Long-range thumper

[High Plains]

I am still thinking about getting a rifle chambered in 6.5 PRC. I have a custom 280 Remington on a tuned FN Mauser 98 action. Even though it is a hunting rifle, it easily rings steel at 1,000 yards. I know the PRC will move bullets with a high BC at higher velocities than the 280———the 280 does it with a gentile kick and likes handloads with 154, 162 and 168 grain bullets. And I know the deer will still fall with a well placed shot from a plethora of different rifles.
Suggestions or things to consider about the PRC???

 

[JFrank]

Stick with the 280. Or go with any of the WSM’s and leave that PRC on the shelf.

 

[Demi-human]

28-300PRC?
Massive kick, 28 caliber.

Actually I like your original idea. A Creedmoor with enough oomph for hunting weight class 6.5 bullets. I suggest a nice thread about it since we don’t hear much about this cartridge.

 

[Varminterror]

Stick with the 280. Or go with any of the WSM’s and leave that PRC on the shelf.

Why this recommendation? The 6.5 PRC, for intents and purposes, is a WSM equivalent but with better quality brass fed from a more reliable manufacturer pipeline, so this recommendation seems odd.

 

[Jerry M]

6.5 PRC is same/same as 6.5 Remington Magnum, the 6.5x06 wildcat, the 6.5x284 all within ~100 feet per second of each other. But less than a .264 Winchester Magnum, 26 Nosler etc. For a long range hunting rig, I'd prefer 7 mm and larger. 500 yards and in the .280 Remington will get it done. In my shooting experience too many variables effect the long range flight of the bullet for shooting big game. Shooting prairie dogs at extended range or plinking steel are a different story.

Good luck

 

[High Plains]

Jerry M: the 280 Rem rings steel at 600 and 1,000 yards with a hunting load——a 150 grain Sierra Game King. The same bullet plowed 98% through a big buck on opening day in 2013. With 162 grain ELD-Ms and W-780 I get great accuracy and muzzle velocities within three fps. H-4831 is almost as good (in velocity spread) as the 780.
I have cartridge capability overlap so a PRC is not going to do what others are not doing for me. The only other rifle I have that I know does the same things is my 6.5 Creedmoor. The 280 and Creedmoor have ER Shaw barrels fitted by the same gunsmith so his unique procedures are a big, big part of their accuracy.

 

[Jerry M]

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[LoonWulf]

7Mags 24-26" fastest would get 3150 from 162s and Retumbo, slowest would push them along at about 2990, the others were between 3000-3050
.280 is an AI wearing a 26" tube. 162 Amax/elds leave the tube at 3000
6.5 PRC 24" tube. 147elds COULD be driven to 3100ish and 3000 was easy, tho i couldn't do it with book loads.
6.5-284 24" tube. 147s at 2950-3000 depending on powder
6.5 CM 24" tube. 143s at 2750-2800

all of these rounds deliver very similar trajectory, all deliver very similar performance on game, and everything besides the creedmoor and 7mag effectively use the same amount of powder to do the job......


what you SHOULD consider is...........what features do you want on your new PRC rifle?



Ive also got a 28 Nosler, that trumps the best velocities with a 162 by about 100-150fps, and the worst by 300 or so, also burns 80+ grains of powder......Buuut If you REALLY want to push things, a 185-190class projectile at 3000fps......yeah that'll get your there.

 

[JFrank]

These are the equipment list from the last two long range nationals, I believe only one competitor was shooting a PRC, it shot ok ..

 

[Varminterror]

View attachment 1084812 View attachment 1084813 These are the equipment list from the last two long range nationals, I believe only one competitor was shooting a PRC, it shot ok ..

Gotcha.

Functionally, the absence of the 6.5 PRC from that particular list makes sense. How many names on that list were born after the year 2000? 20 years from now, there will be a high proportion of that list which were born after 2000, but today, a 22yr old would be an oddly young participant - largely an outlier. 6.5 PRC is 4 years old, 3 years old when guys would have ordered their barrels for that event. There also aren’t a lot of folks shooting magnums at all, and fewer still among them shooting mid-calibers; we see a lot of small 6’s and then a few 30 cal short mags and a few mid-case 7’s.

