7-6.5PRCW

[G7BC]

I'll try this once I can get the stuck case out thank

I hear you mate, if I could get the original case out I can perhaps investigate with my gunsmith to see if that is viable.

I'm also in the process of trying to get some tech support from Bullet Central to confirm what their sizing die should size down to. I get a good squeeze on the brass but it only comes out at 0.532 despite running it through giving the brass 1/4 turns multiple times. Initial advice suggests they are unaware of some dies potentially being out of spec. I have no way of measuring the internal specs of the die so it seems strange to me.

Being in Australia for this has it's downsides as sending things back just takes a lot longer and I'd obviously like to make sure I've investigated the issue as best I can before shipping things back.

Just received my die and this works , go part way in then back out, re-apply sizing wax each time, a little further each time. You'll feel it get easier and easier. Once it's fully sized, sacrifice that case and run it in and out a dozen times or so while adding sizing wax. The rest of the cases will size like butter.

 

[antunRC]

I would like to add some videos from Kris Wilson. All credit goes to him.

 

[antunRC]

0.025" off the lands (jump)

 

[antunRC]

0.100" off the lands (jump)

 

[Alex Wheeler]

With a new die I will take a q tip with sizing wax and apply it to the inside of the die. You dont want to run a case into a dry die.

 

[Bill Norris]

With a new die I will take a q tip with sizing wax and apply it to the inside of the die. You dont want to run a case into a dry die.

I do this just prior to beginning to re-size each time I work the brass.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Couple corrections to the video. The saami prc is .533 at the .2" line. I only increased it .002". I first came across the clickers in the 6.5 and 300 prc cases. Once ADG came out with brass I started to chamber more of these and thats why the AW2 reamers are released to the public for those. The reason they are AW2 is because my first personal reamers were saami spec at the .2" but with other changes. I specd the AW2 just for the clicker fix on saami chambers. I increased the fb diam on the 6.5 as well. But they are meant to be saami replacements. The first 7-6.5PRCW reamer was in 2020 and also .533" but was never was released to anyone just like my original 6.5 and 300. The clicker issue was found early enough that I changed my 7-6.5 specs soon enough I have never even chambered one with a .533" spec. So no PRC print that I have used or released has anything other than a .535" .2" line. Anyone with clickers needs to know 2 things. Not what reamer you have and not what die you have. But actual sizes. Pin gauges are cheap. Dies are not always in spec. This is a very common thing.

 

[Willow]

Couple corrections to the video. The saami prc is .533 at the .2" line. I only increased it .002". I first came across the clickers in the 6.5 and 300 prc cases. Once ADG came out with brass I started to chamber more of these and thats why the AW2 reamers are released to the public for those. The reason they are AW2 is because my first personal reamers were saami spec at the .2" but with other changes. I specd the AW2 just for the clicker fix on saami chambers. I increased the fb diam on the 6.5 as well. But they are meant to be saami replacements. The first 7-6.5PRCW reamer was in 2020 and also .533" but was never was released to anyone just like my original 6.5 and 300. The clicker issue was found early enough that I changed my 7-6.5 specs soon enough I have never even chambered one with a .533" spec. So no PRC print that I have used or released has anything other than a .535" .2" line. Anyone with clickers needs to know 2 things. Not what reamer you have and not what die you have. But actual sizes. Pin gauges are cheap. Dies are not always in spec. This is a very common thing.

Cheers for the clarification Alex, it was hard to try and remember the specs as I was rattling that video off.

 

[G7BC]

Cheers for the clarification Alex, it was hard to try and remember the specs as I was rattling that video off.

Thanks for the vids. A lot of folks seem to be running this cartridge up in the 2900's ( 2900-2970) This might be part of the clicker thing. I am finding obvious and repeatable tune windows around 2820 and another around 2860 with 180 hybrids /Lapua Brass/ 32" barrel and am in the process of testing both of those. I have the .535 chamber but have started using Erik's .532 die also.

 

[Scalloper]

What hunting crowd? Define these hunters by Social Ecconomic Class! You do not have any poor working men hunting to put meat ont he table asking you to do 7PRCW.......You have some rather wealthy clients that hunt for fun asking you to make them expensive toys for that endever!

Let's call a spade a spade. I do not want young hunters and average shooters on this sight getting the idea that the 7PRCW is all the rage and a must have for hunting deer and elk in their back yard!

Just like your skiers that take a helicopter to their location are not your average skiers! The guy building a 1500HP LS is not your normal working class guy building up a daily driver in his garage!

I know these sorts of hunters! They wear work boots and drive big trucks but their hands are as smooth as a 12 year old school girls. They hunt becasue they grew up doing it but they have never missed a meal in their lives! Not hunting would not effect them or their children in the leat. Calling these sorts hunting types is just plain wrong. Nothing against them I am sure they are great people. The brain surgeon that fly fishes to a metronome is not the same as the guy working 3 jobs that is shrimping in the moon light or digging clams before bed to feed his family. They guy shooting Elk with a bipod and Arca rail at 1500m+ is not the same as the guy that stalks to within 500m to shoot his Elk. One is actual hunting the other is playing an analog video game!

I am not by any means wealthy, and guess what my wife and I both dig clams off and on for a few extra bucks as well as our day jobs. I do hunt for meat and I am currently building a 7 PRCW. Why, because I am sick of factory junk and I want the most accurate rifle I can afford so I can make ethical shots at distance if the opportunity presents its self. Here in Maine 95% of our shots at deer are inside of 150 yds. But, I have had to pass of 5 trophy bucks over the years because they were 400-600 yds and I didn't own what I would consider a rifle accurate to take shots like that in a hunting situation. So, why own 5-6 deer rifles that are only so so accurate when I can sell 2-3 of them and build a very accurate rifle? Also, these custom actions hold their value far better then most any factory throw away rifle so its not a big deal to spend $3-4,000 if it holds its value.

