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Well, like another poster, who shall remane un-namd\ed, I told myself I wasn’t gonna build another gun, and like said poster, I did – a 6.5PRC.
Following said poster’s advice and past personal knowledge of running the 6.5-284 in a SA, the 6.5PRC is built on a LA – magnum bolt face to give me the added magazine length to seat bullets out if needed.
The nuts and bolts:
Bighorn Origin LA Magnum w/20MOA
Rem 700 BDL bottom metal w/mag follower
Bartlein S/S, #4, finished @ 26”, muzzle threaded 5/8-24
Southern Precision Rifles ‘Bugnut’ barrel nut
McMillan Game Hunter stock
Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50 (eventually a Swaro X5 3.5-18x50)
Trigger Tech Special trigger
Action and Bugnut wrenches
I tossed around the idea of using a Rem 700 LA Mag action. The difference in cost between the 700 action and the Bighorn was about the equivalent of what it would cost to have the 700 action brought up to par, or the way I’d want it – trued, bolt fluted, side bolt release, etc. So I went with the Bighorn.
Barrel choice boiled down to what was available. I’m a big fan of Mullerworks barrels, but Southern Precision Rifles had the Bartlein #4 in stock so that’s what I went with. I also decided to give a “Remage” system a try – opting for SPR’s Bugnut system.
All the part/pieces came together late last week. Wasted no time putting things together over the weekend. Installing the barrel and setting the headspace was a breeze with the barrel nut system. Installed the TriggerTech and dropped the barreled action into the McMillan. The Varmint/Sendero barrel channel inlet was more than enough to accommodate the Bartelin #4, but not so much as to leave a gaudy gap. Suprisingly, NO inletting was required to accommodate the barrel nut. Installed the bottom metal and spent a few minutes admiring the newest addition to the ‘collection’.
In following the un-named poster’s writings, I knew that he had mentioned that his Rem 700 LA Mag-based PRC fed like ‘chit through a goose’ (aka no problems) so I figured I see for myself. Let’s just say that my results didn’t quite match his.
First off, the Bighorn Origin loading port is not nearly as open as a Rem 700. So loading rounds is a little bit of a challenge. In any case, I loaded some dummy rounds in the magazine and tested feeding. It was hit or miss. With all of the rounds slid as far back as the magazine would allow, the most comon scenario was that the bolt would pick up the first round and chamber it. The bolt passed cleanly over all of the other rounds when cycled, never picking up the second round. At first I though maybe the fact that the Bighorn bolt is a controlled-round feed configuration might be the issue. Not the case. Rounds were not standing up high enough for the bolt to engage them. Rounds remaining in the magazine were resting on the follower such that the case head was well below the bolt with the bullet tilted slightly up. For lack of a better term, they were ‘teetering’. Moving the rounds slightly forward in the magazine did help. However, under recoil the rounds would likely slide back in the magazine and not get picked up. I played with the follower spring a bit, but saw little, if any change. I couldn’t seem to get enough pressure on the back of follower to keep the rounds level. As a last ditch effort, and before putting everything away for another day, I slid the magazine spring back in the floorplate (toward the trigger guard) about 1/4”. In doing so it appears that the follower now has enough upward pressure at the back of the magazine to keep the rounds level and thus at a point the bolt can pick them up when cycled forward. More testing- static and live fire - is warranted though.
Interestingly enough and based on my last effort to resolve feeding, I noticed that neither the floorplate or the follower spring had a ‘dimple’ to ensure proper positioning. As I recall, the ‘dimple’ was ‘standard’ on 700 floorplates and follower springs forever. If I decide to stay the course with BDL bottom metal, I’ll have to figure out a way to secure the follower spring in its current location on the floorplate. Alternatively, one of the guys I shoot with regularly has a Greyboe Terrain LA stock w/M5 bottom metal and some magazines (300WM, I think.) May have to talk him out of it for a few days and run some feeding tests with it and single-stack mags in lieu of the McM/BDL bottom metal configuration.
I never thought I'd grow up to be a grumpy old man, but I did, and I'm killin' it.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824
Campfire Ranger
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824 |
Good and interesting post WiFowler, seems we don't get as many build stories these days as we did in the past....your feeding problems are of great interest to me as I am contemplating a 6.5 PRC build and a short action doesn't seem practical, now with your issues it seems a long action with the BDL configuration has issues also.
Guys with more experience will chime in I am sure and we will learn something. I suspect they will recommend a detachable mag with new bottom metal.
Thanks for the informative and honest post.
