Worth getting 6.5 PRC if you have a CM?
- Thread starter Jmccracken1214
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yeah i have a 6.5cm and also a 6.5prc both for hunting. in hindsight, i'd stick with one of the 6.5s and then go to a 7prc or 300wsm or the like for a meaningful step up. of course, i'm an idiot and have one of each of these...
If you already have a creedmoor then skip the 6.5 prc and get the 7 prc….there really isn’t a huge gain between 6.5 creed and prc about 100 to 150 fps.
What's the intended purpose?
With the 6.5 PRC you gain a couple hundred FPS over the CM at the cost of half the barrel life. That can either be substantial, or insignificant depending on the role of the rifle.
With the 6.5 PRC you gain a couple hundred FPS over the CM at the cost of half the barrel life. That can either be substantial, or insignificant depending on the role of the rifle.
I have two creeds and kinda want a 6.5 prc for running an 18-20” barrel suppressed for hunting deer and smaller. Maybe include elk. I have a 300 wsm for that though
I have both the 6.5 Creed and 6.5 PRC but one is for the flat range and the other is for hunting. The PRC only makes sense for hunting IMHO, if you're just shooting steel and paper then stick with the longer barrel life, lower recoil and cheaper/more readily available ammo of the Creedmoor.
I too have been having this mental debate lately. I know how my mind works and I won't be able to have just one. I would love a shorter barreled hunting rifle setup that gets the fps back up to a long barreled CM but then I would have to have a long barreled gun aswell to see what its all about. I have a TON of 6.5 projectiles so sticking with that seemed like a good idea. Then it brings me back to the question is the juice worth the squeeze? Fairly decent investment just to gain 150fps I think
I have both.
22” 6.5 PRC will yield good speeds with a 123 Hammer for game.
16.5” 6.5 creed does very nice with a 123 scenar at 2840 fps.
Handy with a 6” can
I also have a great 16.5” .308 for a handy hunter.
OP knows it and is probably sad it is mine now…..
22” 6.5 PRC will yield good speeds with a 123 Hammer for game.
16.5” 6.5 creed does very nice with a 123 scenar at 2840 fps.
Handy with a 6” can
I also have a great 16.5” .308 for a handy hunter.
OP knows it and is probably sad it is mine now…..
I have both. 6.5 CM range rifle and a 6.5 PRC for hunting here in Wyoming. I have really come to love my PRC.
Creed for general use/target/totally adequate for hunting most stuff.
PRC is just creed on higher octane, for when you think 200 FPS matters. Basically just a great hunting round. I think its use is going to peter out otherwise.
PRC is just creed on higher octane, for when you think 200 FPS matters. Basically just a great hunting round. I think its use is going to peter out otherwise.
For me, it will be about 400fps I’m hoping.
My 20” CTR 6.5cm is a heavy bastard, at almost 15lbs with the can and a full mag. Which is a real pain in the ass chasing elk and deer.
Also, I’m only getting 2500fps out of the creedmoor with 143’s. So it’s already kind of mediocre. I considered lightening the CTR up, but it would have cost more than it was worth and I’d still be stuck with the lesser caliber.
If I was going to dump a bunch of money into it, I might as well start fresh and do it with a better midrange caliber. I have a manners and a 24” proof carbon on order.
My main backpack hunting rifles will be the 6.5prc and a 300wm. If it were just me, I’d hunt with the 300 for everything and be done with it. But my wife started hunting with me last year. She really likes the 6.5 and there’s no chance of her getting scoped, like with the 300wm. So, in my case, it made sense to get the 6.5prc.
I think the 6.5PRC is a good hunting caliber, especially for your wife. The 7 prc might differentiate more from a 6.5 creed but it sounds like that rifle isn’t setup particularly well for hunting anyways. A 7 prc while a good caliber is overkill for deer and adds unneeded recoil.
