6.5 PRC for Extreme Long Range Hunting?

[yobuck]

It cannot be denied that bullet technology has pushed caliber technology. Over the past 10 years, coincidentally when the 6.5 Cm was approved, BC's and construction/reliability of construction of bullets now require us to use calibers that can push them. We need more COAL length, to the ratio of powder, to bullet size to push high BC bullets to extreme long range.
Lets look at an example of the same 140 grain bullet in 3 calibers and specifically compare powder ratio to bullet size. Assume for this test that all 3 powders are the optimum for speed, accuracy, and pressure.
6.5 CM - 44 grains powder = 31% bullet to powder ratio = 2850 fps
6.5 PRC - 56 grains powder = 40% bullet to powder ratio = 3080 fps
6.5 GAP - 62 grains powder = 44% bullet to powder ratio = 3190 fps
I submit that to be a 1000 yard extreme long range hunting rifle, a minimum of 3000 fps needs to be reached. More is good.

Johnlittletree, I hear you and data would suggest that 64% of all rifles are now built based on the short action which you kind of stated.. 52% of all short action custom rifles were a 6.5 CM, because Hornady pushed it. Hornady is the Amazon of the gun industry. If they deem it to be so, right or wrong, its going to happen.
The 6.5 PRC is a CM magnum, true. Hornady recognized the few shortcomings in the 6.5 CM, one being lack of velocity and energy as very long distance with high BC bullets, again not a big deal for targets and a big deal on animals. A lot like the 308, the parent for the CM.

Innovation is what pushes us to find calibers and bullets that change the shooting industry so "trying" short mags, and other wildcats is a good thing. Hence 6.5 GAP that hornady recognized as the most effective across all parameters of the 6.5's today. SO much so that they went to GAP and asked for their help in developing the 6.5 PRC, which the rumor is they wanted to buy the thing from GAP and they said no.

The 6.5 PRC will be bigger then the 6.5 CM. It has the ability to push 140 and 150 grain bullets at speeds that are more acceptable to hunters. Like it, dont like it, it is going to happen because hornady is making the brass, bullets, and marketing to companies and shooters alike. The 6.5 GAP will always be more of a handloaders gun.

I have both the CM and a GAP. The CM just became a "practice" rifle that doubles as my lightweight mountain rifle, easily capable out to 600+/- yards which i feel is IT'S limit on animals, given the data above, and will give me >3500 rounds of barrel life.

The 6.5 GAP, which I chose over the PRC because I exclusively hand load, is my go to extreme long range hunting rifle. GAP says 2000 round of barrel life and even if they are overstating that number by 25%, I shoot about 100 rounds a year out of my hunting rifles which would mean a rebarrel in 15 years...I can live with that knowing I have well over 3000 fps mzl vel and over 800 lbs of energy at 1000 yards.

Call back (after) you've had some experience hitting animals with 800# of (projected) energy.

 

[Litehiker]

Well the consensus here is that most shooters are aware of the yardages at which various 6.5 cartridges' ft. lb. energy is effective (or ineffective) for different sizes of big game. They know the physics is still the judge and that's good.

Thirty years ago very few hunters would try a shot over 300 yards because they never practiced at that distance - IF there were even ranges with those yardages. The first time I shot at 200 yards I thought it was damned far. Today I zero at 200 yards.

Today we have the scopes, rifles, cartridges, ranges and competitions that push distances to 1,000 yard and beyond. And that changes mentality. But thankfully more and more hunters actually know their load's limitations in terms of energy and trajectory.

Yeah, many of us can reliably make hits to 1,000 yards with our hunting rifles/cartridges but, as stated several times in this thread, punching paper or steel is not the same as making an ethical hit on big game at the same distance.

So, once again, it boils down to using "enough gun" as Robert Ruark said.

Eric B.

 

[Gamesniper19]

Call back (after) you've had some experience hitting animals with 800# of (projected) energy.

