I was going to chamber a Rem 700 into 6.5 SAUM but my gunsmith suggested checking out the forthcoming 6.5 PRC. Does anyone have any experience with it? I cant find much info about it other than 100 fps slower than the SAUM and main stream potential.
- Thread starter 02NBMFormula
- Start date
Its basically a necked down 300/338 rcm. I was talking to a buddy about doing a 6.5 or 7 wildcat based on that case but the brass availability is poor and only Hornady makes it. Maybe it will take off in the future but for now it's not. I would look at a 6.5x55 improved as you can push 140s to 2950+ and use lapua brass, not to mention it works with a standard bolt face. I highly doubt the prc/rcm
will offer much if any performance gain to it.
will offer much if any performance gain to it.
6.5 Addiction like lte82 suggested. Better feeding and more magazine capacity too.
Funny I started a similar thread at almost the same time inn another section. Was Curious about this round too.
This has been posted in another thread talking about the round. May be over in long range hunting forum also. As i recall from the other thread also, Hornady is supposed to be releasing factory ammo next year. GAP has brass for it.
http://www.gaprecision.net/ga-store/hornady-6-5-prd-100-count.html
I have also been considering the addiction also but am not clear if that is run out of a short or medium action.
http://www.gaprecision.net/ga-store/hornady-6-5-prd-100-count.html
I have also been considering the addiction also but am not clear if that is run out of a short or medium action.
My only concern about this cartridge would be long term support from Hornady. They have recently started making WSM brass for the first time because of their support of the RCM cartridge. This is obviously them trying to repuraise 300RCM brass that didn't sell.
That is an interesting perspective that I had not thought about.
I think it can be run out of a short. It is pretty similar to the 6.5 SAUM and they are run out of a short action. I think it is best run out of a medium though to reap the full benefits. LRH has a pretty long discussion on this also.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/new-hornady-6-5-prc-181597/
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/new-hornady-6-5-prc-181597/
I have a AIAW and for this rifle only a 300WM and 338LM bolt fits, so I see this as the “only” way to get a 6.5 bullet flying though it. I like the idea about the 6.5PRC being faster for a bit heavier bullets, so I think I will get this caliber.
Does anyone know where to get brass for this?
Does anyone know where to get brass for this?
http://www.gaprecision.net/ga-store/hornady-6-5-prd-100-count.html
There was a post on it a while back here. There are also quite a few people who are shooting it and hunting with it on the 6.5 SAUM/6.5 PRC facebook page if you are into that.
https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...-lone-peak-fuzion-kmw-sentinel-and-ts-customs
I'm not sure what problem this cartridge is solving. If I am buying a short magnum, I expect short magnum performance. This round appears to be pushing 140 grain bullets right under 3,000fps (according to Hornady) - just a little faster than the 6.5 Creedmoore.
My 24" 6.5 SAUM is comfortably pushing 140 grain bullets at 3,150fps. This feels like something in between a 6.5 Creedmoore and a 6.5 SAUM with the disadvantages of a magnum bolt face and reduced magazine capacity.
No comprende on why this makes sense. Why not just standardize on the 6.5 SAUM 4S (maybe renaming it) vs. creating a new round. Hornady already makes the 6.5 SAUM brass for GAP. Does anyone else have more insight?
--Roothsot
My 24" 6.5 SAUM is comfortably pushing 140 grain bullets at 3,150fps. This feels like something in between a 6.5 Creedmoore and a 6.5 SAUM with the disadvantages of a magnum bolt face and reduced magazine capacity.
No comprende on why this makes sense. Why not just standardize on the 6.5 SAUM 4S (maybe renaming it) vs. creating a new round. Hornady already makes the 6.5 SAUM brass for GAP. Does anyone else have more insight?
--Roothsot
You do know that the RCM and the WSM / SAUM cases are not the same... right? Hornady would not be able to "repuraise" left over 300 RCM brass into 300 WSM brass.
