I recently picked up a Seekins Havak PH2 in 300 PRC as a bit of an impulse buy. I haven't bought a new factory built rifle in nearly 15 years, so this purchase even surprised me. My only real issue with the PH2 is that Seekins uses a 1:10" twist barrel. That wasn't enough of an issue to deter me from buying the rifle though. For the $1500 I paid for the gun, I could put a new barrel on there and still be money ahead compared to building a comparable rifle.
I plan on playing with bullets in the 200-215gr range as well as some lighter monometal bullets. I'm starting to work on loads now that I have about 100 rounds through the barrel while breaking it in and forming brass. I thought I'd post up some of my results just in case somebody else can find the information useful. I'm starting with the 208gr ELDm, just because I have a few hundred of them to work with. I'll add other bullets as I have time to try them. I'm not chasing velocity, just good accuracy and velocities appropriate for a case this size within a specific bullet weight range from a 26" barrel. I'm happy with 200-215gr bullets in the 3000 fps range.
All of these loads will use the same specs, except for powder charges:
- Lapua 300 PRC brass (fireformed to this chamber)
- Fed 215m primers
- Hornady 208 ELDm
- OAL 3.720"
These velocities were all taken with a Magneto Speed chronograph. The conditions were 39° and raining while testing. This particular rifle doesn't shoot well with the Magneto attached, so I didn't pay much attention to group size. All powder charges were hand weighed. None of the charges listed showed any signs of pressure in my gun. Bolt lift was the same from the lowest charge to the highest with each powder and the primers don't show any signs of flattening.
Reloader 33
91.0gr- 3026 fps
91.7gr- 3000 fps
92.5gr- 3056 fps
93.2gr- 3058 fps
93.9gr- 3103 fps
94.6gr- 3143 fps
95.3gr- 3139 fps
96.0gr- 3190 fps
Reloader 26
77.0gr- 2875 fps
77.7gr- 2863 fps
78.4gr- 2923 fps
79.1gr- 2960 fps
79.8gr- 2972 fps
80.5gr- 3025 fps
81.2gr- 3065 fps
H1000
78.0gr- 2799 fps
78.7gr- 2820 fps
79.4gr- 2851 fps
80.1gr- 2909 fps
80.8gr- 2951 fps
81.5gr- 2966 fps
82.2gr- 2961 fps
I was really surprised by the velocity with RL 33. This isn't a powder I've seen or heard much about in the 300 PRC, but I'll work with it a little more. I'd be thrilled if I can get good accuracy and over 3100 fps with a 208gr bullet. The velocity increases were a little erratic at the low end but became more consistent as the charges increased. I've seen this with RL 33 in the past too. It just seems to perform better at near max levels. I only have 3 pounds of RL 33 on hand, so I may not spend too much time burning components if I can just find a load that will shoot reasonably well (for a factory rifle).
RL 26 showed the same erratic velocity increases as RL 33 at the low end and became more consistent as charges increased. It looks like there's a bit of a flat spot around 2960 fps, which is where I expected to see a node. I'll try a few loads with charges up around 83.0gr and see if I can hit a higher node as well as shooting for groups at around 79.5gr. I would love for RL 26 to work in this gun since I have almost a full keg on my shelf. I haven't had any luck with this powder in any other chambering, so I'd love to find a use for it.
H1000 was the most predictable powder I tested. The velocity increases were the most consistent with a pretty clear node around 2960 fps. This powder also showed the best group with the Magneto attached, but that really doesn't mean anything. I have enough H1000 to last a while if that is the best powder, so that wouldn't be a big issue.
I plan on playing with bullets in the 200-215gr range as well as some lighter monometal bullets. I'm starting to work on loads now that I have about 100 rounds through the barrel while breaking it in and forming brass. I thought I'd post up some of my results just in case somebody else can find the information useful. I'm starting with the 208gr ELDm, just because I have a few hundred of them to work with. I'll add other bullets as I have time to try them. I'm not chasing velocity, just good accuracy and velocities appropriate for a case this size within a specific bullet weight range from a 26" barrel. I'm happy with 200-215gr bullets in the 3000 fps range.
All of these loads will use the same specs, except for powder charges:
- Lapua 300 PRC brass (fireformed to this chamber)
- Fed 215m primers
- Hornady 208 ELDm
- OAL 3.720"
These velocities were all taken with a Magneto Speed chronograph. The conditions were 39° and raining while testing. This particular rifle doesn't shoot well with the Magneto attached, so I didn't pay much attention to group size. All powder charges were hand weighed. None of the charges listed showed any signs of pressure in my gun. Bolt lift was the same from the lowest charge to the highest with each powder and the primers don't show any signs of flattening.
Reloader 33
91.0gr- 3026 fps
91.7gr- 3000 fps
92.5gr- 3056 fps
93.2gr- 3058 fps
93.9gr- 3103 fps
94.6gr- 3143 fps
95.3gr- 3139 fps
96.0gr- 3190 fps
Reloader 26
77.0gr- 2875 fps
77.7gr- 2863 fps
78.4gr- 2923 fps
79.1gr- 2960 fps
79.8gr- 2972 fps
80.5gr- 3025 fps
81.2gr- 3065 fps
H1000
78.0gr- 2799 fps
78.7gr- 2820 fps
79.4gr- 2851 fps
80.1gr- 2909 fps
80.8gr- 2951 fps
81.5gr- 2966 fps
82.2gr- 2961 fps
I was really surprised by the velocity with RL 33. This isn't a powder I've seen or heard much about in the 300 PRC, but I'll work with it a little more. I'd be thrilled if I can get good accuracy and over 3100 fps with a 208gr bullet. The velocity increases were a little erratic at the low end but became more consistent as the charges increased. I've seen this with RL 33 in the past too. It just seems to perform better at near max levels. I only have 3 pounds of RL 33 on hand, so I may not spend too much time burning components if I can just find a load that will shoot reasonably well (for a factory rifle).
RL 26 showed the same erratic velocity increases as RL 33 at the low end and became more consistent as charges increased. It looks like there's a bit of a flat spot around 2960 fps, which is where I expected to see a node. I'll try a few loads with charges up around 83.0gr and see if I can hit a higher node as well as shooting for groups at around 79.5gr. I would love for RL 26 to work in this gun since I have almost a full keg on my shelf. I haven't had any luck with this powder in any other chambering, so I'd love to find a use for it.
H1000 was the most predictable powder I tested. The velocity increases were the most consistent with a pretty clear node around 2960 fps. This powder also showed the best group with the Magneto attached, but that really doesn't mean anything. I have enough H1000 to last a while if that is the best powder, so that wouldn't be a big issue.
