6.5/7 PRC Thoughts

[260shooter]

Wanting to do just a straight neck down to 6.5, no other altering of the case. Think 3100-3200 from a 22" barrel with 147's or 156's is doable. Light barrel (CF) and stock, 10 LBS all up except bipod. Ideally a hunting rifle, but will kill alot more steel than anything. Want to use standard length magnum ACIS mags. Would like to hear opinions on actions (want to stick with a 700 footprint), going to stay with steel and light weight stocks.

If someone has already done this I'd like to hear the pro's and con's.

Thanks

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I did a 264 WM once with the same idea. Getting 600 rounds of barrel life sucks ass.

IMO it’s not worth the extra 200fps or so over something like a 6.5 PRC to get half the barrel life or less. Whoever is spinning up your replacements will love you though.

 

[260shooter]

I had a friend that years ago did a 264 Win Mag and shot F Class matches with it. He got 700 out of a barrel. So that was my hope. Although this rifle will not see any matches.

 

[Supersubes]

Would be a great hunting cartridge. Ive been thinking of doing one. The 26 Nosler and 6.5-300 weatherby seem underwhelming for the case size. The 7 PRC necked to 6.5 would likely get me 98% the way to those velocities with a mid 70 gr charge of something slow.

I’ll email the two reamer manufacturers i normally use and see what they say.

 

[Rio Precision Gunworks]

Other than just wanting something new/different (that's perfectly fine), what will the extra speed help you accomplish that a 6.5 prc won't do?

You'll have the reamer costs, then the work necking things down.

So the cons:

- shorter barrel life
- will need cleaning more often (anytime you neck down a case, by default you have to clean it more often than the original cartridge)
- Reamer cost
- labor to prep brass

 

[Supersubes]

Other than just wanting something new/different (that's perfectly fine), what will the extra speed help you accomplish that a 6.5 prc won't do?

You'll have the reamer costs, then the work necking things down.

So the cons:

- shorter barrel life
- will need cleaning more often (anytime you neck down a case, by default you have to clean it more often than the original cartridge)
- Reamer cost
- labor to prep brass

It will do the same thing any magnum does over a standard cartridge. The 6.5 PRC splits the 6.5 creed and the 7 PRC for case size. Like the OP said, simple neck down with no other changes. The reamer is really the spendy part. Better case design, better case quality, and more available than a .264 winmag brass.

 

[260shooter]

Would be a great hunting cartridge. Ive been thinking of doing one. The 26 Nosler and 6.5-300 weatherby seem underwhelming for the case size. The 7 PRC necked to 6.5 would likely get me 98% the way to those velocities with a mid 70 gr charge of something slow.

I’ll email the two reamer manufacturers i normally use and see what they say.

Thanks

Let me know. I don't want to reinvent the wheel is I don't have to.

 

[260shooter]

Other than just wanting something new/different (that's perfectly fine), what will the extra speed help you accomplish that a 6.5 prc won't do?

You'll have the reamer costs, then the work necking things down.

So the cons:

- shorter barrel life
- will need cleaning more often (anytime you neck down a case, by default you have to clean it more often than the original cartridge)
- Reamer cost
- labor to prep brass

In a light relatively short package. 3200 fps with a 156 would be a laser beam= higher hit probability and less effected by wind.

I'm okay with the cons listed (didn't think about the more frequent cleaning).

 

[260shooter]

Already have a barrel, trigger and ADG brass on the way.

 

[Terry Cross]

......, but will kill alot more steel than anything.

Pretty sure you will be killing almost as many barrels as steel!

As others mentioned, it is going to trash the lead and throat seriously quick.
Not a big deal if mainly a hunting rifle that may only see a few hundred rounds in your lifetime.
If you are going to also shoot it recreationally per your "more steel than anything", you may want to consider acquiring 2 or 3 barrel blanks and chamber all at the same time.

You are going to have to do it ("it" being replace the barrel at a low round count).

