6.5 creedmoor vs PRC

[rustyshackleford]

I had a 6.5 PRC chambered Montana X3 here I brought in for someone that's was a really sweet rifle. The Montana short action is a bit longer and would allow some room for that cartridge.

In my quiver I'm stepping up to a 7mm for that next bigger rifle. Hopefully Hornady will announce the 7 PRC at SHOT. If not I may have to make my own.

Something like this:
View attachment 166514

I'm still mad 7mm and 300 dakota aren't more common thank you for reminding me

 

[jpndave]

How many grains of rl26? When I see fps numbers like this I frankly question the load. Granted my CM is a 20" barrel but with 42.2gr of H100v, which is a pretty fast powder for the creed, I am getting just over 2700 with a 130gr. In a 26 inch barrel that gets to just over 2800 with a lighter bullet

Berger gave me some loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor and their 130gr hybrid that go over 3000fps using RL26. I'm working those up now with their 130 and the 130 ELD-M for the Kimber mentioned above.

I think the PRC will do it. They show other powders right there too.

 

[vancewalker007]

I have a creedmoor and it shoots great and am currently working on a prc just for more power with the low recoil. I'm at 2707 with 140 Berger and hoping to be at 3000 or more with 26" prc. With Terminator break should be a fun shooting gun.

With my 6.5 PRC I easily reach +3100fps with 140gr-143gr class bullets from a 26in barrel. I think you might even come close from 24in barrel. The short fat case of the PRC is super effecient.

 

[Kaptoe]

My comment and question about rl26 was strictly about the creedmoor. Let's not dangerously confuse the conversation with PRC data

46gr of rl26 in a creedmoor case? No pressure signs? Wow. I assume you have powder well into the neck. There is a chamber pressure article on the creedmoor which shows full casehead separation at lower loads than that

Load carefully everyone

 

[JAYgs8163]

My comment and question about rl26 was strictly about the creedmoor. Let's not dangerously confuse the conversation with PRC data

46gr of rl26 in a creedmoor case? No pressure signs? Wow. I assume you have powder well into the neck. There is a chamber pressure article on the creedmoor which shows full casehead separation at lower loads than that

Load carefully everyone

No, powder is not into the neck. I use a 5" drop tube. No issues and no pressure problems. No sticky bolt, no flat primers, no case head separation.

See the thread below for a detailed conversation about this. I've also spoke with Berger and am good where I am.

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/rl26-and-6-5-creedmoor.192716/

 

[BrentM]

When you say "clients", I assume you are a guide. You are the first guide (assumption) I have heard that is comfortable with the cm as an elk rifle. Times must be changing

Times and everything else. A proficient shooter was hard to come by in the past. People jumped on the long range band wagon and use tech to get rounds where they belong, makes a big difference. Id rather have guys in camp that can shoot their rifle then some jack@ss who can't handle a magnum to save their life. I've had guys not able to hit a pie plate at 200 with 338's so they use the biggest thing they can to hammer the animals and make up for crappy shot placement.

On another note some of us spend a considerable amount of time educating ourselves on terminal ballistics. Regardless of the cartridge delivering the bullet the bullet is doing the job. The cartridge is going to propel that bullet. In the end a 6.5 140 class bullet has a high sectional density and that helps with penetration. The bullet design creates a high bc for weight, therefore the bullet retains fps down range. The long range bullets have a jacket that expands at slower velocity and dumps energy at the target, not past it. So now you have a high BC bullet, at a good fps, with excellent sectional density being used.....regardless of the cartridge name.

So having said that I know people never bat an eye at a 7-08 running a 140, a .308-.3006 running a 150, a 270 running a 130, a 280 running a 140.... not all those are the same but in the end they are all running 2600-2900 fps, more the long actions but not much more. Well, the 6.5 will run a 140 2600-2900 too, depending on the barrel length, load etc. I run 140's at 2800 in my creeds. I have yet to see an elk lost to a creed. Hope I never do. Would I pack my 20" light weight creed elk hunting...absolutely. I will also keep my shots less than 500. If I am hunting open terrain and big bulls I'll opt for the 6.5-284 or the 6.5 prc likely. Heck Im a bow hunter so getting closer is always my first goal anyway.

 

[vancewalker007]

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.

