6.5 PRC how good is this cartridge

[Billo]

Seems to be a pretty hot Cartridge in the USA currently sitting 4th as the most popular chambering in 204

I've just recently bought 1 more so to tick off an inch for a fast 6.5, always wanted a 264 Winchester Magnum but unless ya build one its slim picking. Haven't hunted anything with mine yet but it seems to hold an edge over the 270 & 30-06 with trajectory plus you get the bonus of doing it with a short action.

Anyone else running a 6.5 PRC, whats ya thought whilst we wait for Storm to belt Penrith

[Wapiti]

My neighbour bought one as a wild dog rifle because his mates from the gas sites said he needed one to increase his success rate, reckoned he did it because "I'm not going to pretend I'm shooting that far out so I've got a 6.5"
This was in response to me running around everywhere with a 16" barreled 308.
He's shot a wild dog, right through the midships, I saw the video from his thermal scope... it took off and ran away. The hit was clear but the projectile just pencilled...I said to the other neighbour when he asked me "what do ya reckon, he says I need one too" that uses a 243 and 223... "Hey mate if you shot that dog in the chest with your 243/80gn Rem. factories would it have run off?" He said of course not it would have bits of bone on the ground... Yep.
Turned out the PRC was using $95/box 140gn match bullets as that's all that is around.

Looking in my reloading manual, the ballistics look the same as a 120 year old 6.5x55... But het, success is just another PRC away (sarcasm alert)

[Billo]

My neighbour bought one as a wild dog rifle because his mates from the gas sites said he needed one to increase his success rate, reckoned he did it because "I'm not going to pretend I'm shooting that far out so I've got a 6.5"
This was in response to me running around everywhere with a 16" barreled 308.
He's shot a wild dog, right through the midships, I saw the video from his thermal scope... it took off and ran away. The hit was clear but the projectile just pencilled...I said to the other neighbour when he asked me "what do ya reckon, he says I need one too" that uses a 243 and 223... "Hey mate if you shot that dog in the chest with your 243/80gn Rem. factories would it have run off?" He said of course not it would have bits of bone on the ground... Yep.
Turned out the PRC was using $95/box 140gn match bullets as that's all that is around.

Looking in my reloading manual, the ballistics look the same as a 120 year old 6.5x55... But het, success is just another PRC away (sarcasm alert)

Poor projectiles selection will fail in anything on anything, same as shooting match ammo in a 308 it will pencil thru, The 6.5PRC has about 150fps more than a hot Swede which Ive owned 6 ot them.

[deye243]

He should use these on the left

Screenshot_20241006_205619_Gallery.jpg (266.4 KiB) Viewed 5051 times

[Wyliecoyote]

Identical ballistics of the 6.5/284 with 140 grain bullet at 2950 fps and about the same barrel life. Now that Lapua makes brass it is worth owning one.
But here lies the problem. The Creedmoor can load the long bullets out long in a standard 308 length action. The PRC can't. So we're back to the old 260 Rem argument against the CM of one is better than the other if you single load or use a long action. So if you go long action the PRC then looks very good but the Nosler makes it look pedestrian.
So standard action, hard to go past the CM. Long action the Nosler is king. The PRC is just another sales gimmick for a gap that doesn't exist. This is exactly why the 6.5, 7mm and 300 SAUM cartridges are a distant memory beyond competition shooters using the cases for the 7 SAUM.

Those wondering about the 26 Nosler, think 6.5 Shuler. Water capacity of a 300 Win Mag but in a beltless rebated case. Been around for a very very long time and RWS makes indestructible brass and ammo for it. Not common here but it has been the basis of some very winning cartridges in long range competition as the 6.5 parent, the 7mm Jacko and 300 BooBoo. Like OB said a while back, there is nothing new in cartridge performance except for marketing.

[Billo]

Identical ballistics of the 6.5/284 with 140 grain bullet at 2950 fps and about the same barrel life. Now that Lapua makes brass it is worth owning one.
But here lies the problem. The Creedmoor can load the long bullets out long in a standard 308 length action. The PRC can't. So we're back to the old 260 Rem argument against the CM of one is better than the other if you single load or use a long action. So if you go long action the PRC then looks very good but the Nosler makes it look pedestrian.
So standard action, hard to go past the CM. Long action the Nosler is king. The PRC is just another sales gimmick for a gap that doesn't exist. This is exactly why the 6.5, 7mm and 300 SAUM cartridges are a distant memory beyond competition shooters using the cases for the 7 SAUM.