If you are forced to do it, chambering several at once will help ensure chambers, headspace, thread fit, etc. are as identical as possible from blank to blank. Will also improve your odds of translating your final load over to the next barrel with good results. This would be a bigger than usual bonus because your short barrel life will not be as diminished from a complete load workup every time you change barrels.

You didn't mention yeah or neigh on suppressor use. . . .
Your proposed cartridge out of an un-suppressed 22" barrel is going be very abusive to your hearing, your neighbor's hearing and people in the next state's hearing.
In addition to killing steel and barrels, you will also be killing any potential for fun if you try to run this beast without a suppressor.

If you do elect to run a suppressor, make sure the suppressor is magnum rated as your port pressure on that 22" barrel is going to be legit serious.

*Nine out of ten dentists surveyed agree with the above. However just like myself,100% of all dentists surveyed have zero direct experience with a real live 6.5-7PRC.

 

[Edds]

Wanting to do just a straight neck down to 6.5, no other altering of the case. Think 3100-3200 from a 22" barrel with 147's or 156's is doable. Light barrel (CF) and stock, 10 LBS all up except bipod. Ideally a hunting rifle, but will kill alot more steel than anything. Want to use standard length magnum ACIS mags. Would like to hear opinions on actions (want to stick with a 700 footprint), going to stay with steel and light weight stocks.

If someone has already done this I'd like to hear the pro's and con's.

Thanks

I did a similar cartridge. I necked a 7mm Blaser down to a 6.5mm but left the barrel 26" long. I had an issue with the stock I was going to use so I shelved the barreled action. It is still laying on the shelf waiting for a stock. I had forgotten about it until I read this.

 

[260shooter]

Thanks Terry for the knowledge bomb about chambering multiple barrels and reducing load work up an subsequent barrels.

As for suppressor use, I'm in Illinois for now. When I get moved I will be acquiring a few suppressors.

By the way, the 300 PRC I bought from you is a great shooter. Settled on a 208 gr Berger load that is crazy accurate.

 

[Supersubes]

@260shooter JGS sent me this today. Its a mock-up, i dont think they've made one. It look like they took a saami 7prc and shrunk the neck and freebore dia to suit 6.5.

Here’s a peterson 7 prc necked to 6.5 with a Barnes 127 LRX. I know this isnt your bullet, just a data point. The bottom of the bearing surface is .025 above neck/shoulder junction. OAL is 3.23”.

 

[260shooter]

@260shooter JGS sent me this today. Its a mock-up, i dont think they've made one. It look like they took a saami 7prc and shrunk the neck and freebore dia to suit 6.5.

Here’s a peterson 7 prc necked to 6.5 with a Barnes 127 LRX. I know this isnt your bullet, just a data point. The bottom of the bearing surface is .025 above neck/shoulder junction. OAL is 3.23”.
View attachment 8290211

Thank you very much. Will have a mag length of 3.600 to play with, so I should be good with the heavies. Dies are next on the list, a long list.

 

[Supersubes]

Thank you very much. Will have a mag length of 3.600 to play with, so I should be good with the heavies. Dies are next on the list, a long list.

Agreed, the 156 will easily fit.

 

[260shooter]

Trying to figure starting loads for a 147 gr bullet. Would using a 7 PRC and a 175 gr bullet from Hodgens website be a good starting point?

 

[260shooter]

All parts acquired. Waiting on a reamer.

 

[diggler1833]

Interested. Tagging.

 

[260shooter]

Rifle is built and shooting. Around 60 rds on barrel (don't think it's shot out yet) shooting 147 ELD-M'S at 2935 fps under 1/2 MOA. At 100 rounds I'll start increasing powder to see where it will top out at and find the higher accuracy node.

 

[Supersubes]

Rifle is built and shooting. Around 60 rds on barrel (don't think it's shot out yet) shooting 147 ELD-M'S at 2935 fps under 1/2 MOA. At 100 rounds I'll start increasing powder to see where it will top out at and find the higher accuracy node.

You buy the reamer? Can you share the print?

 

[260shooter]

I gave the reamer print from above to my gunsmith. He said he was going to tweek it a little, I don't know what he did. I did not buy the reamer.