6.5 Creedmor or 6.5 PRC? Budget Rifle & Scope Recommendations?

6.5 Creedmoor in Weatherby Vanguard , Savage, Ruger American (Best price but limited after market parts) and Vortex Diamondback (several models) keeps you under an MOA and under $1k. Side note Vanguards are 700 clones essentially. The scope mounts and triggers are plug n play. Stocks are available in abundance. ALL plastic stocks suck. You will replace them.
Note: I prefer the 6.5 PRC for 600yds, but for availability and cost I'd skip it and load my own for better velocity and long range killin
 
I did this build and I'm loving it.

ruger american go wild 6.5 prc ~ $550

The only ammo I found on hand was Hornady 143 ELD-X and it is shooting those about .5 MOA. I reloaded the brass with 156 Berger and H4831 and most every load I tried was shooting sub MOA with that combo. I did have to put sand paper around a wood dowel and widen the barrel channel from it touching and I lightened the trigger which doesn't feel the best to me but doesn't seem to hurt my accuracy with it. Stock has real nice feel for carrying hunting and butt pad is excellent. The Magazine on it allows you to reload out to 3.37" vs most rifles only allowing for about 3".

cabelas covenant 7 3-21x50 ~ $350

Researched this scope and was alarmed because people kept saying the parallax would stop working when tightened in rings, but I am guessing people are trying to mount it in 30mm rings vs 34mm and messing up their scopes. I bought two of these on sale and tried them in the rings below and a pair of steel rings I got but didn't like. I had not issues. I would recommend the SFP scope so you can use it for hunting without crosshairs getting too small it causes issues and the Reticle is Mil at 21 power which is the only power you will use typically when doing Mil adjustments off reticle vs just adjusting fire for follow up shot. The glass seems real **** good to me. Only thing is that I haven't verified tracking yet so....... They come with a Sun Shade, Zero Stop, and nice power adjustment handle, it seems like the best deal at this price point out there.

Wheeler 2 Piece Picatinny Rail Scope Rings LOW Height ~ $60
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KSQ9V6L/?tag=lrhmag19-20

Low Rings work fine if you mount it with the bell housing past the end of the picatinny rail. Worked great for me to get a natural eye box alignment. The built in Level is **** handy.

Witt Machine Custom Muzzle Brake/Rise Eliminator ~100

I couldn't stand the muzzle brake on the rifle when shooting from the ground due to rocks and crap flying everywhere. I have a Clamp on like this on my T3 30-06 and it worked so well I got one for my Ruger. No ports on the bottom and it virtually kills recoil and makes it easy to spot shots due to no muzzle rise. Was easy to index with the crush washer.

20200814_082405.jpg
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I guess I'm in the minority on this one. I don't think the 6.5C has enough power for big game targets at 600. Im sure it's been successfully done before, but the PRC would be better for the 400 yard+ shots. Of course itll be more expensive to shoot and have less ammo availability if you dont reload.
 
I guess I'm in the minority on this one. I don't think the 6.5C has enough power for big game targets at 600. Im sure it's been successfully done before, but the PRC would be better for the 400 yard+ shots. Of course itll be more expensive to shoot and have less ammo availability if you dont reload.

The thing with getting 6.5 PRC vs 6.5C is that if you are shooting a bolt action rifle it is always nice to have a little extra case capacity available if you want it. You can still load at 6.5C levels if you want because it isn't going to affect cycling of an action.

I think it is only about 14 grains extra case capacity? (I never loaded for a 6.5C so not sure)

edit: I just looked up an apples to apples comparison

Hodgon Website shows:

6.5C 147 ELD-M, Max loads with IMR 4831 and H4831 being 46 and 44.3 @ 2700ish FPS. Both are compressed loads.

Hornady Website shows:

6.5PRC 147 ELD-M, Starting Loadswith IMR 4831 and H4831 being 45.5 and 47 @ 2700ish FPS.
 
Last edited:
There are many good rifles for sub $500 that will do fine. I just mounted an Athlon Midas tac bar gen ll on a rifle this evening. That's a lot of scope for $600.
 