The WSM / SAUM cases are based on a rebated rim 404 Jeffery case (Basically a short Ultra Mag case), while the RCM case is based off of Hornday's 375 Ruger case, which is close to the old Newton design. The WSM / SAUM case has a rebated rim that measures about .534, similar to other popular magnum cartridges (.300 Win Mag, 7mm Remington Mag), however, the case head is .550, hence the rebated rim. The RCM case has basically the same size rim but the case head is also .532 which means it does not have a rebated rim. The RCM case or the Ruger 375 case is basically, in terms of width, a .300 Win Mag case without the belt. It is not quite as fat as the Ultra Mag / WSM / SAUM line of cases.
Honestly, the RCM case is probably what the short mag cases should have been from the beginning. Getting rid of the rebated rim might solve some of the feeding issues with "short mags." Of course though, the overall length, especially with heavy for caliber bullets, is the biggest Achilles heel for any short mag and it doesn't look like this design is going to do anything to solve that issue.
Without moving to a medium action or longer case body requiring a medium action or bigger i'm not sure how you'd successfully reduce the power capacity taken up by the longer projectiles. 6.5 SAUM or PRC is about the only one that seems to balance much more so than trying to run 180s with a 7 SAUM or 220s with the 300.
It looks interesting- so you could build one off a WSM bolt/action? It seems like a lighter bullet might make more sense. Also, I hope I'm wrong, I don't know, but based on experience with Hornady's 6.5 SAUM brass I'd make sure you can form brass from a decent pre-existing cartridge rather than rely on their headstamped PRC brass. YMMV
The bolt face from a WSM action would work fine, any standard magnum bolt face would work. But you would want to pay special attention to OAL and how you plan on feeding it if you were going to use a short action.
From GAPs FB page, sounds promising.
George Gardner
Admin · March 7
Been testing the new 6.5 Hornady PRC all morning, The brass is Excellent, Passed the test of 10 Loadings with a stiff charge on the 135 JLK and 147 ELD with ease. Pockets are still tight and the neck only stretched about .015". For the 135 a charge of 60.3 grains of RL26 yields 3200 fps. No pressure The 147 does 3000 with 58.2 grains H1000, light pressure . These are out of a 24" Bartlein 1-8 twist 5R. Loaded to 2.945
George Gardner
Admin · March 7
Been testing the new 6.5 Hornady PRC all morning, The brass is Excellent, Passed the test of 10 Loadings with a stiff charge on the 135 JLK and 147 ELD with ease. Pockets are still tight and the neck only stretched about .015". For the 135 a charge of 60.3 grains of RL26 yields 3200 fps. No pressure The 147 does 3000 with 58.2 grains H1000, light pressure . These are out of a 24" Bartlein 1-8 twist 5R. Loaded to 2.945
I am soo excited about this case, I run a 7 rcm now (162 at 2980 reloader 23) the next barrel was going to be a 6.5 rcm, now I'll just go 6.5 prc and hope I can neck down my brass
Have you been running resized Hornady RCM brass? How has brass life been?
Yes I neck down 300 rcm, neck turn, load and shoot. I have yet to loose a primer pocket, and I had a few hot loads in figuring out load data. I have several that overy 10 loads on them
Do you by any change use AI mags for your rifle? I am interested in knowing if 6.5 PRC fits AI mags having a AI myself.
I would really like this caliber if it fits my rifle.
I don't have a 6.5 PRC yet, still thinking about it. I looked at the specs of Accurate WSM mags, and it seems like they should work. I don't know about AICs. Another possibility is to build a 6.5 PRC from a Tikka WSM and drop it in a CTR stock. I know from experience that the CTR (TRG) mags can be easily tweaked to handle 6.5 SAUM cartridges and they are long enough to accomodate the PRC cartridge.
Edit to add: Orkan's post on a TS Customs 6.5 PRC shows the Accurate WSM mag works well. Another possible option with a Tikka WSM build would be to run that mag with a KRG Bravo when they come out.
Edit to add: Orkan's post on a TS Customs 6.5 PRC shows the Accurate WSM mag works well. Another possible option with a Tikka WSM build would be to run that mag with a KRG Bravo when they come out.
