Next PRS cartridge with no components?
- Thread starter Monday shooter40
- Start date
There's no technical reason a 22 cannot do as well as a 6mm or .25. It's really all about chamber design including free bore length and throat diameter.
Take a look at the BC on some of the heavy 22s and compare to the 6mms. The 88 ELDM is like .545 G1 BC and that is pretty much identical to what most guys are using in 6mm. You could always go all in with the 90 ATIP and that is like .585 G1 BC.
As for powder capacity, all of the long standing favorite cartridges are using about 1/3 of the bullet weight in powder and rarely more, usually less.
So find a 22 that runs no more than about 30 grains of powder and you will be happy with it forever.
Make sure you have at least 0.190 free bore length and make sure your free bore diameter is no larger the 0.2248 on the chambered barrel.
Guys talk about the need to see hits which is why they like heavy bullets, but illuminated hit indicators are getting popular, so its increasingly less relevant.
I run a 223 with .190 freebore and get 2900 FPS no problem using 88 ELDMs. My ES is less than 15 FPS and shoot 3/8 MOA groups easy. Compare that to what 6mm guys are running and there isn't a pennies difference at 800 yards. I did mill my Accurate Mags so they can feed with an OAL of 2.650". I have an MDT metal mag on order, so I can test if that can be modified as well.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Remember this once the shortage is over. Those guys that are still shooting lived thru the last one and didnt forget it everytime they walked by a shelf full of powder
I would not recommend choosing the cartridge solely based on perceived component availability. Those things ebb and flow constantly. Choose the cartridge based on its merits first, then chase components.
A 6mm in some sort of BR variant really is the ideal balance between power/recoil/ballistics for the PRS game, and the BR variants all shoot exceptionally well. I'm partial to the 6BRA. Plus, smaller cartridges use less powder.
Hornady 6mm bullets have been coming in stock fairly frequently. Check out GA Precision's preorder for the new Hornady 109's in bulk pack.
A 6BR variant is very forgiving for what powder you might use. As mentioned above Viht can work, but there are many many others. Shooters world... IMR... etc. I'm betting just about anything in the right burn rate range will shoot small enough groups for PRS.
Where is that deal?Dude. The barrels are $269.
What about something like a 22 creed or 22-250ai with something slow like h1000? It could perhaps be like a mini 6 comp match. I believe there is even some load data out there.
One other thing, I have gotten pretty good accuracy with some of the ball powders but I don't know if they will satisfy your accuracy needs. But they're definitely more available.
One other thing, I have gotten pretty good accuracy with some of the ball powders but I don't know if they will satisfy your accuracy needs. But they're definitely more available.
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urbanrifleman
Site $$ Sponsor
@Monday shooter40
I've shot .308, 6mm Comp Match, and 6XC in that order. Each felt like a huge step down in recoil compared to the previous round. I picked up a used 6BRA prefit for my action this past summer and it is pretty amazing. The 6BRA has less recoil than the 6XC, but similar velocities (in the barrels that I've run) with 10grs less powder. The downside being that the powder is Varget speed class (Varget/RL15/IMR4166...) so they are sometimes difficult to get even in a normal year.
Also, I'm using Peterson 6BR brass with either Barnes or Sierra bullets and my fireforming load is wicked accurate. Perfect for midrange practice or short range matches.
If you're shooting a heavy gun, with a brake maybe it's not such a big deal...but I'm shooting medium weight guns no brake, no suppressor.
I've shot .308, 6mm Comp Match, and 6XC in that order. Each felt like a huge step down in recoil compared to the previous round. I picked up a used 6BRA prefit for my action this past summer and it is pretty amazing. The 6BRA has less recoil than the 6XC, but similar velocities (in the barrels that I've run) with 10grs less powder. The downside being that the powder is Varget speed class (Varget/RL15/IMR4166...) so they are sometimes difficult to get even in a normal year.
Also, I'm using Peterson 6BR brass with either Barnes or Sierra bullets and my fireforming load is wicked accurate. Perfect for midrange practice or short range matches.
If you're shooting a heavy gun, with a brake maybe it's not such a big deal...but I'm shooting medium weight guns no brake, no suppressor.
urbanrifleman
Site $$ Sponsor
Part of reducing the recoil of the 6xc to make it shoot like a 6bra was to go a faster powder. The slower powder kicks different. It is more of a WOOOOOSHHH and less of a crack.
Albany Mountain
Silver $$ Contributor
I don’t shoot PRS but thought they had a power factor rule for cartridges. Maybe they don’t.
I've started using 223 at about half of my matches. I bring both rifles, and if the day promises to be calm chances are I will use it. There are so many powder options, and I have been using the Berger 80 VLD's because I can fit them in the magazine without seating them deep.
It's sometimes hard to hear an impact, and unless it's been dry for a while it is hard to spot a miss.
It is my fervent hope that this drought won't last forever.
It's sometimes hard to hear an impact, and unless it's been dry for a while it is hard to spot a miss.
It is my fervent hope that this drought won't last forever.
Just velocity at some matches to preserve the match directors steel Targets. Speed is hard on AR 500.
drop_point
Silver $$ Contributor
You see guys shooting that have stocked up on components and/or guys that are representing somebody.
My best advice, stay away from hot 22s. When you buy new barrels, get enough components to wear out the barrel. Have TWO guns.
Buy/build a .223 Remington! Use that .223 Rem for training, for matches that don't have much distance, and for calm days. If you're stacked on brass, dies, etc for 6.5 Creedmoor, keep rolling with that, but have a brake installed on your next barrel. If you didn't have the dies and brass stocked up, consider a 6 BRA or similar. The 6mm Creedmoor could also be an option, but barrel life won't be great, but you can load it down. In a pinch, 6mm Creedmoor ammo seems to be on the shelves locally all the time.
My best advice, stay away from hot 22s. When you buy new barrels, get enough components to wear out the barrel. Have TWO guns.
Buy/build a .223 Remington! Use that .223 Rem for training, for matches that don't have much distance, and for calm days. If you're stacked on brass, dies, etc for 6.5 Creedmoor, keep rolling with that, but have a brake installed on your next barrel. If you didn't have the dies and brass stocked up, consider a 6 BRA or similar. The 6mm Creedmoor could also be an option, but barrel life won't be great, but you can load it down. In a pinch, 6mm Creedmoor ammo seems to be on the shelves locally all the time.
Well......Built a whole new rig so I don't have to worry about re barreling the other rig for a while. That escalated quickly.
Adam in WI
Practically lives here
Atta boy
Congrats on the new rig. I think we are starting to see the light at the end of the component availability tunnel.
I also love RL16 but with it hard to come by this year, I shot a lot of 223. A 75 ELD out of a 24" barrel isn't a 6.5 CM but inside of 800 I'm getting pretty good at the wind call. 223AI is even better.
I also love RL16 but with it hard to come by this year, I shot a lot of 223. A 75 ELD out of a 24" barrel isn't a 6.5 CM but inside of 800 I'm getting pretty good at the wind call. 223AI is even better.
Do you have a good amount of any quality powder right now or are you completely out of the good stuff?
I have a good stash of 4350 & relative burn speed powders. I'm probably good for 3-4 barrels worth of components. I haven't been able to buy Varget in over 2 years. I'm over it.
Is Dark angel a reference to warped sportz???
Then id get a 6mm cartridge that takes a full case of that with 105-115 pills. 6GT, 6x47, 6xc, 6 creed. 6xc and 6 creed have large and small primer brass which is nice as you can run it off of any available primer.
I don't know what that is, so I'm going to say no.
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