A lightish 6.5 PRC is basically a 270win with 130-140grn bullets. The best part is you get the juice in a short action. You could consider a 6.5 SAUM for more speed, but if your targeting lighter weight hunting solids I’m not sure it’s worth it. Lots of people have killed elk with a 6.5 PRC so it’s not exactly “undergunned”.
I’m running 143eldx at 2950 out of a 25” 6.5 PRC. I will do load development on a 127LRX this summer.
A lightish 6.5 PRC is basically a 270win with 130-140grn bullets. The best part is you get the juice in a short action. You could consider a 6.5 SAUM for more speed, but if your targeting lighter weight hunting solids I’m not sure it’s worth it. Lots of people have killed elk with a 6.5 PRC so it’s not exactly “undergunned”.
I’m running 143eldx at 2950 out of a 25” 6.5 PRC. I will do load development on a 127LRX this summer.
I was getting 2944 fps out of my 24” Seekins with the 143 Eldx with H4831sc and under max pressure.
I don’t like the explosive Eldx on impact though, so I’m working up a load with a bonded bullet now.
I agree about the eldx. Some of the fastest deaths I’ve ever seen with a bullet but I’ve also seen them turn into grenades. Looking forward to getting my rifle back and doing a load work up on a new bullet.
I have a 6.5CM and a 7PRC…so, I guess that’s what I’d recommend. 6.5CM for smaller/medium sized game and low recoil range fun. 7PRC if I need more oomph and longer range fun. 6.5PRC didn’t seem to fit a role for me. No judgement on anyone’s choices.
PRC, Berger 156 Elite Hunter has served well but admittedly haven’t harvested an elk with it. Don’t see why it couldn’t though. Great speed and energy. White tail was devastating. Close range bobcat, it never expanded at 2900+ fps. Straight through.
I’m looking at a .300 WSM project. What kind of load are you using in yours?I own a 6.5 Needmoor that is exceptionally accurate, and went the route of building a 300 WSM. Very happy with my decision. I'm hitting steel out to 2,000 yards with the 300 WSM. YMMV.
I have both and plan to get rid of the CM. Barrel life does not concern me as I know new barrels are easily obtainable.
I get 2800+ fps out of the CM with hand loads using 140 gr ELDM. I have not checked the fps on the PRC yet, but 2910 is the fps for the 147 gr factory ammo according to Hornady using a 24" test barrel. I use a 26" barrel. I believe I will easily get over 3000 fps with hand loads.
I get 2800+ fps out of the CM with hand loads using 140 gr ELDM. I have not checked the fps on the PRC yet, but 2910 is the fps for the 147 gr factory ammo according to Hornady using a 24" test barrel. I use a 26" barrel. I believe I will easily get over 3000 fps with hand loads.
My first "competition gun" was a CTR in a 6.5 Creed. Bone stock it was incredibly accurate. I have heavily modified it since, but it is still amazingly accurate. I built an 18" 6.5 PRC, which is basically a creedmoor. I can get about 2890 out of it with a 140 elite hunter. It's a great shooting gun and just about the right weight for hunting.
Have you followed all the internet buzz on the 108 Eld-m and the 6 Creed as a hunting round? A few years ago, before it became a thing, I shot a few cow elk with that round and caliber. 400 yardish shots, right behind the shoulder. I was amazed at how fast that combo killed them. Upon field dressing, the damage was absolutely insane. Enough that I actually quit using that bullet because there was shrapnel everywhere, but it sure did work well. Not saying that is the combo you want, but it definitely isn't all about displacement and caliber sometimes. Bullet performance and placement are always king.
Agreed! I shot everything last season with 6ARC 108 ELD-M’s from a 14.5” 6ARC gasser. There are a dozen different ways to skin this cat and none of them are perfect.
That said, imho there isn’t enough velocity gain in a 6.5 PRC over a 6.5 Creedmoor to justify the increased recoil and reduced barrel life if being used strictly on the flat range. For hunting purposes the 6.5 PRC is an amazing choice and what I plan to use solely for all of my North American hunting for the foreseeable future.
