6.5PRC, 6.8 Western, 7SAUM

You are splitting hairs here. Pick whichever one tickles your fancy. Having killed plenty of elk with 6.5s and 7mms I can tell you I've never noticed a difference. I'm assuming the 6.8 would be the same. Here's 4 bullets all pulled from elk. Two are 6.5s and two are 7mm. Tell me which is which

If you're bought into the outcome that a mushroom is the best outcome, I don't have a rebuttal. If you can consider a blunt face all the way through superior, you have the ticket toward DRT.

Ronald W Schaefer said:

. My son is a wildlife biologist, wildlife manager and hunt guide on the Rancho Tres Hijos (hard to impress) and he has become really impressed with the 7 PRC--says it's gonna be his next rig. He says the terminal effects of that cartridge are the deadliest he's ever seen in fifteen years observing a hundred different vanilla to exotic cartridges.

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What new bullets was he surprised and impressed with?

From your list I would run the 6.5 PRC for all around component and ammo availability. Now that Lapua has added the 300 WSM to the lineup I am looking to add a 300 WSM to the lineup - that would be my recommendation for the be-all SA cartridge. From screaming light monos to long heavy missiles and everything in between the 300WSM as about as versatile and fun to load for as it gets in short action.

If you had an inclination to handload, I'd consider a couple of things. I'm a 270wsm fan and have seen its performance on elk at 500yds with 140 accubonds. If I were in your shoes and set on a custom, I'd build a 270wsm but get a fast twist barrel that would allow you to shoot heavies. You'd pick up a little more case capacity than the 6.8 hand have the ability to shoot 270wsm 140-150 factory loads that will address your 20% concern. One downside with this approach is your assistance on a true short action. If it were me, I'd look at building off something like a Tikka action that would allow you use long action mags to chase the lands/seat heavy bullets out a ways. Europtics has Tikka T3xs discounted to $649 in 270wsm. Tikka rifles are solid as are the actions. They also shoot well enough in stock form you might be tempted to leave it stock. 150g LRAB at 3100fps with its .591 BC would let you reach out beyond 800yds and still retain 2200fps/1600 ft-lbs, all in stock form…. Just my 0.02.

joshf303 said:

I've shot plenty elk with the 6.5 PRC and 7 SAUM to know either works well. It's always funny to hear the 6.5 PRC isn't "enough" while loads of elk have fallen to a .264 Win Mag...

The 162-180 Hornadys do just fine out of a SA 7 SAUM in binderless mags.

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It's not the cartridge that makes the kill, it's the bullet in the right place. One of these days everyone will understand that. A Kodiak bear and a 243 or 270 have already been proven. Ya don't need a big magnum to do the job if bullet placement is correct.

Teri Anne said:

It's not the cartridge that makes the kill, it's the bullet in the right place. One of these days everyone will understand that. A Kodiak bear and a 243 or 270 have already been proven. Ya don't need a big magnum to do the job if bullet placement is correct.

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100%…you prove my point…

Shall we go down the bullet construction rabbit hole?

I face the same decision. I'm going for the 6.8 Western, as IMO it's the best compromise of the three for long range hunting for deer and elk. More of a power/energy buffer for long range big game, flat shooting, availability of high BC bullets, less recoil than the larger calibers. I'm going to build mine on an ARC Mausingfield M7 action with 26" CF Sendero profile barrel... more velocity, less muzzle blast. I'm going to try for 9 lbs with scope and should have a very pleasant shooting rifle.

I think this is an underappreciated cartridge... as someone posted Hornady hates it because it is better than their 6.5 PRC or 7 PRC as an all around North American deer and elk cartridge. Witha 26" barrel it's faster than the .277 Sig Fury out of a 20" barrel without the higher pressure or muzzle blast.

ObiJohn said:

ARC Mausingfield M7 action with 26" CF Sendero profile barrel... more velocity, less muzzle blast. I'm going to try for 9 lbs with scope and should have a very pleasant shooting rifle.

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Whats your mag length on that setup?

7RSAUM

Wilderness Blacktail said:

Whats your mag length on that setup?

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I'm currently running it with a .308 barrel in an MDT Field Stock, just to be able to shoot it while I decide on my hunting stock. I have the closed top action with the longer cut that can run mags without binder plates, so around 2.960" for COAL seems about right.

I can see building up a .270 WSM (or a 7 PRC... or a fast twist .270) with a fast twist barrel on a medium ('06 length) or long (H&H length) action to allow seating the bullet further out. On a short action I'd go with a 6.5 PRC or 6.8 Western because of the length restriction with long bullets. Of the two, I like the 6.8 but... I dunno if a critter could tell the difference. The trajectories are almost identical but the 6.8 retains more energy due to the heavier bullet. The hottest .270 would be the .277 Sig Fury (6.8x51) with the composite case pushing 70K+ pressures... in a 26" barrel that would scream. Again, would the critter know the difference? This is a personal opinion choice, and I admit I'm optimizing based on differences in data that likely don't matter in the field.

I really appreciate all the information, feedback, and experience from everyone that commented. I understand that some of the decisions are splitting hairs and personal preference. I'm going to build a 6.8 western. If it shoots like crap, I have only myself to blame ha!

You can't go wrong with that line up. 6.8, 6.5 and 7 would be my rank

HuskerHunterFisher said:

I really appreciate all the information, feedback, and experience from everyone that commented. I understand that some of the decisions are splitting hairs and personal preference. I'm going to build a 6.8 western. If it shoots like crap, I have only myself to blame ha!

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I've done a few and they shoot really well