First rule for any conflict, including for those people who are snide and rude. Know who you are talking to.
That is all.

 

[johnlittletree]

You reasoning is sound. That said we have seen cartridges that should have been a hit with hunters fail to win in the market place history is full of them.

My take is not that I hate new cartridges rather that they should do something statically significant. Most of these newer cartridges really are not worth the time and effort to change over too them because the margin of return is not there.

You do not need a short fat case to kill an Elk. If people are purchasing short actions that is really stupid thing to do unless you specifically intend to short-short cartridges.

So on the short action it is not my fault that people are so ignorant of actual science, materials and design. Thinking that a short action is stiffer where it matters is just plain wrong. 95% of the "as seen on tv" items would not sell so well if the public in America especially was not so ignorant and poorly educated. A library card is your friend. Nothing aft of the looking lugs matter's in terms of "rigidity" If we cut off everything aft of the locking lugs and installed a interrupted thread canon breech lock the rifle does not magically shrink it's groups. It is nothing more than propaganda we are not attempting to rest a bending moment it is a thrust in line with the action we are attempt to manage. I remember when gun writers started spewing that non-sense in magazines in the 1980's and they never offered any science to back it up. Again nothing aft of the locking lugs matters at all unless you intend to use your receiver to support heavy loads at each end as a stressed member in some way that we do not use rifles.

Essentially the 6.5 PRC is just novelty as is a good number of cartridges for the reasons I specified earlier pressure, powder chemistry and ancient barrel steel used still.

The PRC is really just a Ruger 375 case necked down to 6.5 that is not really much development. It has a grain or 2 less capacity than the 300 H&H case that Weatherby used to make his now infamous 300 Weatherby Mag in 1944.

So the other day I went to 3 different sites that sell the reloading components. None of them had any 6.5 PRC all of them where sold out. Yet I was able to order 8mm Mauser brass and bullets which is kind of comical in a sense.

You are 100% correct about the magazine box limiting your loads. The magazine box is huge as is neck limitations and OAL cartridge length. Often you are eating into powder capacity to fit a magazine. On top of that if it feeds from a magazine you can not set the bullet seating death properly to kiss the lands so you end up having to make a huge jump which is anything but "precision" or "accuracy".

Of course you have the "me too" mentality in the industry so even though it is a fools folly Weatherby has a 6.5 Weatherby which makes no sense at all dropping down from a 30cal (.308) projectile to a 6.5 (.264) projectile offer's nothing to say a 1000m Elk Kill. In fact a 190gr. to 230gr. projectile in a 300 Weatherby is prob. as good as it get's for long range hunting on medium and large game at long ranges.

I will say it again other than weight and handiness anyone that thinks a short action is in any way more inherently accurate is only demonstrating how much marketing they have absorbed in the last 3 decades from magazines. It is just like all the people that put those stupid "Vornado" things in their car or trucks intake duct work thinking it would improve fuel economy or putting cheap, weak, permanent magnets on the fuel line thinking again it would improve fuel economy those are in the same category as shorter action is stiffer aft of the locking lugs so it must produce better accuracy!

Unless you are in the reamer, die, rifle building, ammo make or brass making industries 95% of the cartridges designed and brought to market over the last 30 years are nothing but a distraction from a hunting stand point.

Well if you rule out people buying the wrong action for the job they want to do again most of this conversation need not happen.

I would have to say that 3000fps is not a must have for long range hunting that is comical if one looks at the last 100 years of cartridge development and long range hunting. Also the best way to get to 3000+fps is not in a short action. That is like selecting Helen Keller for your shooting team it is not going to make any sense and will only serve to hinder you!

All of the VLD bullets in 6.5 are questionable to use on large game because the bullet designs do not hold together well. All of the bullets that do work great on large game are not VLD. That is true in 6mm/243 as well the best bullets that hold together well tend to be soft points with spitzer shape not VLD's. I can still remember when people tried to use the 22-250 on Elk long ago and it was a disaster. When you get a huge number of people doing something foolish it makes it common practice not best practice!

