Thinking of going 6.5 PRC thoughts

[lee31]

Yeah, that is good if you like buying barrels. The .264 Win Mag. and 257 Weatherby were the worst barrel burners ever built along with the 7mm Rem Ultra Mag. Velocity isn't King, unless you are economically illiterate and don't understand that efficiency is a goal to achieve.

800 through mine and it still shoots around .5moa

 

[lee31]

Yeah, that is good if you like buying barrels. The .264 Win Mag. and 257 Weatherby were the worst barrel burners ever built along with the 7mm Rem Ultra Mag. Velocity isn't King, unless you are economically illiterate and don't understand that efficiency is a goal to achieve.

Mike pretty sure I'm not illiterate so let's cut the BS. That was during load development I run 140s at 3270 now. It's not a rifle that gets shot a lot anymore. So it should last me another 5-7 years. Barrels don't cost that much anyways. Maybe you're tight with your money but I have enough to buy a barrel every 10-15 years for a hunting rifle. Nothing worse than internet tough guys calling people names. **** off.

 

[WildRose]

800 through mine and it still shoots around .5moa

The total number of rounds matters far less than how often they are shot hot. They hotter they get the more rapid the throat erosion.

If you keep to 3 shot strings and let it cool in between you can stretch the life of a "barrel burner" by half or more easily.

 

[Canhunter35]

Mike pretty sure I'm not illiterate so let's cut the BS. That was during load development I run 140s at 3270 now. It's not a rifle that gets shot a lot anymore. So it should last me another 5-7 years. Barrels don't cost that much anyways. Maybe you're tight with your money but I have enough to buy a barrel every 10-15 years for a hunting rifle. Nothing worse than internet tough guys calling people names. **** off.

At 950 rounds I considered my 257 wore out, the accuracy degraded to the point I wasn't going to take it hunting anymore. I've never regretted owning that gun. Just ignore the guys who tell you it's too slow or a barrel burner. The 264 wm is a serious hunting cartridge and this is a hunting forum.

 

[Stickfigure]

After listening to the Gunwerks podcast, and seeing that Hornady is making ammo, it seems likely that it will be around for at least a while.
I agree, it seems like it it might be an answer to a problem that only a handful were asking for, but then again, it may prove to be amazing and well worth the hype.

I just sent money off to have Seekins make one for me. I can't wait to get it.

 

[seidersjoden]

I really don't understand why people worry about burning their barrel. If they don't have enough money where they can't afford a new barrel after even 1000 rounds then you're in the wrong hobby in my opinion. Barrels are consumable. I don't know how many 100s of threads I have read where people complain about something being a barrel burner. The ironic thing is all those people typically reload which isn't cheap as well, in addition those complainers obviously arent competitors who are used to running through barrels fast, which means they're complaining about burning out a barrel in two years as opposed to eight years... I would love it if we could all just remove the barrel burning issue to support their arguments for a good/bad caliber

 

[Canhunter35]

I really don't understand why people worry about burning their barrel. If they don't have enough money where they can't afford a new barrel after even 1000 rounds then you're in the wrong hobby in my opinion. Barrels are consumable. I don't know how many 100s of threads I have read where people complain about something being a barrel burner. The ironic thing is all those people typically reload which isn't cheap as well, in addition those complainers obviously arent competitors who are used to running through barrels fast, which means they're complaining about burning out a barrel in two years as opposed to eight years... I would love it if we could all just remove the barrel burning issue to support their arguments for a good/bad caliber

I agree. It's the dumbest argument. I bought a $500 vanguard and it shot 1/2moa with factory and hand loads. At 1$ a shot it cost double what I paid for it to wear it out and barrels don't cost much, shoot for $500 I can buy another vanguard and shoot it out.

 

[CLP]

Does anyone have any numbers from a PRC or SAUM with a 18" or 20" tube?

I'm running one with a 20" barrel and it's producing 2840 fps with Retumbo.

 

[yorke-1]

You know that's just neither helpful nor necessary.

A direct cost comparison between the primary cartridge being discussed and one of the most popular direct competitors is both helpful and relevant.

