Topic: 6.5 PRC Cartridge Guide (Read 65 times)
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This rifle took top honors in Outdoor Life’s gun test when it was introduced and it remains one of the best values in a high-end technical rifle. One great innovation that Seekins incorporated into the 6.5 PRC model is the 3-round detachable carbon fiber magazine that can acco*modate an overall cartridge length of 3.14 inches. This gives the shooter the option to run handloads with longer, heavier bullets and still be able to feed through the rifle’s short-action design.
This lightweight hunter tips the scales right around 6 pounds and co*es with a 24-inch carbon fiber barrel with a 1:7.5 twist in 6.5 PRC. It is built on an excellent Zermatt Arms Origin action, has a TriggerTech trigger, uses a BDL hinged floorplate on the magazine. Like other Proof rifles it has a ½-inch accuracy guarantee. As an all-around premium hunting rifle it is an outstanding choice.
If you are in need of a true ultralight mountain rifle, the Proof Glacier Ti is a step above the pack—though you’ll pay for the privilege. Editor in chief Alex Robinson has been hunting with the Glacier Ti for the last year and we’ve had a hard time prying the 5.5-pound carbon fiber wonder from his hands.
He put it to its intended use on a Dall sheep hunt, where he used it to take a beautiful ram at 100 yards with Federal’s 130-grain Terminal Ascent. He’s also shot a couple whitetails with it, both using Federal’s 140-grain Fusion.
Staff writer Tyler Freel has a lot of trigger time behind this rifle, both in 6.8 Western, which he reviewed at length, and in 6.5 PRC. He carried the 6.5 PRC on a recent hunt in northern Alberta and used it to kill an impressive wolf.
The rifle weighs about 6.25 pounds, so it is portable, and co*es with a durable and well-designed carbon fiber stock. The 24-inch barrel is made of spiral fluted stainless steel. It co*es with a trigger that can be adjusted from 3 to 5 pounds.
This rifle, introduced during the pandemic, was Springfield’s first foray into bolt-action rifles. I took it on a deer hunt in Colorado where my buddy Cody Arnold and I both killed fantastic whitetail bucks with it in 6.5 PRC. Both shots were over 500 yards in windy conditions, but that’s where the 6.5 PRC excels.
This rifle is ideally suited to Western hunting. It is accurate and has lots of smart features. It co*es with five QD cups on the stock, M-Lok slots on the fore-end, and feeds from AICS pattern magazines. In its lightest trim, with a carbon fiber barrel, it weighs just over 6.5 pounds.
This is a fascinating new rifle from Gunwerks that I’ve been shooting for the last few months. It blends high-tech innovation (switch-barrel design, integrated ARCA rail, recessed Picatinny rail section, carbon-fiber barrel) with old-school touches like the leather inserts on the grip and cheek piece and the three-position safety on the bolt shroud.
If you want to pull out all the stops and go with a full custom build, take a look at the rifles from AllTerra Arms. I’ve got their Mountain Shadow Steel in 6.5 PRC that I’ve carried on a few hunts, including a grueling two-week hunt for bighorns in Alberta last fall. The rifle has lots of trick touches to enhance performance and accuracy. To appreciate all that this build brings to the party, check out this review.
The Model 21 was an instant hit with the Outdoor Life gun test team. I took an early version chambered in .375 H&H to Africa, where it performed like a champ, but the 6.5 PRC version is a better all-around option for North American hunters. Executive editor Natalie Krebs is a case in point. She’s used her Model 21 in 6.5 PRC on a DIY hunt to kill an elk of a lifetime in Utah and it has beco*e her go-to deer rifle as well.
While the lines of the Model 21 are undeniably traditional, under the hood it has modern elements like tool-less takedown for the bolt, a keyed recoil lug that won’t slip, and other touches.
We’ve had good experiences with the Christensen Arms Ridgeline. It is a solid choice in that $2,000-price range. The 6.5 PRC version of the rifle has a 24-inch carbon fiber barrel with a 1:8 twist and co*es with a radial muzzle brake with a 5/8-24 thread. The Ridgeline features a TriggerTech trigger in the stainless-steel action. The carbon-fiber stock has bedding pil*ars for a strong, repeatable connection between action and stock.
