26 Nosler or 6.5 Prc Hunting

[Rjrhino88]

Hi,

I currently shoot a Remington 700 7mm rem mag but I am getting the new gun itch. I was looking at the 6.5 PRC in a Christensen arms ridgeline but found a 26 Nosler for $300 off. With this money I could buy dies, brass and bullets. For a gun that will be strictly used for hunting is there any reason to get the PRC over the 26 Nosler? I handload and would be using the gun for everything up to elk in which I would probably use the 7 mag. Also barrel life is of little concern as I would shoot 20 rounds a year max with this gun.

Thanks

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I would choose the hp. 26n.

 

[Calvin45]

I'd vote 26 nosler anyways, but with that added discount it just seems like the obvious choice. To be honest I don't "get" the 6.5 prc. For that level of performance I'd opt for a 6.5-06 ai, at least as much case capacity, plentiful, diverse, and inexpensive brass...

 

[Calvin45]

I've actually often had the thought that a 6.5-06 ai would be one of the most practical and useful wildcats doable. I know it's not one of your options but could it be? If you're interested in saving money for components a 6.5-06 on a savage long action could save all kinds of money and probably do what the others do.

 

[Rjrhino88]

I've actually often had the thought that a 6.5-06 ai would be one of the most practical and useful wildcats doable. I know it's not one of your options but could it be? If you're interested in saving money for components a 6.5-06 on a savage long action could save all kinds of money and probably do what the others do.

I am mainly looking at the ridgeline so the options are limited to 6.5 prc, 26 nosler. I have a 6.5-280 rcbs but it is an old custom(great grandfather) with a loooong throat and a slow twist so a safe queen mostly.

 

[djm670]

If one wanted maximum perfomance and only shooting 20 rounds a year, why not the 6.5-.300 Weatherby? You can buy in a Vanguard version for $497 from buds right now. Less efficient than even the 26 Nosler; can't believe I am saying that, but you would have max speed and with a $16 trigger spring have a super trigger that would break cleanly as low as 1.5 lbs and fully adjustable upwards. Could upgrade the stock at a later date, but start out with under 1 MOA accurracy..

 

[Calvin45]

If one wanted maximum perfomance and only shooting 20 rounds a year, why not the 6.5-.300 Weatherby? You can buy in a Vanguard version for $497 from buds right. Less efficient than even the 26 Nosler; can't believe I am saying that, but you would have max speed and with a $16 trigger spring have a super trigger that would break cleanly as low as 1.5 lbs and fully adjustable upwards. Could upgrade the stock at a later date, but start out with under 1 MOA accurracy..

Some good words of wisdom here. Don't count out the cheap vanguards. They plain shoot and the ergonomics can't be beat, at least in my subjective opinion. I'd opt to spend a bit more and get the accuguard (not the mark 5 accumark, the accuguard). Don't really know if it beats the 26 nosler for performance, but certainly matches it for less money (and .300 wby brass is not too hard to find in variety for handloading, can't say the same for nosler)

 

[Calvin45]

Does anyone happen to know what the freebore specs are for 6.5-300 vs 26 nosler? That would be relevant in comparing the two.

 

[Calvin45]

As I suspect the only way weatherbys cartridge beats noslers numbers by any real margin is with a ton of freebore as is the case with all their cartridges. Not necessarily a bad thing (at all), but not a good thing with vld/eld/match type bullets.

 

[Justin Schuerg]

I just had a custom 6.5 PRC built. I'm currently working up a load for it, but it'll easily shoot .5" groups with the factory Hornady ammo. What I like most is it's pushing the factory stuff to about 2950fps and it kicks about like a 6.5 creed.

 

[djm670]

Some good words of wisdom here. Don't count out the cheap vanguards. They plain shoot and the ergonomics can't be beat, at least in my subjective opinion. I'd opt to spend a bit more and get the accuguard (not the mark 5 accumark, the accuguard). Don't really know if it beats the 26 nosler for performance, but certainly matches it for less money (and .300 wby brass is not too hard to find in variety for handloading, can't say the same for nosler)

$807 for the Accuguard version vs $407 for Vanguard S2, you get a number 3 barrel instead of a number 2, both are 26 inches and you get the full length aluminum bedding block and 1.25 lbs heavier at 8 3/4#. Both with guarranttied under .99 " at a 100 yard with factory ammo. But you are right, theoretically the aluminum bedded stock should produce more accuracy.

