6.5 prc vs 6.5-06

[laker]

Took advantage of stockys Sale and now have a 6.5 proof barrel on the way. I already have a magnum long action but im debating between the 6.5 Prc or grabbing another action and going 6.5-06 which I have quite the love affair with. What do you guys think?

 

[Dmagna]

I think the 6.5 prc is a waste, 6.5-06 is a good hunting cartridge. With a magnum action I would go to something like a 26 Nosler if you just want to hunt with it. If you want to punch paper this is not a great choice. But again it all depends on what you want to do with it. A 6.5-06 AI would work well too.

 

[FEENIX]

Took advantage of stockys Sale and now have a 6.5 proof barrel on the way. I already have a magnum long action but im debating between the 6.5 Prc or grabbing another action and going 6.5-06 which I have quite the love affair with. What do you guys think?

I think you just answered your own question. For a non-reloader, the 6.5 PRC has the advantage. Be prepared to get recommendations other than the list of choices you provided. Good luck on your project.

 

[Don A Parsons]

I just started fine tuning my new 6.5 A-Square last week... What a dream to shoot... I was fire forming 30/06 brass sized down to 65,,, trimmed necks and bump back on shoulder and case walls...

Basically Compressed FL sizing...

147gr ELDM @ 2750 to form brass... All 100 iron gongs got tagged from 2 to 600 meters easy... Ok,,, I really sized 150... LOL.

Remmy 700 BDL with Bob Jury 1:8 twist couture 2.8 at 24",,, the whole rifle with add ons came in at 10.5 lbs...

Vortex 3-15,,, trigger tech,,, action glued into beautiful BDL stock with zero stress on action,,, front screw at 62 in-lbs,,,, rear at 54,,, that seems to be the sweet spot for this action for now...

50 shots per light wipe to knock out carbon,,, and so on...

It will be my hunting rig for Elk and Moose in the North,,, predator control fore sure...

Next load up will be H1000 53 or 54 gr for the 140gr boolitz @ 2900... Good enough for my needs

 

[Trnelson]

As interesting and versatile as the 6.5PRC May prove to be, I'd be hard pressed to go away from a 6.5/06 in one form or another. It's easy, it isn't fussy to load for, it is capable and light recoiling. It feeds reliably in standard form without any fuss. 6.5/06 was my first custom rifle, a long time ago. I have had several over the years. They have a tendency to get built, get to the range, take one or two hunting trips and end up getting sold to who I went with.
I am ready to re-barrel my current 6.5/06 I had built off a savage LA. I have been looking at a 26" Proof 8 twist barrel. It will make a nice rifle to carry as I am getting into the second half of my hunting seasons. As long as they make 25/06, 270, and 30/06 brass is not going to be a problem. With more than 100 years of successful history behind the 30/06 I doubt my grandchildren will have a problem finding brass to feed a 6.5/06.
6.5PRC and the other short action magnums, time will tell. 6.5 PRC is not a bad or poor choice at all, I'm just a bit of a traditionalist.

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I think you answered your own question when you said, "The 6.5-06 which I have quite the love affair with." There is more to the ownership of the guns we build, buy or inherit than the ballistics. Fallow your heart and make it a treasure.

Dave

 

[CUTTER1]

I built a light weight 6.5x06AI years ago. Shot lots of deer and antelope and a Bighorn at 520 yards. Still have that same rifle but have a custom 6.5PRC and I really like it. Fooling around with a 26 nosler now and so far I think I would rather have either of the others. Hope by end of summer I will be able to test a friends 6.5x300 Weatherby, so just about any will fit your needs!

 

[B-LOT Banga]

I went with a 6.5-06 because if the bountiful of 30-06 brass I already had. I also have a 26 Nosler that I just love but I need a brake on it so it's LOUD. But since I got my 6.5-06 I never touched my 6.5 CM again until this past Monday when I gave it to my sons best friend.

 

[Don A Parsons]

It's a bit of work sorting the brass,,, but once that's accomished, the rest of it is easy...

Sizing Lapua 30/06 brass was a work out,,, de-prime,,, then size,,, the trick for me is keeping the ball size high in the die to lesson to chances of neck run out... With the ball seated high the pin won't push out the primer...

Old bench rest trick you know...

The next step was trim neck thickness to 0.015 thou,,, size down to 6.5,,, then thin down to a final 0.012 or 0.013 thickness,,, my run-out came in at just under 1 thou,,, actually it was closer to 0.075,,, I hope I'm reading my guage right,,, Ha... Use a ball mic for this since a person gets a better reading...

