Caliber Of Choice

[Creedmoor shooter]

Without any parameters, it's very difficult to help in what you need.

Your 6.5 cm has the milder, short action cartridge side pretty well covered. You'll see zero benefits switching to a 308, 7mm-08, etc.

The new 7mm prc is basically a reworked 7mm rem mag. I dont know how your 7mm is set up, but if you already have the rem mag then it would be difficult to justify a 7mm prc.

You honestly have alot covered with thise 2 cartridges. Their both middle of the road which makes it difficult to justify other cartridges lol.

To be perfectly honest, if it was me instead of buying a new rifle I would sto k up on components and really speaking alot of time on the trigger. That will teach you more than any new rifle will.

Unless of course, your rifles need to be upgraded. I dont know anything about the rifles you currently own.

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

I forgot to add, I will be shooting with a brake so I'm sure that chances some answers. And yes , I hand load. I will be hunting for whitetail and mule deer and the occasional elk but do a lot of target shooting as well

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I forgot to add, I will be shooting with a brake so I'm sure that chances some answers. And yes , I hand load. I will be hunting for whitetail and mule deer and the occasional elk but do a lot of target shooting as well

Are either of your current rifle long range capable?

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

It looks like from the cartridges your looking into you would like to stay between 6.5 and 7mm? You are a bit concerned with recoil which is understandable. As being in Texas the largest game you will be hunting short of exotic game reserves is whitetail and hogs. If your family takes you out of state for larger game that would have a bearing on your choice.

Somethings to ask yourself and share to better help you with your decision:

What is your plan for this new rifle specifically? What game?

Do you reload? Currently the 2 cartridges you have rifles have huge support in factory ammo. So handload or factory?

Do you plan to do a good amount of target practice with this new rifle?

Load development.if you handload....Are you planning to find a single good load and just hunt with it?

Are you planning to buy a factory rifle such as a Remington 700, Tikka T3x, Savage, Ruger etc?

What do your current rifles weight ready to hunt?

The volume of shooting you plan can and should be a consideration as barrel life can be used up very quickly with a good amount of shooting volume shooting groups and or banging steel. Example the 28 Nosler loaded with a 190-195 and high energy powder is a 1k barrel life at best usually under.

The 7 prc has many excited because it's new its prc etc...... but it's new so stocked loaded ammo maybe scarce compared to your current rifle chamberings. If you are looking for something soon I would look to a more mature cartridge that has good support especially if your using factory ammo you need to get locally. See what ammo your locally brick and motars carry that you maybe interested in.

If you are looking to add versus replacing what you currently have tell us more about your 6.5CM and 7RM rifles. Are they built for LR or more traditional hunting setups? Barrel twist length scope etc?

What scopes are you running and what is planned for this new rifle?

If this is for LRH what what distances have you been shooting at and your goals? Depending on your area of Texas it could be 500 yds out to miles you could have open to shoot from.

Recoil for even some of the big 338s can be tamed down with a brake to well below your 7RM to even the 6.5 CM unbraked. Still the brakes blast can bother people and its best to protect that good young hearing you have. Double up on that hearing protection when practicing.

I started reloading myself at your age back in the mid late 1980s. Was gifted a used Dillion 550 and Rock Chucker @ 14yo. 45acp 9mm 5.56 30-30 308 243. My uncle got me started and mentored me around 12 yo and have been handloading ever since.

Yes we reload and practice year round at the range.

Are either of your current rifle long range capable?

my 7mag is. That's kind of what I'm looking for, another long range Set up. I don't really have my Creedmoor decked out as a long range rifle.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Yes we reload and practice year round at the range.

my 7mag is. That's kind of what I'm looking for, another long range Set up. I don't really have my Creedmoor decked out as a long range rifle.

Honestly, the 7mm mag is a very good long range round. If it was me I'd save your money for more components to keep shooting it or upgrade your current rifle. I shoot the 180 eld-match out of mine at over 3000 fps. That's a bad mamajama

 

[tim_w]

Yes we reload and practice year round at the range.

my 7mag is. That's kind of what I'm looking for, another long range Set up. I don't really have my Creedmoor decked out as a long range rifle.

