6.5 PRC

[dirt road ninja]

Been awhile since I bought myself a new rifle and I'm intrigued by the 6.5 PRC. I do have some experience with 6.5's, but not with this particular cartridge. Hype or the real deal? 

[Tail Feathers]

My 10 year old grandson killed his buck this year with one.  He's small for his age and says it shoots great.  My son-in-law says so too, says it's a light recoiling accurate round.

[Crghss]

Do you reload? If so great round.....if you don't? Then not so much.

This is if you want too reach way out there. If you are shooting 300 yds or less then what's the point.The tried n true are still best, .243/.270/.308/'06 amongst others.

Unless you just want it, which is the best reason of all.

[Greg Massey]

I have one of the 6.5 creedmoor, killed nice buck with it this pass season. Pretty much very little recoil. I could see people also liking the 6.5 PRC..that round is neck down form the 300 Ruger compact Mag. It's a fine shooting round that handles very well in most conditions of shooting ...

[wvmntnhick]

Of the newer 6.5's, it's the better of the bunch. I'd thought about it long and hard but decided against it. It does nothing I can't already do with what I've already go. That being said, I decided to go with the 6.5 PRC's bigger brother, the 300 PRC. Should be here in the next 4-6 months.


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[dirt road ninja]

Of the newer 6.5's, it's the better of the bunch. I'd thought about it long and hard but decided against it. It does nothing I can't already do with what I've already go. That being said, I decided to go with the 6.5 PRC's bigger brother, the 300 PRC. Should be here in the next 4-6 months.


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Kinda wanted to shoot something with a short action and 24 inch barrel. The 30 PRC or 280AI would be my first choices if I went with a LA.

[wvmntnhick]

Of the newer 6.5's, it's the better of the bunch. I'd thought about it long and hard but decided against it. It does nothing I can't already do with what I've already go. That being said, I decided to go with the 6.5 PRC's bigger brother, the 300 PRC. Should be here in the next 4-6 months.


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Kinda wanted to shoot something with a short action and 24 inch barrel. The 30 PRC or 280AI would be my first choices if I went with a LA.

Oh, I'm not trying to talk you into the 300 PRC. Frankly, it's not for everyone and unless you're shooting 800 yards or better, you'll not really see the gains of the PRC over the 300 WM. But, I no longer own anything in 30 cal and figured if I'm gonna do it, might as well go with a cartridge that can do it all. Plus, by me buying a rifle chambered in that cartridge, I can assuredly guarantee it's definite trend into obscurity.

One thing that I would suggest, keep an eye on the reviews of the rifle you're choosing. It's not that far from a WSM chambering. Plenty of those have had issues with feeding rounds. I've actually seen 2 of the "budget" offerings already having issues with feeding the 6.5 PRC cartridge. They do fine until the last round. Then they won't strip it from the magazine. Just a heads up. But, if you're looking for a 6.5, the PRC is the way to go IMO.


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[wvmntnhick]

Also, the 280 AI really doesn't offer anything over the standard 280. I know someone will call BS on this but my 280 will run a 162 eld-x at just over 3200 FPS. To be fair, it's a "fast" barrel. When/if the time comes that I've got to rebarrel the action, it's very likely that I'll not get the same velocity given the same load. For reference, the 7 RM I had years back would only do 3200 with a 160. My STW will get about 3300 with a 160. TBF, I had to use the lower velocity accuracy node with that one. Before I got to the higher end, the bolt got VERY sticky. And it happened fast. No signs of pressure and then...bam. Stuck. But, it will do 2.5" at 500 yards so no complaints.


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[Greg Massey]

This is getting off topic little , but i like the 260 Remington also. I really enjoy shooting this gun.

[StruttinGobbler3]

6.5 PRC is a great cartridge if you're a reloader. I haven't had one built yet as ballistically it wouldn't give me any gains over my .280 AI. Besides the 280 already will hold a half minute at 1000 yards. But if I didn't have that one I'd definitely build a 6.5 PRC. I know some extremely experienced long distance shooters that run a rifle training school, who have shot more game animals than we will ever see. They would be comfortable hunting up to elk sized game with the 6.5 PRC. Too many guys get hung up on caliber. The caliber numbers don't matter nearly as much as retained velocity and ft lbs of energy at the distance you intend to shoot. Contrary to popular belief, a lighter bullet with more retained velocity can hit harder with more ft lbs than a slower, heavier bullet. It all depends on the data of the load you're shooting and the distance intended. Construction of the bullet used can make a big difference too. My bullet of choice for the 280 is a 7mm 168gr Berger VLD.


