Thinking of going 6.5 PRC thoughts

I just picked up a copy of RifleShooter and they do a 6.5-284 vs 6.5PRC comparison article, it states that Sauer, Montana Rifle Co, Savage, Seekins Precision and Proof Research are chambering rifles in the 6.5 PRC

To say it's a fad cartridge...well maybe the PRC SPECIFICALLY is but honestly to get mag performance in a true Short action well the saum and the prc fill that niche nicely. The SS offerings are awesome but If your not looking to roll your own ammo then there are only a couple options. Until the day comes otherwise...you're probably on the right track unless you handload...

Listen to the second episode of the gunwerks podcast, there is a good case to be made for the prc. The biggest thing I see for it oover the saum, as of now, seems to be the ammo offering. I anticipate that with the price of the ammo and the factory availability well that's going to get folks shooting which should snowball into demand & manufacturers looking in from the outside...well it might be more than a cult following.

My 02 parrots George's... if your looking for a rig to shoot, like a Creedmoor on steroids AND if you want factory offerings of reasonably priced ammo then the PRC is a good option for a Short action setup.
If you want more horsepower and/or handload then I'd get the SAUM.
The ballistics don't lie and there is a strong case for the SAUM over anything else assuming you have some specific boxes to check....

Undoubtedly you'll hear someone sprack off that "it won't do anything a .270 can't"

If you want one...get it! Shoot the heck out of it and if the "fad" fades well...rebarrel to a 7wsm or something considered more of a "cornerstone" cartridge.

Btw I have a new 6.5 GAP for grabs in the classifieds.

Weatherby Fan said:

I just picked up a copy of RifleShooter and they do a 6.5-284 vs 6.5PRC comparison article, it states that Sauer, Montana Rifle Co, Savage, Seekins Precision and Proof Research are chambering rifles in the 6.5 PRC

Click to expand...

I agree that it's not much above and beyond unless your looking for a true Short action cartridge.
I personally think the 6.5x284 is a "cooler" cartridge but it really needs a mid length action.
I'll have to find that article, curious what they said.

I think that Gunworks podcast really had some good points. Something not mentioned is that while these new saami cartridges don't anything previous designs didn't (in many respects) the do carve a spot for rifles built with new fast twist barrels and allow the factory ammo to back them...
Ahhmmm...22 Creedmoor and 80+rg factory ammo...because ammo manufacturers won't load heavy 22-250

The problem of a short action magnum 6.5 was solved in the 1960's by the 6.5 Remington Magnum. Unfortunately, Remington let it die on the vine by only offering (very) short barreled rifles. Add a 26 inch barrel and you have something.

Good luck

Jerry

Jerry M said:

The problem of a short action magnum 6.5 was solved in the 1960's by the 6.5 Remington Magnum. Unfortunately, Remington let it die on the vine by only offering (very) short barreled rifles. Add a 26 inch barrel and you have something.

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Friend and I just had this discussion...it's a shame that the cartridge did die off although as I pointed out to him, today's shooters seem to have a grudge with "belts"...
Do you know what the 6.5 rem mags came with for twist?

His 6.5rm ate barrels for breakfast, he has barreled 3 times now and he only gets aprox. 1100 rounds down them; so I do subscribe to the "cartridge geometry" argument...the SAUM & the PRC seem to get longer life.

Iclimb said:

Friend and I just had this discussion...it's a shame that the cartridge did die off although as I pointed out to him, today's shooters seem to have a grudge with "belts"...
Do you know what the 6.5 rem mags came with for twist?

His 6.5rm ate barrels for breakfast, he has barreled 3 times now and he only gets aprox. 1100 rounds down them; so I do subscribe to the "cartridge geometry" argument...the SAUM & the PRC seem to get longer life.

Click to expand...

I can't remember the twist rate precisely but I know that the biggest problem was that they were very slow twists as the cartridge was designed and built around lighter bullets for minimal recoil.

