Short barrel 6.5 prc

M

Midt

Private
Minuteman
Nov 24, 2017
10
2
#1
Considering building one as hunting rifle . We mostly sit in blinds, by the time you hang a suppressor on the end of it, rifles get long and awkward to maneuver inside .

Was thinking 16-18 in barrel .

Don’t fool with reloading, don’t have any time for it . So everything would just be factory ammo .

With the short setup, am I just eating time/money ? Will it offer anything better than a good ole 308 setup similar?

Original plan was 300wm w 18 inch barrel, but based on reading so far sounds like that’d just be a really cool fireball making machine .

End goal is basically a short barrel elk rifle for lake of better description
 
#2
Think more like: 308 Win for short barreled elk killers as any other good candidates won't have enough good factory loads to chose from.

Though many years ago I had a 338 Win Mag in a Sako Mannlicher Carbine with a 19" barrel that was not too bad shooting wise. I called it my toy cannon.

Don't know what good factory ammo there is in 338 win mag today, as I always reloaded for mine and I don't have one anymore.

The bigger magnum bores, coupled with short barrels, don't seem as obnoxious in firing, as their smaller magnum cousins.

Short factory 308's Win's abound, but factory 338 Win's shorter than 20" are rare. But you could have a barrel spun up to any length you choose, and mounted on your action.

I'd like a 338 win mag more better for elk than a 308 Win. Not that a 308 Win won't kill one, but I favor an edge in my direction if your going custom anyway.

Here's some light reading on the subject: Velocity in a 338 WM 18.5" barrel

338 Win Mag - How short of a barrel? Suppressed or unsuppressed?
 
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#3
How far do you shoot from your blinds?

what are you hunting?


I have a 16.5” 6.5 creed barrel that runs a 123 Scenar at 2820 fps, a ways below max load, with h4350.
Awesome handy rig.

A SA non magnum for 400 yds and in would be my choice for antelope, deer, or elk.

I have used a different 6.5 creed barrel and a 140 eldm past 500 yds for deer.
DRT.

Im running a 300 wsm for elk here this year, because longer shots are very possible.
But have also done fine with a .308 (a Savage no less) and a Hornady SST on elk before I started reading how bad they are….
 
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#4
Mostly for deer in Tx . Usually under 300 yds

In the next 2 years I’ve got an elk hunt, and caribou in Alaska .

So was mostly thinking about ability to add some distance if needed
 
#6
An 18” PRC is going to be about on par with a ~26” CM, ballistically. I don’t hunt from a blind, but I’d take the PRC over a WM for the hunting I do out west.

But like powdahound said above, a non-magnum could do everything you need with more barrel life and less recoil. Just depends on what you’
 
#7
There is a pretty good existing thread on this topic. It contains some good real world data. I have a 20" and an 18" 6.5prc, and they have killed everything I've pointed them at. I'll be carrying the 20" to wyoming this fall for both mule deer and antelope. I wouldn't hesitate to use this rig on caribou, and many elk have been killed with lesser cartridges, but I'll be shooting 300wsm for elk next year I think..
 
#9
Having been around most discussed already, it's pretty hard to beat a 300 wsm in a shorty. Although RL16 seems to make magic happen in a short 6.5 prc. I'm building a 20" 7x6.5 prc right now.
.02
 
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#10
Midt said:
Mostly for deer in Tx . Usually under 300 yds

In the next 2 years I’ve got an elk hunt, and caribou in Alaska .

So was mostly thinking about ability to add some distance if needed
Click to expand...

TX whitetails are a short action hunt to me.
Esp with high percentage of shots at 300 and under.

Plenty of SA rounds work fine for elk or caribou and as noted, especially with elk, shots can stretch out.
I know in a thread that @Terry Cross noted a longer shot on a hunt in WY and was glad he had the extra horsepower of a magnum.

I saw that @MOUNTIC here is running a 20” 300 wsm with great speeds from Norma 180 gr ammo.
That would be a great choice for elk.
My 300 wsm barrel is 24” and quite a shooter.
200 gr at 2816 fps and 3 shots right at .300” (light hunter, not gonna heat it up with 5 rd groups).
Have not tested 180s and Berger Elite 180s will be tried.
In hindsight, I would have went 20” and tried to find some rl26…..
 
