6.5 PRC and 22in barrel

[Mc Fraser]

What are your thoughts on a 6.5 PRC with a 22 in barrel (smallest contour available) and 130-150 bullets for sheep hunting?
If you have one or know of someone that has one, can you drop a line with a few more details? I'm interested in accuracy, powder, bullet and velocity.

TIA

 

[dogz]

It'll do well on sheep, as for speed reduce the fps by 30 fps per inch from say a 24" barrel and you've got speed a plenty.

 

[BH107]

I built a 22" 6.5 PRC for this year but used a Proof carbon barrel on a Savage action. I went with 22" because I wanted to hunt with a suppressor and that also led me to the Proof barrel for the rigidity. I am very pleased with the results. Its shooting factory Hornady Match 147s at 2880fps and 1/2 MOA or better out to 500 yards. It was shooting well enough that I didn't bother to blow through the rest of the factory rounds I had purchased and start working up a handload, that will come next year sometime.

 

[BH107]

Mine still has some heavy features, but will go on a further diet next year. It's 8lbs 12oz as pictured, but i think I can get it to 8lbs ready to hunt.

 

[Mc Fraser]

Nice rifle. Congrats.

 

[nso123]

I have an Origin with a 22 inch PVA prefit. It shoots well. I threw together a quick load with 124 Hammer Hunters and it is at 2950 without starting to go up in the charge weights. I am confident it would be able to get 3100 or so before hitting pressure. I am not messing with it for now because it shoots this load in the .4 MOA range and I am not shooting past 300 during whitetail season.

 

[6.5saum/300rum]

I have a 22" barrel but it's a proof cf. I've only shot hammer bullets in it. The 124's are 3200 fps with max load of rl26 and the 131's were about 3120. Both shot under 1/2" at 100yards. H1000 had about the same accuracy but was about 100fps slower.

 

[landonm]

22" is where I went with my 6.5 PRC. Gunwerks ClymR comes in right about 8lbs total package depending on the scope choice.

We've built A LOT of 22" 6.5 PRCs. They do very well. Seems to settle in nicely around 2950 with 140 Bergers or 147 ELDMs, can definitely push it a little faster with the right powder if you're willing to run hot and if the 147s will hold together for you.

 

[Mc Fraser]

Thanks for the input and if I might say that is a very nice rifle. My goal is to build a sub 5lbs rifle (without scope), hence the need for a short action and the short and skinny barrel. Every oz counts

 

[azsugarbear]

I built 6.5 PRC last year using a 20" Proof CF barrel with 1 in 7.5 twist on a Tikka action. I did a lot of testing with different 6.5 bullets I had on hand to find max loads for each. Most of these were MAX loads in MY rifle, unless otherwise noted. FPS was an average of three shots with same load. Here are my results (your mileage may vary):

Barnes LRX 127 grains:
H4831SC 56.5 gr. 3,075 fps
H1000 59.0 gr. 3,105 fps
Retumbo 62.5C gr. 3,188 fps
RL26 58.5 gr. 3,246 fps

Absolute Hammer 129 grains:
IMR 4451 58.0 gr. 3,255 fps
4831SC 59.0 gr. 3,095 - not max, but stopped testing because near case capacity and not even close to IMR 4451 velocity

Hornady ELD-X 143 grains:
RL33 63.0C gr. 2,962 fps
RL26 57.0 gr. 3,041 fps
Retumbo 60.0 gr. 3,059 fps

Matrix VLD 160 grains:
RL33 59.5 gr. 2,836 fps
Retumbo 57.0 gr. 2,890 fps
RL26 56.5 gr. 2,974 fps

 

[Mc Fraser]

Thanks a lot.

 

[Allen Kitts]

22" is where I went with my 6.5 PRC. Gunwerks ClymR comes in right about 8lbs total package depending on the scope choice.

We've built A LOT of 22" 6.5 PRCs. They do very well. Seems to settle in nicely around 2950 with 140 Bergers or 147 ELDMs, can definitely push it a little faster with the right powder if you're willing to run hot and if the 147s will hold together for you.


View attachment 316616

What scope are you running on this, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[landonm]

What scope are you running on this, if you don't mind me asking?

My usual preferred optic on this build is the Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18. Perfect balance of weight savings and capability, but I do tend to move scopes around on a regular basis. I can't seem to stop tinkering

 

[BrentM]

Have a 22 and 18". 22 will serve you well