Those wondering about the 26 Nosler, think 6.5 Shuler. Water capacity of a 300 Win Mag but in a beltless rebated case. Been around for a very very long time and RWS makes indestructible brass and ammo for it. Not common here but it has been the basis of some very winning cartridges in long range competition as the 6.5 parent, the 7mm Jacko and 300 BooBoo. Like OB said a while back, there is nothing new in cartridge performance except for marketing.

Its got 3-4grs better capacity than the 6.5/284, I checked water capacity with 3 cases and I got 70.7gr, a Creedmoor has about 52.5gr of water capacity.

Im pushing 155gr at 2920fps from a 22 inch tube. A 6.5 CM would struggle to crack 2600fps with the same length tube and bullet. Sectional density is 318, post up another Short action cartridge that pushes something at 2900 fps. A creedmoor is 300-350fps slower than a 6.5 PRC with the same barrel length. I can load out to 2.980 with my short action Ruger M77.

[Blr243]

Cleavers has one on special in a sauer. 680 bucks. That’s howa prices But when I researched the calibre I can see that it’s handloads only because factory ammo was insane price. And I didn’t want to cough up for dies brass and pills esp since I already own a couple of 243s. And a 270.

[Fester]

The std 6.5s do me but I like the 7mmPRC because its near enough to the 300 but less recoil.

The 6.5 will have a shorter barrel life and it's hard to beat the Fagmoor for doing the job well and prob to 1,000yds or so.

[Wyliecoyote]

https://ammo.com/comparison/26-nosler-vs-6.5-prc

[Billo]

Cleavers has one on special in a sauer. 680 bucks. That’s howa prices But when I researched the calibre I can see that it’s handloads only because factory ammo was insane price. And I didn’t want to cough up for dies brass and pills esp since I already own a couple of 243s. And a 270.

Pretty much all ammo seems to Handload stuff these days, I paid $58/20 for some Norma stuff recently, 6.5 CM is just as expensive

[Billo]

The std 6.5s do me but I like the 7mmPRC because its near enough to the 300 but less recoil.

The 6.5 will have a shorter barrel life and it's hard to beat the Fagmoor for doing the job well and prob to 1,000yds or so.

The 6.5 PRC will have a lot less recoil then the 7mm PRC which needs the longer action, anyway I thought the market concensus was the 7mm Rem mag was still out performing the 7mm PRC.

Barrel life for regular hunting should see it last a life time.

[Fester]

The std 6.5s do me but I like the 7mmPRC because its near enough to the 300 but less recoil.

The 6.5 will have a shorter barrel life and it's hard to beat the Fagmoor for doing the job well and prob to 1,000yds or so.

The 6.5 PRC will have a lot less recoil then the 7mm PRC which needs the longer action, anyway I thought the market concensus was the 7mm Rem mag was still out performing the 7mm PRC.

Barrel life for regular hunting should see it last a life time.

I love the 6.5 cal and hunt deer with a light Tikka in Swede, I shoot longer ranges with a Howa varmint in Creed.
I don't need more from a 6.5 but don't need to step up to a 300 mag when the 7mm PRC is right on its tail ballistically.

When the 7PRC takes off, the market will change as the only reason to go a 7 rem mag is if you have one already.
It's like the same story with the modern case design, no belt, and faster twist rates, it will do what a rem mag does but with less recoil.
Just a good blend for a longer-range hunting-weight rifle and for me Vic legal.

You can't shoot an animal at long range unless you can shoot small plates about 200yd longer with the rifle so I will still send a few rounds.
Ammo components are too exy to wear out any of the bigger cal barrels now.

May as well own one while we are still allowed to.

[Billo]

Yeah the short magnums did OK but its really only the 300 WSM that sold in any decent numbers. It currently sits in 16th place in terms of sales this year with less than 2% of market, I'd expect it will be hard to get one in the future with the 300 Winchester magnum out selling it by 400%

Its early days for the 6.5 PRC but it seems to be doing OK and currently sits 4th in sales with 5.7% of the market.

Too early to call if the 7mm PRC will be successful outside the target crowd, the 7mm/6.5 PRC seems to be getting a lot talk but this will be custom builts only.

https://backfire.tv/popular-cartridges/

[Wyliecoyote]

"post up another Short action cartridge that pushes something at 2900 fps"


Firstly short action is usually spoken of at 2.820" OAL and the 6.5 PRC SAAMI specs say OAL of 2.955". So short action it's not.
But if we use your parameters my 7 SAUM runs 180 ELDMs at over 2950 fps. At 0.796 BC it shoots flatter and hits harder that any 6.5 including that shot out of a Shuler. I could probably seat to 2.800" to meet short action requirement and mag feed but i am way off the lands even though it would be possible. Ugly but possible. My 300 WSM will also fill that parameter with a 208 or 212 ELD. Both the SAUMs and the WSMs came out in true short actioned rifles but because bullet technology has evolved neither are really suited to a short action anymore. So contrary to the hype the maximum potential of any of these short magnums is only possible in a longer magnum bolt faced action. BUT there is now floorplates and AI style magazines to fit short 700 footprint actions for cartridges to 3" OAL. Should have been done years ago.

