Has the 6.5prc peaked in interested?

[Stgraves260]

Help me understand. What's wrong with the WSM design. It seems to be built right with a straighter case and sharp shoulder. Good velocity. You can choose 6.5, 7mm or 30 cal. What's wrong with it?

I don't see anything wrong with the WSM cases. I thank if Winchester made a factory 6.5 WSM or even if Remington mad a factory 6.5 SAUM people would have jumped all over it. I know I wound have.

 

[Greyfox]

I don't believe it has yet peaked. Being a long term advocate of the 6.5x284, I believe the similar performing 6.5PRC, particularly with performance factory ammo offerings will be a successful. Hunting cartridge. Were it a "true" short action design I may have made the switch. It requires either a magazine modification, or a medium(long) action to fully exploit the case capacity, which is identical to the 6.5x284.

 

[DesertDweller62]

I was leaning toward the 6.5 SAUM when I became aware of the 6.5 PRC. Having good quality factory ammo for the PRC was the deciding factor.

Over one hundred years ago the true explorers of the North American continent were carrying 6.5x55's and killed everything from Polar Bears to Parka Squarrels with a 160 gr. round nose bullet... There is not anything really new... Bullet placement and bullet performance is the key. DD 62

 

[Bigeclipse]

Help me understand. What's wrong with the WSM design. It seems to be built right with a straighter case and sharp shoulder. Good velocity. You can choose 6.5, 7mm or 30 cal. What's wrong with it?

nothing except factory rifle availability, ammo availability and not being able to use super heavy for caliber bullets due to seating depth issues in the case. My point on this thread was really availability of factory ammo and factory guns.

 

[Tree Farmer]

I bought the 6.5 PRC because of the marketing success of the creed. While I reload (and have been enjoying the quest for my perfect deer load), I bet that factory ammo would ultimately be available, plentiful and affordable. I hope that happens. If not, I'll rebarrel to the next best and greatest. Meanwhile, I have a rifle that can harvest whitetails with authority.

 

[Bigeclipse]

I don't think anyone is saying the 6.5 PRC isn't a good cartridge. It is very effective & accurate . The fact still remains that the 6.5 Rem Mag holds more powder & out performs it. The 6.5-06 which has been around for as long as I can remember absolutely duplicates it performance for $$K less money. Pick up a used standard long action & re=barrel to 6.5-06 for $K less . So it has an action a 1/2" longer . Have never seen that make any difference in the field & I'm sure game will never notice they were hit with a 6.5 -06 instead of a PRC. Your trophy will never know the difference. With the money saved by building a 6.5-06 better quality optics will be more affordable. I feel performance is performance & if I can accomplish performance for less $ that makes sense to me.

I think smaller rifles are the future but also ammo availability and factory rifle offerings are key and this is why 6.5-06 is not popular. That is what I meant about this thread was, will the 6.5prc be a factory popular rifle and ammo option like the 6.5CM has become or will it fall the way of the WSM and others?

 

[thwatson2]

You can always choose what you want to shoot and learn to reload. Then availability of factory ammo becomes moot. Once you have the brass you will have all kinds of options for that particular round. Just a thought?

 

[BrentM]

It all boils down to the marketing and filling a need. It seems everyone chambers a 6.5 creed now. The reason is that people talk about it, create forums/pages, etc. They talk about it because they like the results. Yes, Hornady can be blamed or credited, pick your poison, but in the end, users and word of mouth make up the demand.

The PRC is headed down this path likely. People associated the creedmoor success to the PRC. So, interest is there, people buy them, shoot them, talk about them. So far everyone I know likes their PRC.

Personally I am still on the fence with mine. I have many 6.5-284's but wanted to build on 1 platform and switch barrels as I desired. I wanted to go SA so I went with the PRC as an experiment. I am running a 22" proof on a mdt chassis. So far the recoil is super mild, the test loads are showing good results, and if I am happy then like anyone else, I'll blah blah blah about. I can say I am NOT UNHAPPY with a 156 running 2900 out of a 22".

