Best Short Mag Caliber in a Short Action

[westcoasteast]

If this isnt the right forum let me know and ill move. I have a short action with a magnum bolt face i want to build out or a shooting/hunting rig. I am looking at 300 wsm, 7 wsm, 6.5 prc etc. What are you suggestions factoring in OAL in the mags, shorter barrel (22ish), ammo availability (i reload but time to do so is getting strained).

 

[b6graham]

if factory 6.5PRC
reloading 6.5SS or 7SS

 

[kthomas]

"Best" is subjective, but like @b6graham, I would gravitate towards the Sherman Short mags (6.5 or 7) if it was me.

 

[Hawk in WY]

I usually start with purpose, then the bullet I want to shoot and then pick a caliber.

If my purpose was elk to 700 yards and I wanted a short action and a Barnes LRX bullet, I would choose the 7 SAUM or the 300 WSM..

I chose the 7 SAUM which I think trumps both the 300 WSM and the 7 WSM for my purpose.

If I was trying to kill paper at one mile, any high BC bullet and the 6.5 PRC would be fine.

Horses for courses.

Good luck.

 

[westcoasteast]

i have a 6.5 cm, a 6cm, and a 6 arc for paper punching, i guess i want to make this a good hunting rig for a trip out west. This is helpful so far, thanks all. I should have said "favorite" round

 

[toader]

6.5PRC or the 300WSM........................Pick your poison!!

 

[BullGear]

Shooting and hunting=300SWM

YMMV

 

[Supersubes]

With Lapua releasing brass for 6.5 PRC in a few months, that pretty much seals the deal for me.

 

[hereinaz]

You have to reload, but the 7 SS is among the best performing true short action. It can run the 180 VLD at mag length. It is basically an ackleyized 7 SAUM. Hammers at distance hunting. I took three deer and two caribou in one shot, between 100 and 575 yards. I took an elk at 590, one shot would have killed it but he was still standing so I plugged him till he tipped over.

The 180 vld is the optimal round, imo. It will run the 180 VLD at 3050 in my 26" tube without any pressure signs. You don't get any significant velocity or precision going down to the 175 and you can't get enough velocity to make the 195 outperform it.

For factory ammo, the 7 saum or 300 wsm are gonna meet your out west hunting needs. 6.5 PRC would do it too, but I like having a little more weight in the bullet.

 

[mkollman74]

Can one fit a 6.5PRC with a 156 Berger into a box magazine? I’m at work, so I can’t do the measurements myself...

 

[b6graham]

a 6.5SS will and push 3050fps

 

[Raven34]

How far is your furthest hunting shot and what game are you looking to use it on. I have a 270 wsm for hunting and I have no issues dropping white tail out to 500 yards shooting 130gr Burgers with reloader 19 right around 3075 FPS.

 

[Delicatessen]

I took three deer and two caribou in one shot, between 100 and 575 yards.

You must teach me how to get all those animals to line up...one bullet and my entire tag allotment filled.

 

[WyoRiflemen]

I was wonder how far could I kill a deer/ antelope with the 6.5 prc?

 

[Painless300]

Can one fit a 6.5PRC with a 156 Berger into a box magazine? I’m at work, so I can’t do the measurements myself...

I shoot 6.5 PRC with the 156 Berger's. My chamber is factory spec - no free bore -

My COAL is 3.036 - .03 off the lands.
Short mag Length should be around 2.880
You may be able to stuff it down far enough but certainly would be less than optimal.

That why I went with a mid action!

 

[westcoasteast]

I ended going with 6.5 and 7 short sherman. The 7ss will be ready when the Zeus gets here next week. The 6.5ss is going on a defiance anti and will be spun for that action once it comes in. I’ll post how they shoot

 

[b6graham]

I was wonder how far could I kill a deer/ antelope with the 6.5 prc?

that's more on you than the cartridge

 

[jmw]

6.5 saum

 

[30-30]

You mentioned ammo availability, so I would recommend 300wsm if you plan on elk hunting with it. Otherwise 6.5 prc.

 

[hereinaz]

I was wonder how far could I kill a deer/ antelope with the 6.5 prc?

Agree it's on you. If you are asking, you are on the path to learn before you can match with the rifle.

You can answer the question by running the ballistics in JBM online using the box data and when the bullet is at minimal expansion velocity, that is "how far the rifle will kill." It is gonna be different depending on weather...

 

[Hawk in WY]

I shoot 6.5 PRC with the 156 Berger's. My chamber is factory spec - no free bore -

My COAL is 3.036 - .03 off the lands.
Short mag Length should be around 2.880
You may be able to stuff it down far enough but certainly would be less than optimal.

That why I went with a mid action!

Is the 156 Berger somehow unique in those measurements. I think you are saying the COAL distance to the lands is 3.066. Is that because the ogive is atypically short compared to the COAL?

Would I be correct in thinking another bullet, Barnes LRX for example, could be a shorter COAL to the lands because the ogive is further out compared with the Berger.

Barnes bullets are also very jump tolerant. In fact, some need a long jump to shoot accurately.

What I'm thinking is the need for a mid length action for the 6.5 PRC might be bullet dependant as much as reamer dependant.

It would be nice to know what bullet works with what reamer in a short action.

Thank you for the education.

 

[Painless300]

Is the 156 Berger somehow unique in those measurements. I think you are saying the COAL distance to the lands is 3.066. Is that because the ogive is atypically short compared to the COAL?

Would I be correct in thinking another bullet, Barnes LRX for example, could be a shorter COAL to the lands because the ogive is further out compared with the Berger.

Barnes bullets are also very jump tolerant. In fact, some need a long jump to shoot accurately.

What I'm thinking is the need for a mid length action for the 6.5 PRC might be bullet dependant as much as reamer dependant.

It would be nice to know what bullet works with what reamer in a short action.

Thank you for the education.

I am saying the cartridge overall length is 3.066 and the bullet is seated .03 off the lands, which is my optimal seating depth for the best accuracy. My COAL with the bullets seated at the lands would be 3.096.
The ogive of the bullets construction can certainly affect the seating depth. In my experience the 140 class bullets are pushing the limits of a short action mag. Anything longer, properly seated will not fit and even some 140g bullets, properly seated for optimal accuracy, will not fit a short action. The mid action in my opinion is the best action for the PRC.
I tend to stick with Berger's as they have never failed to give me great accuracy as well as killing everything Ive shot at so my experience with other manufacturers is limited.

 

[Absoluterock]

I took three deer and two caribou in one shot

Talk about penetration