I’m averaging 2,747 FPS from my 20” 6.5 Creed with Nosler 140 RDF’s. And 2,834 FPS from my 22” 6.5 Creed with Nosler 140 RDF’s using Alpha SRP brass, CCI 400’s, and StaBall 6.5…
Using the right components can render the 6.5 PRC null & void.
Using the right components can render the 6.5 PRC null & void.
Until you are at 12k feet and 15-30 degrees F with that 6.5 staball load.
Got some speed, decent accuracy with it.
Close speed, better accuracy, and tighter SDs and ES with h4350 in my 6.5 hunter.
And minimal variations temp wise
Good for you, but my results work great at my elevations and temps.
I’m good with my loads…
If you like buying twice as many barrels and burning 30% more powder for only a 100 FPS gain, just say you like buying barrels and powder…
he didn’t ask, “how hot can you load a 6.5cm, and still come up short?”If you like buying twice as many barrels and burning 30% more powder for only a 100 FPS gain, just say you like buying barrels and powder…
Your argument is based on the extreme outliers (although great). None of your examples really apply to me, except more powder I guess….
A 4cyl Honda civic can do 130mph. But a hemi can probably do it better.
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I don’t think 2 different barrels, made of 2 different materials, using common load charges and components, are “extreme outliers”… But whatever helps you validate your opinions.
People who don’t reload are at the mercy of shitty high ES/SD factory fodder. May the barrel gods have mercy on their souls.
Good for you, but my results work great at my elevations and temps.
I’m good with my loads…
View attachment 8626491View attachment 8626492
Might work in FL
Point was, it wont work in the mtns for hunting where the 6.5 PRC outshines the 6.5 creed.
Yer a douche. A big one in fact.
Im ashamed I even read something you posted.
Worse, 2x in a day now.
Enough for a year….
Well... I guess I'll be the more mature adult, since you seem to want to stoop to ad hominems for me introducing numbers into the equation instead of just telling the guy, "this is what I shoot, and it's the best, so it's what you need"... The numbers allow him to make an informed decision into what direction he wants to go so he'll be happy with his investment.
Yes, I'm a douche because math and ballistics exist, and are a finite measurement... How idiotic. How can one cartridge "outshine" another when they shoot the same projectile, within 100 fps of each other? And is that slight difference worth the very noticeable difference in barrel and throat life, the increase in powder consumption, and higher cost brass/ammo? That's up to the OP to decide. The windage and drop are so close that it's within 1 click.
But by all means enjoy your 6.5 PRC while the barrel lasts. I really don't care what the OP buys/builds, I just wanted to throw out the facts of my experiences with it, since 6.5 CM velocity numbers seem to be running really low in this thread. Also, I've chrono'd a few different 6.5 PRC factory loads in a 26" Bergara that a buddy of mine had, and they were running much slower than what the Hornady boxes claimed (by 100+ FPS), putting it really close to the 6.5CM numbers I get. Not sure what was up with that, but somebody's numbers weren't right, and I doubt it was the Garmin XERO, since it's always tracked right for everything else.
And no, I'm not a 6.5CM fanboy, as a matter of fact, I wouldn't even be taking it hunting up in the mountains, there's much better options for that...Like 7 PRC or 7mm RemMag, IMO.
But then all, just figure the order. And start reloading. My 6.5 SAUM’s push 127lrx @ 3222 in 24” Bartlein’s, have 2. Have 3 creeds.127lrx’s are 2850. We shot black bears last spring with both 127lrx (me) and 143 Eldx (son). One shot DRT less than 10 yard recovery @58yard shots. Building him a 7PRC for spring bear. Passing the creed off to his little brother.
OP get what makes you feel good. Who cares what you want. More guns is always the answer and suppressed. Have fun and go kill something.
OP get what makes you feel good. Who cares what you want. More guns is always the answer and suppressed. Have fun and go kill something.
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