6.5 PRC Custom Build Advice

jgs8163 I dont know why defiance would ever have told you that! with a 156 in the XM length your never going to run out of room ever!!! it can be made in a long action no problem !!!! 6.5-284 RING A BELL! LOL
The problem with the short action build NO NO is that most gun builders are using the .188fb so when a guy goes to load for this round with any of the big bullets he now has a single shot, hell, even the factory ammo barely fits in a wyatts.! Or you get guys chambering with a .130 or shorter reamer and then "their" customers are jamming the factory rounds!! o_Oo_O
 
I called Defiance and spoke with them about this in length. With the new heavier bullets coming out now they recommended a long action. I ordered their new Tenacity which has the barrel lug machined into the action now. Some custom gun makers are also offering .150 of free bore as a chamber option also.
I suspect they recommended a long action because you were buying a Tenacity. If you had been buying a Rebel, Deviant, or Ruckus, I think they would have recommended an XM.
 
I built mine on a M-70 LA I bought from a member here. It was a 264WM. Had my smith true receiver, chamber, install Bartlien #4 w/ brake at 24" and 0.155" freebore, etc.. Factory mag and follower it feeds fine. The 156 @ 0.025" off is 3.001 OAL. Haven't loaded for it yet just measured different projectiles out. Been breaking in w/ Precision Hunters. Had to push them back a tad to get some jump for break in. The medium action looks to be the ticket to me but my long works fine. The 156 loaded out to junction is 3.082" so 3.2 mag will be fine.
 
If you are going to run the 156's and a SAAMI spec .188 free bore, the XM length is a perfect fit. The 130's and 140's should run fine in a short action and .188 free bore.
 
The whole advantage to the PRC is being on a short action. If you are going to add the length, weight, and stroke of the long action to make the most of the case, then make the most of a long action and do the 26 Nosler. Where is your line on performance and is the goal to shoot the 156. If the goal is 1000 yard elk gun maybe the 6.5PRC is not the best choice in any action. If the target is 500 or 600 yards then the 6.5PRC on the short action is perfect. If you choose to thump your elk with something bigger like a 300 grain .338 at distance and use the 6.5 on sheep and goats and such then the 130/140s and a short action PRC is perfect. It seems to me that a lot of people keep trying to land planes on destroyers when aircraft carriers are there for that purpose. Light, quick handling, rigid platform, high performance hunting rifle is the 6.5PRC on a short action. Just one outdated old mans opinion.
 
The whole advantage to the PRC is being on a short action. If you are going to add the length, weight, and stroke of the long action to make the most of the case, then make the most of a long action and do the 26 Nosler. Where is your line on performance and is the goal to shoot the 156. If the goal is 1000 yard elk gun maybe the 6.5PRC is not the best choice in any action. If the target is 500 or 600 yards then the 6.5PRC on the short action is perfect. If you choose to thump your elk with something bigger like a 300 grain .338 at distance and use the 6.5 on sheep and goats and such then the 130/140s and a short action PRC is perfect. It seems to me that a lot of people keep trying to land planes on destroyers when aircraft carriers are there for that purpose. Light, quick handling, rigid platform, high performance hunting rifle is the 6.5PRC on a short action. Just one outdated old mans opinion.
I already have a 26 Nosler and love it, even though it's expensive to shoot a lot. This rifle will strictly be a deer rifle and want to be able to stretch it out at the range just to do so but it will live in south Texas hunting deer. I am wanting to shoot the 156 gr Berger's because it's a little heavier bullet but will also depend on if the rifle likes them, if not I'll shoot the 140s. I don't reload my self but have a gun in town that loads custom ammo for me. If I don't like anything he has then I would buy from Cooper Creek.
Still seems the majority of people I have spoken to have said build it on a long action.
 
jgs8163 I dont know why defiance would ever have told you that! with a 156 in the XM length your never going to run out of room ever!!! it can be made in a long action no problem !!!! 6.5-284 RING A BELL! LOL
The problem with the short action build NO NO is that most gun builders are using the .188fb so when a guy goes to load for this round with any of the big bullets he now has a single shot, hell, even the factory ammo barely fits in a wyatts.! Or you get guys chambering with a .130 or shorter reamer and then "their" customers are jamming the factory rounds!! o_Oo_O

I'm not sure but I had 2 smiths make the same recommendation. I'm using a Hawkins M5 DBM, Proof 1-7.5 Sendero, Mesa Precision Carbon Fiber stock, trigger tech. Anyways...
 
I'm not sure but I had 2 smiths make the same recommendation. I'm using a Hawkins M5 DBM, Proof 1-7.5 Sendero, Mesa Precision Carbon Fiber stock, trigger tech. Anyways...
What Magazine are you using? Having trouble finding one for the Defiance XM/Hawkins M5 DBM
 
I looked hard into the prc case for a short action build I decided to go the Sherman route due to coal limitations
 
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ok so here is the 4 most popular 6.5 bullets being ran in the 6.5 PRC. All of these are at lands length in a .188 FB chamber
140 VLD-H 2.986"
140 HYB T 3.027"
147 match 2.993"
156 EOL 3.068"
wyatts MBE-4 extended is 2.995 OAL internally.
so as you can see why so many say do the XM and plenty of room to spare!!
 
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