Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5 PRC or 270 Win

Been looking at a new rifle, new school or old school ? I have everything to reload the 270. Would have to buy most all for the 6.5 PRC. Brain is dead looking at ballistic tables and such. It seems it is a matter of 2 inches or so. wind, drop etc. Then on to rifles.. Sauer, Montana Rifle, Steyr, Bergara, it is getting complicated…

Keep it simple....

Why don't you just get what makes you happy or interests you and not worry about what anybody else thinks?

Yea that is a good thing, have to keep the boss happy, the 6.5 PRC is expensive. Brass hard to find, and I have everything 270 on the shelf. Have had Steyr's. Good to go but I would agree the Pro-Hunter is butt ugly. It does however work very well. I have a Sauer 101 Classic select and it is good to go. Know nothing about the Bergara other than the muzzle loading barrels are very good. Montana rifles, combination of the Pre-64 Winchester and the Mauser Model 98, my favorites in a bolt rifle.

Unless you want to get into long range shooting, stick with what you already have.

I don't think there is anything hunting-wise that can be done with one but not the other.

While I'm not one to talk someone out of a new rifle, I ran the ballistics and costs and went with a .270 for Daughter #1, Remington M700. Loading it with 150g LRAB for as close to 2950 as I can get. Development loads use IMR 7977 and H100V with Hodgdon data as the basis.. I was able to load to a COL length of 3.466", as shown in the photo.

If using factory ammo only, I'd go with the 6.5PRC.

The photo below shows a hand-loaded 150g LRAB .270 cartridge compared to a Winchester 150g Power-Point factory load, (I know, the handload is .126" longer than SAAMI COL.)



Using 7000 feet above sea level and MPBR zeroes for a 6" target, 10mph xwind:

6.5 PRC / 130g Scirocco II @ 3050fps
600yds = -46.6", 2331fps, 1568fpe, 14.9" drift

.270 Win / 150g Long Range AB @ 2940fps
600yds = -50.2", 2294fps, 1753fpe, 14.3" drift

That's what I am seeing as well. The 270 is old like me, but new powders and bullets also help the old ones.

Look apples to apples 143 ELDX vs.145 ELDX, about 2-1/2" more drift at 500 based on factory numbers. If your that dialed in with all your riggin, then it might mean something.


Not even worth the worry in my book.....

You mean I have to hold 3.6" higher and .6" more into the wind at 600 yards? Wow as soon as I get pictures my 270 Winchester rifles are going on the classifieds! Of course the 270 have an additional 195fpe, which makes all the difference in the world1

For all practical purposes, the 270 and PRC cases have the same capacities, so comparing like bullet weights, in equal platforms, at equal pressures, should equal like results.

Like the 6.5 Crapmore, the PRC was not designed to replace or displace any other cartridge, but to load a mainstream cartridge with better BC bullets in factory firearms that are twisted correctly to stabilize them, and supply reasonably priced ammo to feed them.

Or, if you love 270 calibre, but want more jam, go with the 270WSM. Still à SA cartridge like the PRC, still 270 like your 270Win, but faster than both, roughly equivalent to a 7RM, but with lighter bullets. Good cartridge.

One reason for the 270 Win for Daughter #1 was she doesn't reload - although her hubby and I do. Worst case she can always but factory ammo. Bought a box of 180g WW Power-point loads at Sportsman's Warehouse a couple days ago - just under $19 for the Win, something close to but under $40 for the WSM.

Thanks for this thread. Been looking at both but think I'll just pick up some RL26 and some 145ELD-X and call it a day. Probably do a lot more good than spending money on rifle,dies,bullets, brass, etc.. Don't worry, I'm still a rifle looney at heart.

I'ma tossing the BS flag on that..... cheapskate at heart. till the end..... Loonies HAVE to try.

Could always blow the extra $$$ on a 223 and shoot the piss outta heavies. It'll help you learn to manage that "extra" drift...

We really haven't come a long way since 1923 when Winichester developed the 270 Winchester, Jack was right! IMHO all the BC crap. is BS. Not a dimes worth of difference in drop and drift within all practical hunting ranges it just doesn't matter. 270, 280, 7 mag, 7 08 30 06, all as good as the 6.5 PRC, and better than the 6.5 Creedmoor.if you are a sane and ethical hunter. I see the 750 yard kills on TV with the 6.5 Whiz Bang, they just cut away and edit out the crippled. lost and wounded animals. JUST CHANGE THE CHANNEL!

Aalf, looks like you don't care for the 6.5 CM

Depends on what your definition of "practical hunting range" is....

Some of us like to shoot and play well beyond 1000 yards, so BC is not "crap", and it does matter. So while it may not make a schitt bit of difference to you or some others, I can make my own mind up to what is practical to me by stretching my own limits.

Not true at all, I'm just heavily invested in the 47 Lapua case, so no need for a CM......