 

[FURMAN]

I will add a few things. For ELR? No way. Will it be a great long range medium big game cartridge? Absolutely. As stated before I know it will not matter in the real world but my average H2O capacity for the fired 6.5x284 Lapua cases I have is 66.6 and fired Hornady PRC is 68.3. The funny thing to me when I read these threads about new cartridges is it seems as though we all believe the manufacturers care about what reloaders may do with their cases. They don't think about it for once second. Take the Nosler line for instance. They designed one of the best cases I will probably ever see and neutered it by stuffing the bullets half way in the case and designing it for a 3.4" magazine box. Most of us on this forum know we can just order a reamer throated the way we would like and we are good to go. My point with mentioning this is I feel like the 6.5 PRC will be the best SAAMI 6.5 for years to come. The 26 Nosler is far too overbore for me. The other greats like the 6.5x284, 264 WM, etc are not great in SAAMI form for numerous different reasons. I ordered a 6.5PRC barrel after seeing around 20 different rifles shooting factory ammo way under .5 moa most under .25. I do not yet have the same experience with the prc as I do the 284 but all indications are it is just going to be easier to obtain the same results. I can not speak for the rest of you but I do all this for hunting. I want to be prepared to take long shots if necessary. It takes work. It takes time. It takes money. So far my PRC is staying well under .5 moa at 700(longest I have fired it) with factory ammo and that leaves me more time and money to hunt instead of tinkering with loads. This is the first chambering I have felt good about not reloading for. The way some of you talk we should just stick with our grand dads ol' 30-06. I welcome change. The great thing is we all have the choice. If you don't like it don't buy it. If appeals to you give it a whirl.

 

[Capt RB]

You reasoning is sound. That said we have seen cartridges that should have been a hit with hunters fail to win in the market place history is full of them.

My take is not that I hate new cartridges rather that they should do something statically significant. Most of these newer cartridges really are not worth the time and effort to change over too them because the margin of return is not there.

You do not need a short fat case to kill an Elk. If people are purchasing short actions that is really stupid thing to do unless you specifically intend to short-short cartridges.

So on the short action it is not my fault that people are so ignorant of actual science, materials and design. Thinking that a short action is stiffer where it matters is just plain wrong. 95% of the "as seen on tv" items would not sell so well if the public in America especially was not so ignorant and poorly educated. A library card is your friend. Nothing aft of the looking lugs matter's in terms of "rigidity" If we cut off everything aft of the locking lugs and installed a interrupted thread canon breech lock the rifle does not magically shrink it's groups. It is nothing more than propaganda we are not attempting to rest a bending moment it is a thrust in line with the action we are attempt to manage. I remember when gun writers started spewing that non-sense in magazines in the 1980's and they never offered any science to back it up. Again nothing aft of the locking lugs matters at all unless you intend to use your receiver to support heavy loads at each end as a stressed member in some way that we do not use rifles.
The metal in an action the less flexing motion caused by the upward thrust of recoil. With a recoil lug being on the bottom of the action that force goes to the easiest route. That would be up = wrong
Essentially the 6.5 PRC is just novelty as is a good number of cartridges for the reasons I specified earlier pressure, powder chemistry and ancient barrel steel used still.

The PRC is really just a Ruger 375 case necked down to 6.5 that is not really much development. It has a grain or 2 less capacity than the 300 H&H case that Weatherby used to make his now infamous 300 Weatherby Mag in 1944.
The 6.5 PRC is a necked down 300 ruger COMPACT magnum = wrong
So the other day I went to 3 different sites that sell the reloading components. None of them had any 6.5 PRC all of them where sold out. Yet I was able to order 8mm Mauser brass and bullets which is kind of comical in a sense.