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#13
Midt said:
Considered the wsm, but factory ammo is limiting factor for me at this point in my life . Don’t have the time to tune anything for “perfect”
Click to expand...

I think he is out (he was selling it) and Mountic is using the Norma 180 gr Bondstrike 300 wsm and says it is accurate.

I also would not hesitate to run a 6.5 PRC in 18-20” and would try to find a good 130 gr offering.

I have been very happy with the knockdown power of the Hornady Black .308 ammo with the 155 AMAX on deer. No elk with one. Yet….. 😉
I do almost always have the luxury of waiting for broadside shots…..

If I did not, I would likely look more at a traditional hunting bullet.

Havent ever taken a frontal with the AMAX or ELDM and may this year just to test it. Pretty sure it will be DRT too.
They have been amaxing (pun intended) on any quartering or perfect broadside.
 
#16
Hecouldgoalltheway said:
Holy hell. Care to share that recipe?

I'm getting 2706 fps from factory 143 eld-x in my 20" barrel. Sounds like I should be able to push a 140 to 2,950 fps.
Click to expand...
It’s that magic dust, RL26. I stopped after 55.7gr as I was seeing some pressure.

Edit: this is lapua brass and br2 primers

IMG_0830.jpeg
 
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#18
Follow up for this rabbit hole ….

Since this is the interwebs where anything is possible , is there a theoretical rifle builder that exist where you can plug in all variants and it spits out all relative info ?

For example 26 in barrel 6.5 prc shooting 130 xyz vs 16 in barrel 458 lott shooting 500 grain xyz? See ballistics, energy , drop drift ect ?
 
#20
Midt said:
Follow up for this rabbit hole ….

Since this is the interwebs where anything is possible , is there a theoretical rifle builder that exist where you can plug in all variants and it spits out all relative info ?

For example 26 in barrel 6.5 prc shooting 130 xyz vs 16 in barrel 458 lott shooting 500 grain xyz? See ballistics, energy , drop drift ect ?
Click to expand...

Just make a made up rifle and plug data into your ballistics app.

Thats what I do anyways

May be a better or fancier way and thats the simple free way I use. 🤷‍♂️
 
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#23
powdahound76 said:
How far do you shoot from your blinds?

what are you hunting?


I have a 16.5” 6.5 creed barrel that runs a 123 Scenar at 2820 fps, a ways below max load, with h4350.
Awesome handy rig.

A SA non magnum for 400 yds and in would be my choice for antelope, deer, or elk.

I have used a different 6.5 creed barrel and a 140 eldm past 500 yds for deer.
DRT.

Im running a 300 wsm for elk here this year, because longer shots are very possible.
But have also done fine with a .308 (a Savage no less) and a Hornady SST on elk before I started reading how bad they are….
Click to expand...

I do something similar.

18" barrel 6.5 cm shooting 123 scenars at 2850 fps (w/N150).

Lighter projectiles seem to be the way to go with short barrels.
 
#24
Last 18" 6.5 PRC I had was just a touch over 2800 fps with 156gr bergers and RL26. 55.3gr. ADG Brass.

The 156s would shoot way better then the 143 eldx, 140 accubond, 127lrx, etc in the 18" barrels. Seemed counter intuitive having the heavier bullets in shorter barrel but actually was a much better performer. At least with RL26. Other powders would give me just stupid ES and SDs. Switched to RL26 and heavies and down to the single digits.

For my 22" 6.5PRC barrels the factory ELDx and also the 143gr Norma offerings shoot all under an inch 5 round groups. Eldx at 2923 fps. Bondstrike 143gr is at 2948 average. Both were about identical accuracy with 10 round groups.

The few 20" 300wsm's I have put together as of late are shooting that 180gr Norma factory bondstrike at 3030 fps (now barrels are broken in) out of 20" tubes. Seems like a pretty hot load but still maintaining under an inch 5 round groups. I've been doing load development on these with the 205 bergers and maintaining under half inch groups at 2820 fps average at 68.8 grs of RL26.