 

[PNWdude67]

I don't want to start a war on cartridges i.e. I don't need to hear why a 6.5 prc when xyz cartridge already exists. The reason why is there really is not a high velocity (magnum) 6.5 round which is super popular where ammo is readily available at stores. I am just curious if the 6.5 prc has already peaked in interest? I have become a fan of 6.5 caliber sized bullets for deer hunting. Smaller bullets for less recoil but still enough oomph(when properly selecting bullets) to take down large whitetails. I have been back and forth on getting a 6.5 prc. I know it does not really offer much more than already existing cartridges in performance but I was hoping Hornady was going to pull off another 6.5cm popular round because then ammo types and availability goes up. I wanted a flatter shooting version of a 6.5cm and it seemed like the 6.5 prc was going to be it. So what are your thoughts? Do you think the 6.5 prc has already peaked in interest or do you think it still has a chance to keep climbing?

It will continue to trend up IMO.

 

[Bigeclipse]

You can always choose what you want to shoot and learn to reload. Then availability of factory ammo becomes moot. Once you have the brass you will have all kinds of options for that particular round. Just a thought?

Honestly I used to be really into reloading but since my max distance is now limited to 500 yards and my time is limited I just don't want to reload anymore.

 

[Will Gray]

Good information in the AUG-SEP 2019 issue of Field & Stream about long range shooting and accuracy.

 

[Slope77]

I like to reload, but I don't dial and probably wouldn't shoot at an animal past 500-550 at the absolute furthest. I have B&C reticle on my two primary rifles (7RM & 25-06) which will take me that far.

I was really excited about a 6.5 Rem Mag for a while, and then a 6.5 PRC. My thought was getting 270 performance in a 243 sized package - kind of a 7Mag lite. However, the fast 6.5s may be short actions but probably not short or light barrels. What am I gaining over a 270 (which is actually a lot easier in terms of components) out to 500 yards? Especially when you look at performance of 270 with new powders like RL26 (if you can find it).

No knock on the round (it seems really well balanced) or the people who use it, just not worth the hassle or more limited choice in firearms to me, vs the 270.

 

[tuscan]

Has it peaked? No. Gunbroker shows 305 rifles available right now, from many different manufacturers - from $500 and up. By comparison, the 6.5x284 has 96 items from $900 and up. The Mossberg isn't on Gunbroker yet, but Savage and Mauser are. Ruger is offering it in their Hawkeye and Precision Rifle now, but their American line is the big volume seller. On the ammo front, Ammoseek shows 28 items, all manufactured by Hornady with prices from 1.50 to 2.00 per round. That compares to the 6.5x284, where there are 36 items from 1.87 to 3.27, and 4 manufacturers. It seems like the cartridge is still gaining ground with rifle manufacturers, but still only being supported by Hornady ammo - though at prices that are very reasonable. If Federal does offer ammo, that will be a good development.

 

[Jimbarnett]

I don't want to start a war on cartridges i.e. I don't need to hear why a 6.5 prc when xyz cartridge already exists. The reason why is there really is not a high velocity (magnum) 6.5 round which is super popular where ammo is readily available at stores. I am just curious if the 6.5 prc has already peaked in interest? I have become a fan of 6.5 caliber sized bullets for deer hunting. Smaller bullets for less recoil but still enough oomph(when properly selecting bullets) to take down large whitetails. I have been back and forth on getting a 6.5 prc. I know it does not really offer much more than already existing cartridges in performance but I was hoping Hornady was going to pull off another 6.5cm popular round because then ammo types and availability goes up. I wanted a flatter shooting version of a 6.5cm and it seemed like the 6.5 prc was going to be it. So what are your thoughts? Do you think the 6.5 prc has already peaked in interest or do you think it still has a chance to keep climbing?

I am 70 years old. This is just my opinion and is only worth that nothing more. In my experience using 6.5, the .264 Win Mag is more than satisfactory for mule deer and elk, while the 6,5x55 SE is more than satisfactory for deer, even mule deer. However this is "Long Range Hunting & Shooting". So I suspect that these choices will fall far short of the current threshold.