260 ai or 6.5prc

[Gamesniper19]

Not a good comparison for the 6.5x284. It shows data for the short chambered 284 Winchester spec, not the 6.5x284 Norma spec which generates velocity which is identical to the 6.5PRC. Most of the gun magazine writers are clueless about this.

Even though the chart says 6.5x284 Norma? 3000 fps is pretty standard for that caliber with 140s.

26" 5r Bartlein 3b/1:8t
57.5 gr Retumbo
2.415 cbto
.020" jump
2965 fps with the 140 vld
I could probably get another 100 fps out of it but accuracy trumps all.

This is consistent with the 6.5 PRC at about 2950 or so for factory loads. In fact just ran a PRC over the weekend with a good friend and the 143 ELDX and go nearly that same velocity.

Agree that some writers and so called experts in the industry have lost their way a bit - but we are all human

 

[Greyfox]

Even though the chart says 6.5x284 Norma? 3000 fps is pretty standard for that caliber with 140s.

26" 5r Bartlein 3b/1:8t
57.5 gr Retumbo
2.415 cbto
.020" jump
2965 fps with the 140 vld
I could probably get another 100 fps out of it but accuracy trumps all.

This is consistent with the 6.5 PRC at about 2950 or so for factory loads. In fact just ran a PRC over the weekend with a good friend and the 143 ELDX and go nearly that same velocity.

Agree that some writers and so called experts in the industry have lost their way a bit - but we are all human

Once upon time gunwriters seemed to be quite objective and thorough about the information that was to be read by thousands of shooters. It's more then obvious from over a dozen articles of late, particularly concerning the recent craze over the 6.5's, that many of these so-called journalists are spoon fed their information by their big advertisers, without a thought of doing some homework. IMO.

 

[whirlwindjml]

One thing though....some of it is marketing. Some of it is note worthy products. But once a fad hits often availability increases. I really wanted a 260 but ended up with a creedmoor based on local supply. I think the prc is here to stay whether we needed it or not.

 

[BountyHunter]

IF you go with the 6.5-284 and you plan on shooting a lot of steel, just go ahead and buy and chamber 2 barrels. Not many if any 6.5-284s make it to 1000 rounds with accuracy especially if shot at multiple targets one right after another which is the norm at steel matches. I have seen them go at 650-700 rounds. Not sure on the PRCs as to barrel life yet but I would choose that over the other two.

 

[Gamesniper19]

IF you go with the 6.5-284 and you plan on shooting a lot of steel, just go ahead and buy and chamber 2 barrels. Not many if any 6.5-284s make it to 1000 rounds with accuracy especially if shot at multiple targets one right after another which is the norm at steel matches. I have seen them go at 650-700 rounds. Not sure on the PRCs as to barrel life yet but I would choose that over the other two.

Agree - the 6.5x284 is falling out of favor for many of the reasons listed.

The PRC should get you to 3000 rounds at least. The GAP has shown 2500 with no decrease in accuracy during PRS competitions with GAP saying they have had barrels make it to 3000.

The PRC is a modified 6.5 GAP - period. It was derived from the GAP and designed by GAP for Hornady. If you want the option of OTC ammo, lots of components, and a big company backing it - go with the PRC.

IMO - if you want the absolute best all around 6.5 on the market today, will hand load, and want the ability to run the best combo of velocity, accuracy, and barrel life, the GAP has to be the choice.

 

[jasonco]

KISS. Go with the PRC. Even though it's "barely" a short action I personally like the option of boxed ammunition.

 

[Greyfox]

Had a 6.5 PRC barrel at our club go at a bit less then 1500 rounds(.5MOA loss of accuracy), about what I get with my 6.5x284's. Can't see much of a reason why they shouldn't be about the same under comparable conditions. Both have the same powder capacity, with the 6.5 PRC actually being more overbore then the 6.5x284, a factor in barrel life. Hornady was calling 1500 rounds in an article I saw a while back. Lots of variables can effect barrel life.....

 

[Locknload]

If the magazine accepts advertising the writers are subject to pressure from editors to keep the money paying advertisers happy, and that is not my opinion, it is a fact. Not one advertiser I have ever met was happy with having their product trashed or even the slightest tarnished in a report. So you get, "a 4 inch group is acceptable accuracy." You also get a 62 K psi case is special when 99% of all modern rifle center fire cases are made by the foundry to 65k psi alloy to start with. The name on the case is not necessarily who made the brass by the way. Unfortunately if you are an editor you get the first shot, then if you are an officer and director of a national shooting organization, in charge of publishing the monthly magazine, you get the next shot. Have you ever wondered why a manafacturer puts a dozen adds in one issue of one magazine? At a point, they buy and can gain control over what is said by the writers.
Ed

 

[6MM06AI]

Long action 6.5-284, 6.5-06AI, short 260AI, magnum short= 6.5wsm, 6.5prc, not sure which bolt the 6.5 SS takes, Elkaholic would be the man to talk to about that, if i didn't have so much wsm brass would've went that way. Depends how much velocity vs barrel life you are looking for

 

[Jack R Tishue Jr]

Had a 6.5 PRC barrel at our club go at a bit less then 1500 rounds(.5MOA loss of accuracy), about what I get with my 6.5x284's. Can't see much of a reason why they shouldn't be about the same under comparable conditions. Both have the same powder capacity, with the 6.5 PRC actually being more overbore then the 6.5x284, a factor in barrel life. Hornady was calling 1500 rounds in an article I saw a while back. Lots of variables can effect barrel life.....

