6.5 PRC, Short vs Long Action

R

rybe390

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Dec 13, 2017
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#1
Hey everyone!

I've officially begun building my 6.5 prc hunting rifle, so thank you all for helping me pick a cartridge.

I've gone with a 24" Shilen Heavy Sporter in 6.5 prc, and it will be going on a bighorn origin action in a KRG Bravo stock. I'll be stealing the pst 5-25 from my Bergara for this rifle. Just got some Lapua brass as well.

My next decision to make is what length action to run. I currently have a 6.5 creedmoor/ short action bighorn/KRG bravo rifle that I love. If funds allow, I would like to purchase a dedicated action for the 6.5 prc barrel. Worst case I put the barrel on the creedmoor action for one season and buy the dedicated action next season, but ideally it becomes its own dedicated rifle.

I am split between going with a short action or long action. I will be handloading for this rifle and hope to run the berger EOL. Short action is always appealing because it's what the cartridge was designed for, but I would like the opportunity to run long COAL, and also potentially run long action cartridges if I ever choose. I also would like to build a .300 prc soon, and know that another optic, action, and stock are not in the financial cards, but if I could borrow all of that from the hunting rifle...I could swap my magnum barrels out between 6.5 prc and 300 prc.

I am clearly leaning towards building on a long action, but would like some input.

I know medium actions exist, but I don't like how limited the stock options are(also KRG ergo fanboy).

Has anyone run a short action cartridges in a long action, and how did it work? Has anyone run a SAUM/WSM in a long action, and mags did you use?

Thank you all!
 
#2
1) You can’t swap barrels, the 6.5 creed has a different bolt face than the prc

2) If you plan on running a long oal 6.5 and also shooting 300 pro in the future you might as well buy the long action.

Bolt action Lego’s are awesome
 
#4
takes 5 minutes to swap a barrel and bolthead on an origin...

i shoot origins in competition (6Dasher, 223, 7SAW). i'm building a 7SS for hunting. and will single feed a 30SM from a short action as well. I don't need to have a long action and chassis/stock sitting around for minimal use
 
#6
When I built my 7 SAUM, I went with a long action because you are definitely leaving some capacity on the table if you run either 6.5 PRC or 7 SAUM in a short action. You'll get some on here that think running them in a medium or long action is stupid because CLEARLY they were designed for a short action, its even in the name! Whatever, that's marketing.. the ballistics tell you otherwise.

Especially if you are thinking about building a 300 PRC, I'd go with the long action. I didn't have any issues feeding the 7 SAUM from CIP length mags
 
#7
My mistake, I thought I saw a different action that the Creed barrel was on(I have little kids, I’m always tired).

Op, if $$ is a crunch right now you can get away with single feeding if necessary. If you plan on shooting more than one definite long action cartridge you might as well buy a long action and all of the requisite bolt heads to shoot them
 
#8
I'm in the same boat but already had 2 SA and had a cert to burn. I went LA simply due to wanting to add a 300 PRC to the line up at some point. The beauty of the Origin is the headspace for SA and LA are the same so moving the 6.5PRC to SA is just a bolt face and mag change. The MDT 300WM 3.715 mag would work best but you might have to bent the lips a little bit.
 
#9
If you don't have any interest of gaming in the PRS wars, I'd build a LA. A short action is what just about killed the .284 Win, which is another cartridge that is great to use out of a LA. One action, two bolt heads.
 
#10
If you don't mind my asking what magazines are you using? It seems there are .300wm and .300 prc mags...as well as cip and non cip length.

Any dssf magnum magazines you know of?
 
#12
Any reason you did 3.715 instead of CIP?

I'm leaning towards long action. I have a short action, and this will be the "mess around" and hunting build.
 
#14
I’m just throwing this out there, mostly because I’m projecting my dream rifle build. You could buy an action that has replacement bolts/bolt heads in .535(magnum) & .588(Lapua) sizes. Then you can shoot some big shit too
 
#17
Badger m2013 too

If you can install barrels chambered in 15 different rounds that sounds like a super ultra mega bargain
 
#19
I also don't want to mess with an action that doesn't have a ton of stock options(I prefer KRG), as well as the fact I've already bought my shilen barrel for a bighorn.
 
#20
Ok, I'll bite..... Now I don't have any flash Uni degree's, but I am confident that I can run 80 yards faster than 100 (pretty sure that can be said about us all). So given that a short action travel is less than a long, I guess to us dumb people that means it should cycle faster?

Now whether that difference amounts to a hill of beans is another matter entirely.
As for the other assertions, happy that you enjoyed your childhood.

Cheers
Pete
 
#23
I put a 6.5 Saum into a Surgeon XL build. 140 Berger Hybrids seated out far are going 3240 fps with 60 grains of powder and part of that is the 29" barrel. It's not a hot load either.

Before I put that barrel on the previous barrel was a 30-375R (much like the 300PRC) chambering, that sent 230's at 2935 fps in a 30" barrel.

Ejection worked perfect in the 30 cal but in 6.5 it's not 100% but it feeds awesome with both chamberings.
 
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