This is a budget-priced package based on Savage’s eternal 110 action. For $820 you get a solid rifle topped with a Vortex 3-9×40 Crossfire II scope that has a BDC holdover reticle. The synthetic stock is durable, functional and adjusts for length of pull. The AccuTrigger system is user adjustable as well. The rifle is designed with a free-floating barrel and free-floating bolt head that both help with accuracy.
In the beginning there were only two factory loads for the 6.5 PRC, Hornady’s 143-grain ELD-X and the 147-grain ELD Match. Both are still great options for hunting and target shooting, respectively. Since then, the variety of 6.5 PRC ammunition has exploded, and depending on your needs (and budget) there are many offerings to choose among.
The 6.5 PRC is a fun and easy cartridge to reload thanks to a wide range of excellent available co*ponents. The list of quality .264-inch caliber bullets probably merits an article on its own. And when it co*es to brass and powder there’s no shortage there either.
If you want to go the easy route for one load that will work well for hunting and target shooting, follow my friend and shooting partner Chris Gitting’s lead. He’s used this load to shoot numerous elk and to place very well in ELR shooting co*petitions.
With a 26-inch barrel shoot for a target velocity around 2920 fps. Start with a lower powder charge, of course, and work your way up to that speed. Once there, call it good. From a 24-inch barrel, lower your target velocity to 2890 fps or so.
We’ve already touched on a number of the best projectiles to use in the 6.5 PRC. Bullet weights range from 120 to 156 grains for the 6.5 PRC and there’s no reason not to take advantage of the cartridge’s ability to drive long, sleek bullets at speeds around 2900 fps.
For match shooting the Hornady 147-grain ELD-M, Berger 156-grain EOL, Vapor Trail 139-grain BTHP, Nosler 140-grain RDF, Lapua 139-grain Scenar, and Sierra HPBT in 140-, 144- and 150-grain weights, are among the best.
Hunters using traditional lead bullets should look at the Nosler 140-grain AccuBond, Hornady 143-grain ELD-X, Sierra 140-grain Tipped Gameking, Berger 140-grain Hunter, Berger 156-grain EOL, Federal 130-grain Terminal Ascent, Speer 140-grain Polymer Tipped, and Nosler 140-grain Ballistic Tip.
If you want to go non-leaded, the Barnes 127-grain LRX, Hornady 130-grain CX, Nosler 120-grain E-Tip, and Lehigh Defense 130-grain Controlled Chaos are good picks.
High-quality brass for loading the 6.5 PRC is available from Lapua, ADG, Peterson Cartridge, and Hornady. You won’t go wrong with any of them.
Again, there’s a plethora of options for reloaders when it co*es to the 6.5 PRC. Powders like H1000, Retumbo, RL 26, RL 22, Accurate Magpro, Winchester StaBall HD, and IMR 4831 are worth considering. In the Vihtavuori world, look at N170, N565, N570, and even 24N41.
Most reloading data suggests using large rifle primers, though you can experiment with magnum primers too. I mostly shoot Federal 210Ms, but Federal 210s, Winchester Large Rifle, CCI No. 200, and Remington 9 ½ primers will all work.
You can get quality die sets from Hornady, RCBS, and Redding. I’ve used them all and like them quite a bit. You can also go the premium route if you want to splurge and pick up a Short Action Customs Modular Sizing Die, which is the cat’s ass.
The pros of the 6.5 PRC are many. It’s modern, efficient design makes it inherently accurate, and it is optimized for long-range work. It can leverage many of the best hunting and match bullets on the market today and is ideal for all non-dangerous game.
As its popularity has grown, so has the availability of rifles and ammunition. Early adopters might have been concerned over the ability to find ammunition, but that is no longer an issue.
The 6.5 PRC is also simple to reload and as the pinch on co*ponents continues to diminish, reloaders will find it easy to keep their presses running.
In terms of the cartridge’s cons, the major one has to do with its overall length. Most rifle makers have built their 6.5 PRCs on short-action designs. Many short-action receivers and magazines can only acco*modate cartridges up to 2.8 inches in length or just a hair longer. Some stretch that to over 2.9 inches.
So when loading the 6.5 PRC long to take full adv