The big reason for the 6.5x284, shooting out is the case shape, which funnels hot gases in such a manner they eat the barrel right where the rifling starts. The 243 known for the same thing , but not used for target competition. The 6mm that Dave Tubb invented a lot better barrel life wise. Don't know why people just don't go with the 6.5/06 as would get better barrel life and velocity like the 6.5x284. You don't see the 6.5x284 much at Perry any more.

 

[arch408]

Look at all variables. Want long barrel life, go with .260. Don't care about barrel life, go with PRC. Truth be known as long as you only use it for hunting,the barrel will last for decades. You if you want to shoot a lot and don't care about full power loads, use properly loaded reduced loads. The barrel will last for several thousand rounds. Or get both! The man who who dies with most toys wins. Personally, I'd go with the PRC. Like I said earlier, the barrel life can be extended dramatically by using reduced loads for your plinking sessions. It is also a lot more fun at a prairie dog town with out burning out your barrel and get valuable practice.

 

[Jack R Tishue Jr]

The shooting out the barrel on a 6/5x284 has nothing to do with whether load top end or less, it's the way the case feeds the gas into the barrel that burns it out. And if shooting competitively going to shoot a lot, several 1000 a year. A friend, a top LR shooter said when he was actively competing replaced his barrel at least twice a season (May to October). However, if, as you note, want to just hunt with it can last a lot longer. But how much are you going to "practice shoot" during a year? Even if you only go out once a month and shoot up a box of ammo, that's 240 rounds, so the barrel gone in 3 years, or less.

 

[Greyfox]

The big reason for the 6.5x284, shooting out is the case shape, which funnels hot gases in such a manner they eat the barrel right where the rifling starts. The 243 known for the same thing , but not used for target competition. The 6mm that Dave Tubb invented a lot better barrel life wise. Don't know why people just don't go with the 6.5/06 as would get better barrel life and velocity like the 6.5x284. You don't see the 6.5x284 much at Perry any more.

Time will tell if there is a material difference in barrel life between the two rounds. IMO, of all the aspects of rifle shooting, there is more "smoke" floating around about barrel life then all aspects combined......90% of it, parroted.....and claims rarely if ever substantiated. It's hard to understand the neurosis about barrel life. I do understand the neurosis about precision and consistency. For PRS competition(usually 10 round stages over 1.5-2 minutes between cooling) shoot a 6.5x47. Under these conditions I see about 2200 rounds of barrel life before a .5MOA/flyer degradation. This is consistent with both the 6.5CM and 6.5x47's with the other shooters in our club. If anyone believes the larger 55-65gr powder capacity 6.5's will come close to this barrel life under the same conditions, I have a property in Florida.......

For hunting, I have been hooked on my 6.5x284's for over a decade simply because they deliver superb bench-rest grade precision and consistency at 1000 yards .... in a hunting class rifle. My primary 6.5x284 hunter is going on ten years old, seen over 1000 rounds, and has zero throat erosion or fire cracking. I seldom run it more then warm to the touch. It's very effectively accounted for dozens of game animals from 200 to 1188 yards, and moderate varmints and rock/steel busting even further. It has been exceptionally consistent and has rarely required a zero adjustment. My other two hunters in the 6.5x284 deliver comparable performance. Of course other cartridges may be as capable or better then this, but I just haven't owned one of them....and LOL, I'm perhaps too old to start searching now. I think barrel the barrel on the rifle mentioned may get another 500 rounds before it gives up the ghost. But if it died tomorrow I'd give it a proper burial, and happily replace it.

 

[codyadams]

I run a .260 AI with a 29" barrel and get pretty good performance using Peterson SRP brass and Reloder 26

147 ELD-M @ 3040
140 Berger VLD @ 3070

Have ran these nodes with these bullets naked and HBN coated, and consistency is noticeably better HBN coated. This is with a throat set to .260 SAAMI length, and they are both right around 2.900" OAL seated .005" off the lands. I'm running them in an AICS DBM using ARC mags. I personally love a 40° shoulder, partially because I'm lazy and don't like to trim brass. My Lapua brass went 12 fireings before I lost primer pockets and I trimmed it twice.

If you are considering the .260 AI then you obviously reload and aren't repulsed by the idea of forming brass. Your also considering going with a magnum bolt face and want to run in a short action. If you want the best/most efficient performance, to me, this only leaves a couple options.

Either the 6.5 SST or the 6.5 SS.

I am getting 6.5x284, 6.5 PRC and 6.5 GAP performance out of a .260 AI (granted, this is with a 3" longer barrel than standard), and I'm only burning 50ish grains of powder. Why would I want to step up to a magnum bolt face, burn more powder, get shorter barrel life, and get the same performance?

The 6.5 Sherman Shortmag has ADG brass available, and you will be around 3200-3300 fps with the 140's, and 3100-3200 with the 150 class bullets, and will be about 2.950" OAL. Go with the 6.5SST and you will loose about 75 fps, but will be more like 2.800" OAL, easily fitting in any short action, and still outperforming the 6.5 prc and the 6.5 GAP. Also, barrel life of the Sherman cartridges is reported to be as good or better than the others.

To me the ONLY reason to go with a 6.5 PRC is if you want more performance than a creed offers and need to be able to buy factory ammo. In that case, it is a great option. The 6.5x284 also has good factory ammo available, but that essentially steps you up to a long action. If that is what you have, I am a big fan of the 6.5x284 as well (also the 6.5x55 sweed, but I won't throw that into the pot...). Otherwise there are much better options out there for someone that doesn't need factory ammunition available.