Last edited:
OK, Thanks.
I will need to order some Brass and actually try to loading them so see if it works.
Has anyone tried the ARC mags yet? They have an internal length of 2.97 and the factory stuff is loaded to 2.96. Seeing others hand loads anywhere from 2.94-2.97
Well said.
6.5 creedmoor: 52-53 gr case capacity
6.5 SLR: 55-56 gr
6.5 PRC: 66-67 gr
6.5 SAUM: 70-71 gr
The PRC has 25% more capacity than a creedmoor, and 5-6% less than a SAUM. In quickload, holding pressure constant at 57k psi in a 26" barrel with 140 hybrids, a 6.5 SAUM (H1000) is about 30-40 fps faster than a 6.5 PRC (H1000), and the PRC is 220 fps faster than a 6.5 creedmoor (H4350).
6.5 SLR: 55-56 gr
6.5 PRC: 66-67 gr
6.5 SAUM: 70-71 gr
The PRC has 25% more capacity than a creedmoor, and 5-6% less than a SAUM. In quickload, holding pressure constant at 57k psi in a 26" barrel with 140 hybrids, a 6.5 SAUM (H1000) is about 30-40 fps faster than a 6.5 PRC (H1000), and the PRC is 220 fps faster than a 6.5 creedmoor (H4350).
I'm curious what rifles will come out at SHOT chambered for this round. Maybe a Ruger of sorts. I might be willing to give it a try.
Yes, Glenn posted a photo on the facetoobs.
I think the point is to have a factory loaded short mag in 6.5.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
In the next year or so I'll probably get some flavor of short action magnum. I'll keep an eye on this cartridge to see if it ends up working well.
I have modified feed lips for ARC mags and use on 6.5 SAUM. Works well.
6 saum rounds fit in modified ARC mags. The only issue I've had is the bolt face slipping over the rim on the last round. Opening the lips more fixes it.. I'm keeping my eyes open on the prc. Running a 6.4 4s right now, but there are aspects of the prc that make sense, even for a small velocity loss. I suspect the non rebated rim and body taper will work better for feeding. Always nice to have industry support.
6.5 SAUM rounds fit in Tikka CTR mags with modified feed lips too.
Factory obviously wants AI mag and BDL compatibility where as handloaders just go to accuratemag.
Not really any different from any other short action round. Factory loads are to fit the whole spectrum of magazines/boxes. Consider the frustration if factory rounds were 2.940" long for a "short action" magnum round and you had a hunting rifle built with an internal box mag 2.850" long...
Same story with 6.5 CM, .260, etc. Handloaders push the throats out to make the most of the magazine system they're using, or combination push the throats out and select magazines because they allow such activity. Factory ammo is almost always under 2.850".
Same story with 6.5 CM, .260, etc. Handloaders push the throats out to make the most of the magazine system they're using, or combination push the throats out and select magazines because they allow such activity. Factory ammo is almost always under 2.850".
Would there be an issue with feeding this 6.5 PRC from a factory Remington 700 long action magazine? I have a long action magnum that needs a barrel, and was thinking about trying this 6.5 PRC. But i'm not sure if this short action magnum cartridge would work very well with long action magazine lips for feeding reliably?
The big upside I see to this case design is that like the 7LRM, it will feed from a standard magnum box magazine without altering the feed rails. Being primarily a hunter, I prefer the weight savings of an internal box magazine. I have a burnt out 7 Mag that just might be wearing a PRC barrel...especially if someone Rem/Ages it. I don't see why it wouldn't feed from a long action.
Hi,
I have set my mind to transforming my 300WM to a 6.5 PRC so it will happen, but I am a bit concerned regarding feeding in my AIAW. I have tried using a 300WM and 338LM AI, Accuracy International, mag to feed a 6,5 Creedmoor (the only similar brass I have... still awaiting shipment of the 6.5 PRC brass) and the feeding is not great in the 300WM AI mag.
Please see attached.
What Mags would you recommend with these specifications?
Attachments
Agreed.
I can't be of much help there. I have no experience with 6.5PRC in an AI.
