Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5 PRC, Brian Pierce article.

I have a 6.5 PRC it shoots really well. I guess, I bought this rifle to see what's all the hype with the 6.5's
I went on a deer hunt this past Fall to South Dakota, a good place to check on long range work when needed. About a week before it was time to leave for my deer hunt, I was out shooting my PRC and one of my .308's. The .308 load was with Sierra's new GameChanger bullets. This load was working really well in my rifle I really wanted to test these new bullets. They were 165 grains of goodness.
Well I had to make up my mind, 6.5 or 308 for this hunt,, The 308 got the call. My load for this was 46 grains of Varget, CCI BR2 primers in Lapua cases. The velocity was at 2845 fps.
I shot my deer. I shot my buck at 80 yards and my doe at 240 yards. Both had pass through shots with exits, about 1 1/2 inch. Taking out ribs on both. Both deer DRT, bruck dropped at the shot the doe flipped over and stayed down.
I have confidence this bullet, I think it would work well on larger game in a 308, may be different if pushed at a higher velocity.

Take care

I had a 6.5 PRC for a while. It's gone. Mostly about the specific rifle, not the cartridge, but there were a couple quirks along the way. First I started with Redding dies. They are not vented at the shoulder. I could not find a sweet spot where I had neither shoulder dents nor stuck cases, it was one or the other and sometimes both. Switching to RCBS dies fixed that. I like Redding dies but not this time around. Also, with the wide shoulder and short neck, my regular powder funnel didn't work well it'd seal against the shoulder not the neck and powder would 'scape over the top of the case mouth and down the shoulder. Fortunately I have a drop tube funnel that fit better. So, both problems solvable, but both ... irritating. (I had the same issues with the WSMs and the funnel, FWIW, not unique to 6.5 PRC.) My rifle, a Christensen Ridgeline, would not reliably shoot 1.5 MOA with the components available. The PRC seems to like slow powders .. Retumbo, H1000, RL 25 and 26, 7828, 8133, and the like and those are not available here or online so I was having to beg from friends.

For me the plus of the Creedmoor is powder selection. H4350. RL 17. H414 Medium slow powders ... stuff I have available.

The PRC is a good, practical cartridge. Basically acts like a 6.5-06 in a shorter fatter case. Give the Christensen rifle credit for feeding well and ejecting well. Mine just didn't shoot worth a [bleep]. That happens .. lemons escape the factory. If powder selection wasn't such an issue I'd have given it another try.

Tom

Holy buckets! What length barrel?

It's a 1-10 5R #3 Lilja at 24 inches. I was saying what my self.

Randy, interesting.

It’s on the absolute ragged edge for sure. Did you run 45.5 grs in it? I think that’s where I’d be given your reported speed. But I’m pretty conservative...

Brad, I did run 45.5 grains. It shot about a 3 inch group, 4 rounds. Then I went to 46 grains, then I shot less than 1/2 inch group for four rounds. Amazing how much it change with 1/2 grain more powder. I never did take it above 46 grains.

Those whitetails didn't like it.

You could go 6.8 Western and really channel your inner short .270 win!

I’ve debated the PRC with myself, and have decided the Creedmoor does all I need. The PRC won’t make a critter more dead, certainly not at the ranges I shoot. In fact, less recoil might even make the CM a better choice if I’m being loony.

I don't understand why this always turns into an either/or thing......

Neither do I, but apparently just about ALL Campfire cartridge threads go that way.

I have mentioned this over the years during several threads that appeared on this forum over the years. One I particularly remember was on the .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, a few years after it appeared. That one quickly turned into a .17 HMR versus .22 Rimfire Magnum argument, which seemed strange to me, as I've somehow managed to afford rifles chambered for both rounds, finding each works better for certain purposes than the other.

That’s smoking. My Vanguard 24” 30-06 is giving 2960 with a 168 NBT. I’d have to see where my 26” 308 was at before I chopped it to 20” but that was a Rem 700 Varmint SPS with a Linda Lovelace chamber.

Well, the OP posed the question of the PRC and how it may impact 6.5 Creedmoor sales.

I'm going to start loading for my buddy's CA 6.5 PRC. Not sure which model he has, but his has the carbon wrapped barrel. His will shoot .75 or less 5 round groups with factory ELD-X. IIRC, his MV's were about 2860 or so; about as stated on the box. I hope I can at least duplicate that accuracy and close to that MV. The only powders I could find are 8133 and US 869. I read MD's article an handloading for the cartridge, so I'll start from there. I've heard other folks that weren't happy with CA's, but his does pretty well.

Yes, that was my intent.

After reading this thread and rereading the article, I can see how the Creedmoor can stand alone. No appreciable recoil, long barrel life, lots of factory ammo and components to hand load and a moderate powder charge.

And excellent, accurate, affordable factory ammunition.

Though 99.95% is now apparently in somebody's stash, and not so affordable....

My little 6.5 Swede with excellent Lapua brass and 147gr ELD's at 2961 fps over H-1000 could be a contender for your consideration.