I did this build and I'm loving it.

ruger american go wild 6.5 prc ~ $550

The only ammo I found on hand was Hornady 143 ELD-X and it is shooting those about .5 MOA. I reloaded the brass with 156 Berger and H4831 and most every load I tried was shooting sub MOA with that combo. I did have to put sand paper around a wood dowel and widen the barrel channel from it touching and I lightened the trigger which doesn't feel the best to me but doesn't seem to hurt my accuracy with it. Stock has real nice feel for carrying hunting and butt pad is excellent. The Magazine on it allows you to reload out to 3.37" vs most rifles only allowing for about 3".

cabelas covenant 7 3-21x50 ~ $350

Researched this scope and was alarmed because people kept saying the parallax would stop working when tightened in rings, but I am guessing people are trying to mount it in 30mm rings vs 34mm and messing up their scopes. I bought two of these on sale and tried them in the rings below and a pair of steel rings I got but didn't like. I had not issues. I would recommend the SFP scope so you can use it for hunting without crosshairs getting too small it causes issues and the Reticle is Mil at 21 power which is the only power you will use typically when doing Mil adjustments off reticle vs just adjusting fire for follow up shot. The glass seems real **** good to me. Only thing is that I haven't verified tracking yet so....... They come with a Sun Shade, Zero Stop, and nice power adjustment handle, it seems like the best deal at this price point out there.

Wheeler 2 Piece Picatinny Rail Scope Rings LOW Height ~ $60
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KSQ9V6L/?tag=lrhmag19-20

Low Rings work fine if you mount it with the bell housing past the end of the picatinny rail. Worked great for me to get a natural eye box alignment. The built in Level is **** handy.

Witt Machine Custom Muzzle Brake/Rise Eliminator ~100

I couldn't stand the muzzle brake on the rifle when shooting from the ground due to rocks and crap flying everywhere. I have a Clamp on like this on my T3 30-06 and it worked so well I got one for my Ruger. No ports on the bottom and it virtually kills recoil and makes it easy to spot shots due to no muzzle rise. Was easy to index with the crush washer.

View attachment 225592

Can you share the h4831 data load for 6.5 PRC with us?

🙏
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Hello all,

I am wanting something a little smaller and cheaper to shoot than my 300WM. I am wanting this rifle for mule deer hunting (out to 600 yards) & LR shooting practice, considering I am very new to it all.

I am wanting to stay as close as I can to sub $1000 for both the rifle and scope combined.

First of all...

6.5 CM or PRC?
Rifle recommendations?
Scope recommendations?

Thanks in advance!
6.5 Creed more and Howa rifle...Athalon 8 x 34
 
Last edited:
Hello all,

I am wanting something a little smaller and cheaper to shoot than my 300WM. I am wanting this rifle for mule deer hunting (out to 600 yards) & LR shooting practice, considering I am very new to it all.

I am wanting to stay as close as I can to sub $1000 for both the rifle and scope combined.

First of all...

6.5 CM or PRC?
Rifle recommendations?
Scope recommendations?

Thanks in advance!
6.5 prc or 264 winmag if your an old fart like me. 260 rem ai good too. Pass on needmore.
 
I have both and prefer the 6.5PRC over the CM. Im getting 3000 fps with the 147 ELDM and a 22" barrel in the PRC. However, both factory ammo and brass to reload for the PRC are very hard to come by (as others have stated). The cost of the creedmoor is more economical to shoot and reload for and brass is also easier to find. If you reload, hopefully you have primers, powder, and bullets though because those will also be hard to find for either rifle.
 
Thank you! Are the SWFA scopes a locked 10 power? Since this will be a hunting rifle, I'd like magnification adjustability.
The military, which must identify their targets, used the original fixed SWFA 10X out to 1,000 yards. Fixed power scopes have fewer parts to go bad. The original iteration of scope was supplied to the Navy for around $700 ea.
If you want to be frugal, there is no better option than that scope.
 
As nobody has mentioned it, 6.5 CM is easy to make from 308 cases.

My CM cases made from LC 7.62x51 NM cases are better than any you can buy.
 
Hello all,

I am wanting something a little smaller and cheaper to shoot than my 300WM. I am wanting this rifle for mule deer hunting (out to 600 yards) & LR shooting practice, considering I am very new to it all.

I am wanting to stay as close as I can to sub $1000 for both the rifle and scope combined.

First of all...

6.5 CM or PRC?
Rifle recommendations?
Scope recommendations?

Thanks in advance!
Ruger American Predator and if you can then get the Go Camo package. With the way ammunition is right now I would go with the 6.5 Creedmoor, if you're going to reload then I would get the 6.5 PRC. I actually have both and will probably be selling the Creedmoor. Both shoot great and fun to shoot. PRC has a bit more for hunting. You won't regret ether one. Just make sure you get a good scope!
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top