[Billo]

"post up another Short action cartridge that pushes something at 2900 fps"


Firstly short action is usually spoken of at 2.820" OAL and the 6.5 PRC SAAMI specs say OAL of 2.955". So short action it's not.
But if we use your parameters my 7 SAUM runs 180 ELDMs at over 2950 fps. At 0.796 BC it shoots flatter and hits harder that any 6.5 including that shot out of a Shuler. I could probably seat to 2.800" to meet short action requirement and mag feed but i am way off the lands even though it would be possible. Ugly but possible. My 300 WSM will also fill that parameter with a 208 or 212 ELD. Both the SAUMs and the WSMs came out in true short actioned rifles but because bullet technology has evolved neither are really suited to a short action anymore. So contrary to the hype the maximum potential of any of these short magnums is only possible in a longer magnum bolt faced action. BUT there is now floorplates and AI style magazines to fit short 700 footprint actions for cartridges to 3" OAL. Should have been done years ago.

Like I already posted my Ruger M77 SA has an AI style 2.980 mag length from the factory, anyway I load my 155gr to only 2.670 I do love a short bullet.

So you have a factory 7 SAUM on a Model 7 ? rare as hens teeth, saw 1 advertised earlier this year. Yeah I'll concede a 210gr or there abouts can be pushed to around 2900fps from a 24 inch tube, knock a bit off it we dropped back to the 22inches I mentioned. Like I said the 300 WSM is handy but pretty much a round on decline, not quite in the same catergory as 338 & 300 RCM which are both dodo's

[Fester]

They all thought the 6.8 Western would take off like the Creedmoor for canyon hunters but it doesn't seem to be.
The 7PRC should, mainly because of more companies bringing out factory rifles and it will do all the stuff plus a bit.
The 6.5PRC, like the other longer 6.5 has a place, but a smaller market, I feel, with most blokes having their 6.5 needs covered.

It's nice to get things going around 3,000fps, but in reality it's only long range hunters that really need it.

Those blokes that make the that nice longe-range hunting rifle in the 3 weights and do the podcast see the trends where the 300PRC was king but the 7mm is becoming the popular choice.
The 6.5 has always been a bit marginal for the bigger game past the say 350m ranges so pushing it faster helps but may not solve the issues.

For us, it should be good for everything apart from Sambar and top end big stuff.

[zbenga]

Im pushing 155gr at 2920fps from a 22 inch tube. A 6.5 CM would struggle to crack 2600fps with the same length tube and bullet. Sectional density is 318, post up another Short action cartridge that pushes something at 2900 fps. A creedmoor is 300-350fps slower than a 6.5 PRC with the same barrel length. I can load out to 2.980 with my short action Ruger M77.

144g Berger out of a stock LA105 6.5 creed, have gone same speed with 147 ELD-m so the extra grains of a 155 will probably not drop that much speed but might not stabilise high BC bullets, I don't think the 6.5 CM is as slow as some make it out to be

AICS 10 round mag with no binder can load to 2.980 no problem

[Wyliecoyote]

Yep you can remove the binder plate in an AICS magazine and gain more cartridge OAL. But in some actions you will run into feed issues with certain projectiles. Even so that extra length doesn't close the gap from 6.5 Creedmoor to a 6.5 PRC by any significant amount. Still going to be 200 to 300 fps away using ADI powders.
My own 6.5 Creedmoor on a Defiance action with 47 grains of Reloder 26 and 140 ELD M pictured below gets a bit closer. Mild load and can go to 49 grains for over 2900 fps but accuracy drops off. Good but still a long way off the 6.5 PRC. Same gun with magnum bolt in 7 SAUM makes the CM look pedestrian. Both barrels are used in Sporter Hunter open class as it states "all other guns meeting specification but not a commercial factory rifle", or words to that effect. They opened Pandora's box and till the rules say otherwise i will run this rifle.

[deye243]

Haha yep ....... I'm sensing a bit ofa challenge here so when the temp gets up a bit I will except as my barrel is marginal in temps under 25*c with the 144 hybrid but the funny thing is it will shoot the 147eldm in temps as low as 15*c go figure .

