New 6.5 PRC Options, Please Vote!

[nobody]

EDIT: Just discovered the Wilderness Hunter isn't available in 6.5 PRC, so it's down to the Tikka and the Christensen at this point. Thanks everyone!

Ok everybody, looking to put together another rifle package. I'm ready to jump into a 6.5 PRC, and that's as far as I've gotten. No, I don't want a 300 win mag or a 338 Lapua, the cartridge has been chosen.

The gun will be paired (most likely, waiting on results from Form's torture test on Ryan's scope) with a Maven RS.5 in MOA. I'll start out with factory ammo for the first hundred rounds or so, then I'll be handloading 140 Hornady ELD-M (already have tons on hand for the creedmoor, and don't want to add more headache to tracking down components than is necesssary).

With all that being said, I've narrowed my choices down to the above 3 options. I'm looking for everybody's experiences with the platforms above. I've got a buddy who is a huge Christensen fan and he and his dad have had great luck. My hunting partner hunts with a base model T3X stainless in 6.5 creedmoor, and a coworker's dad shoots the Bergara HMR in 6.5 creed as well. I'm aware of the general consensus of the base platforms. I'm curious to hear from people who have maybe shot and owned all three that can compare and contrast them, especially anybody who has an "upgraded" version of the Tikka (see link below for an example of what I'm talking about).

Thanks for voting everybody!

Tikka T3X Lite Cerakote/Veil Alpine Camoflauge Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 PRC - 24.3in

Tikka T3X Lite Cerakote/Veil Alpine Camoflauge Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 PRC - 24.3in

www.sportsmans.com

 

[Tullis94]

This is all personal opinion. I like Tikka best. I have done load evelopment on a few and it was always very successful. I also really like the barrell contour on the roughtech/veil models. I have only delt with 1 Christensen and was not impressed, but a lot of people have great luck with them. I have shot 2 bergaras and both were tack drivers and easy to get shooting good. I would rank them in this order, tikka, bergara, then christensen.

 

[nobody]

This is all personal opinion. I like Tikka best. I have done load evelopment on a few and it was always very successful. I also really like the barrell contour on the roughtech/veil models. I have only delt with 1 Christensen and was not impressed, but a lot of people have great luck with them. I have shot 2 bergaras and both were tack drivers and easy to get shooting good. I would rank them in this order, tikka, bergara, then christensen.

Thanks for the reply and opinion! Very helpful considering you've owned and used them all!

 

[XLR]

Ok everybody, looking to put together another rifle package. I'm ready to jump into a 6.5 PRC, and that's as far as I've gotten. No, I don't want a 300 win mag or a 338 Lapua, the cartridge has been chosen.

The gun will be paired (most likely, waiting on results from Form's torture test on Ryan's scope) with a Maven RS.5 in MOA. I'll start out with factory ammo for the first hundred rounds or so, then I'll be handloading 140 Hornady ELD-M (already have tons on hand for the creedmoor, and don't want to add more headache to tracking down components than is necesssary).

With all that being said, I've narrowed my choices down to the above 3 options. I'm looking for everybody's experiences with the platforms above. I've got a buddy who is a huge Christensen fan and he and his dad have had great luck. My hunting partner hunts with a base model T3X stainless in 6.5 creedmoor, and a coworker's dad shoots the Bergara HMR in 6.5 creed as well. I'm aware of the general consensus of the base platforms. I'm curious to hear from people who have maybe shot and owned all three that can compare and contrast them, especially anybody who has an "upgraded" version of the Tikka (see link below for an example of what I'm talking about).

Thanks for voting everybody!

Tikka T3X Lite Cerakote/Veil Alpine Camoflauge Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 PRC - 24.3in

Tikka T3X Lite Cerakote/Veil Alpine Camoflauge Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 PRC - 24.3in

www.sportsmans.com

I don't see a Bergara MG Lite in there..... missing out!

 

[nobody]

I don't see a Bergara MG Lite in there..... missing out!

