6.5 PRC

[NorCalFocus]

I've been doing research on cartridges for a new hunting rifle. I started with the idea of 300WM/7mmMag but then decided I really don't want a belted cartridge. Looked into 7/6.5mm SAUM and found 7mm is questionable in a SA and 6.5mm doesn't seem to have factory brass available. While I do handload and finding off the shelf ammo isn't a concern of mine, I really don't want to invest into 3 dies, neck turning, etc, etc to set up 100 pieces of brass for a hunting rifle.

Then I came across the 6.5 PRC...
-Fits in a SA
-Standard mags and easy feeding
-3000 FPS easily with handloads
-Factory Brass and Ammo available from Hornady

I haven't decided on a barrel or anything yet, but I found McGowen sells Remage barrels chambered in PRC too. So I could put together a nice rifle in PRC for under $2000. 700 action, Remage Barrel, Stocky's Stock Long Range stock, Timney Trigger, scope base and rings, All in for about $1400. Then the rest on glass.

So what say you? What am I missing? Any other thoughts on similar rounds?

[CobraRed]

I haven't decided on a barrel or anything yet, but I found McGowen sells Remage barrels chambered in PRC too. So I could put together a nice rifle in PRC for under $2000. 700 action, Remage Barrel, Stocky's Stock Long Range stock, Timney Trigger, scope base and rings, All in for about $1400. Then the rest on glass.

I mean, that sounds pretty damn good to me. Sounds like something I would build.

Here's the comparison for everyone's reference:



The PRC is very similar to the SAUM, except with brass available which is a night an day difference if you ask me.

I shoot the two on the right a lot (6.5x55 and 6.5x55AI) and do enjoy the 3000fps+ 6.5 life. And the PRC looks like a shorter 6.5x55AI. I think a 6.5PRC in a 1:7 or 1:7.5 twist and some 147gr or 150gr 6.5 bullets would be a tremendous 1000 yard to 1 mile target rifle, so I imagine a decent hunting rifle?

It may burn the barrel a bit, but on a hunting rifle shouldn't matter too much.

[NapalmCheese]

What/where are you hunting?

What gap in your hunting rifle collection are you trying to fill?

Do you want/need to have something unique and special?

[NorCalFocus]

What/where are you hunting?

What gap in your hunting rifle collection are you trying to fill?

Do you want/need to have something unique and special?

I'm looking for a all around North American hunting rifle. Primarily I hunt AZ for deer, but I'll be putting in for antelope and elk in the future. So here in the high desert a 500 yard shot isn't uncommon.

Right now my primary rifle is my .308 precision rifle. It's big and heavy. Now it shoots, I have no problem using it. I'd much prefer a lightweight rifle with a flatter flight path and less wind drift in the bullet. Other than my .308 I have a 30/30 that's great to about 300 yards and AR's for varmints.

Yeah I want something unique and special. I don't want something that is just an off the shelf rifle. Plus at this point I've learned, factory rifles are not that great of value. You either get a underperforming $600 rifle that I'll dump more money into, or you get a $1800 high end that for the same cost I can have something built to exactly what I want.

[Jimmy's]

Looks like a cool cartridge and Hornady loads it if you factory ammo.

[NapalmCheese]

I'm looking for a all around North American hunting rifle. Primarily I hunt AZ for deer, but I'll be putting in for antelope and elk in the future. So here in the high desert a 500 yard shot isn't uncommon.

Right now my primary rifle is my .308 precision rifle. It's big and heavy. Now it shoots, I have no problem using it. I'd much prefer a lightweight rifle with a flatter flight path and less wind drift in the bullet. Other than my .308 I have a 30/30 that's great to about 300 yards and AR's for varmints.

Yeah I want something unique and special. I don't want something that is just an off the shelf rifle. Plus at this point I've learned, factory rifles are not that great of value. You either get a underperforming $600 rifle that I'll dump more money into, or you get a $1800 high end that for the same cost I can have something built to exactly what I want.

I'm guessing brown bears and bison aren't on your list of North American game animals to hunt?

6.5 PRC seems like a fine way to go then. Or any number of other cartridges which have more available brass. So far as I'm concerned, there's no need to push a 147 grain bullet at 3000 fps for killing antelope out at 500 yards. A 140 grain bullet at 2800 fps does the job just fine in a round that's easier to find/make brass for. For killing elk at 500 yards? I still don't think there'd be much difference between the two, but I'd prefer something heavier than either of those for long range elk.

So, if you want my opinion:
Buy a nice off the shelf hunting rifle from Sako or Tikka in any of the middleweight cartridges and save the "I want to build a precision rifle but I don't want to really be a precision rifle" build for the gun games.

You'll be out in the field. You'll get crap in your barrel, crap in your action, you'll lay your rifle in the dirt, it might fall over, you might drop it, it'll probably freeze, it'll probably bake in the sun, it'll get scratches, dings, and chunks taken out of the stock and you'll lose brass in the snow and grass. I'd just as soon use a decent off the shelf rifle with easy to find/make brass in a somewhat unique cartridge if it were me.

