6.5 PRC Dilemma

[Hschweers]

I want a 6.5 PRC. I hate the 6.5 CM (just because I'm on that team which is dumb - I know). However, I'm seriously struggling to rationalize selling your first born child to have access to PRC ammo, and then paying $4/shot. Ballistically I don't know that I'll see much difference, I don't see myself ever shooting an animal further than 500y. With the 130gr Terminal Ascent (what I'd prefer to shoot) I'm getting a 165fps difference at 500y, 199ft-lb of energy difference at 500y, and 8" less drop/2" less wind drift at 500y. I'm team PRC just because it doesn't say "creedmoor" and I can rationalize the hate with a couple hundred FPS.

What do you recommend?

Gun will be used primarily for deer within 500y.
I don't handload (yet).
What did a box of premium 6.5 PRC cost before the shortage? Saw a box of Hornady ELD-M for $90 yesterday - best price I've seen for that round.
If you love your PRC please chime in to tell me to just do it cause that's what I want, just struggling with the rationalization.

 

[swavescatter]

I was in the same boat. Couldn't fight the urge and after I stumbled on affordable ammo I picked up a rifle. Still love shooting my Bergara 6.5 manbun though...

My advice is to constantly look for ammo - it does pop up more often these days for semi-reasonable prices. If you can afford it, pick one up and shoot it! If you don't like it, sell it off.

I'm not a financial advisor, but I am a YOLO-certified happiness coach.

 

[Hschweers]

What would you consider semi-reasonable prices nowadays? Best I've seen is around $3/shot for Federal Fusion. $4.50/shot for ELD-M. Should that be scooped up?

 

[swavescatter]

There's some Norma on ammoseek for under $3/round. Good brass from what I've heard, so you can reload those. Consequently, I'm also getting into reloading now ($$$)...

ELD-X pops up on Cabelas every so often for ~$3/round. The Norma stuff was under $2/round when I snagged some.

 

[Hschweers]

There's some Norma on ammoseek for under $3/round. Good brass from what I've heard, so you can reload those. Consequently, I'm also getting into reloading now ($$$)...

ELD-X pops up on Cabelas every so often for ~$3/round. The Norma stuff was under $2/round when I snagged some.

That's true. I've seen the Norma and figured I'd use it for target practice strictly due to cost. What's your actual cost difference between CM and PRC? I can look at "out of stock" prices all day long, but what's your actual difference on bought rounds?

 

[swavescatter]

Ammo prices have jumped around the last couple of years, but they're slowly dropping again. Hard to compare prices, but personally I'm not sensitive to $5-10/box. If cost is a concern at that level it's probably best to keep your creedmoor. You may find that the recoil from the PRC makes it less fun/accurate than you expected.

Got my scope rings in yesterday so I haven't even shot my PRC yet, but I can't imagine it'll be as drama free as my heavy Bergara HMR in 6.5 CM.

 

[Dr. Manhattan]

Read up on threads with 6.5x284 vs 6.5 Creed. Ballistically the PRC is pretty close to the 6.5x284 and it's been around for longer...so more info. 165 fps isn't anything to pass over though. That is significant.

 

[Hschweers]

Ammo prices have jumped around the last couple of years, but they're slowly dropping again. Hard to compare prices, but personally I'm not sensitive to $5-10/box. If cost is a concern at that level it's probably best to keep your creedmoor. You may find that the recoil from the PRC makes it less fun/accurate than you expected.

Got my scope rings in yesterday so I haven't even shot my PRC yet, but I can't imagine it'll be as drama free as my heavy Bergara HMR in 6.5 CM.

Ah, don't have either yet. I currently only own a Tikka .308, and compared to .308 I guess both cartridges are expensive/unavailable. If the difference between CM and PRC is $5-$10/box, I too don't see much of a difference. I guess my problem comes from PRC being $30/box more than my .308.

As far as recoil, I'm looking at the Browning X Bolt Hells Canyon (since they got discontinued and I HATE the camo pattern of the new version). My buddy has one in 7RM and it's significantly less recoil than my Tikka .308. I figure the PRC is even less recoil than the 7RM.

 

[Hschweers]

Read up on threads with 6.5x284 vs 6.5 Creed. Ballistically the PRC is pretty close to the 6.5x284 and it's been around for longer...so more info. 165 fps isn't anything to pass over though. That is significant.