22" 300 PRCs also with that factory ELDx 212 just at 2800 fps. Started at 2742 and sped up to 2800. For a data point at least. The factory Norma bond strike ammo out of this same gun and the same 180gr bullets the WSM ammo has.. was at 3070. Under an inch 5 round groups also. So shooting the same bullet at just 40 fps less then the 300wsm..


I have a few 20" 6.5prc barrels sitting here I haven't messed with yet. But I think that 20-22 inch range for these guns is the sweet spot for hunting. The 18" range is little more picky and I leave the 14-18" barrels for my 308s now.
 
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#29
Emerson0311 said:
Not with the same barrel length.
Click to expand...
This was my reasoning for my build. I prefer 18-20” barrels (hunting) so my assumption was I’d be able to get 24” creedmoor velocity from a 20” barrel. In reality, I’ve got higher velocity from heavier bullets. Been quite pleased with it. Trade off is obviously more powder.
 
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#30
Here's my $.02 on the matter. I have both an 18" and 20".

If you want to shoot shorter barrels, consider lighter bullets. I shoot 130 sierra's and they absolutely hammer game.

On my 20" rifle they shoot right at 3000 fps with RL26 and I am working on VV N565 (more temp stable).

The 18" is almost complete and I'll move on to that next.

If you have not purchased your barrel yet, get a 1:7 twist. The increase in twist will give a small gain in BC and buy back some of the lost velocity. I have been running C6 pre-fits with great success and you can basically order them to your exact specs.

I'm sure you can find some factory 130 sierra's or find a company that will load some up for you. You just give away way too much velocity when shooting factory ammo.

Or maybe reconsider a 22" barrel.
 
#32
shootertom said:
Here's my $.02 on the matter. I have both an 18" and 20".

If you want to shoot shorter barrels, consider lighter bullets. I shoot 130 sierra's and they absolutely hammer game.

On my 20" rifle they shoot right at 3000 fps with RL26 and I am working on VV N565 (more temp stable).

The 18" is almost complete and I'll move on to that next.

If you have not purchased your barrel yet, get a 1:7 twist. The increase in twist will give a small gain in BC and buy back some of the lost velocity. I have been running C6 pre-fits with great success and you can basically order them to your exact specs.

I'm sure you can find some factory 130 sierra's or find a company that will load some up for you. You just give away way too much velocity when shooting factory ammo.

Or maybe reconsider a 22" barrel.
Click to expand...
Have you tried a faster powder than rl26? Shorter tubes sometimes gain some by going to a faster powder(within reason) that gets closer to 100% burn(if possible). I use h1000 and 140eldm on my 22 and 25", but I'd try a 130 and h4831sc if I was wanting shorter.
 
#34
6brshooter said:
Have you tried a faster powder than rl26? Shorter tubes sometimes gain some by going to a faster powder(within reason) that gets closer to 100% burn(if possible). I use h1000 and 140eldm on my 22 and 25", but I'd try a 130 and h4831sc if I was wanting shorter.
Click to expand...
Very solid point, but wouldn't it promote much greater pressure?
 
#35
Pressure is speed. Too slow burn and pressure isn't made and velocity is not obtained. Too fast burn and it will hit pressure before speed. In between those is a range that works nicely, the faster end of that range will be better in shorter barrel do to more complete burn in shorter tube.
 
#36
Hecouldgoalltheway said:
Holy hell. Care to share that recipe?

I'm getting 2706 fps from factory 143 eld-x in my 20" barrel. Sounds like I should be able to push a 140 to 2,950 fps.
Click to expand...
I hit 2,950 with a 140 elite hunter in my 20” 6.5PRC with 58.3 grains N560. Lapua virgin brass, F210M loaded to 2.950” COAL. Barrel only had 30 rounds down the pipe when I took it hunting. Might pick up some speed soon once it settles in.
 
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#37
XTREM HTR16 said:
I hit 2,950 with a 140 elite hunter in my 20” 6.5PRC with 58.3 grains N560. Lapua virgin brass, F210M loaded to 2.950” COAL. Barrel only had 30 rounds down the pipe when I took it hunting. Might pick up some speed soon once it settles in.
Click to expand...
I can find N560 easier than I can find RL26. Thanks for sharing..
 
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