I've been tossing around the idea of cleaning out some space for a stainless in 6.5 somethingorother. Thinking fairly light contour or fluted. Just so happens a guy I know seems to be considering dumping a 6.5 saum. Not sure how many rounds he's put through it, but he bought it to hunt with and it sounds like he hasn't done much of that. How hard are they on barrels? What is the consensus on these? Worth the trouble?

6.5 CM: 52-53 gr case capacity
6.5 SLR: 55-56 gr
6.5 PRC: 66-67 gr
6.5 SAUM: 70-71 gr

The PRC has 25% more capacity than a creedmoor, and 5-6% less than a SAUM. In quickload, holding pressure constant at 57k psi in a 26" barrel with 140 hybrids, a 6.5 SAUM (H1000) is about 30-40 fps faster than a 6.5 PRC (H1000), and the PRC is 220 fps faster than a 6.5 creedmoor (H4350).

Not enough difference between them to make a choice. If starting from scratch the PRC has more head stamped brass, saum is better suited to mag fed rifles due to coal

I think it is a cool cartridge, a short 6.5-06 AI which is another that is tempting me even though I don't need one. If building I might choose something else but if already chambered I would go with it right after I lined up some brass. I like to get 200 to 400 cases for each rifle so I am not constantly switching components and loads and never get caught by shortages.

Thanks for the insight. Guess I should check out brass & find out if it's on a short action. I take it it would be optimal in a standard action?

Consider the .260 Rem. Easiest brass availability, reasonable capacity, easy on throat.

Often said if you reload, 6.5 SAUM, if you don’t, 6.5 PRC.

Touted as ~ 3k barrel life if not loaded hot. Lots of good brass available now so don’t have to form, and turn necks.

Certainly falls within the “Kill anything in the Lower 48” realm.

I just got my build back. Looking forward reshooting it.

In current market - the 6.5 PRC dies are running $150 to $300 for a set.

Brass and bullets are easier to find, loaded ammo is inflated and out of stock in minutes, if not seconds.

Hopefully wont stay this way for much longer - but the PRC is hard to get into at the moment.

I have been looking at the 6.5 PRC but in today’s environment I could get the rifle and not be able to shoot it for months.

And that, is different from the saum how?

6.5/284 is listed as 68gr H2O capacity. It's good for 1,500 rounds on average. It would be in the realm of fortune to get over 2,000 out of a PRC or a SAUM.

I guess it depends on your accuracy requirements.....

My 308's and 30x47's in Hunter BR were DOA at or before 2500 rounds.

If you're content hitting the broadside of a barn from the inside, you're GTG for quite a bit longer......

So how big a groups were those wore out 2500 down the tube barrels shooting?

Not as tight of demands on a slung prone gun, but 1,500 rounds on a 6.5/284 won't hold a 12" 10 ring at 600

IBS Hunter Benchrest is score shooting, not group shooting.

This is the 100 yard target:



The lower right hand bull is the sighter, & you can shoot there as many times you want during the 7 minute relay. The other five bulls, get one shot each, with the goal of hitting the middle. Center is the 10 ring, and if you hit the dot in the middle, it's scored as an X.

You do that five times, 25 shots total, with a possible 250 25X perfect score. Best edge scoring, meaning if you cut the edge on the next higher scoring ring, it counts. To be competitive, you best not drop much more than one point at 100, and the X count better be in the upper teens.

Then you move to 200 yards, and do it all again. Add both yardages together, for a possible 500 50 X aggregate total.

Generally, the match is won at the 200 yard line, if you don't give up much at 100.

When you start hunting and pecking all around the 10 ring, and can't seem to put them in the middle, time for a new barrel.

Short story.....

I had retired a barrel. The upcoming match day, winds were forecast to be pretty sporty, so I decided to take the good barrel off, and screw the old one back on, thinking I wouldn't be at much of a disadvantage with the upcoming conditions.

Of course the weatherman missed by a mile, and the winds were actually quite favorable. I couldn't find the 10 ring that day to save my ass, and finished way down the pack. That barrel came off and never saw the light of day again.....