 

[WildRose]

A direct cost comparison between the primary cartridge being discussed and one of the most popular direct competitors is both helpful and relevant.

The abusive nature of your post was neither.

 

[Will D]

My 6.5-06 build on a commercial Mauser action and Bliss Titus barrel has been collecting critters from rock chucks to black bears and moose for 40 years and still sticks 140 gr Partitions into MOA groups. While the new 6.5 PRC may fall nicely in the middle of the caliber range, I see it's greatest potential in AR-10 platforms for the high speed long range games folks are playing these days.

 

[WildRose]

My 6.5-06 build on a commercial Mauser action and Bliss Titus barrel has been collecting critters from rock chucks to black bears and moose for 40 years and still sticks 140 gr Partitions into MOA groups. While the new 6.5 PRC may fall nicely in the middle of the caliber range, I see it's greatest potential in AR-10 platforms for the high speed long range games folks are playing these days.

The case diameter and COAL are very limiting factors for the AR platform.

 

[Buck Buster]

I am not new to shooting long range, but by the same token I don't shoot competition or spend a lot of time trying new loads or just plain shooting a lot so barrel life I am not concerned with too much. And I am not one who has to have the latest thing that has come down the pike either ! I just wanted a good long range deer hunting rifle that would shoot out over 1000 yards. What better way to learn what was good than to go see them in action. I am now 66 years old and have had two bench guns since the mid 70's. The first was a 300 Win. Mag. that shot excellent and out shot a 7mm-300 that was built by Harold Wolf. I had about $350 in it, the other guy had near $1000 in the 7mm-300. As I said earlier I saw these and others in competition at the Original 1000 yard benchrest club near Williamsport PA in the early to mid 70's. The 6.5-300 was another one that was popular then. They all shot well but three things made me go with the 300 Win. Mag. First, they were cheaper to load for. Second, they were consistently more accurate under windy conditions than the other two that I mentioned. Three, it had more energy over 1000 yards than the other two. The 300 Win. Mag. I had to sell to pay bills when our union went on a strike that lasted 8 months ! Later I ran across another 30 cal. Mag. that some still shot in the 70's and they also shot well, but are more costly to load for, and it was a 308 Norma Mag. this is like a twin to the 300 Win. Mag. It had the same barrel make as the 300 had, a Douglas Premium barrel on a Ruger magnum action, the 300 had a Mark X action. This I worked a load up for and it shoots as well I believe as did the 300. I have sighted it in all the way out to 1550 yards (out of clicks ) and it is still throwing a lot of dirt into the air. When I was sighting it in, my first shot at 1300 yards was at an oak leave laying on top of the snow, missed it by 1 foot low and 3" to the left, the next shot the leave went air born and there was a crater where the leave had laid ! So in ending I have nothing against any rifle, it all depends on what a person wants the gun to do . I have what I feel is what I needed to shoot out to about 1200 yards and it has proven to be effective past that range !

 

[Greyfox]

About 10 years ago I began hunting with a 6.5x284. Few people in the hunting arena had ever heard of it back then, and those , supposedly "in the know" viciously chastised the cartridge as a barrel burner. While I have had a few other 6.5x284's since, that original rifle has seen over 1000 rounds down the tube, 140/142VLD's @2975FPS, it currently has "zero" throat wear, and still shoots .25MOA or better. I have rarely shot it more then warm to the touch and cleaned it at the end of each season. Over this period I have typically shot 50-100 rounds/year hunting, practice, and LR rock busting. This rifle has accounted for 40+ game animals, and countless varmints out to 1200+ yards. I expect it to keep going for at least another 3-5 years, but, frankly, if the barrel burned out tomorrow, it would get a Vikings funeral, and just screw on another barrel...no fret or regrets..
As to the original topic of the 6.5 thoughts; I have no experience with it, but its reported performance is very close to the 6.5x284. I think it will greatly benefit those that do not reload and want the down range performance over the 6.5CM from a factory load...it's intended purpose. I have personally not had good experiences with the consistency of Hornady brass so I'll stick with the 6.5x284 for now.
Shown:3 shot group from 2010, and a pre-season, 2017 zero check...both at 200 yards

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