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[dirt road ninja]

This is getting off topic little , but i like the 260 Remington also. I really enjoy shooting this gun.

Got one already and it hates me. I do like the little round, I'm a fan of everything on that casing.

[dirt road ninja]

Wvmntnhick, I have ran into that issue with 300wsm. My normal hunting loads are fine, but when shooting groups for bragging rights I need to load her one at a time. Sometimes I've carried two loads, my first shot backed by rounds that fit in the magazine. Stopped doing that since my kid likes that rifle and has kinda claimed it. It's been 10 years since I've killed anything with a rifle, but got the mule deer itch and kinda want something different and new to chase them. I don't shoot enough any more to feel good at long range in the wind, but would take a shot if winds are light and a decent rest. The 6.5 PRC seems to be a good fit for sitting on green fields here in the south east and hiking with out west.

[wvmntnhick]

Wvmntnhick, I have ran into that issue with 300wsm. My normal hunting loads are fine, but when shooting groups for bragging rights I need to load her one at a time. Sometimes I've carried two loads, my first shot backed by rounds that fit in the magazine. Stopped doing that since my kid likes that rifle and has kinda claimed it. It's been 10 years since I've killed anything with a rifle, but got the mule deer itch and kinda want something different and new to chase them. I don't shoot enough any more to feel good at long range in the wind, but would take a shot if winds are light and a decent rest. The 6.5 PRC seems to be a good fit for sitting on green fields here in the south east and hiking with out west.

Personally, I don't feel most people should be shooting in the wind. There's too many variables at distance. How many times did the wind direction change? How fast is it blowing where you are? Where the animal is? Is it constant? At close range it's not a huge deal. Start putting it out there at 600+ and things can turn bad kinda quick. A full value wind that's gusting 15-25 mph can wreak havoc on a shooting situation. When the wind starts kicking hard, I limit shots to 400 and always error on the side of caution. Use a bullet that'll break bone and let it drift into the shoulder if need be.


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[StruttinGobbler3]

Wvmntnhick, I have ran into that issue with 300wsm. My normal hunting loads are fine, but when shooting groups for bragging rights I need to load her one at a time. Sometimes I've carried two loads, my first shot backed by rounds that fit in the magazine. Stopped doing that since my kid likes that rifle and has kinda claimed it. It's been 10 years since I've killed anything with a rifle, but got the mule deer itch and kinda want something different and new to chase them. I don't shoot enough any more to feel good at long range in the wind, but would take a shot if winds are light and a decent rest. The 6.5 PRC seems to be a good fit for sitting on green fields here in the south east and hiking with out west.

Personally, I don't feel most people should be shooting in the wind. There's too many variables at distance. How many times did the wind direction change? How fast is it blowing where you are? Where the animal is? Is it constant? At close range it's not a huge deal. Start putting it out there at 600+ and things can turn bad kinda quick. A full value wind that's gusting 15-25 mph can wreak havoc on a shooting situation. When the wind starts kicking hard, I limit shots to 400 and always error on the side of caution. Use a bullet that'll break bone and let it drift into the shoulder if need be.


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Absolutely agree. If you're in a position where you cannot read mirage or have some indication of what the wind is doing at distance you do not need to take the shot. A wind meter will help in a pinch, but it's only measuring the wind at your location. The wind is going to affect your bullet drift the most at 60-70% of the distance of your shot, at the bullet reaches its highest peak of trajectory. And that's not even considering the possibility of mountainous terrain where opposing winds and down drafts can come into play. I'm certainly no expert in those conditions.


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[dirt road ninja]

Even when I was shooting a good bit I wouldn't shoot much when it was windy. I hated the inconsistency, some guys like the challenge, not me. To me if it's blowing hard enough to need a wind meter on an animal, get closer.