Originally Posted by Judman
PS, if you think Trump is “good” you’re way stupider than I thought! Haha
Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,344
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2004
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Well, like another poster, who shall remane un-namd\ed, I told myself I wasn’t gonna build another gun, and like said poster, I did – a 6.5PRC.
Following said poster’s advice and past personal knowledge of running the 6.5-284 in a SA, the 6.5PRC is built on a LA – magnum bolt face to give me the added magazine length to seat bullets out if needed.
The nuts and bolts:
Bighorn Origin LA Magnum w/20MOA
Rem 700 BDL bottom metal w/mag follower
Bartlein S/S, #4, finished @ 26”, muzzle threaded 5/8-24
Southern Precision Rifles ‘Bugnut’ barrel nut
McMillan Game Hunter stock
Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50 (eventually a Swaro X5 3.5-18x50)
Trigger Tech Special trigger
Action and Bugnut wrenches
I tossed around the idea of using a Rem 700 LA Mag action. The difference in cost between the 700 action and the Bighorn was about the equivalent of what it would cost to have the 700 action brought up to par, or the way I’d want it – trued, bolt fluted, side bolt release, etc. So I went with the Bighorn.
Barrel choice boiled down to what was available. I’m a big fan of Mullerworks barrels, but Southern Precision Rifles had the Bartlein #4 in stock so that’s what I went with. I also decided to give a “Remage” system a try – opting for SPR’s Bugnut system.
All the part/pieces came together late last week. Wasted no time putting things together over the weekend. Installing the barrel and setting the headspace was a breeze with the barrel nut system. Installed the TriggerTech and dropped the barreled action into the McMillan. The Varmint/Sendero barrel channel inlet was more than enough to accommodate the Bartelin #4, but not so much as to leave a gaudy gap. Suprisingly, NO inletting was required to accommodate the barrel nut. Installed the bottom metal and spent a few minutes admiring the newest addition to the ‘collection’.
In following the un-named poster’s writings, I knew that he had mentioned that his Rem 700 LA Mag-based PRC fed like ‘chit through a goose’ (aka no problems) so I figured I see for myself. Let’s just say that my results didn’t quite match his.
First off, the Bighorn Origin loading port is not nearly as open as a Rem 700. So loading rounds is a little bit of a challenge. In any case, I loaded some dummy rounds in the magazine and tested feeding. It was hit or miss. With all of the rounds slid as far back as the magazine would allow, the most comon scenario was that the bolt would pick up the first round and chamber it. The bolt passed cleanly over all of the other rounds when cycled, never picking up the second round. At first I though maybe the fact that the Bighorn bolt is a controlled-round feed configuration might be the issue. Not the case. Rounds were not standing up high enough for the bolt to engage them. Rounds remaining in the magazine were resting on the follower such that the case head was well below the bolt with the bullet tilted slightly up. For lack of a better term, they were ‘teetering’. Moving the rounds slightly forward in the magazine did help. However, under recoil the rounds would likely slide back in the magazine and not get picked up. I played with the follower spring a bit, but saw little, if any change. I couldn’t seem to get enough pressure on the back of follower to keep the rounds level. As a last ditch effort, and before putting everything away for another day, I slid the magazine spring back in the floorplate (toward the trigger guard) about 1/4”. In doing so it appears that the follower now has enough upward pressure at the back of the magazine to keep the rounds level and thus at a point the bolt can pick them up when cycled forward. More testing- static and live fire - is warranted though.
Interestingly enough and based on my last effort to resolve feeding, I noticed that neither the floorplate or the follower spring had a ‘dimple’ to ensure proper positioning. As I recall, the ‘dimple’ was ‘standard’ on 700 floorplates and follower springs forever. If I decide to stay the course with BDL bottom metal, I’ll have to figure out a way to secure the follower spring in its current location on the floorplate. Alternatively, one of the guys I shoot with regularly has a Greyboe Terrain LA stock w/M5 bottom metal and some magazines (300WM, I think.) May have to talk him out of it for a few days and run some feeding tests with it and single-stack mags in lieu of the McM/BDL bottom metal configuration.
Well, like another poster, who shall remane un-namd\ed, I told myself I wasn’t gonna build another gun, and like said poster, I did – a 6.5PRC.
Following said poster’s advice and past personal knowledge of running the 6.5-284 in a SA, the 6.5PRC is built on a LA – magnum bolt face to give me the added magazine length to seat bullets out if needed.