If you want to build the 6.5 it'll work just fine, or you could try and bring back the 25 WSSM if you want a real challenge. Hornady is making brass for it now!

[sigstroker]

Arizona elk are pretty heavy-bodied. You'll want to see if 6.5 bullets are constructed heavily enough to handle that. There are heavy duty 7mm bullets available because of the factory 7mm Magnum chamberings.

edit: You're buying a new gun. Why limit yourself to short actions? Life will be much easier if you can pick a cartridge for a long action.

[NapalmCheese]

Arizona elk are pretty heavy-bodied. You'll want to see if 6.5 bullets are constructed heavily enough to handle that. There are heavy duty 7mm bullets available because of the factory 7mm Magnum chamberings.

Partitions, TTSXs, E-Tips, GMXs, Sciroccos, A-Frames, and even the ELD-X (from the pictures anyway) look like they'd be plenty stout at 6.5 PRC velocities. I don't think finding hunting bullets would be a problem in a 6.5 PRC build.

[sigstroker]

That ELD-X looks a lot like the old Ballistic Tip, which he wouldn't want to use. Those bonded and Partitions are pretty tough though. Still, for a thousand pound animal, 6.5 seem a bit light. These aren't Tule elk.

[NorCalFocus]

Arizona elk are pretty heavy-bodied. You'll want to see if 6.5 bullets are constructed heavily enough to handle that. There are heavy duty 7mm bullets available because of the factory 7mm Magnum chamberings.

edit: You're buying a new gun. Why limit yourself to short actions? Life will be much easier if you can pick a cartridge for a long action.

I found one blog of a guy that took down a CO elk with the 6.5 SAUM. The PRC is right there with it in terms of velocity. Elk isn't a soon to be hunt for me, but if the chance came around, I'd plenty confident in a 6.5 putting down a elk. Maybe not at 700 yards, but at 300-400, yup.

Short actions get you laid, didn't you know that? All the cool kids know that.

I don't want a LA, and stocks, magazines, etc, are all way more plentiful for SA.

Partitions, TTSXs, E-Tips, GMXs, Sciroccos, A-Frames, and even the ELD-X (from the pictures anyway) look like they'd be plenty stout at 6.5 PRC velocities. I don't think finding hunting bullets would be a problem in a 6.5 PRC build.

Yeah Hornady makes the ELD-X 6.5 PRC in their Precision Hunter line. Their published speed is only like 2850. Handloading in a custom barrel I shuold be able to get up to 3000 pretty easy. Just for more punch down range.

As much as I like Hornady bullets, I would likely run Bergers or Noslers for a hunting round.

That ELD-X looks a lot like the old Ballistic Tip, which he wouldn't want to use. Those bonded and Partitions are pretty tough though. Still, for a thousand pound animal, 6.5 seem a bit light. These aren't Tule elk.

How do you feel about 30-06 on elk? Lots of elk have been taken with a 30-06 wouldn't you agree? Well the 6.5 PRC packs abuot 70 ftlbs more punch at 500 yards than a 178 grain ELD-X from a 30-06. Its not as good as a 7mm Rem Mag, but its not bad either. Again this is with their published info. Handloading will only get all these numbers up.

30-06 https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/r...sion-hunter#!/

6.5PRC https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/r...sion-hunter#!/

7mmMag https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/r...sion-hunter#!/

[ar15barrels]

My vote is for 7mm SAUM.

[NorCalFocus]

My vote is for 7mm SAUM.

Do you have a reamer for it? Its not off the list yet. All this is just research at this point.

[sigstroker]

How do you feel about 30-06 on elk? Lots of elk have been taken with a 30-06 wouldn't you agree? Well the 6.5 PRC packs abuot 70 ftlbs more punch at 500 yards than a 178 grain ELD-X from a 30-06. Its not as good as a 7mm Rem Mag, but its not bad either. Again this is with their published info. Handloading will only get all these numbers up.

When I was planning an elk hunt (never got drawn) with my .308 I was going to limit my shots to 200 yards. With an '06 I'd feel okay to 250, 300 max. No way would I take a 500 yard shot with one.

The guys I hung around that had hunted elk before, used .338's (yikes) and one of them used a .375 H&H.

[Rambo, John J.]

6.5 PRC sure sounds promising as a target shooting round. I suppose that there would be some bullets that would work for your situation as a hunting round. It might be too new so I'd assume that brass and any other items will be hard to acquire or cost more than typical so that's a big downside. Hey, if 6.5 PRC becomes really popular, it'd be really cool to look back and say to yourself that you were an early adopter of 6.5 PRC. Good times...

[Guardian Mode]

George Gardner Q&A regarding 6.5 PRC.

https://youtu.be/7rIIb3YSPj4