Sure, don’t buy a 6.5 PRC for 600/1000 BR competition. Don’t buy one for PRS competition either, for that matter. But for a long range hunter, I’m not sure that list is the best means of quantifying success.

 

[JFrank]

I’m not a historian nor am I qualified to I get into the PRC case design but I think most of these wildcat cartridges are developed on the bench first so if there is something new we usually hear about right away. The overview of a 6.5 PRC is an in between cartridge with good bullets available so good ballistics but for accuracy and knock down power I really like the WSM. We do have one here on the ranch for hunting.

 

[Varminterror]

I’m not a historian nor am I qualified to I get into the PRC case design but I think most of these wildcat cartridges are developed on the bench first

Pretty straight forward - the 6.5 PRC was developed by George Gardner for PRS competition, not for BR. In the few years he spent working on the design, the Magnetospeed hit indicators and the growth of the sport onto more - and shorter - ranges around the country meant the 6mm short case cartridges would push the fast 6.5’s out of the game, but no, the 6.5 PRC wasn’t developed for benchrest shooting.

Which, in fairness, the WSM’s weren’t developed for BR competition either, but the 300 wsm had an ~18 year headstart on the game, and had the luxury of a known magnum 30 lineage serving a niche of long range BR guys.

 

[Legionnaire]

I like the 6.5PRC, but I bought it primarily for hunting. My first real competition rifle is a 6GT. And my newest upper is a 6mm ARC. I'm an old guy who likes to play with new cartridges.

 

[matttric]

6.5 PRC will be a great hunting round, and if you want to ring steel past 1,000 yards, it’ll be great for that. I think you’ll see it becoming more and readily available and more platforms running since the military is starting to adopt it more now as well. If you aren’t competing with it, a lot of the complaints against it really don’t matter. Because the PRC is a compact magnum cartridge, you should notice some reduced recoil. I don’t think you’ll have complaints using it.

 

[PapaG]

When I read "thumper" I was expecting to rad about 338s and 375s.

 

[horsemen61]

6.5 PRC IS A Great Cartridge for what your wanting to do I love mine!

 

[Weflyfast]

Thumper! ......ah I think 375 Cal when I think "Thumper"

I am a huge fan of 6.5s ....so don't take this wrong.... But big lead equals big energy...... A Thumper.

I have stopped charging bears- and I want a 375 or even bigger in that situation - shooting plains game? ...or mule deer? Ok I will take a flat shooting 6.5....

 

[Peakbagger46]

Stick with the 280. Or go with any of the WSM’s and leave that PRC on the shelf.

I agree, larger frontal area and heavier bullets!

 

[citizenconn]

I'm an old guy who likes to play with new cartridges.

And that's why I'm now divorced...

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I am still thinking about getting a rifle chambered in 6.5 PRC. I have a custom 280 Remington on a tuned FN Mauser 98 action. Even though it is a hunting rifle, it easily rings steel at 1,000 yards. I know the PRC will move bullets with a high BC at higher velocities than the 280———the 280 does it with a gentile kick and likes handloads with 154, 162 and 168 grain bullets. And I know the deer will still fall with a well placed shot from a plethora of different rifles.
Suggestions or things to consider about the PRC???

So I'm kinda in the same boat as you. I'm able to order a Mossberg Patriot Predator in 6.5PRC for 438 bucks plus shipping from Chattanooga Shooting Supplies as we are an FFL and I'm very tempted as I currently own a nice Patriot in 270Win, with a walnut stock, not synthetic, as stated in my sig line and it's a freaking laser beam lol. 150gr .264 Sierra MatchKing bullets have a stupid high ballistic coefficient of 0.71.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

When I read "thumper" I was expecting to rad about 338s and 375s.

Not gonna lie I think a 338-06 bolt action with 250gr bullets would be great elk medicine at close range for sure. That would be a thumper at both ends lol.