The case capacity of the weatherby 6.5 is 98 gr H2O vs 26 nosler 93.5 gr H2O and PCR at 67.7 gr of H2O.. Weatherby ammo with 6.5 140gr VDL listed at 3315 ft-sec. Nosler 6.5 140g accubond or match bullet listed at 3300 ft-sec. for both. So you are right, it is a toss up.

 

[Buxndiverdux]

Hi,

I currently shoot a Remington 700 7mm rem mag but I am getting the new gun itch. I was looking at the 6.5 PRC in a Christensen arms ridgeline but found a 26 Nosler for $300 off. With this money I could buy dies, brass and bullets. For a gun that will be strictly used for hunting is there any reason to get the PRC over the 26 Nosler? I handload and would be using the gun for everything up to elk in which I would probably use the 7 mag. Also barrel life is of little concern as I would shoot 20 rounds a year max with this gun.

Thanks

$300 dollars off is tempting. The 26 Nosler is roughly 200fps faster all else being equal.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

Hi,

I currently shoot a Remington 700 7mm rem mag but I am getting the new gun itch. I was looking at the 6.5 PRC in a Christensen arms ridgeline but found a 26 Nosler for $300 off. With this money I could buy dies, brass and bullets. For a gun that will be strictly used for hunting is there any reason to get the PRC over the 26 Nosler? I handload and would be using the gun for everything up to elk in which I would probably use the 7 mag. Also barrel life is of little concern as I would shoot 20 rounds a year max with this gun.

Thanks

I don't see the 26 nos doing anything better than your 7mm, it'll recoil more too.
With the 26 You'll likely have to continuously tweak your loads to keep up with super fast throat erosion, and It'll be toast in 600 rounds if you're lucky!

The PRC will be fun to shoot and super accurate, plus ADG brass is available.
I met a guy at a match shooting the PRC, and he was shooting 140's @ 3100 fps with H1000 from a 26" barrel.

I have a 6.5 saum and its probably my favorite cartridge yet, I've taken my last three bulls with it loaded to PRC levels.
I'd have gone PRC if it'd been around when I built my saum.

 

[djm670]

I don't see the 26 nos doing anything better than your 7mm, it'll recoil more too.

.................................................Rifle Weight Recoil energy recoil Velocity
6.5x55 Swede .......(140 at 2735)......... 8.5........... 12.1............... 9.6
.260 Rem. ............(140 at 2750)......... 8.25.......... 11.9 ...............9.7
6.5mm-06 ............(140 at 2800)..........8.0............ 13.9 ..............10.6
6.5mm-284 Norma (140 at 2920)......... 8.0............ 14.7.............. 10.9
.264 Win. Mag....... (140 at 3200)......... 8.5............ 19.2 ..............12.1
.26 Nosler............. (129 at 3400)......... 8.5............. 23.9............. 13.5
6.5-300 Wby. Mag...(140 at 3395)......... 9.5............. 21.1............. 12.0

7mm Rem. Mag...... (140 at 2700)......... 8.5............. 15.5............. 10.8
7mm Rem. Mag...... (150 at 3100)......... 8.5..............19.2............. 12.1
7mm Rem. Mag.......(154 at 3035)......... 8.5............. 20.3............. 12.4
7mm Rem. Mag...... (160 at 2950)......... 9.0............. 20.3............. 12.0
7mm Rem. Mag...... (175 at 2870)......... 9.0............. 21.7............. 12.5

PRC= 6.5mm-06 or 6.5mm-284 Norma recoil levels?

xxx These numbers come from Chuck Hawks Recoil page - some look a bit off and
the PRC was not listed on his site and I didn't want to use numbers from a different one as I dont know how well they correlate to the others.

With the 26 You'll likely have to continuously tweak your loads to keep up with super fast throat erosion, and It'll be toast in 600 rounds if you're lucky!

He stated he only would shoot about 20 rounds per season... at 600 rounds that would be 30 years! If he got 1000 rounds as he doesn't shoot often enough to get the barrel excessively hot, that would be 50 years of use.


.........

The PRC will be fun to shoot and super accurate, plus ADG brass is available.
I met a guy at a match shooting the PRC, and he was shooting 140's @ 3100 fps with H1000 from a 26" barrel.

xxx this is pretty neat! Thumbs up!

I have a 6.5 saum and its probably my favorite cartridge yet, I've taken my last three bulls with it loaded to PRC levels.
I'd have gone PRC if it'd been around when I built my saum.