6.5 creedmoor vs PRC

[Gone Ballistic]

I get a little more speed but the main reason is availability of ammunition. 6.5PRC cases are difficult to find in my area as well. The one I built will cover up a dime with a 5 round group at 200 yards. Nothing else I own can do that including my 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[257Tony]

been in the market for a new hunting rifle. I already own a 6.5 creedmoor but I like the looks on paper the PRC. anyone hunt or shoot both? how much better at long range and even shorter range does it perform?

Seeing how you already own a Creed, if you're wanting something more powerful, I'd step up to a 7mm of some variety. The ability to launch 180+ grain bullets puts you in a different tier than the various 6.5's. 280AI, 7 Rem, 28 Nosler or the like.

 

[Canhunter35]

Seeing how you already own a Creed, if you're wanting something more powerful, I'd step up to a 7mm of some variety. The ability to launch 180+ grain bullets puts you in a different tier than the various 6.5's. 280AI, 7 Rem, 28 Nosler or the like.

This^
My 7rem(28" barrel) load for 180hybrids is 3052fps mv
197smk is at 2920fps

 

[Tidus56]

Seeing how you already own a Creed, if you're wanting something more powerful, I'd step up to a 7mm of some variety. The ability to launch 180+ grain bullets puts you in a different tier than the various 6.5's. 280AI, 7 Rem, 28 Nosler or the like.

He could even go up to one of the .308 cartridges. I am with you, the difference between a 6.5 Creed and a PRC isn't worth having both. I would step up to a good 7mm or .308.

 

[highdrum]

He could even go up to one of the .308 cartridges. I am with you, the difference between a 6.5 Creed and a PRC isn't worth having both. I would step up to a good 7mm or .308.

A 6.5 prc has better ballistics then a 308 or 30-06. To get an energy o ballistics upgrade in 30 cal over a 6.5 prc, he's going to be stepping up the recoil by a large volume. 215 berg 300wm @ 2950, 180 berg 7mag @ 2940, 156 berg @ 2950 6.5 prc all have very similar ballistics, energy steps up as you get heavier of course. But recoil on a 300wm vs a 6.5 prc is vastly different, you're looking at burning 57gr vs 76gr.

 

[TexasCub]

JMO

You could just sell the boring 6.5 CM and get the PRC and not look back. I owned 2 6.5 CM's and found them to be about as boring as it gets with anemic velocities and always chasing more speed with handloads. The factory Hornady PRC ammo cost the same amount as CM ammo and for me it shoots the same bullets over 300 FPS faster in the PRC. There's going to be 4-5 more factory offerings in ammo for 2020 , it's popularity is not going to slow down, it's going to speed up. IMO the PRC is what the CM should have been.

 

[Tidus56]

A 6.5 prc has better ballistics then a 308 or 30-06. To get an energy o ballistics upgrade in 30 cal over a 6.5 prc, he's going to be stepping up the recoil by a large volume. 215 berg 300wm @ 2950, 180 berg 7mag @ 2940, 156 berg @ 2950 6.5 prc all have very similar ballistics, energy steps up as you get heavier of course. But recoil on a 300wm vs a 6.5 prc is vastly different, you're looking at burning 57gr vs 76gr.

Didn't know he was recoil shy, I haven't read all the posts. Personally I don't own any 30 calibers. I find the 7mms to be the best balance of recoil and knockdown for me. Neither my 28 Nosler or 280 AI recoil hard at all. I let a 12 year old shoot the 28 and he was hooked. Anyway I still wouldn't own both a 6.5 PRC and a 6.5 Creed for hunting rifles. I would want a 6.5 of some flavor and step up a caliber or three for more knockdown as a second hunting rifle. It all depends on what you hunt and what distances though.

 

[Tidus56]

JMO

You could just sell the boring 6.5 CM and get the PRC and not look back. I owned 2 6.5 CM's and found them to be about as boring as it gets with anemic velocities and always chasing more speed with handloads. The factory Hornady PRC ammo cost the same amount as CM ammo and for me it shoots the same bullets over 300 FPS faster in the PRC. There's going to be 4-5 more factory offerings in ammo for 2020 , it's popularity is not going to slow down, it's going to speed up. IMO the PRC is what the CM should have been.

As a hunter you're right. However the Creed was designed for AR-10 and competition purposes. I would say it's done well for its intended purpose. I rarely suggest a Creed for hunting.

 

[Colt45_13]

So full disclosure, I'm not a rifle shooting expert like others on this board. I shoot rifles a lot, I build about 2 a year for myself and buddies, but rifles are my 2nd love after bows. Another disclaimer is I have always been a big cartridge, "no such thing as too dead" guy. Finally, I'm not big into handloading. I would love to get more into it, but I need another hobby like a need a hole in my head.

