7mm Rem Mag vs 6.5 Prc

[Pro2A]

I agree, but sometimes in the heat of the moment on the mountain staring down a 6x6 elk it is easy to forget to throw plugs in.

WHAT DID YOU SAY????? That's why I've gone to custom molded electronic ear buds when the guns come out. They are comfortable.....don't even know they are there.......they amplify ambient sound to assist my old, military, heavy machinery blasted ears........and they clip the sound from spur of the moment rifle shot from my gun or a hunting partner. Even add electronic ear muffs over ear buds when the bigger calibers come out on a range. Wish I had found them decades sooner....technology didn't exist when my hearing was still young and undamaged. Please use them to save your hearing. Hearing loss is cumulative from EVERY shot.

 

[nicholasjohn]

Any reasonable cartridge can kill an elk, it's shot placement and bullet design/construction after that. Guys use 7mm-08's with just as effective results as a 7mm-mag- they keep shots within the range of effectiveness for the game. If you are recoil sensitive then take that into consideration. You really want a rifle that you can feel comfortable practicing with a lot. And practice means not ideal 'range' conditions.

I have a 7mm-mag X-bolt with a brake. I can shoot it all day long. It's a well designed rifle and recoil is (in my opinion) very tolerable. That being said I picked up a .280AI (custom made by Kevin Weaver) and I'll be tinkering with that. If I can get close to 7mm-mag performance with the same bullets, less recoil, less powder, shorter barrel- certainly the X-Bolt leaves my safe!!

I'm not an expert by any means, and I'm still sucking up information at 53 years old like I'm a newbie. When I moved to Montana a guy befriended me and said a .30-06 is not that great of rifle for the elk (I had two main rifles I moved with- a .257 Roberts and a .30-06). So I sold the '06 and picked up a .338WM. That was the biggest mistake I ever made. I couldn't handle more than 5-10 rounds and I had to stop shooting. I realized the error of my ways and backed it down to a 7mm-mag. If I can move to a .280AI with similar performance? Yup I'm doing that.

When I lived in Montana, I used to shoot elk with the same 308 that I had used to kill a ton of whitetails with in Pennsylvania. This was in the late 80's, and the 7mm magnum was all the rage. Most guys were still using 270's & 30-06's, though, , and nobody laughed at my 308. They all work about the same, if you use good bullets and hit them where they live.

 

[Montana'eer]

I think this really comes down to the stock and the condition of the recoil pad for the 7mm RM. I have a circa 1976 Weatherby Vanguard 7mm RM that I acquired as a Deluxe model with the original recoil pad. It was BRUTAL. Only gun that has ever left a physical, black and blue, bruise on my shoulder (granted, I went through over 40 rounds that day). I have since switched the stock out from that beautiful wood stock to a very functional B&C stock that I cleared the barrel channel out on to float the barrel. Night and day difference. It is now very pleasant to shoot and I can go to the range and work through three different sets of seating depth checks without issue.

I don't think you need a brake on the 7mm RM to make it more pleasant. A good stock with a reasonable, and still soft, recoil pad will make a huge difference.

Yeah I agree. I had a JC Higgins .30-06 (built on a 98 Mauser action) and it kicked HARD. Not brutal, but hard. However- no recoil pad, just that hard plastic plate. The X-Bolt 7mm-mag I have is touted to have a well engineered recoil pad to help minimize felt recoil. I didn't base the purchase of it on that merit, quite the contrary- I got it new for a steal and and I own a Browning Silver 12ga with the same DuraTouch stock material. I shoot hundreds of rounds out of that during duck and goose season and I just love it. I know some folks hate it, but I frekin love it. Wet, snow, rain- it's got a grip that is awesome.

Turned out to be a great shooter too.

 

[highdrum]

Out to 600y a prc pushing 147eld or 156eol @ 3k fps from factory rifle will have same ballistics of a 7mag pushing 168/175 from factory twist rifles. Energy is almost identical as well as drop/wind. I'd choose the prc. If a dedicated elk rifle is in your future, 338 rum with a good brake.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

I was looking at getting a 6.5 PRC and compared it to the 270 and they seemed neck and neck in killing power. I was think 6.5 PRC would be better outside 600 yards due to a lot of things but mostly the way a rifle could be set up from the factory.
I shot a dudes 7mm two weeks ago, very nicely set up and it kicked about like my 270. Piece of cake to shoot it. 175 grain bullets he had.
It is for me still a head scratcher. Hard to beat the 7mm. For long distance and power.

6.5 might be a better factory set up rifle for LD shooting. F class at 800.
Get both.?

 

[Ben Keller]

The prc is nothing more than a rebranded 6.5x284 for Hornady. I will say at this point it may give you more ammo options at the counter of a store than the 6.5x284. The prc is a good caliber just not new. If you reload I would look at the 280 AI. Slightly less recoil than a 7mm with the benefit of a larger bullet selection than a prc. Not taking anything from a prc but I personally feel like the ackley or the Rem Mag are much more flexible. They are also very easy to tune. No to mention the .284 bullets have long been proven in the field to do the job if you do yours. I've had multiple 7 mags without a brake and they really aren't that bad recoil wise. Focus on fundamentals and go big. The 7 mag will not disappoint in my humble opinion.