You are 100% correct about the magazine box limiting your loads. The magazine box is huge as is neck limitations and OAL cartridge length. Often you are eating into powder capacity to fit a magazine. On top of that if it feeds from a magazine you can not set the bullet seating death properly to kiss the lands so you end up having to make a huge jump which is anything but "precision" or "accuracy".

Of course you have the "me too" mentality in the industry so even though it is a fools folly Weatherby has a 6.5 Weatherby which makes no sense at all dropping down from a 30cal (.308) projectile to a 6.5 (.264) projectile offer's nothing to say a 1000m Elk Kill. In fact a 190gr. to 230gr. projectile in a 300 Weatherby is prob. as good as it get's for long range hunting on medium and large game at long ranges.
I've had a set of 7mm 300 and 6.5 300wby dies since my senior year of High School. and coming up on my 40th reunion soon.
I will say it again other than weight and handiness anyone that thinks a short action is in any way more inherently accurate is only demonstrating how much marketing they have absorbed in the last 3 decades from magazines. It is just like all the people that put those stupid "Vornado" things in their car or trucks intake duct work thinking it would improve fuel economy or putting cheap, weak, permanent magnets on the fuel line thinking again it would improve fuel economy those are in the same category as shorter action is stiffer aft of the locking lugs so it must produce better accuracy!
Run a long action and a short action while in the prone position without moving your head like a professional does. Get back to us about how a short action has no place. How many long ction ppc's 6brs or even f class rigs are long action?
Unless you are in the reamer, die, rifle building, ammo make or brass making industries 95% of the cartridges designed and brought to market over the last 30 years are nothing but a distraction from a hunting stand point.

Well if you rule out people buying the wrong action for the job they want to do again most of this conversation need not happen.
So a sammi speced 264win 260 rem 6mm rem are twisted and throated for use with slippery bullets vs the 6.5/284 6.5x47 6.5cm and now 6.5prc? The sammi spec for the 300 prc is 8.5tw. That's not better than a 10 tw for long range work? Seems the tighter twisted barrels will shoot to a higher bc and have much better performance at the transonic window. Both a plus vs a minus. Yes you can rebarrel anything but is nice to have a turn key pkg that does what you want without an extra 600 dollars and 3-15 weeks at a smith
I would have to say that 3000fps is not a must have for long range hunting that is comical if one looks at the last 100 years of cartridge development and long range hunting. Also the best way to get to 3000+fps is not in a short action. That is like selecting Helen Keller for your shooting team it is not going to make any sense and will only serve to hinder you!
https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...iameter-cartridges.210466/page-2#post-1516776
The benefits of a short fat powder column vs a long skinny one shouldn't need any ink. However look at what is being used in accuracy imperative events outside of the elr and 6br's and it's offspring are now close to 50% of the top 10 prs shooters. 300wsm 7short mags and 6.5/284 are the top of F Class 600yd line is the 6.5x47 and the brs. short range bench was the 222 and is now the ppc for a very long time. The only exception to that is the elr development. The 33 and 375xc are lengthened 338 lapua cases. The reason is it gives better es than the cheytec based cases plus allows the use of H1000 vs less stable powders While still providing well over 3000fps with thumb sized bullets.
All of the VLD bullets in 6.5 are questionable to use on large game because the bullet designs do not hold together well. All of the bullets that do work great on large game are not VLD. That is true in 6mm/243 as well the best bullets that hold together well tend to be soft points with spitzer shape not VLD's. I can still remember when people tried to use the 22-250 on Elk long ago and it was a disaster. When you get a huge number of people doing something foolish it makes it common practice not best practice!

