Short barrel 6.5 prc
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Tyler Holderby
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- Feb 26, 2011
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18" with 123 scenars RL23 @ 2830fps, accuracy was so good on a couple ladders I stopped well before finding pressure. 2900fps would easily be hit in my setup I believe.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
Just know that velocities will suffer, and do it if that is what you want.
For me, I would go 20" at a minimum to run suppressed. You want short OAL of rifle,get a TBAC Gen 2 Ultra 5 6.5mm to go with it. But I live out west, where cross canyon or open flat shot opportunities out to 800 are commonplace. If 500 yards is your max, a 17" should give you the numbers you need pretty easily.
For me, I would go 20" at a minimum to run suppressed. You want short OAL of rifle,get a TBAC Gen 2 Ultra 5 6.5mm to go with it. But I live out west, where cross canyon or open flat shot opportunities out to 800 are commonplace. If 500 yards is your max, a 17" should give you the numbers you need pretty easily.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
1 of mine is 18". Run 135 a tips at 3000. Add or subtract 10 fps per grain of bullet weight. My loads are warm but not hot so you can push them harder if brass life isn't a concern. The prc does really well in a short barrel with 4831, h1000, 560, and rl26. I use rl26 and 560.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
Should be quite easy. I run a 143 ELD X at 2925 at 56.5 grains rl 26. Last time I shot those it had a 1.3 sd and bugholes. It is a wicked load for sure and my back up load for the 135 A Tip.
txsheepman
Well-Known Member
I have a 20" proof on mine and I'm getting 2860 with 156 Berger's on Retumbo.
XLR Industries
Well-Known Member
Exactly my thoughts too (live in co). I decided it would be beneficial to have 2 barrels. 1 18" 6.5 PRC built for the backpack hunts or hunts where we will be shooting 600 and in. 2 28 inch 7 mag shooting 180s at 2950... enough said. 2 different barrels for different situations but I can put them on the same action and the same chassis. Feeding is a little bit of a pain with the 6.5 out of the long action but I rigged up a magazine to make it work! Really the only time that the 7 mag barrel goes on is for long bomb canyon shots in some OTC units. Otherwise the 6.5 will do and it keeps me honest with how far I should probably be shooting animals!
BrentM
Well-Known Member
28" 6.5 prc will run 3070ish. Not a bad combo for longer shots if a guy wanted to stick with the same cartridge. Kind of what I did with the 6.5-284's until I moved over to the prc. I have 28" proof sitting on the shelf I might rechamber for it someday.
143 ELDX at 2858 fps factory ammunition (18").
I ran a barrel length test with 56 grains of H1000 and Hornady 140 grain BTHP match bullets and here are the results. I shot a few rounds of factory Hornady 147 EDMs at the 26" length to compare and they were 3010 fps.
| Unsuppressed | |||
| Barrel length | Average | ES | SD |
| 26 | 2961 | 27 | 15 |
| 24 | 2921 | 45 | 23 |
| 22 | 2888 | 30 | 15 |
| 20 | 2822 | 16 | 8 |
| 18 | 2765 | 27 | 14 |
| 16 | 2659 | 43 | 22 |
Great data! 20" seems to be a sweet spot
