6.5mm Craze? 264WM vs 6.5 SAUM vs 6.5 PRC?

[Hard rock]

if you can get 500 rounds for $400 either loaded ammo or reloading supplies you got a steal and better jump while you can

After thinking about that I'll buy the 500 rds for 400 dollars and give 100 back free

 

[WYOHTF]

Be Patient there are a lot on here that can give you a lot of valuable info

I actually misread the post, saw Winchester and my brain saw 6.8 I guess. My bad to begin with

 

[can1010]

You should probably do some more research.

except for the hyped up failure what part is not accurate?

 

[QuietTexan]

All the large capacity 6.5's are barrel burners. IMO, the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6.5 x 55 Swede, and the 6.5 Rem Mag will do anything I want to do in a SA 6.5mm cartridge and offer good barrel life to boot. The high BC 6.5mm bullets retain velocity well and make up for the lower starting velocity of the classic chamberings. Of course, to some, more is always better, but practically speaking not for me. just my $.02.

All the large capacity anythings are barrel burners, there's nothing unique about the 6.5mm bore in that regard. Look at many classic calibers - the 7mm Rem Mag is one of the most overbore factory chambers made, the 25-06 is right behind it, then the 243 Win is chasing them as worse than the 22-250. Run any of them hot and you can kiss the barrel goodbye. 6.5mm is just the popular bore right now because of the high-BC potential. But 7mm is still arguably the best in terms of pure ballistics. 6mm is making a leap forward for lower recoil for self shot spotting. Lot's of niche development happening on parallel tracks is muddling decisions because of competing goals.

Useable barrel life is dropping anyway because accuracy standards are changing - guy who used to accept minute of pie plate from a hunting rifle are demanding off the rack guns shoot out to 600+ yards sub-MOA. Their barrels won't survive old cleaning methods and mistreatment as long not because any thing has actually changed, just they used to accept a lower accuracy standard for longer.

 

[WYOHTF]

Watch this to the end to get why I posted it please

6.5 prc facts - Google Search

 

[SteveBurton]

I laugh every time I see people defending their pet cartridge. Pick one of the following cartridges, 264 Win Mag, 6.5 Saum, 6.5-284, 6.5 PRC, 6.5-06, etc. They all do the same thing and within 100-200 fps of each other with the same bullet and length barrel. I owned a 264 WM and it shot great. I currently have a 6.5-284 and a 6.5 PRC. Both shoot great also and they are within 100 fps of each other will the same bullet. The 6.5-284 is built on a LA so that I can take advantage of case capacity. And that is the main reason the 6.5 PRC was created. To shoot factory ammo with heavy for caliber bullets in a factory SA rifle. There is a large, arguably the biggest, sector or hunters that don't handload. Using factory ammo is their only option so they are stuck with what is available. For example, Federal doesn't make ammo for 6.5 SAUM, 6.5-284 or 6.5-06 but they make it in 6.5 PRC. Add to that the fact that ammo manufacturers have to produce ammo that will work in every factory rifle that has ever been made in that cartridge for liability reasons. So their 6.5-284 rounds must fit in a SA which eats up a lot of capacity.

I think all of the wildcat cartridges are cool and each has their following. There are small advantages to each that a handloader and/or gunsmith can take advantage of. Find one you like and shoot it. The majority of hunters aren't going to build a rifle in that cartridge.

I equate handloaders to hotrodders. I'm sure someone can wrench on a Honda and make it faster than a stock Camaro but the Camaro will still sell pretty **** well to the masses.

 

[JDD]

A possible round to consider. I run a nosler 280ai case into the Redding 280ai competition die set . Both the sizer and seater. I get the 6.5x280improved with just seating a primmer dropping powder and seating 147 gr hornady. Rl 26 at 56 grs gives me 3150 and sun moa at 1100 yards right off the bat. All you do is change the neck bushing.

I use the same die for my 280ai

 

[Hard rock]

All the large capacity anythings are barrel burners, there's nothing unique about the 6.5mm bore in that regard. Look at many classic calibers - the 7mm Rem Mag is one of the most overbore factory chambers made, the 25-06 is right behind it, then the 243 Win is chasing them as worse than the 22-250. Run any of them hot and you can kiss the barrel goodbye. 6.5mm is just the popular bore right now because of the high-BC potential. But 7mm is still arguably the best in terms of pure ballistics. 6mm is making a leap forward for lower recoil for self shot spotting. Lot's of niche development happening on parallel tracks is muddling decisions because of competing goals.

Useable barrel life is dropping anyway because accuracy standards are changing - guy who used to accept minute of pie plate from a hunting rifle are demanding off the rack guns shoot out to 600+ yards sub-MOA. Their barrels won't survive old cleaning methods and mistreatment as long not because any thing has actually changed, just they used to accept a lower accuracy standard for longer.

Any one can screw a barrel up with any cleaning method I don't know about you but I've been in the reloading game for 60 yrs and have never settled for any thing under a min of angle . Once a year sight in and go hunting I'm sure is still happening . I don't care how new all this high tec loading etc is ,accuracy has been the name of the game for a long time.