20241018_000136_copy_1024x2232.jpg (436.23 KiB) Viewed 3781 times

[Wyliecoyote]

[quote="deye243"]Haha yep ....... I'm sensing a bit ofa challenge here so when the temp gets up a bit I will except as my barrel is marginal in temps under 25*c with the 144 hybrid but the funny thing is it will shoot the 147eldm in temps as low as 15*c go figure .]/quote]


Add half a grain of powder or screw the tuner out one or two clicks.

[Wyliecoyote]

So when you say marginal do you mean load or stabilisation?

[deye243]

So when you say marginal do you mean load or stabilisation?

stabilisation ...... I'm my 243 the 95vld only has .411 bc about the same as a vmax 87g instead of the .467 they have in a 1:8 they still shoot around .5moa they just lose bc because of instability and between alt baro and temp it is temp that has the biggest impact on stability.
It was the same in my 7mm with 180vld

[bigpete]

"post up another Short action cartridge that pushes something at 2900 fps"


Firstly short action is usually spoken of at 2.820" OAL and the 6.5 PRC SAAMI specs say OAL of 2.955". So short action it's not.
But if we use your parameters my 7 SAUM runs 180 ELDMs at over 2950 fps. At 0.796 BC it shoots flatter and hits harder that any 6.5 including that shot out of a Shuler. I could probably seat to 2.800" to meet short action requirement and mag feed but i am way off the lands even though it would be possible. Ugly but possible. My 300 WSM will also fill that parameter with a 208 or 212 ELD. Both the SAUMs and the WSMs came out in true short actioned rifles but because bullet technology has evolved neither are really suited to a short action anymore. So contrary to the hype the maximum potential of any of these short magnums is only possible in a longer magnum bolt faced action. BUT there is now floorplates and AI style magazines to fit short 700 footprint actions for cartridges to 3" OAL. Should have been done years ago.

Is a 308 a short action? Because a regular old 308 can drive a 150gn pill at 2900fps.

[Fester]

To me, all cartridges are different and it's a very personal choice of what you want out of them.

Their speed and action length is what it is and doesn't effect me that much.

We can't have semi-autos and a long range bolt action is easy enough to single load.
I am not even sure if my 147 ELDm loads feed in my 6.5 CM Howa floor plate, I just don't bother filling the internal mag.
I don't think I can push those long pills to 2,700fps although others load them hotter without issue, rifles are all different.

The 6.5 Creedmoor does it's thing well without pushing 3,000fps, if you want that extra, the PRCs fit nice.

The 7mmPRC sort of pulls off lots of things, 7mm pills sort of just work, they have the good BC, a bit more mass and they seem to hit hard. Sending them at near 3,000fps means they are going to work and capable of longer range with killing ability insurance.

More recoil of course, but less than the big mags and even the 7mm rem mag.

The 300WSM would also do a fine job but I think the 7PRC would be better.

It's not about the argument, just my choice in cal for the next step up and I like to master shooting it without losing my marksmanship accuracy, not being a heavy target rifle.

[Billo]

"post up another Short action cartridge that pushes something at 2900 fps"


Firstly short action is usually spoken of at 2.820" OAL and the 6.5 PRC SAAMI specs say OAL of 2.955". So short action it's not.
But if we use your parameters my 7 SAUM runs 180 ELDMs at over 2950 fps. At 0.796 BC it shoots flatter and hits harder that any 6.5 including that shot out of a Shuler. I could probably seat to 2.800" to meet short action requirement and mag feed but i am way off the lands even though it would be possible. Ugly but possible. My 300 WSM will also fill that parameter with a 208 or 212 ELD. Both the SAUMs and the WSMs came out in true short actioned rifles but because bullet technology has evolved neither are really suited to a short action anymore. So contrary to the hype the maximum potential of any of these short magnums is only possible in a longer magnum bolt faced action. BUT there is now floorplates and AI style magazines to fit short 700 footprint actions for cartridges to 3" OAL. Should have been done years ago.

Is a 308 a short action? Because a regular old 308 can drive a 150gn pill at 2900fps.

Bigpete with a big SD, reread my original claim, the 155gr pills Im using have Sectional density of 0.318

[bigpete]

I just saw " name another short action cartridge that pushes 2900fps " lol.

[Billo]

All good big Pete, the 155gr Mega is the greatest 6.5 pill I've ever used, tuff, accurate and doubles in size whilst still maintain most of it weight

[yoshie]

I had a 6.5x284 and loved everything about it except how it ate barrels.

[deye243]

I had a 6.5x284 and loved everything about it except how it ate barrels.

6.5 prc the same but as a hunting cartridge it will last years

[Johnwho]

Interested to see this convo. The 6.5PRC took my eye as did the Sako S20 Hunter. I hope to take delivery soon. Have only had a hammered 12 gauge and a .22 CZ in the past, so a step up.