 

[sixfivefanboy]

Many years ago I elk hunted with a friend, he was shooting a 270 with the largest bullet available, I was shooting a new 7 mm WBY mag, 140 grain loaded to near max. Spotted a herd coming up a little valley with about a dozen nice bulls. We set up behind a big downed log and waited. About 15 minutes later a six x bull and a 6x5 stopped 130 yards broad side and looked back. We had already set for him to pick and shoot. He signaled the 6x6 and I gave him a thumbs up. We shot almost together. Mine was legs up and dead on his belly, his shook like a wet dog took a step and he was going to shoot again and I told him wait....a short few seconds and he toppled over. His had a small hole near side lung, quarter sized hole thru the heart, and thru off side lung, bullet in off side hide. Mine small entry wound heart and lungs shredded. Read somewhere in this forum that speed doesn't kill, must have been magic, but I don't recall if I had my wand with me....hmmmm.

This probably has more to do with the bullets you guys were shooting than the velocity.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Elk at LR deserve a bigger diameter than 6.5. Just my opinion from having seen 200 elk killed in 20 years. Real elk rifles start with a 7mm hole and 160g bullet at the minimum. I'll get my popcorn ready

 

[Kpknifemaker]

I watched a few tikka presentations and they where saying summer months for the prc release as well i really like the feel of tikka actions and ever tikka I have shot is very accurate im thinking of getting their wildlands rifle with there new medium weight barrel with muzzle brake looks like an excellent rifle for the money.

I bought the Tikka Alpine veil model in 6.5 Creedmore - love it. Found both Berger VLDs 140 grain and Hornady ELD-X 143 grain to consistently shoot 0.5 MOA. Have not stretched it out yet, but know if I do my part the gun shoots lights-out. I put a Zeiss V6 3-18 on it. You will love it.

 

[sixfivefanboy]

Elk at LR deserve a bigger diameter than 6.5. Just my opinion from having seen 200 elk killed in 20 years. Real elk rifles start with a 7mm hole and 160g bullet at the minimum. I'll get my popcorn ready

Idk man - I have killed them with all sorts of calibers, .257 up to .325 and I haven't noticed much of a difference in how the elk die if you use the right bullet and stick it in the vitals.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

That is true, but sometimes you dont always make or have the perfect shot. A lot of times you only get 1 opportunity when elk hunting, and I'll be danged to be limited by the cartridge, whether it be range, angle, or a misplaced shot. That is all. In a perfect world, a 243 would always kill elk, but alas that's not real world elk hunting. I've killed a few with a 2506 on up through 338 EDGE. They all worked, but I had to be limited by range and angle with the 2506. The 7/30/33 cal mags are a lot more forgiving in most areas. I've been around 200 elk killed the last 20 years in our camp on public ground, 95% were with 7/30/33 magnums from 50 to 1125 yards, they just work. I dont like chasing elk down in the deepest darkest hole, I like them to drop where they once stood as it's still a long pack out. I've also been the one to load and set up such said rifles, so I have a fairly good data plot to go from and experience with my own eyes.

 

[Kpknifemaker]

I don't have a PRC, but shoot 6.5 Creedmore. Yesterday I was out shooting and switched from the 6.5 to the 7mm Mag. Definitely knew I stepped up to a bigger gun when I did. I shoot the 7mm a lot, so I don't find it too much. I have a Sauer 202 in 7mm Mag and it was my go too rifle until I got the 6.5. Others have real time experience to share regarding best for elk.

 

[Bill28]

I'm thinking about purchasing one of these calibers for deer/elk at a max of about 500 yards and wanted to know what people thought about the merits of each caliber and obviously 7mm has alot more factory options and can load a heavier bullet but is the extra recoil worth it at the end of the day when it comes to performance on game and before peoe say anything about a 300 i have had one and cant shoot one as consistently as I'd like do to recoil.

I had the same problem, so I got a a 6.5 CM and a 28 Nosler. Just under the PRC and Just over the 7MM. Have FUN!

 

[Pro2A]

That is true, but sometimes you dont always make or have the perfect shot. A lot of times you only get 1 opportunity when elk hunting, and I'll be danged to be limited by the cartridge, whether it be range, angle, or a misplaced shot. That is all. In a perfect world, a 243 would always kill elk, but alas that's not real world elk hunting. I've killed a few with a 2506 on up through 338 EDGE. They all worked, but I had to be limited by range and angle with the 2506. The 7/30/33 cal mags are a lot more forgiving in most areas. I've been around 200 elk killed the last 20 years in our camp on public ground, 95% were with 7/30/33 magnums from 50 to 1125 yards, they just work. I dont like chasing elk down in the deepest darkest hole, I like them to drop where they once stood as it's still a long pack out. I've also been the one to load and set up such said rifles, so I have a fairly good data plot to go from and experience with my own eyes.

Don't caliber up for the perfect shot. Caliber up for the worst shot.