 

[Hugnot]

Subject cartridges can be regarded as "boutique" - small in number & exclusive - meaning difficult to buy brass and useful for only intermittent/occasional use. Like how many deers can be shot each season vs. weekly trips to the range. Present component shortages make subject rounds curios - "rare, unusual, or intriguing objects".

 

[Hard rock]

Subject cartridges can be regarded as "boutique" - small in number & exclusive - meaning difficult to buy brass and useful for only intermittent/occasional use. Like how many deers can be shot each season vs. weekly trips to the range. Present component shortages make subject rounds curios - "rare, unusual, or intriguing objects".

That's why I always will have trusty old 270s and 30-06s hanging around

 

[can1010]

the barrel burner or it has a belt or it dont do anything that a 100 yr old cartridge reasoning that people use are all garbage.
modern barrel steels and powders, better high pressure case design and better loading techniques have debunked all those internet talking points and shouldnt be used by anybody when deciding on a new rifle/cartridge

 

[MagnumManiac]

You should probably do some more research.

Into what??
More Hornady HYPE, or your beliefs?
The numbers speak for themselves.

Cheers.

 

[Todd Gansel]

IMHO, they're all usable. I prefer the PRC. Multiple good brass options and other average brass options too. A reasonable amount of factory ammo options are manufactured too. Factory ammo is readily available. Maybe not during the current crisis but at least they're on the roster. No fire forming or necking down. It isn't magical but neither are the other two options you listed but it's convenient and checks all the boxes for me. The short action (with extended box mag) and 24" barrel combo seems to be a sweet spot that is tough to beat for weight, mobility and efficiency. The ballistic performance to recoil ratio is phenomenal with these cartridges.

Brass options and availability for the 6.5 WM leave plenty to be desired. Plus it seems as if you want to take advantage of the higher capacity case and longer burn column, longer barrels make it shine. And of course a long action is the only option. Not a problem if you don't care but personally, I prefer a SA where possible. No real factory rifle options. Little to no factory ammo options.

6.5 SAUM. It was the best thing going for a short fat case until the other contender came out in the same class. But it's still a wildcat with limited brass options unless you want no neck down. No real options for rifles or ammo.

A lot of guys hate the PRC because it's nothing new because there were already options available. IMO, the concepts of them were great but the execution of them for the average shooter was a fail and flop. Hornady came up with a comparable offering with factory ammo options and factory rifles chambered. They developed the sweet spots for loads and produce all of the above. When things are available, you can go buy a factory rifle, scope, rail, rings and a few ammo options and you will likely have a fairly decent setup with minimal work in the same day. Not quite a turn key arrangement but a lot more turn key than the others. Complain all you want but Hornady did a good job. It may not offer any ballistic advantage compared to the other two but they did the whole package from A-Z in a pretty attractive package. If you thumb your nose at Hornady for marketing ploys, then by all means, go with the WM or SAUM.

I've been shooting a 264WM for a lot of years. The only negative I have is the belted case which is prone to cracking just above the belt unless you specifically set up your reloading to make it headspace on the shoulder instead. I own a 6.5CM they don't compare. The WM is 3228FPS and the CM is 2740FPS. You can speed that CM up though with RL26 but your brass will not last. But you also forgot several 6.5s that deserve recognition such a 6.5x284 and the 6.5WSM.

 

[D$tring]

IMHO, they're all usable. I prefer the PRC. Multiple good brass options and other average brass options too. A reasonable amount of factory ammo options are manufactured too. Factory ammo is readily available. Maybe not during the current crisis but at least they're on the roster. No fire forming or necking down. It isn't magical but neither are the other two options you listed but it's convenient and checks all the boxes for me. The short action (with extended box mag) and 24" barrel combo seems to be a sweet spot that is tough to beat for weight, mobility and efficiency. The ballistic performance to recoil ratio is phenomenal with these cartridges.

Brass options and availability for the 6.5 WM leave plenty to be desired. Plus it seems as if you want to take advantage of the higher capacity case and longer burn column, longer barrels make it shine. And of course a long action is the only option. Not a problem if you don't care but personally, I prefer a SA where possible. No real factory rifle options. Little to no factory ammo options.

6.5 SAUM. It was the best thing going for a short fat case until the other contender came out in the same class. But it's still a wildcat with limited brass options unless you want no neck down. No real options for rifles or ammo.

A lot of guys hate the PRC because it's nothing new because there were already options available. IMO, the concepts of them were great but the execution of them for the average shooter was a fail and flop. Hornady came up with a comparable offering with factory ammo options and factory rifles chambered. They developed the sweet spots for loads and produce all of the above. When things are available, you can go buy a factory rifle, scope, rail, rings and a few ammo options and you will likely have a fairly decent setup with minimal work in the same day. Not quite a turn key arrangement but a lot more turn key than the others. Complain all you want but Hornady did a good job. It may not offer any ballistic advantage compared to the other two but they did the whole package from A-Z in a pretty attractive package. If you thumb your nose at Hornady for marketing ploys, then by all means, go with the WM or SAUM.

Great synopsis of a seemingly inconclusive situation as to the "best".