16.5” 6.5 prc? build

simmonzz

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Oregon
Hey guys I just acquired a new to me defiance deviant tactical action with an mpa 6.5cm barrel attached to it. I was planning on getting a magnum bolt for the deviant so I could have a 16.5" 6.5prc barrel spun up for it. My few questions are with the prc being a "6.5cm magnum" am I going to get enough velocity to make the short barrel as handy and effective as I think it'd be? I currently have another bolt gun with an 18" 6.5cm barrel and love it aside from the contour because it's only like 12oz lighter than my 26" 300 Norma. Am I going to need a carbon barrel to cut the weight down or can I get by with a heavier steel barrel that's fluted and it be the same weight? Ultimately I'd like the rifle to be around 8lbs scoped. The deviant alone weighs 35oz from what I can gather. I've tried searching for 16.5" barrel weights and tried using a couple calculators but I'm kinda guessing on a couple inputs. I'd like to use a manners eh1 or AG alpine hunter stock and this rifle will get a sub 2 pound scope and more than likely a dbm but I might go bdl. I kinda prefer having a magazine
 
With regards to weight, I'd work backwards and subtract out the scope, rings, action, stock etc to find out what your budget on weight will be for the barrel. If you plan on threading it, Preferred Barrels straight .750 contour should be under 2.25 lbs at 16".

With regards to length, I have a 16.5" AR-10 in 6.5 creedmoor and wish I had gone longer. The gun is quite loud without a can. Adding the can adds weight and length but not much velocity. Food for thought.

With the right powder you can probably get respectable speeds, but I'd also think about the diminishing returns here. If the 16" PRC ends up the speed of a 22" Creedmoor, which would you rather have?
 
With regards to weight, I'd work backwards and subtract out the scope, rings, action, stock etc to find out what your budget on weight will be for the barrel. If you plan on threading it, Preferred Barrels straight .750 contour should be under 2.25 lbs at 16".

With regards to length, I have a 16.5" AR-10 in 6.5 creedmoor and wish I had gone longer. The gun is quite loud without a can. Adding the can adds weight and length but not much velocity. Food for thought.

With the right powder you can probably get respectable speeds, but I'd also think about the diminishing returns here. If the 16" PRC ends up the speed of a 22" Creedmoor, which would you rather have?
Sorry I forgot to add that it'll have a can on it. But with my hunting style I usually carry ear pro around my neck in case the animal doesn't give me the time to throw on a can. The 8lbs didnt include the can because I usually carry in an easy to get to pouch and run QD attachments so it's fast. That's a big reason for wanting to go short aside from short rifles being super handy in the field as well. My 10.5lb 26" 300 Norma is frickin awesome but would be my limit as far as a "pack able hunting rifle goes" obviously it could be better but I wanted to squeeze more velocity out of that rifle than what I'd expect out of a 16.5" 6.5 prc. I was hoping someone might have experience with a short barreled prc to lend some ballistic data. I'm hoping to be able to push 143s at 24" 6.5cm velocities
 
If your shooting around 140 gr, I'd imagine if you just bumped to 18 you could maybe hit 2850/2900 fps with a fast powder. Set on 16" go for it. Be a nice stick to carry around. I've found anything over 10lbs bothers me so I get it.
 
If your shooting around 140 gr, I'd imagine if you just bumped to 18 you could maybe hit 2850/2900 fps with a fast powder. Set on 16" go for it. Be a nice stick to carry around. I've found anything over 10lbs bothers me so I get it.
I currently have an 18" 6.5cm and am getting 2685 out of 143s and 42gr of h4350 that was why I was thinking I could get 2800-2850 maybe more? out of a 16.5.
 
I built a 18.5" 6.5 prc and I was getting 2700fps if I recall with factory 147 eldm. That was within the first 20 shots down the barrel then a friends bought it from me and not sure if he ended up reloading for it.
 
I built a 18.5" 6.5 prc and I was getting 2700fps if I recall with factory 147 eldm. That was within the first 20 shots down the barrel then a friends bought it from me and not sure if he ended up reloading for it.
You should let me know if he did or not because that doesn't seem very fast. I know my 18" 6.5cm with factory precision Hunter (143 eldx) was at 2520 and I'm able to push em at 2685 now safely
 
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