The nuts and bolts:
Bighorn Origin LA Magnum w/20MOA
Rem 700 BDL bottom metal w/mag follower
Bartlein S/S, #4, finished @ 26”, muzzle threaded 5/8-24
Southern Precision Rifles ‘Bugnut’ barrel nut
McMillan Game Hunter stock
Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50 (eventually a Swaro X5 3.5-18x50)
Trigger Tech Special trigger
Action and Bugnut wrenches
I tossed around the idea of using a Rem 700 LA Mag action. The difference in cost between the 700 action and the Bighorn was about the equivalent of what it would cost to have the 700 action brought up to par, or the way I’d want it – trued, bolt fluted, side bolt release, etc. So I went with the Bighorn.
Barrel choice boiled down to what was available. I’m a big fan of Mullerworks barrels, but Southern Precision Rifles had the Bartlein #4 in stock so that’s what I went with. I also decided to give a “Remage” system a try – opting for SPR’s Bugnut system.
All the part/pieces came together late last week. Wasted no time putting things together over the weekend. Installing the barrel and setting the headspace was a breeze with the barrel nut system. Installed the TriggerTech and dropped the barreled action into the McMillan. The Varmint/Sendero barrel channel inlet was more than enough to accommodate the Bartelin #4, but not so much as to leave a gaudy gap. Suprisingly, NO inletting was required to accommodate the barrel nut. Installed the bottom metal and spent a few minutes admiring the newest addition to the ‘collection’.
In following the un-named poster’s writings, I knew that he had mentioned that his Rem 700 LA Mag-based PRC fed like ‘chit through a goose’ (aka no problems) so I figured I see for myself. Let’s just say that my results didn’t quite match his.
First off, the Bighorn Origin loading port is not nearly as open as a Rem 700. So loading rounds is a little bit of a challenge. In any case, I loaded some dummy rounds in the magazine and tested feeding. It was hit or miss. With all of the rounds slid as far back as the magazine would allow, the most comon scenario was that the bolt would pick up the first round and chamber it. The bolt passed cleanly over all of the other rounds when cycled, never picking up the second round. At first I though maybe the fact that the Bighorn bolt is a controlled-round feed configuration might be the issue. Not the case. Rounds were not standing up high enough for the bolt to engage them. Rounds remaining in the magazine were resting on the follower such that the case head was well below the bolt with the bullet tilted slightly up. For lack of a better term, they were ‘teetering’. Moving the rounds slightly forward in the magazine did help. However, under recoil the rounds would likely slide back in the magazine and not get picked up. I played with the follower spring a bit, but saw little, if any change. I couldn’t seem to get enough pressure on the back of follower to keep the rounds level. As a last ditch effort, and before putting everything away for another day, I slid the magazine spring back in the floorplate (toward the trigger guard) about 1/4”. In doing so it appears that the follower now has enough upward pressure at the back of the magazine to keep the rounds level and thus at a point the bolt can pick them up when cycled forward. More testing- static and live fire - is warranted though.
Interestingly enough and based on my last effort to resolve feeding, I noticed that neither the floorplate or the follower spring had a ‘dimple’ to ensure proper positioning. As I recall, the ‘dimple’ was ‘standard’ on 700 floorplates and follower springs forever. If I decide to stay the course with BDL bottom metal, I’ll have to figure out a way to secure the follower spring in its current location on the floorplate. Alternatively, one of the guys I shoot with regularly has a Greyboe Terrain LA stock w/M5 bottom metal and some magazines (300WM, I think.) May have to talk him out of it for a few days and run some feeding tests with it and single-stack mags in lieu of the McM/BDL bottom metal configuration.
Looks like a nice build. Let us know how it shoots.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,531
Campfire Tracker
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What bullets are you planning on running that warrant a LA?
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,159
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,159 |
Feeding problems are the often-occurring but rarely discussed issue with many custom bolt guns, I wish you the best of luck in getting it resolved.
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16,123
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16,123 |
I load mine in the middle of the mag box....they don't move under recoil.....
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824 |
I am thinking sticking with my LA 6.5-06 is the way to go?
Originally Posted by Judman
PS, if you think Trump is “good” you’re way stupider than I thought! Haha
Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,834
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,834 |
What bullets are you planning on running that warrant a LA? Any thing I want . . Not to be a smart a$$, but the magazine length of the SA is barely long enough to handle the factory 143gr and 147gr pills. Just don't care for the idea of being hindered by magazine length if load development dictates that seating the bullets out further might help in the accuracy department. I load mine in the middle of the mag box....they don't move under recoil..... Good feedback from the 'Bwana . . .
