Finally have some "real time" to work on loads for this new project....

Specs:
Templar VII SA(Defiance)
Manners MCS-EH1 GAP Dark Camo
Bartlein #4, 24" 1-7.5" 5R fluted barrel, 6.5 PRC, .135 FB
APA Micro Bastard Gen 2 brake, threaded 9/16X24
Badger M5 DBM-RAD mag release
GAP OD Cerakote
Trigger Tech [email protected]
Badger 34MM Low Alloy Rings
Accuracy International speced 3-12X50 S&B PMII, MIL/MIL
10lbs all up


To test:
147 ELD-M
150 SMK
139 Scenar
140 JLK
135 JLK

Word on the street is RE26 is very good for speed and pressure. The factory 147 ELD-M loads at 100 yards shot 1/2-5/8"@2900fps, 5 shot groups.

More to come......

Great looking rifle! Needs some scratches for character though.

Knowing you, I'm betting it will be shooting better than a half inch in the very near future....

I like it!

I've become a big fan of rails for max ring spacing but it looks like you found ring spacing Nirvana on that combo with an open port. Very nice.

Looks great Pat - hope its lucky for you when you take it out hunting. Guessing that one wouldn't be collecting dust at the back of the gun safe

Very Nice Rig

Very nice indeed. Let us know how she shoots.

Sweet!!

Nice stick!

Great rifle, Pat. You going to use Hornady dies? Looks like mine might still be a couple months out.

Awesome setup, as usual.

I like the dark Gap camo color looks very nice.

Great looking rifle.Stock looks really great. Looking forward to more results.

Just rolled in from my shooting spot. Wind and mirage dropped quite a bit after blowing 20-25 most of the day.

windows 7 print screen

First round impact plus four more..



Easy bolt lift, nice round edges on the primers..

First load to test gets a thumbs up...

I only had one steel target setup, but played around with rocks out to 1100 meters...200 meter zero had me at 8.5 mils at 1100. 630M was 3.1.

It has 125 rounds through it, so it may still gain a bit more speed.

Yeah, George hooked me up with dies and brass.

Are they the bushing ones, or the FL? What bushing size? Thoughts on the brass so far? I grabbed 200. Didn't want to stock too much in case Alpha or someone else makes some.

I dig that dark GAP with the carbon fiber.

Beautiful rifle Pat!

Ooh that’s lovely! Congratulations.

FL sizer, micrometer seater. The brass seems good. I need some more firings to get a better opinion, but so far, so good.

Dog gone it, every time I read a post from you I roll around in my head how could I swing getting one of those. Nice looking rifle congrats . They really build nice rifles, never heard of one that does not shoot! Enjoy 😊👍👍

Good looking rifle and great shooting Pat as Usual!

A guy could burn thru a lot of powder with a rig like that......Very Nice!

I noticed the 7.5" twist. Is that in anticipation of the 156(?) Berger that's supposedly in the works?

Badass rifle for sure.

That one and the new 150gr SMK.

I just picked up a box of the SMK's, and they look really good...long and lean;)

With my reamer:

(L) 140 VLD - 2.995" (M) 147 ELD - 3.010"(R) 150 SMK - 3.090"

aalf what is your freebore?

picking up my PRC next week....

Hornady spec for freebore is .188", I went an even .200", easier to remember......

Aalf do know how to put a rifle together and shoot it well.

Pat, anymore updates? Particularly interested to hear how the 135 and 140 JLK's do.

Picked this up yesterday afternoon so I'm clinging to your every word, lol.

I like it......

I'm liking the EH-1....

Well, everything else too.

I've only put 140 rounds through it. Been squeezed for time, but there's a lot of summer left..

So far the 139's are shining...and there's no guessing on how it performs on game.




Recoil with this APA brake is about the same as a .223, virtually nothing.

imag

RE26 is your friend....

Nice looking rifle!!

I need to get a pool...😁😎
And a GAP rifle...Nice iron MB

Thanks guys.

MB, You suck. My prc is still maybe a month out. I have the stock, trigger, scope and rings, brass and bullets and dies. Just waiting on the barrel and action.....

Thinking about building a 6.5 PRC....trying to figure out which action would work best for this build. Looking at the Defiance XM action and the Surgeon 591 WSM action.....any suggestions between the two??

The set-up is going to use a BDL style floorplate....want to make sure this thing feeds reliably and smoothly in the field.

Jeff look at the Deviant GA hunter in the XM length

It’s controlled round feed

Nice rifle & shooting Pat. Thanks for sharing.

Can I ask what scope bases?

Thx - Bob

Do I need the "medium" action (which is a short action) or the XM action from Defiance Machine for the 6.5 PRC??

Alot of guys use the Med actions but I like the extra room to chase the lands, the XM is just that much better for me, and if I build another it will be on the GA hunter XM!

Jeff..... call Defiance and ask them if anyone is using the GA hunter for the 6.5 PRC or 6.5 Saum!

XM action 6.5 Saum

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Bob,
I’m pretty sure the scope bases are integral to the action on that Defiance action. They make a real slick “lightweight” hunting action with integral bases.

Talked to Defiance.....said that their medium action would work but since I want a BDL set-up...go with the XM action since it has its own specifically designed BDL bottom metal, mag box, spring & follower.

They are 8 months out on actions....

I been waiting since Feb. 1st on my Bighorn, and it could still be weeks out.....

wow 8 months I've never waited more than 8 weeks for an action from Defiance, business has really picked up for them.......I really like there actions and would wait if I had to!

Jeff good luck with your project!

Emailed Cooper rifles yesterday, and they tell me they (Cooper) have no plans for the 6.5 PRC for 2019. So for me its either going to be a Seekins or GAP.

Free bump to gather more data...

bump

Between myself, family and friends, we took 11 big game animals, and 33 coyotes with it last fall, including four elk.

I'll be taking it black bear hunting this spring....

Nice goat.

DF

Pat, I love looking at your portfolio of dead critters...

DF

Impressive.

You leaning more toward ELD-M than Scenar? Obviously using both.

In a nut shell, how do they compare, down range and terminal performance on critters?

DF

139's have been doing good things for me as far as killing performance for years. They may have a lower BC than other bullets, but they shoot very well, and I have a lot of faith in them.

Have you ever used the 136L?. I have some loaded for my Creed.

My Swede prefers the 139 over MRP...

DF

I shot them in my old .260. They shot well...just as well as the 139's.

I have several thousand 139's laying around, so I'll keep using them...;)

They shoot good in my Creed, just haven't had a chance to kill a critter. Is terminal performance, 136L similar to the 139?

I'm assuming so, just don't have evidence at this time.

DF

Yes

3100 FPS in a 24” tube with a 139 grain bullet. How does that compare with the SAUM? seems just a bit faster than the SAUM ? Is that so?

SAUM is a little faster.

Well, that will spoil the magic for a while.