That's primarily because of the price constraints I'm working within (about $1300 for rifle alone MAX), plus I'm not a fan of a chassis like that for a hunting rifle. I've just never shot behind a one that I've liked, hence why I'm looking at the options I've laid out above. But thanks!

 

[WCB]

I vote Bergara Sick of hearing fan boys talking about TIkkas and Christenson rifles. both Over rated IMO. Be different

 

[TheViking]

I would personally replace the Bergara Wilderness Hunter with the Wilderness Ridge. More on par with the other two options. The Ridge is cerakoted, and has factory brake, just like the Tikka and CA. The Hunter does not have the brake, and has a slightly smaller barrel.

 

[nobody]

I would personally replace the Bergara Wilderness Hunter with the Wilderness Ridge. More on par with the other two options. The Ridge is cerakoted, and has factory brake, just like the Tikka and CA. The Hunter does not have the brake, and has a slightly smaller barrel.

I can understand that logic, just don't want to pack one that weighs that much. If the wilderness hunter was threaded though...

 

[TheViking]

I can understand that logic, just don't want to pack one that weighs that much. If the wilderness hunter was threaded though...

I just looked...Bergara does not make a 6.5 PRC in Wilderness Hunter...

 

[nobody]

I just looked...Bergara does not make a 6.5 PRC in Wilderness Hunter...

View attachment 372852

I better update the post then... not sure how I missed that, thanks for the heads up!

 

[Jr4]

Tikka, for the price hard to beat, plus you can upgrade things, like stock later if you choose too

 

[Wetwork]

EDIT: Just discovered the Wilderness Hunter isn't available in 6.5 PRC, so it's down to the Tikka and the Christensen at this point. Thanks everyone!

Ok everybody, looking to put together another rifle package. I'm ready to jump into a 6.5 PRC, and that's as far as I've gotten. No, I don't want a 300 win mag or a 338 Lapua, the cartridge has been chosen.

The gun will be paired (most likely, waiting on results from Form's torture test on Ryan's scope) with a Maven RS.5 in MOA. I'll start out with factory ammo for the first hundred rounds or so, then I'll be handloading 140 Hornady ELD-M (already have tons on hand for the creedmoor, and don't want to add more headache to tracking down components than is necesssary).

With all that being said, I've narrowed my choices down to the above 3 options. I'm looking for everybody's experiences with the platforms above. I've got a buddy who is a huge Christensen fan and he and his dad have had great luck. My hunting partner hunts with a base model T3X stainless in 6.5 creedmoor, and a coworker's dad shoots the Bergara HMR in 6.5 creed as well. I'm aware of the general consensus of the base platforms. I'm curious to hear from people who have maybe shot and owned all three that can compare and contrast them, especially anybody who has an "upgraded" version of the Tikka (see link below for an example of what I'm talking about).

Thanks for voting everybody!

Tikka T3X Lite Cerakote/Veil Alpine Camoflauge Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 PRC - 24.3in

Tikka T3X Lite Cerakote/Veil Alpine Camoflauge Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 PRC - 24.3in

www.sportsmans.com

Ya so, I just got that exact rig in 6.5PRC a few weeks ago...I got a upgraded trigger spring which was a great idea on my part I love it. Just look at it and snap. I had to tighten it up a bit. The magazine is pretty fuggly, so I'm in the process of sorting that. But over-all I like it. If I didn't like anything it would be the barrel color. With all the grey in the stock the big gray barrel really really stands out too much for me. Gonna do a little flat black dabbin if I can get it dialed to shoot the 156 Bergers. If I can't dial it gonna trade again. I kinda have fun trading guns, like some folks trade cars.

The whole process of my getting that Tikka was because my 6.5 Creed Bergara HMR was too heavy, and the GF's CA in creedmore wouldn't group, wouldn't chamber for a damn. Spent way too much time trying to fix broken.. So she got a Tikka in Creed and I got the PRC. Her Tikka is bugholes at 100. The PRC is getting there.-WW

 

[nobody]

Ya so, I just got that exact rig in 6.5PRC a few weeks ago...I got a upgraded trigger spring which was a great idea on my part I love it. Just look at it and snap. I had to tighten it up a bit. The magazine is pretty fuggly, so I'm in the process of sorting that. But over-all I like it. If I didn't like anything it would be the barrel color. With all the grey in the stock the big gray barrel really really stands out too much for me. Gonna do a little flat black dabbin if I can get it dialed to shoot the 156 Bergers. If I can't dial it gonna trade again. I kinda have fun trading guns, like some folks trade cars.