They came as short barreled carbines basically as truck guns for farmers and ranchers to shoot predators and the occasional deer with as well as for hunters in the upper ME hunting heavy wooded cover.

I looked hard at picking one up for my wife who is rather petite and built for "youth models" but the shortage of brass scared me off.

Remington's design and marketing guys could screw up a gold bar.

"Remington screwed up"

Chalk that one up on the big board...about the umptenth time...screwed up again when they didn't standardize the 6.5 SAUM and offer a bit of a facelift to the company! How many years did it take them to jump on the creedmoor wagon?

You can lead a horse to water....

So that twist rate is what I expected and supports the point (that was recently revealed to me hence my harkening back to it) assuming the cartridge was accepted and supported for so many years and fast forward to today. There would be so many rifles out there in this slow twist, ammo would be built with lightweight offerings that worked with slow twists. rifles would be built unable to shoot the new heavy high bc bullets because of the ammo offerings and the ammo manufacturers would be pigeonholed. We'd never see heavy for caliber offerings because the fear of them being used in thes "old rifles"
So outcomes a "new caliber" and while it's much the same...it can be built with modern "ballistics advancements" in mind and standardized as such.

Hahaha if that makes sense...I can't really articulate it right now but this was something I never really thought about and while it's a bit off topic I think it's worthwhile to think about.

We are suffering this fate with the 22-250 and .223 & I think they prove the point. Heavy high bc bullets are starting to come out yet ammo manufacturers won't load them to take advantage more outrageous big name rifle manufacturers won't put the twist we need to even roll our own factory ammo. Actually (more on topic) the .264wm is a prime example. What a magnificent caliber! Yet f@ctory offerings are only seen with 1:9" barrels! Even makers like Montana, or the like, are only bridging the gap so to speak with calibers like the 22-250 only offering them in 1:10" twist instead of taking full advantage of the 75+ gr lineup.

Ok...I'll shut up now! Thanks guys & good luck in your decision!

Don't forget Remington's screwup with killing off the .260 Rem... It could have destroyed the 6.5CM by 10 years, but Remington tried to kill it off, because the time it was developed (1997), they were in the middle of the magnum vs. WSM vs. SAUM battle...

Yeah that's true....I think they did that with the 280 too. To push the 7rm...

I will say I do see merits the Creedmoor possesses that the .260 lacks.

I'm liking it. Too many naysayers out there crying about the +200 FPS or so. But, they also love the 30-06 over the 308. Same story.

Choices are a beautiful thing!

I do know if everyone says I'm not buying into that 'new' cartridge it surely will die. Sales need to happen for it to be viable.
It still surprises me on a forum of gun ppl, we still say, don't try that. Oh the components will be gone in a few years!
Buy enough to last the barrel...done.
Enjoy your prc, I think it's a nifty round!

WildRose said:

I can't remember the twist rate precisely but I know that the biggest problem was that they were very slow twists as the cartridge was designed and built around lighter bullets for minimal recoil.

They came as short barreled carbines basically as truck guns for farmers and ranchers to shoot predators and the occasional deer with as well as for hunters in the upper ME hunting heavy wooded cover.

I looked hard at picking one up for my wife who is rather petite and built for "youth models" but the shortage of brass scared me off.

Remington's design and marketing guys could screw up a gold bar.

Click to expand...

The original twist on the 6.5 rem was 9. Same mistake they made with the 260...

For a hunting rig I built a 6.5-284. I like the brass selection better--I did mine on a stiller long action so gave up a little length (3/4) of an inch but used the same 25 in barrel I'd go with anyway. Hey the 6.5 PRC will be a fine cartridge---its modern and will push a 140+ bullet fast enough..I really like the Havak rifles I see them from time to time for 1800 to 1900...that is a buy, the time you get custom action $1000 + custom stock $675 bottom metal and mag $300 and mike rock barrel fluted and threaded $700...and you walk out with it.. a little sponge paint job on the stock--and you got something...good luck in your search.