I think your sentiment is right on. My 6.5 PRC can put a Berger 156gr EOL on target at 1000 yards still traveling 1900fps with less recoil than a 270/30-06 class rifle. It's proven itself on steel to 1000 yards and on Coues deer at 742 and 447.

 

[dougduey]

How many grains of rl26? When I see fps numbers like this I frankly question the load. Granted my CM is a 20" barrel but with 42.2gr of H100v, which is a pretty fast powder for the creed, I am getting just over 2700 with a 130gr. In a 26 inch barrel that gets to just over 2800 with a lighter bullet

I'm at 48.7 gr of RL26, but I got it up to 49.6 gr and 3008 fps. It's compressed but 26 compressed pretty nicely. I've got a 24" Proof barrel with 1:8 twist. I friend of mine from this site told me to use RL26. He's got a few 6.5 Creeds in his stable and pushes the limit with them. He got 3042 fps with single digit ES. I was totally surprised with the performance I got out of this load. For comparison, I was happy with my 140 gr SGK load using RL16 at 2800 fps until I found out what RL26 could do in the Creed. Until I found some in a local gun shop, I was hoarding what I had because I've got multiple pet loads in multiple cartridges using 26, and didn't want to waste it on working up a load for a new cartridge.

 

[Stevenstl86]

153g -g1.704!! I wonder what the BC of the 156 is coming out of a 6.5-284 or the prc?

any numbers using 4350sc?

 

[JAYgs8163]

I'm at 48.7 gr of RL26, but I got it up to 49.6 gr and 3008 fps. It's compressed but 26 compressed pretty nicely. I've got a 24" Proof barrel with 1:8 twist. I friend of mine from this site told me to use RL26. He's got a few 6.5 Creeds in his stable and pushes the limit with them. He got 3042 fps with single digit ES. I was totally surprised with the performance I got out of this load. For comparison, I was happy with my 140 gr SGK load using RL16 at 2800 fps until I found out what RL26 could do in the Creed. Until I found some in a local gun shop, I was hoarding what I had because I've got multiple pet loads in multiple cartridges using 26, and didn't want to waste it on working up a load for a new cartridge.

I got to 48.5 and 2992 FPS out of a 24" CA Ridgeline but backed off as I just felt it wasn't needed for the intended use. I found a nice node around 47.5 on that rifle. Also for the bullet I was using quickload determined as unsafe over 48.5.

 

[Bigeclipse]

I'm at 48.7 gr of RL26, but I got it up to 49.6 gr and 3008 fps. It's compressed but 26 compressed pretty nicely. I've got a 24" Proof barrel with 1:8 twist. I friend of mine from this site told me to use RL26. He's got a few 6.5 Creeds in his stable and pushes the limit with them. He got 3042 fps with single digit ES. I was totally surprised with the performance I got out of this load. For comparison, I was happy with my 140 gr SGK load using RL16 at 2800 fps until I found out what RL26 could do in the Creed. Until I found some in a local gun shop, I was hoarding what I had because I've got multiple pet loads in multiple cartridges using 26, and didn't want to waste it on working up a load for a new cartridge.

I personally dislike compressed loads. They have been known to push the bullet out a little over time which can make things unsafe or ruin accuracy. Just my two cents.

 

[IHFarmer07]

I had a 6.5 PRC chambered Montana X3 here I brought in for someone that's was a really sweet rifle. The Montana short action is a bit longer and would allow some room for that cartridge.

In my quiver I'm stepping up to a 7mm for that next bigger rifle. Hopefully Hornady will announce the 7 PRC at SHOT. If not I may have to make my own.

Something like this:
View attachment 166514

Oh ya, I'm waiting for a 7mmPRC as well!!! What was your plan for a case for a 7mmPRC on and for a long or short action? I think necking up the the 6.5prc would yield a good combo but it probably would definitely need to be in a long action. Either way I really want one as long as it's a factory supported ammo chambering, that way if I can't reload for it for some reason I can buy off the shelf stuff. Wife would probably kill me if I bought stuff for another gun but I'd do a remage like setup so I can build it and save some money and maybe squeak by with spending a little over a $1000 and not spend $3,000-$3,700 like what I did for my 6.5PRC.

 

[alf]

You guys realize you can run R-26 in a 6.5-284 and PRC's as well?

 

[JAYgs8163]

You guys realize you can run R-26 in a 6.5-284 and PRC's as well?

yes the prior page has all the load data posted from Hornady.