The whole process of my getting that Tikka was because my 6.5 Creed Bergara HMR was too heavy, and the GF's CA in creedmore wouldn't group, wouldn't chamber for a damn. Spent way too much time trying to fix broken.. So she got a Tikka in Creed and I got the PRC. Her Tikka is bugholes at 100. The PRC is getting there.-WW

Love to hear this! I haven't actually seen this one in person, just photos. I would have to order it from another store and have it shipped. I'll try to find one locally so I can see the color. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Wetwork]

Love to hear this! I haven't actually seen this one in person, just photos. I would have to order it from another store and have it shipped. I'll try to find one locally so I can see the color. Thanks for the heads up!

Oh it looks bad-ass in person...the brake is pretty slick too really seems to really help. So the story was, as the GF was picking up her Tikka creed, trading in her CA the dude looks at me and say's hey the Alpine is right here in PRC? So ya want me to order it?...I know how hard ammo/brass/powder/bullets are unicorns but I said send it. So the race was on, the rifle got here and the bullets got here two day's later. 120's straight from Nosler. I was doing it for the brass and break-in on the barrel. Right now it's not lights out with factory Nosler 120's. I'm not worried. I can still nail my 8 inch, 300 yard gong, every single shot. So's who's bitchen? Not me. The fun is gonna be heavy for caliber for me.-WW

ps. I have a big Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50 on it.....so this will be helpfull...tops out empty at 9LBS.

 

[PRC_GUY]

I bought The B14 and just keep the action and build a custom 6.5 PRC!

 

[TheViking]

I have the Wilderness Ridge in 6.5 PRC and I like it way more than my 300 Win Mag Christensen Arms Mesa, albeit a touch heavier.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I bought the Tikka Veil Wideland a couple months ago and love it so far. I havent had a chance to shoot a ton but its damn accurate after just a quick barrel break in. Tough to go wrong with a Tikka in my opinion.

 

[Grisha]

I have that Tikka in a 270 win. Generally like the gun a lot and its killed several animals (largest a 300+ lb boar in CA). Its dead on accurate at "CA distances" - with off the shelf ammo its hitting sub .5 moa. I haven't shot it past 250 or 300 yds so I can't speak to it as a long range gun, but my concern there would be more our shitty copper ammo than the gun itself since its been super accurate at shorter distances.

Anyway, what I don't like about it: 1) kicks with default butt pad. I swapped it for a limb saver, big improvement. Actually this simple mod was the single best improvement I can think of 2) Second, the triggers are "ok". Off factory the breaking weight was 5 lbs. I took the gun apart and lightened them as far as I could, which got them to about 3.5. Was hoping to take them to just under 3. I'm going to replace them with Timney triggers. 3) The muzzle brake is good at making the gun louder but overall I think its subpar. Plan to replace the brake sometime over the next few months, have it down to 2 options.

Also, I added a picatinny rail with a swivel to the foreend to mount an evolution bipod. I use the same bipod for other rifles, so that was convenient for me.

Last time I took it out (for a hunting trip), the gun was off center, shooting to the right. I tweaked it and its back to dead on, though I'm not sure why it needed a windage adjustment: everything seems solid in terms of scope mount.

ps also just got a 65 prc: love it. Taking it on backpack hunts for goat and sheep coming up and can't wait.

 

[Grisha]

Addendum: for what its worth, the ammo I was running in the Tikka is Winchester's Deer Season XP Copper Impact, 130 gr. Nothing to write home about but this Tikka is loving it at shorter ranges at least.

 

[eldeuce]

Ought to consider J.P. Sauer 100 ; really like it, Atacama camouflage is good for open western country. Hornady partnered with Sauer (Blaser subsidiary) during cartridge development.