Barrel length question 6.5 PRC

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WKR
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Apr 3, 2014
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Planning on having my Model 70 Winchester Rebarreled to a 6.5 PRC.
Planning on putting on a break.
What Barrel length would you all suggest for the 6.5 PRC.
A lot I see in factory rifles are 26".
Will 24" work fine?
 

TaperPin

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Jul 12, 2023
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I’m old school and liked everything with a 26” barrel 20 years ago, now there are plenty of shorter barrels and everyone is happy so idk. I have a 6.5 prc with 24” barrel and it‘s fine - still I kind of wish it was 26” even if I couldn’t tell a difference. You can’t go wrong either way, but 2” extra inches would get you at least 50 more feet per second or so.

edit: it just hit me you’re using a brake - 26” and a brake on top of that would be really long.
 
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Team4LongGun

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20” 3100 FPS Hammer Hunter hand loads. Plenty of room for increased velocity as well.
 

pbroski

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Mine has a 22" barrel. The load is 2815 fps with Berger 156 EOL's and VV N568. It stays supersonic to over 1300 yards.
 

Gone4Days

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Oct 29, 2021
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20” shooting 2795 with suppressor on 143 gr ELDX factory loads.

2758 fps without suppressor.
 
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Gone4Days

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102 fps boost with a suppressor. That’s what I like to hear. What suppressor are you using?
Rugged Razor. My speed with suppressor was only one shot FYI. Would likely lower that avg after a few more rds. My unsuppressed speed was 5 shot avg
 
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OP
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Luked

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Most of what will be shot out of it will be 143 ELDs
But will probably run 156 from time to time.
I think I am going to go with a 24" then a Brake.
Still trying to do my research on all of this.
Have most of what I want figured out but Barrel length, Contour profile and what Brake to use are the things I am trying to figure out.
 
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I'm rocking a 24-inch PRC now, and it's lethal, but my next will be an 18-inch tube for suppressed usage. If I were not using a can, I'd go 22 inches. The 6.5 PRC is a beast of a cartridge.
 

Dsellen14

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Oct 24, 2021
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I'm just starting a 6.5 PRC build myself. I ordered a 22" carbon fiber wrapped barrel for couple reasons that I settled on in my head. First is if i wanted to sell this custom build down the road then its probably easier too do with a 22" barrel due to the importance of the buyer of retainment of velocity. Second was that I'm not sure if it will run more accurately with a suppressor or not. So I wanted to be able to shoot it and not blow out my ears if i didnt run the can. Hope that helps.
 

CapnKM

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Jan 4, 2023
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Currently building a 24” but does anybody have data on how much velocity you actually lose in dropping to 22”, 20”, 18” etc with good factory ammo?
 
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