I'm borrowing my builders loading dies,,, so I don't want to fine tune them for this rifle till mine show up from Hornady...

The rest of the brass prep is the same as my other 2 cartridges,,, primer pocket inside cleaning,,, shoulder bump back,,, neck run-out,,, deffinatly neck tension...

I'll admit that I'm kinda going over board on this cartridge,,, its nice knowing that the cases won't be the issue in the puzzle...

Thing's that are sorted...

The rifle,,, optic,,, trigger,,, bolt work over,,, and bedding...
It cost me a few extra bucks to nail the loose ends down,,, well worth this cost in Gun-Smith hours since second best dosen't work for me,,, magic man B Jury did the barrel... Oh Yha,,, he built all his milling machines and tools him self,,, his specially if Full Bore and F Class shooters along with bench rest,,, plus he lives down the road from me...

Former National Match shooter R Galloway did the installation since he's a Machinist by trade,,, both of them are good friends in our group of shooters and outdoors stuff... Hunting,,, fishing and camping,,, that's a plus...

Any-who,,, I was really planing on a 260 Remmy,,, Creed 65,,, or the 65 Lapua,,, the wizer option to utilizing the Remmy Long actions was the 6.5/06,,, or Sammy Spec 65 A-square,,, purhaps there slightly different,,, but that stuff is waaaaay over my head...

My job is simple,,, Target shooter,,, iron gong plunder,,, hunter,,, ammo builder,,, and make all of them come together...

I started off with mixed thoughts on this,,, now I'm now convinced that I went with the right idea,,, a fraction less recoil from the 178 to 200 gr 30 cal booltiz,,, this lesson the recoil on the old worn down shoulder,,, purhaps a few extra years of shooting...

I didn't do the MB since the concussion blast doesn't work for me,,, so we thicken up the barrel and I always use a gel recoil pad...

The 10.5 lb'er shoots awesome,,, a bit heavy to pack along the Eastern Slopes of Western Canada,,, but very do-able so long as I take my time...

No need for all the walking since most of the critters I go after are stationed along the roads and Meadows... The easy things in life... LOL...

Good times fore sure,,, that's what really counts on this project...

Edited...

Full turn around on this build was 29 days...

 

[65WSM]

I am surprised that you are using .30/06 brass in your 6.5-06. I learned in my 6.5-06 Ackley, that the .25-06 brass expanded had thinner and more uniform necks and did not form a donut at the base of the neck. I find that top quality Scandinavian .30/06 brass is just great expanded to .35 Whelen. I tried .270 Winchester brass, Norma, turned the necks, and developed donuts after two firings that interfered with seating.

 

[B-LOT Banga]

I am surprised that you are using .30/06 brass in your 6.5-06. I learned in my 6.5-06 Ackley, that the .25-06 brass expanded had thinner and more uniform necks and did not form a donut at the base of the neck. I find that top quality Scandinavian .30/06 brass is just great expanded to .35 Whelen. I tried .270 Winchester brass, Norma, turned the necks, and developed donuts after two firings that interfered with seating.

Aloha,

I have a retired friend that preps all of my brass. I have thousands of 30-06 brass both commercial and LC military brass. I drop it off and pick it up prepped to reload chamfered and even primed. I shoot maybe 100 shots a year in this rifle and haven't even run through my first batch of brass. Idk how he does it but he pursued me to get the 6.5-06 in the first place as I wanted a 280 AI and I never regretted it once. Thanks for your reply I know understand this process a little better. Aloha

Kalsey Sr

 

[zb338]

What's wrong with the .264 Winchester Magnum. Wouldn't that be a good
hunting cartridge? It was for me. Like a jerk, I sold it.
Zeke

 

[B-LOT Banga]

What's wrong with the .264 Winchester Magnum. Wouldn't that be a good
hunting cartridge? It was for me. Like a jerk, I sold it.
Zeke

Aloha,

I had a standard long action to re barrel. I wish I had a magnum bolt!! By the time I got into this game the 26 Nosler came out and I went that route instead of the 264 mag. Knowing what I know now I would definitely choose the 264 mag because I need a brake to be accurate with the 26 Nosler just being honest. Aloha

 

[laker]

The 3 264 win mag mags I've been around seemed to be pretty picky for whatever reason