 

[spud1967]

The new Wilson FLD sizing die works well and will take it down to .5315 at the .200 line

 

[FrankG]

Thanks for the vids. A lot of folks seem to be running this cartridge up in the 2900's ( 2900-2970) This might be part of the clicker thing. I am finding obvious and repeatable tune windows around 2820 and another around 2860 with 180 hybrids /Lapua Brass/ 32" barrel and am in the process of testing both of those. I have the .535 chamber but have started using Erik's .532 die also.

The clicker thing can also be due to the loads are too hot. That's why we made a pressure test barrel and having pressure test done.

There is no hard data out there to look at.

You see one guy say he's loading 52.5gr of this powder behind a 180gr bullet but another guy says he's loading 57gr of the same powder behind a 180gr bullet and says he doesn't have any issues with the bolt cycling etc...but nobody even has a base line of where the pressures are.

Good example is my 300PRC. When I first loaded for it there was no reloading data out there. The round technically hadn't been publicly released. We already had made a few test barrels for Hornady during the r&d phase. I asked Hornady if I sent them some of my ammo (no they don't do this all the time or for the general public) if they would run some of my loads thru the p&v test barrel. I supplied all the lot numbers and it was on they're brass and they said yes.

I sent them 4 loads. All the same bullet, same powder and primer etc... just gave them loads in 2gr increments. When one of my loads hit the max working pressure they went to the next load that was 2gr heavier in powder. That load bumped pressures 5k psi over the max working pressure and the load produced 70k psi. I did run that load thru my gun prior to the testing and no clickers or heavy bolt lift, no flat primers, no stretching of the web area of the case etc...and that load would hold 1/3moa at a 1k yards. Needless to say I don't run that load thru my gun at all. Why beat it up to get an extra 50fps and work the brass harder etc...

So just because you don't see any pressure signs doesn't mean the pressure isn't there.

 

[G7BC]

Will be interesting to see what velocity the PRCW w/ 180 Bergers hit these pressures. My current barrel shot awesome at 2920 and was hard to back down from ( tried several dies and powders in an effort to run it there ) but lots of stiff bolt and clickers after a few firings. Have been running 2865 for several matches now and all of that has gone away , using those same fired cases.

 

[FrankG]

Will be interesting to see what velocity the PRCW w/ 180 Bergers hit these pressures. My current barrel shot awesome at 2920 and was hard to back down from ( tried several dies and powders in an effort to run it there ) but lots of stiff bolt and clickers after a few firings. Have been running 2865 for several matches now and all of that has gone away , using those same fired cases.

I shot my 7/6.5PRC last weekend for the first time.

I plugged the ballistic data in for 2950fps. I went from my 100 yard target to my 400 yard target and put the dope on the rifle and I ended up being 1 or 2 clicks up from my aiming point. So based on that I'll say I'm in the 2950+ fps range. That was with 57.5 of N555 and a 183SMK.

I've got to set up my chronograph and see what it tells me.

Yes it will be interesting to see what the loads run out of the p&v barrel at.

I did do loads with 57.5gr of the N555 and 180 Bergers and 183SMK's as well.

All in all I sent 20 different loads down for testing.

 

[antunRC]

I shot my 7/6.5PRC last weekend for the first time.

I plugged the ballistic data in for 2950fps. I went from my 100 yard target to my 400 yard target and put the dope on the rifle and I ended up being 1 or 2 clicks up from my aiming point. So based on that I'll say I'm in the 2950+ fps range. That was with 57.5 of N555 and a 183SMK.

I've got to set up my chronograph and see what it tells me.

Yes it will be interesting to see what the loads run out of the p&v barrel at.

I did do loads with 57.5gr of the N555 and 180 Bergers and 183SMK's as well.

All in all I sent 20 different loads down for testing.

How did you feel about using the 183SMK compared to the 180 Bergers?
I've tested the 183SMK in two different barrels, but I'm having trouble getting consistent accuracy from them.

 

[FrankG]

How did you feel about using the 183SMK compared to the 180 Bergers?
I've tested the 183SMK in two different barrels, but I'm having trouble getting consistent accuracy from them.

I'll send you a pm.

 

[Sandstorm]

I appreciate what your doing Frank
Should be interesting to find out the results.

 

[FrankG]

I appreciate what your doing Frank
Should be interesting to find out the results.

Hopefully I'll see the results coming real soon. Just talked to them today.

 

[FrankG]

To all as I've been asked by a couple of different people.

Yes I will most likely get accuracy data as well but don't ask me to share exact data on that at this point in time. This isn't an accuracy test and the loads are not being tuned / worked up etc...Also in an actual p&v barrel even though they can shoot really good usually the accuracy is a smidgen worse than a straight up accuracy test barrel. Also we are shooting virgin brass and not once fired. Sometimes or should I say usually once fired brass will produce better groups as well as your sd's drop etc... even in standard chambers.

 

[J Fess]

To all as I've been asked by a couple of different people.
This isn't an accuracy test and the loads are not being tuned / worked up etc...Also in an actual p&v barrel even though they can shoot really good usually the accuracy is a smidgen worse than a straight up accuracy test barrel.

What are the differences between a P&V barrel and an accuracy one that have the most influence on accuracy?
Thank You