More on this.

I have tried N565, R26 and H1000/2217. 140 grn Berger Hunter, Speer Gold Dot and Amax.

Best velocity and accuracy combos have been N565 & 140 Bergers and 2217 & 140 Amax. Both at 2870fps.
R26 sent everything at 2900 with slight pressure and not good groups. The Gold Dot will shoot .5MOA but slower at 2800 fps.

The Berger and Amax loads both shoot sub .5MOA consistently.

I've shot 4 deer with the Bergers and was a little disappointed. Slow kills, no exits.

I shot 3 Fallow with the Amax load last night and they were devastating. 100, 230 and 325 yards The 100 yards was a head shot so doesn't count. The 230 yards shot was very much on last light. I couldn't work out which end was which. I caught a glimpse of its head go up which gave me an orientation - dropped at the shot (I think) - hit a bit far back but a big exit and dead deer. Tilly found it 25 yards down the hill. The 325 yard shot I tried to be a bit clever and went for a neck shot (the left hand one in the pic). It missed and the deer stood up facing me and I got it in the neck with the second shot but with the angle and what ever the bullet ended up in the hip and ruined a HQ. Good penetration though.

Overall the M18 & 6.5PRC is a deadly accurate combination. Wonderful value and naturally accurate. Not a lightweight but solid to shoot. I had hoped for 2900 fps when I chopped it to 20" but falling 30fps short isn't the end of the world. The Amax will shoot into .25MOA and kill well. That's good. I have 250 of then.

I have 120 143grn ELDX gifted to me by a forum member out of the blue (ain't that wonderful), so they will be next bullet I try.

Im not convinced that the PRC is "better" than my 270wsm. Very similar - maybe a draw.

I'm getting 2930 with 147's in a 25.5" barrel. Super mild load of AR2217 (to hopefully extend the barrel life) and a CCI 250. Plenty of room to push harder.

Have tried Re26 and there's a nice load around 2985 with no pressure signs.

124 Hammer and n565. 3k from the 20 inch barrel.

First load and group tried with them.

Your 140/143 loads seem quite slow Bruce, i know its docked to 20" but still.

Even the 124gr loads seem light, I use to push 123gr Amaxs at a nat's cock shy of 3k from my old M7 260 rem with slow twist 20" factory barrel.

Originally Posted by GWH

Your 140/143 loads seem quite slow Bruce, i know its docked to 20" but still.

Even the 124gr loads seem light, I use to push 123gr Amaxs at a nat's cock shy of 3k from my old M7 260 rem with slow twist 20" factory barrel.

Yes, I thought it would be a bit quicker but its in the ball park for the 6.5prc and that barrel length. I get ejector stamps if I push it, although the primers look ok. The Mauser has twin ejectors so sometimes I get 2 stamps. I don't want to ruin the brass so Im holding it back a little bit. Hope it speeds up a tad as it gets broken in. Although 3K for those long Hammers is OK - they have a G7 .245.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Yes, I thought it would be a bit quicker but its in the ball park for the 6.5prc and that barrel length. I get ejector stamps if I push it, although the primers look ok. The Mauser has twin ejectors so sometimes I get 2 stamps. I don't want to ruin the brass so Im holding it back a little bit. Hope it speeds up a tad as it gets broken in. Although 3K for those long Hammers is OK - they have a G7 .245.

Yeah it may well pick some speed up, how many down it now?