Since you reload the world is open. Personally if you shoot the 7RM fine I would not drop lower unless you would like a 6.5 that is dedicated to long range i.e. 26-28" barrel etc. Not sure if your looking for a factory or custom build rifle.

If it were me given you have the 7RM in LR config I would go 6.5 rsaum or a 300WSM. The latter throw a brake on it and it will recoil like a 90gr 243. The 300 wsm is easy to load for, scary accurate, and as you stretch things out to 1k it's better at anchoring game. The 6.5 rsaum is a lazer and less recoil. Set it up in a mid or long action for the 156EOL 28" barrel will drop anything native to Texas plus the hogs @ 1k+.

The 7 rsaum is popular F class 1k cartridge. IIRC, the aussie team runs them. Again a great load good to 1k hunting and target. Running 180s is a nice balance. But it's very similar to your 7rm.

 

[Rosebud]

You and I are at the opposite side of life. You're at the beginning I'm nearing the end. Both of us don't like recoil. Do what Frank in the Laura's says and get a 7-08. Shoot light bullets until you can handle bigger. But 7-08 will be a great killing machine for life.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Hello! I'm looking into getting another long range rifle so I need to start comparing some calibers. I have a 7mm Rem Mag and a 6.5 Creedmoor. I'm 14 so recoil is definitely a consideration. Some of the calibers I'm looking into are 6.5 PRC, 270 Weatherby, 28 Nosler, etc. any suggestions or opinions on what to look into?

You do not mention what your idea or definition of Long Range is so this will be a general recommendation. depending on how your 7mm Rem Mag shoots, it will match or exceed the performance of the 6.5 prc and 270 wby and come within 100-125 fps of the 28 nosler. The 8 has the ability to drive heavier bullets to useful velocities but its not a dramatic difference in performance. Realize that the 28 nosler is identical in performance to the 7mm STW.

the 270 wby would actually be a step back in my opinion. Unless you had a custom rifle built with a fast twist barrel and shot the 170 gr bergers which will run with most 7mm bullets. However, the best 7mm bullets for long range will simply outperform the 270 all day long.

the 6.5 prc would also be a step down from where you already are. Did some ballistic testing for a customer as he wanted to use factory 6.5 prc ammo and out of a 26" barrel was amazed to see only a hair over 2900 fps velocity with the 143 gr eldx bullet….. the next week i tested a 6.5-06 that drove the same bullet over 3100 fps in same length barrel…….

so what would i recommend, honestly, for a fraction of the money you could put a brake on your 7mm, invest in a good optical system and have a legit 1/2 mile rifle. As long as the rifle was a sub moa class shooter. Then save up your money and if you find you need more, step up to something that truly gives you an advantage over what you have. If you dont handload, your really limiting yourself no matter what you choose so get into handloading your own ammo. A 300 RUM would be a good useful step up over your 7mm Rem Mag and with a quality brake, there would be no recoil.

guess what i am saying is what you have now would likely serve you very well and what you list to replace it really will not offer you much other then possibly better accuracy if your 7mm Rem Mag is not s solid shooter.

the 7mm prc will give you what you already have……

in all honesty, a 300 win mag would be a better choice.

again, depends on your definition of long range, what game you will be hunting or type of shooting you will be doing and how your current rifles shoot. You may not need much more then you already have, at least for the time being.

 

[JamesWilson5]

This is only if u reload and use a muzzle brake. 6.5 300 wby 26 nosler in the 6.5 . 7mm stw 28 nosler or 7mm rum I personally own all of them besides the nosler. U can get the 7 rum over 3500 fps easily with sub moa accuracy

 

[ford32]

260 or 6.5x55..

 

[Mikecr]

I like 26 caliber the best.
Lotta good bullets there.

 

[Roperboy87]

I personally like .25 cal bullet. I shot a deer with this deer season and it sure put the smack down on them.

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

What I think I am gonna do is sell my current 6.5 and upgrade to a different rifle more suited for long range . Would y'all go with another 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x284(if so how is the accuracy on these) or 6.5 prc. Thanks

 

[Roperboy87]

6.5x284 if your a hand loader, if not then the 6.5prc