6.5CM vs 6.5PRC???

[Starlite]

Sorry, but no matter what you decide you will be wrong. Or you will think you were wrong. Toss a coin. Better yet, get two coins. Toss them until one is heads and the other tails, then get both calibers. Have fun getting your own DOPE and answers for your style and your shooting. You'll probably love them both, but if you really decide on only one you can sell the other. Consider the loss you take in resale as a gun rental cost.

When you said mostly deer and varmints, and maybe might go for elk, for me the easy choice would be 6.5 cm. Like you said, many more ammo choices, cheaper shooting, less recoil resulting in (for me) better accuracy. You will probably practice more and be an excellent shot with 6.5 cm, and that well placed 6.5 cm through the lungs or heart would kill an elk just as dead as a 338.

Then (again, if you're like me) when you get a chance to elk hunt you will most likely feel better taking a bigger gun in case of a good but maybe not great shot, which happens a lot with elk. So you will think you were wrong and get a 6.5 PRC or larger.

In generally excepted hunting\shooting philosophy; I agree with your post. 100%

To the OP I'd say neither choice would kick more then your 308. My recommend caliber would be the 6.5CM. Even for hunting you'll still have ~ 1500ft/lbs energy into an elk at ~500yd with a 143eld-x; (This is what I think is the minimum energy needed to kill an elk if shooting into the boiler room). according to my shooting data with my bergara B-14 HMR. If you're elk hunting and skill I might add! will take you beyond 500 then I'd move to a 300WSM or or similar 30 cal.
just my 2c
seeing how your not reloading

 

[74sharps]

I'll put in an odd note here. 270 Win is real close to the PRC. Ammo anywhere and everything. Drawback is it's a longer bolt throw. That's about all though.

 

[Starlite]

I'll put in an odd note here. 270 Win is real close to the PRC. Ammo anywhere and everything. Drawback is it's a longer bolt throw. That's about all though.

I was going to suggest the 270 as well but didn't for fear of being looked at as an old fart lol.

 

[JMW67]

I was going to suggest the 270 as well but didn't for fear of being looked at as an old fart lol.

its not old its wise

 

[hthunter]

Definitely Creedmoor with your need. With 6.5 Creedmoor and 308 you can hunt about everything you want. As mentioned above, when your ready for elk move up to 300 wsm or use your 308/6.5 <500 yds. I've been through same debate and can't justify the 6.5prc yet (although always trying and looking). But, if I wanna step up I really wanna step up bullet size and velocity. 150-200 FPS is not enough to make a huge difference on deer/predators out of .264 to 500 yds. I have a bergara mountain rifle in 6.5 CM and it's my favorite for deer hunting.

 

[Starlite]

its not old its wise

I'd forgotten how great that cartridge was until recently. I've been doing some load development for a friends 270 and 308. Really loved his 270. Savage 111 I believe. Minimal kick to what I'd remembered. It really liked varget and 130gr Hornady SP

 

[Starlite]

Oh BTW. Wanted to say welcome to the OP. I'm a fairly new guy here compared to some others who have posts (good informative posts) well into the 1000s. I've certainly learned a few things here. I'm sure you'll make the right decision for someone

 

[Reemty J]

I also have an X-bolt in 6.5 CM Hells Canyon and 6.5 PRC in X-bolt PRO. Really like them both, but I would have only had the PRC if I bought it first....CM is an easy 1/2" gun with 142 ACCB and superformance, but the PRC with RL 25 and a 156 Berger shot a 9/16" group at 300 yds, I was amazed as I am just an average rifle shot. I really like shooting steel with the PRC and going to like it hunting also....the 156 EOL Berger is pretty impressive in a 6.5.

 

[Berbman]

I also have both. The CM and PRC both are performers. Both are dead on accurate. Not much noticeable difference of recoil but you will see a noticeable difference at impact of your target/game with some serious knock down power. You will be very happy with the PRC and you won't look back.

 

[BullElk54]

SHORT RESPONSE:
If you envision spending more time target shooting, choose the 6.5 CM due to lower recoil and available factory ammunition. If you are more interested in hunting, choose the 6.5 PRC OR Weatherby's new 6.5 RPM, as both have superior hunting ballistics as compared to the 6.5 CM with slightly more recoil in comparable weight rifles.

Per shooterscalculator.com, assuming an average rifle weight of 8lbs. rifle recoil energy for 6.5CM is 13.34 (ft.lbf), the recoil energy for the 6.5 PRC is 19.93 (ft.-lbs.). This represents a 33% increase of recoil energy.

DETAILED RESPONSE:
6.5 CM vs. 6.5 PRC, my latest favorite caliber debate. I have one of each as each has its niche. I purchased the custom built 'loaner' 6.5 CM, I had used after attending a NRA approved long range (1,000 yds.) shooting school in 2016. It was my first experience with the 6.5 CM, it was impressive. Ultra accurate with Hornady factory 140gr. ammunition and low recoil. It is also an awesome and enjoyable long range TARGET caliber or hunting cartridge for deer size game IF the hunting conditions match the 6.5 CM attributes. In 2018, I ordered a New Ultra Light Arms (NULA) 6.5 PRC. My logic: The 6.5 PRC ballistics are superior to the 6.5 CM for hunting. The NULA weights 7lbs with optics, the 6.5CM weighs 12 lbs. I enjoy hunting and carrying the 6.5 PRC. I enjoy long range shooting with 6.5CM. Hope this helps.

 

[whirlwindjml]

Honestly the biggest drawback to the PRC in a short action is that some bullets will have too much jump to the rifling if you load to mag length.

My savage 10t has an accurate mag. I can load to the lands and fit he mag.

 

[Snowboy]

Hello everyone, first post here. I'm looking at buying a new rifle, think I've decided on a Bergara. Now I have some questions about which caliber to get. The only bolt action rifle I currently own is a .308win. As tried as true as that caliber is, I'm wanting to go with something a little more modern, and have narrowed it down to the 6.5CM or 6.5PRC. I've done some searching around for opinions and reviews and haven't found exactly the questions I want answered, or the info is dated. For example I don't reload yet, so would be buying factory ammo for now. Is the PRC anywhere as available as the CM yet? I've looked online and haven't had much luck, just didn't know if it was from the current COVID crisis that I couldn't find any PRC ammo. Another major concern I have is recoil. How do the two compare in recoil? I would mostly be using this rifle for deer, and Varmit/predator hunting. However, living in Oklahoma, an elk hunt isn't out of the question. Thanks for any input!!!

If you already own a .308 I would think it is obvious that the 6.5 CM uses this brass and so for logical reasons I would choose this caliber. On the other hand I would want the extra hammer provided by the 6.5 PRC which also appears extremely accurate. I was not thinking of another rifle until I saw this thread. Now on the look for my 6.5 PRC.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

I've got both but I call them the 260 Rem and the 264 WinMag. Doesn't do you any good because you will be shooting factory ammo. My point is to show you that the two do exist, just not in the "modern" 6.5 wonder pill that has taken the shooting world over.

 

[SteveBurton]

I have both and agree with several posters here. If you lean towards the majority of your shooting being at targets, get the CM. If you lean more towards hunting, get the PRC. You will save a little bit of money and have a larger current selection of factory ammo with the CM. Recoil difference between the two is negligible. The PRC definitely hits harder. I'm sure there will be more factory ammo offerings for the PRC this year and years to follow.