6.5 PRC or 7mm Rem Mag

[The_Whitetail_kid]

Trying to make a decision on a rifle for a Christmas gift. Torn between 6.5 PRC and 7mm Rem Mag. Recoil is not an issue on either. I wanted a good long range gun for shooting long range and occasionally an elk or mule deer. I have a 6.5 creed that I use on whitetail and hogs and smaller game. Trying to figure out what caliber would be the better option for long range and bigger game. What do y'all think?

 

[dogz]

for a loader or a factory shooter?

 

[Quintus]

If you handload consider the 6.5 RPM.

 

[Franko21]

I would lean towards the 7mm. Here is a whole bunch of discussion on just this topic https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/7mm-rem-mag-vs-6-5-prc.245646/

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

for a loader or a factory shooter?

Load

 

[dogz]

Thx-personally I'd be all over the Big 7

 

[Plinker147]

6.5 will be more fun to shoot and good long range but has a little more limits. 7 rem mag would be better for 800 ++ type distances and more versatile, can shoot 140 to 195 gr, All in what you want and what you think will do most of

 

[DJ Fergus]

Ive got both. This is difficult for me to make a recommendation between the two. My favorite is the 7mm rem mag. It can be loaded to shoot just as good as the PRC for someone who is well versed in loading for a 7mm RM. With that being said, the PRC will be easier to tune for someone newer to reloading. There's not enough recoil different between the two for me to make a distinction unless you are going to shoot 20-40 plus rounds in one sitting. In that case, the PRC would be a little more favorable. As far as affordable accurate factory ammo, the winner is the PRC. Terminal performance & ballistic potential favors the 7mm rem mag. In a nutshell: if you reload and don't mind going to the effort of involved tuning, the 7mm rem mag can be superior to the PRC. If you want the easy button, the go for the PRC.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

IF, a NICE Bull Elk, trots out at 500 Yards Plus,.. you WILL,.. WISH to, God that,.. you had chosen, the 7mm Rem Mag !
And GOOD, 160+ Grain Bullets,.. Minimum !
Yup,.. the 6.5's "Can" do it,. but,.. ???
And, then again, Maybe,.. NOT !

 

[Idaho Lefty]

For God's sake, People,.. SEPARATE,.. Deer / Antelope Hunting,. FROM,,.... Elk !
Buy One Bigger Rifle, .270 / 7mm Minimum for Elk and a "Pop-gun" 6.5 something or other for, Deer & Antelope IF, you want, a smaller Caliber !
Elk bodies, start at about, 3 TIMES,. BIGGER !
JMHO from, a guy that's Hunted, and shot, all 3 for,.. 60 YEARS !
There's already, a couple of Threads about, LOSING,.. Elk to,.. the 6.5's !

 

[DJ Fergus]

IF, a NICE Bull Elk, trots out at 500 Yards Plus,.. you WILL,.. WISH to, God that,.. you had chosen, the 7mm Rem Mag !
And GOOD, 160+ Grain Bullets,.. Minimum !
Yup,.. the 6.5's "Can" do it,. but,.. ??? And,.. Maybe,.. NOT !

I will strongly agree with this. I would rather have the 7 Rem mag when elk is in the picture.

 

[HVGBDT]

Both guns will kill elk dead! With any gun, it's all about shot placement!! You can kill 1 with a 22LR!!
Go with the gun that you will enjoy to shoot & to reload for. Then practice, practice, practice! I had a Rem 7 mag for almost 40 years. Now, I'm a meat hunter & love the ease of reloading. I switched to the 6.5 PRC. LOVE THE CHANGE!

 

[BrentM]

In my group a pile of elk have been taken with 6.5 creeds from 100-550 yards without any issue at all. Some massive bulls in that group as well. Anyone who says a 6.5 isn't capable is just ignorant to terminal ballistics. Does that mean everyone can use a 6.5 creed with extremely high success rates? Not at all. Seems like people are constantly making crappy shots and blaming it on the bullet or cartridge.

7mm vs 6.5 PRC is apples to oranges with the 7 having an advantage with heavier for caliber bullet weights for more energy at closer ranges. The 7 mag is clearly a large capacity long action magnum cartridge and should have better performance to a degree. Having both of these I love the 7mm family but an addicted to 6mm and 6.5. The PRC is an excellent cartridge but you are limited to 156 EOL or 160 Matrix bullets for the heavies. Those are both more than capable and have very high sectional density. I run a 180 at 2950-3000 in a 24-26" 7 mag. 165 at 3050-3100. A 20-22 7 mag running a 168 is 2850-2900. I can run a 156 in a prc 22" at 2900. So the advantage at closer range goes to the 7. The higher BC of the 156 levels out the results to a degree at longer range so you have to decide if the difference is worth it to you.

 

[Pro2A]

aTrying to make a decision on a rifle for a Christmas gift. Torn between 6.5 PRC and 7mm Rem Mag. Recoil is not an issue on either. I wanted a good long range gun for shooting long range and occasionally an elk or mule deer. I have a 6.5 creed that I use on whitetail and hogs and smaller game. Trying to figure out what caliber would be the better option for long range and bigger game. What do y'all think?

The 7mmRM is a venerable old warrior. Everyone should have one IMHO. Ammo is available in wide range of weights/types. Ammo is typically one of the "always available" choices where ever one travels to hunt... the venerable Two Dot Test....thinking lost ammo, run out of ammo, different hunting application arises, et el. It is a "do it all" caliber. 6.5PRC is a new kid on the block with impressive new credentials. But, unless one reloads, ammo is scarce, more narrow range of bullets weighs, etc. While the 6.5 is suitable for mule deer, a little marginal for elk IMHO, I'd go for the 7 over the 6.5 for many reasons including being more suitable for long range elk, and you already have a 6.5, albeit it in CM. That said, I have a couple 6.5PRCs and love them for yet another niche in the gun world. I believe the 7 niche is much broader than the 6.5. Go with the old warrior....IMHO.