Good info, thanks! I agree 165fps is a factor, but they're both over 2k fps at that range so you're not really encroaching into no expansion territory.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Just buy a 270win.

 

[XLR]

With the PRC you are going to pick up 400 ft-lbs of extra energy at 500 yards. Personally, I went with PRC over creed because I wanted Creedmoor speeds out of a 16-inch barrel! If you are going to be shooting a lot of ammo, I would go with a creed.

 

[handwerk]

I second the vote for going .270 win.
I shoot barnes LRX bullets, so when comparing BC of the .277 barnes LRX 129 vs. the 6.5 LRX 127 you see almost no difference on paper and certainly none in the field, but the 270 win you can afford to shoot and finding ammo/reloading goods a lot easier then the 6.5 prc.

 

[TNhuntsman]

I reload for my 6.5 prc, bought 147 eldm, primers, powder and brass just as the pandemic hit and I can reload for just under a $1 a round. I think with current pricing you could reload for around $1.50 a round. A plus is I got better groups from my handloads over factory too.

That being said, if you don't reload and are staying under 500 yards and over 1800 fps then a creedmoor would be fine.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Good info, thanks! I agree 165fps is a factor, but they're both over 2k fps at that range so you're not really encroaching into no expansion territory.

I was in the same boat as you , have a .308win and looked @ the power / range issues and started the 6.5 search. Eliminated CM for obvious reasons , PRC no way with ammunition problems & prices , 6.5x55 or 6.5-284 looked promising, then I reevaluate the WTF I want to try to kill game @ 500+ meters , the ammunition for long range hunting is expensive and is only good @ 200+ yards ( the ELD-x is explosive and terrible penetration same with other long range design bullets)
Settled on .308 with 130-150 ttsx is deer and elk medicine from 10-400 yards and it’s already there in the safe . I stopped listening to the guys beating the 500-800 meters hunting drums, it’s redundant and ridiculous to setup for long range when 90% of my shots are 10-400 yards

amigo if you’re one of them dude’s wanting to shoot 1/2 mile , bueno !! but it’s expensive and obtuse IMO

ok last 2ct worth

I have been a guide since 1991 and in my experience the longer the shots the less the chance of a clean kill , guys that can ring the gong @ 500 off the bench usually miss in field conditions, it’s a different world
being out of breath, bad rest , spooky animal, +20mph cross wind , ect

 

[slowelk]

I have both a creedmoor and a prc, and I think the are only slightly redundant. Creedmoor is more of a practice, antelope, whitetail off the pivot gun. Anything is on the menu with the PRC.

This forum misses @Formidilosus. The amount of “match bullets can’t hunt” rhetoric is really climbing.

 

[Wetwork]

I shot my cow elk at 550 yards last year with my 6.5 Creedmore using 143ELDX. She took two steps and folded. I traded in that creed just a few day's later. I could tell there just wasn't enough pepper for that far of a shot. I picked up new 6.5 PRC and it's my favorite rifle to date. I'm hitting my 8inch 700 yard gong with the authority I was missing with the creed. Love me some 156 Bergs.-WW

 

[SDHNTR]

It's all needless mental masturbation at sub 500 ranges. Pick any big game caliber you like and go hunting. You are obsessing over meaningless matters in the real world.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I shot my cow elk at 550 yards last year with my 6.5 Creedmore using 143ELDX. She took two steps and folded. I traded in that creed just a few day's later. I could tell there just wasn't enough pepper for that far of a shot. I picked up new 6.5 PRC and it's my favorite rifle to date. I'm hitting my 8inch 700 yard gong with the authority I was missing with the creed. Love me some 156 Bergs.-WW

So your 6.5 CM worked so well you sold it and went with something else?? Am I reading the post wrong?

 

[WRM]

I stopped listening to the guys beating the 500-800 meters hunting drums, it’s redundant and ridiculous to setup for long range when 90% of my shots are 10-400 yards

OH NO....HERESY! Truth speaking, but still HERESY!

The challenge used to be--how close to this animal can I get before I pull the trigger. Now it's....hey, get in the truck and let's drive a ridge farther over cuz this shot's not nare long enuff.

 

[WRM]

So your 6.5 CM worked so well you sold it and went with something else?? Am I reading the post wrong?

She went two steps man--not a DRT.