More than 50% of the video shots with the 6.5s are bergers and show dramatic and effective results. When shot competently these the eld's JLK's and I'm sure the new sierria gamechangers will prove to be up to the task when used within the envelope of ft#s of energy above 1800fps. If your going to gut shot your game doesn't matter what you hit them with your not being a competent shot.
If no company offers a different approach this community suffers. Like it has for decades. It is the competitive shooters that bring about the change because they are shooting daily or weekly to the tune of thousands of dollars.
I've competed with rimfires centerfires pistols and shotguns. 100k 209 primers a year and I shot for an ammo distributor so my competition ammo was free and I left the empties on the ground. Why? Because when your winning everyone wants to know what your using. Pistol shooting I teach at it now. I've heard it all about this gun or that ammo doesn't work. Yet when I try it it shoots as expected
You seem to be a smart guy You can develop and bring to market a better product for everyone be it cartridge shooting system or optic. You know what's out and what works take the risk.

 

[Gamesniper19]

John
You make some solid points.
In keeping with the theme of this thread, hunting at extreme distances with 6.5 PRC, (my definition of extreme is anything >800 yards) its many things including bullet construction, case design, and speed/energy that help us decide what we want to shoot. The 6.5 PRC could kill an elk at 1000 yards if hit exactly where we aim, all else being perfect. It would not be many hunters first choice for an elk at that distance given the ballistics we all recognize. Medium sized game such as an Antelope or a deer, all day long.

I agree, accuracy is not dependent on case design, short or long. Its a factual measurement of bullet impact which can be achieved in all calibers and cases. A 1/4 minute gun is a 1/4 minute gun, no matter the case size or caliber, or its new/old design.

I am sure no one faults you for the short action or caliber innovation. Every caliber generally has a parent case and given there are about 6 modern bolt faces available, so "playing" with case size, shoulder angles, neck lengths, chamber depths, is the best way to create more efficient calibers. The science in shorter, fatter cases is proven through data that we can achieve the same velocity and ballistics with less powder and a lighter rifle. (a good example is the 300 RUM and 30 Nosler, same parent case, nearly the same velocity, less powder by 7.2 grains, and less of a barrel burner with the 30N) I happen to own both, love them both, and enjoy shooting the 30N more with less kick and equal ballistics. Efficiency is not a marketing campaign, it becomes marketing when the theory of the more efficient case is proven. Technology and new case design can be a good thing. Discussion whether we needed the 30N when we already had the 300 RUM, which I think may be your point, well that is another thread I am sure.

You make another good point about the ludicrous amalgamation of design that brought to market the Weatherby 6.5/300 which if it sells even 1% of all the market for 6.5 calibers, many would be surprised. Overbore rifles are finicky, barrel burners and OMG fun, but not realistic for most people's first foray into extreme long range rifles.

The 3000 fps rule is one that I recommend for hunting to maximize shock and energy. One could argue it is not needed in any caliber although what does it hurt. More energy = more opportunity for a one shot kill at any distance. There are times where the difference between 2800 fps and 3100 fps makes a huge difference in drop, ballistics, and time to target. Ill stay with driving every hunting rifle I can as fast as I can.

We all have tons of experience with years of shooting many different calibers. Some become favorites, some not. I think about the 6.5's from a first time buyers perspective. If someone doesnt have a 6.5, would we tell them to go get a 6.5 Swede or a 260 Rem, maybe... or PRC, GAP or CM? My sense would be the latter.

 

[IHFarmer07]

This guy has some interesting findings with short fat cases vs long and skinny.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Since I'm out east my opportunities for truly long shots on game are quite limited. I can only think of one spot I would have the opportunity to reach to 750 on a whitetail. If I get that chance I'll take it, but I don't consider that ELR.

 

[gregsjt]

rfurman hit the nail on the head, all this talk about ballistics and new cartridges needing to be statistically different ballistically in order to be worthwhile is ridiculous, you're only looking at half the picture.

Why do we build custom rifles? Or load custom ammo? We customize rifles and ammo to work with long heavy bullets. We use faster twist barrels with longer throats, we load our ammo longer than the saami specs so that we can take full advantage of the case's capacity, we use longer than normal magazines or boxes to fit the longer ammunition.

