Got a nephew who can now afford big game trophy hunting in NA. He asked me if the 6.5 CM is the way to go (since I dropped a big cow elk with one this year).
Based on what he wants to do, I told him to consider instead the 6.5 PRC. It would deliver the needed ft-lbs of smack down on bull elk a couple hundred yards farther than the CM, and on mulie bucks waay farther out than he can shoot. All the while with minimal "magnum" recoil and more than reasonable barrel life.
I told him to budget at the high end ~$5000:
- ~$2000 for a sub-moa OTC factory 'lightweight' rifle for climbing up sheep hills
- ~$2500 for a variable scope out to 20x+ with bases/rings
- ~$500 for factory ammo (he don't handload) 'cause he's gotta lotta learning to do about big game hitting beyond 300 yards.
Pud
I ran with a 6.5x284 for quite awhile, and I consider it about as good of an all-around hunting cartridge that you can possibly find. The 6.5 PRC is quite similar, and can probably handle bullets over 147gr a bit better due to its design. It would be hard to argue with your choice.
Having owned quite a few, I’ve long considered “fast” (but not over bored) cartridges from 6.5-7mm to be about perfect. The 6.5x284, 6.5-06, 6.5 Rem Mag, .264 Win Mag, 6.5 PRC, .270 Win, .,270 WSM, 270 WbyMag, ,280 Rem, .284 Win, .280 AI, 7 SAUM, 7 WSM, 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm Wby Mag are all wicked killers with outstanding trajectories and manageable recoil.
If shots are inside of 600 yards, even more modest cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, 6.5x55, 7mm-08 and 7x57 are perfect. Even less recoil = even better shooting, and today’s bullets work wonders.