Ok, all those disclaimers aside, I built my father-in-law a 6.5 PRC last summer on a M700 donor rifle originally chambered in 270 WSM. That rifle has completely blown my mind and now I am in the process of building one for myself. That rifle paired with Hornady's factory precision hunter ammunition is amazing. We have shot hogs, whitetails, and a mule deer with the rifle and I cannot say enough how much that caliber impresses me. The recoil is very noticeably less than our 270 WSMs and 300 WSMs, however the performance on paper and game is comparable in my opinion. My father-in-law also says his 6.5 PRC kicks way less than his 270 Win, but his 270 win is pretty light too. We typically shoot our hogs in the head, but in Central Texas, the best test we could think of for the "tiny little" 6.5 rifle we build was to go find a 200+ lb hog and shoot him in the shoulder. I found one at 275 yards and shot him dead center in the shoulder... thing rolled like it got hit by a truck. I know there are TONS of super efficient calibers out there that do everything the 6.5 PRC will do, and I'm positive there will be 100 posts on here saying just that. However, in my opinion (I said my opinion guys) the 6.5 PRC is 2nd to none for guys like me that like the idea of stretching the typical hunting ranges a little, while maintaining light recoil, and having access to cheap factory ammunition. By the way I buy 6.5 PRC ammo for $34/box.

I'm not going to tell you that you NEED a 6.5 PRC, but I can first hand attest to how incredibly efficient the round is regarding trajectory and energy delivered vs recoil. One thing I will say is building 6.5 PRCs are cooler on some rifles than others. The 6.5 PRC is a cool simple build on some platforms, difficult and expensive on others.

One last thing I want to note. I have been following the 6.5 PRC for a little over a year now. I don't have a crystal ball regarding what factory ammunition will be available in the future, however it is amazing to me how much traction the 6.5 PRC has picked up over the last year. A year ago when I told my buddies I was starting a 6.5 PRC build, the normal response was, "a what".. "you mean a 6.5 Creedmore???" Now people respond more along the lines of "o yeah I'm thinking about building one too," or "man I keep hearing about that caliber seems cool," or my favorite, "why did they even do the Creedmoor if they were working on that?" (Creedmoor fans don't attack me its just a quote)

PM me if you have any questions, I don't sign onto the forums very often.

 

[jreagle]

maybe consider a pair of twins; setup the same, ie. same rifle, same triggers and same scopes. a PRC for hunts and a CM for targets and plinking.

 

[chetraguse]

maybe consider a pair of twins; setup the same, ie. same rifle, same triggers and same scopes. a PRC for hunts and a CM for targets and plinking.

That's what my plan is with my creed after I get the prc done. Has there been enough people shooting the prc to see what the barrel life is going to be verus the creed?

 

[highdrum]

That's what my plan is with my creed after I get the prc done. Has there been enough people shooting the prc to see what the barrel life is going to be verus the creed?

If you take care of it and don't get it hot, I'd feel 1800-2000 rounds should be attainable. Run H1000 for powder as it burns cooler, this will save throat life.

 

[wwbrown]

6.5 Creedmore or PRC, first ask yourself what you want to do with it and then decide which one. For hunting deer and smaller animals up to 400-500 yards I would go with the creed, if elk and larger or longer range hunting I would go with the PRC. I have shot up a bunch of 6.5 mm barrels and really like the caliber, but also know that the PRC will burn a barrel up pretty fast if pushes hard. For shooting paper or steel inside of 1,100 or so yards, I would go with he creed.

I smoked my 6.5 WSM barrel in about 500 rounds, and would get close to 2,000 rounds out of my F-class 6.5x47 barrels. So if your use lies within animals and ranges that you feel comfortable with the Creedmore go with it. Note I say that you are comfortable with as you may think my choice of animals and ranges is insane so set your own thresholds. The Creedmore will give you much better barrel life and is known to be an easy round to load accurate rounds for.

Better yet you already own the Creedmore stick with it shoot the barrel out buy another and repeat.

 

[Bigeclipse]

I get a little more speed but the main reason is availability of ammunition. 6.5PRC cases are difficult to find in my area as well. The one I built will cover up a dime with a 5 round group at 200 yards. Nothing else I own can do that including my 6.5 Creedmoor.

That might be accurate right now but factory ammo options will likely greatly increase. it seems the 6.5prc is starting to really take off. If it keeps going this way, there will no doubt be way more factory ammo Options for 6.5prc over 6.5x284.

To the OP. I have both. I like them both. If doing a lot of target shooting id go with 6.5creed since it wont burn the barrel nearly as fast as the PRC. if you do not reload, then the 6.5creed gets the nod for factory ammo options. If hunting for whitetails and smaller inside 400 yards, the creedmoor gets the nod unless you want a very flat shooting round then the 6.5prc definitely gets the nod. If hunting whitetails past 400 yards then 6.5prc definitely gets the nod. If hunting anything larger than whitetail (elk black bear...etc) then again 6.5prc gets nod. Recoil is last consideration....65.creed is very light and pleasant to shoot. The 6.5prc is still a light-ish recoiler but definitely more than the creed. It is similar to a 308 with medium to heavier weight bullets in my opinion.

if I personally had to choose one I would go with the 6.5prc but I reload and I don't high volume shoot so barrel burning is not a thought to me.