I never thought I'd grow up to be a grumpy old man, but I did, and I'm killin' it.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,531
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
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What bullets are you planning on running that warrant a LA? Any thing I want . . Not to be a smart a$$, but the magazine length of the SA is barely long enough to handle the factory 143gr and 147gr pills. Just don't care for the idea of being hindered by magazine length if load development dictates that seating the bullets out further might help in the accuracy department. I load mine in the middle of the mag box....they don't move under recoil..... Good feedback from the 'Bwana . . . No need to get your panties wadded up Sally... Nothing a little attention to FB dimensions can’t fix. Mute point with the two bullets you listed. I asked in genuine interest as I may have just a little first hand experience with the PRC/147 ELDMs and them staying together at those velocities. Carry on....
Last edited by joshf303; 11/12/19.
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Posts: 7,446
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Defiance XM action and their XM BDL bottom metal....cat's ass for the 6.5 PRC
Last edited by 300MAG; 11/12/19.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
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Defiance XM action and their XM BDL bottom metal....cat's ass for the 6.5 PRC Believe me, the XM crossed my mind.
I never thought I'd grow up to be a grumpy old man, but I did, and I'm killin' it.
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16,123
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16,123 |
Defiance XM action and their XM BDL bottom metal....cat's ass for the 6.5 PRC Believe me, the XM crossed my mind. Except a 300 PRC won't fit worth a schitt......
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Just curious what action length are all these people using that shoot the 6.5 prc?
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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- Greg
Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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Defiance XM action and their XM BDL bottom metal....cat's ass for the 6.5 PRC Believe me, the XM crossed my mind. Except a 300 PRC won't fit worth a schitt...... Agreed. My 300 PRC is built on a trued Rem 700 Ultra Mag action. Currently using BDL bottom metal, but I do have Hawkins CIP length M5 bottom metal and magazine, should the need arise.
I never thought I'd grow up to be a grumpy old man, but I did, and I'm killin' it.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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Just curious what action length are all these people using that shoot the 6.5 prc? From what I gathered, looking at all of the commercial offerings in 6.5PRC I came across were all built on short actions (SA).
I never thought I'd grow up to be a grumpy old man, but I did, and I'm killin' it.
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 270
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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I feel your pain!
I have a 6.5 PRC built on a BigHorn SR 3 long action and wishing I had been more thorough with my homework. My build is similar to yours but my plan was to use the long action and configure the build as a "switch barrel" between the 6.5 PRC and .300 WM. both using Bartlein #3b barrels. I was assured this could be done without issues...mistake #1.
Build consisted of:
BigHorn SR 3 long action
Bartlein #3b fluted finished at 26"
Hawkins BDL bottom metal
Trigger Tech Special trigger
McMillan Game Scout stock
Let me first say the rifle shoots both the 6.5 PRC and .300WM extremely well accuracy wise, no complaints there, but the feeding from the magazine has been a problem from the get go in both.
I thought that maybe a stronger magazine spring might help as I had read somewhere that others with feeding problems (other calibers/rifles) had installed stronger magazine springs that helped. I posted the question as to where stronger springs could be acquired in another thread but so far no luck.
In hindsight, I would not have built the rifle with the switch barrel option and researched more as to an action that would more suit the 6.5 PRC round using a BDL style bottom metal.
Plan to watch your thread and see if someone will chime in with some suggestions that will hopefully help us both.
rookie
NRA Life member
"You can't fix stupid"
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Just curious what action length are all these people using that shoot the 6.5 prc? Short actions aren’t failing mine, nor 10-12 I know that are local. TL3s, Orgins, Impacts, Mausingfields, tuned Rem 700s off the top of my head. Then there is Greg’s Seekins but he’s not exactly local anymore....grin...
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Campfire Outfitter
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Thank you guys. I’m sure interested in one and it seems short action is the way to go for feed function and reliability. Then again I’m just still doing my homework. It seems like Pat and George have used a short action for all the 6.5 4’s (saum) and prc’s they have been using past few years. I’m thinking my long action would be better for a 264 win mag or 7 rem mag?
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Campfire Tracker
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Thank you guys. I’m sure interested in one and it seems short action is the way to go for feed function and reliability. Then again I’m just still doing my homework. It seems like Pat and George have used a short action for all the 6.5 4’s (saum) and prc’s they have been using past few years. I’m thinking my long action would be better for a 264 win mag or 7 rem mag? Yeap... all my SAUMs were on SAs too. Never an ounce of problems.
Last edited by joshf303; 11/14/19.
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