Nobody did this 50 or 60 years ago or even 20 years ago. Most of the cartridges we use today were designed to use smaller lighter bullets at high velocities. Look at the 300 win mag. The saami oal is 3.4", yet Winchester, instead of using the same case as the 338 win mag, lengthened the case, why? Because nobody used anything heavier than 180 grains in a 30 caliber and the extra length got them move velocity.

Hornady is providing the market with guns (via design) and factory ammo that are set up for long range shooting. With the CM and both PRC's a guy can buy over the counter rifles and ammo and go shoot as far as possible, no custom rifle, no custom ammo, no hassle. They should be commended for this approach, the other big manufactures have never listened to the market like they do, at least not in my lifetime. Go try to buy a factory rifle in 6.5 SAUM then try to find ammo on the shelf for it. Go try to find .300 win mag ammo that's loaded to 3.6 or longer with 215's or 225's? (I know Berger does this but they're the only ones I know of). It's not only about ballistics Hornady is creating the complete system that works extremely well and is affordable, what's not to like about that?

 

[5RWill]

I welcome change. The great thing is we all have the choice. If you don't like it don't buy it. If appeals to you give it a whirl.

I agree. Not only change but competition. The old adage "competition breeds innovation" couldn't be more true for the precision rifle market in the last decade. I also don't understand the Hornady analogies, yes they're doing extremely well, yes they have a great marketing team, but also yes they've been putting out good products since the 6.5CM's introduction, at a far more reasonable price than some manufacturers i might add. To me the 6.5CM was nothing more than Hornady's recognition of a void in the market place for a known short action 6.5, Remington basically didn't care about the 260 much the way they've neglected the 700, and noone else made a move so naturally Hornady did and improved on the 260's shortcomings in the process. Though it wasn't as if it burst on the scene and was instantaneously famous, more or less the boom of the competition crowd pushed it forward. So yeah here we are again, efficient 6.5 magnums with little overbore are non existent in the market place to the public. Hornady saw a gap, low and behold we have the PRC. Do i wish it was the SAUM? Absolutely but it's not far off.


I for one hope the hunters do buy into the PRC because for what it has been marketed toward i don't think it will suffice. Don't get me wrong yes ballistically it's a step up from the 6.5CM. But when you consider nearly doubling the amount of powder burned per shot and all freaking money it cost to steadily compete into today's competition circuit it just isn't that viable for matches that aren't ELR based to begin with IMO.

 

[yobuck]

First rule for any conflict, including for those people who are snide and rude. Know who you are talking to.
That is all.

I frankly don't care who im talking to, my answers will be the same. When were discussing extreme range, and shooting at animals, either have enough gun or don't do it. And a 6.5 of any configuration isn't enough gun regardless of who's using it.
Which is exactly why a very popular cartridge in the 6.5x300 Weatherby died almost over night almost 50 years ago at least where some of us happen to hunt.
Who cares about how much powder, barrel life or anything else when talking about L/R hunting performance?
Fact is it was Hornady introduced the very bullet that killed the 6.5 way back then.
Now they recognize an opportunity to make hay again with a whole new generation of shooters.
The short fat PPC case revolutionized short range benchrest decades ago.
And ever since the attempt has been being made to do it with larger calibers. But that has very little to do with hunting, and especially with extreme distance hunting, which is what I thought this discussion is about.
A 300 WSM is still (almost) as good as a 300 Win Mag, which is still (almost) as good as a blown out old 300 H&H last time I checked.

 

[Capt RB]

I frankly don't care who im talking to, my answers will be the same. When were discussing extreme range, and shooting at animals, either have enough gun or don't do it. And a 6.5 of any configuration isn't enough gun regardless of who's using it.
Which is exactly why a very popular cartridge in the 6.5x300 Weatherby died almost over night almost 50 years ago at least where some of us happen to hunt.
Who cares about how much powder, barrel life or anything else when talking about L/R hunting performance?
Fact is it was Hornady introduced the very bullet that killed the 6.5 way back then.
Now they recognize an opportunity to make hay again with a whole new generation of shooters.
The short fat PPC case revolutionized short range benchrest decades ago.
And ever since the attempt has been being made to do it with larger calibers. But that has very little to do with hunting, and especially with extreme distance hunting, which is what I thought this discussion is about.
A 300 WSM is still (almost) as good as a 300 Win Mag, which is still (almost) as good as a blown out old 300 H&H last time I checked.

Your talking about actual extreme range thoughnot 5-600 yds lol which is extreme to an awful lot of hunters. It was a drive in your neck of the woods in 87 that prompted me to start sitting big clear cuts with my 300bee. Although I had owned 300's before that. I didn't use them much for deer till then.

 

[Gamesniper19]

I frankly don't care who im talking to, my answers will be the same. When were discussing extreme range, and shooting at animals, either have enough gun or don't do it. And a 6.5 of any configuration isn't enough gun regardless of who's using it.
Which is exactly why a very popular cartridge in the 6.5x300 Weatherby died almost over night almost 50 years ago at least where some of us happen to hunt.
Who cares about how much powder, barrel life or anything else when talking about L/R hunting performance?
Fact is it was Hornady introduced the very bullet that killed the 6.5 way back then.
Now they recognize an opportunity to make hay again with a whole new generation of shooters.
The short fat PPC case revolutionized short range benchrest decades ago.
And ever since the attempt has been being made to do it with larger calibers. But that has very little to do with hunting, and especially with extreme distance hunting, which is what I thought this discussion is about.
A 300 WSM is still (almost) as good as a 300 Win Mag, which is still (almost) as good as a blown out old 300 H&H last time I checked.

Your answers are predicated on your opinion...and you are entitled to it. Opinions are like buttholes, everyone has one including me. So here is mine based on personal, military, professional industry hunting and shooting, wildcat cartridge development, and rifle building experiences.

Having taken more than 160 big game animals over the past 20 years at various distance and with various calibers, including 6.5's at >800 yards; My personal and professional hunting experience at extreme long range, which also has changed over time from my military days to today, is that any hunter attempting to shoot any animal at >800 yards is extreme long range. Don't care how much you practice or how much you have been shooting. Field shooting of game animals at >800 yards takes a special rifle, hunter, and the right conditions. Most hunters can't/shouldnt even attempt it. Data suggest that less than 10% of all hunters ever shoot more than 300 yards at an animal. My personal experience with novice hunters/shooters on the range is that they show up, shoot 5 shots in the black at 100 yards and call it good. Now with all that said:

A 6.5 caliber is enough to kill deer sized animals with one clean shot at >800 yards. I have done it, seen it done by other hunters, and spent time with some of the most influential industry shooters who are military trained who have also done it, with something as small as a 6.5 CM.

To say that powder to bullet size makes no difference is contrary to every innovation and caliber that is on the market, are you sure you wanted to say that? Forget barrel life for a moment and consider your premise...Powder and projectile, and the speed and energy they create, make ALL the difference in long range shooting; if the amount of powder and size of bullet DIDN'T matter, we would shoot .308 caliber bullets out of a 223 so it wouldn't kick, oh wait, we already do in a 300 blackout and we know the effective range of that rifle, about 400 yards and I would never try to kill an animal by looping that slow heavy bullet 400 yards.

The purpose of this thread was to ask/answer if the 6.5 PRC is enough rifle to kill at extreme long range hunting distance. My answer is based on my definition of ELR of >800 yards and yes the 6.5 PRC will, given all of the parameters have been met. The rifle and bullet are capable on deer sized game, if the hunter is. I would not use a 6.5 caliber to kill an elk at that distance. Not saying it cannot be done, my opinion is that you should bring a caliber of size and ability to EASILY kill the largest animal you are hunting at any distance you are proficient. If you shoot a smaller sized animal on the same hunt too, so be it, the animal wont know the difference.
So my opinion is only mine, based on the data I have gathered and experienced. Stepping off my pulpit and letting others take part...JM is out.