6.5 PRC Build: looking for advice from someone shooting one

[Lynn313]

i have ordered a 6.5 PRC build with an excellent gunsmith. He’s at the show in Vegas right now. I have the following major concern:
This is built on a short action and might work fine for people who buy ammo. I reload. It’s a passion & stress medicine. I don’t have a 6.5 PRC rifle so i’ve Been working with dimensions off schematics. By my calculations if I want to load VLD type bullets I will have to deep set my bullet with 70- 90 thou of bearing surface inside the shoulder. I don’t want any inside the shoulder.

I worked Hornady 143 ELD-X factory ammo backwards to see how they are set.
Cartridge overall length = 2.950
Bullet OAL = 1.43
Boattail length = .150
Case base to shoulder/neck junction = 1.7582
1.7582 + 1.43 - .15 = 3.0382
3.0382 - 2.950 = .0882 That’s 88 thousands of bearing area buried below the shoulder/neck junction.

As a reloader and as Greg Tannel recommends I don’t believe in putting the base of the bullet (where Boattail meets bearing surface) below the shoulder/neck junction.

I would appreciate any thoughts that would alleviate my concern for reloading this in a short action. I talked to a well known barrel maker today and he said the 6.5 PRC is perfect for a “medium “ type action like the 98 mauser with dbm to match. He said then you could load to the cartridges potential.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Im just asking for my own knowledge but what made you go with the prc?

 

[Lynn313]

Im just asking for my own knowledge but what made you go with the prc?

Hi Dusty, a friend of yours gave me your name and I had hoped to make contact with you this week so this is a pleasant surprise. I understand we don’t live that far apart.

To answer your question i’ve Settled on 2 hunting rifles; a 243 & 300 WM and was looking for something in the middle. The ballistics looked great to me and some barrel makers have given me excellent feedback on accuracy and clean kills while hunting. I don’t have access to one for reloading so I just started looking at numbers.

 

[NCVarhtr]

Do a search here. ALF did a great thread on the 6.5 PRC. Several pages with pictures. Type in 6.5 PRC and look for the thread by alf..

 

[Lynn313]

Do a search here. ALF did a great thread on the 6.5 PRC. Several pages with pictures. Type in 6.5 PRC and look for the thread by alf..

Thanks........gone to look for it.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have a 6.5PRC that is an 8T Krieger MTU finished at 28". It's screwed onto a Stiller Tac30 action (short action) and the reamer is the Manson Hornady (at the time) proprietary reamer specs. I have not found a situation where I need to seat bullets below the neck/shoulder junction. In fact this reamer seems to have a bit longer free bore than the original design if I remember correctly.
The 6.5PRC, so far has performed well. I found a node that gets the 140 ELDM to about 3,100 FPS, has low recoil and very easy on brass.
I'll go revisit my loads to be sure just exactly where the bullet sits in regard to neck/shoulder depth.

 

[Lynn313]

I have a 6.5PRC that is an 8T Krieger MTU finished at 28". It's screwed onto a Stiller Tac30 action (short action) and the reamer is the Manson Hornady (at the time) proprietary reamer specs. I have not found a situation where I need to seat bullets below the neck/shoulder junction. In fact this reamer seems to have a bit longer free bore than the original design if I remember correctly.
The 6.5PRC, so far has performed well. I found a node that gets the 140 ELDM to about 3,100 FPS, has low recoil and very easy on brass.
I'll go revisit my loads to be sure just exactly where the bullet sits in regard to neck/shoulder depth.

Thanks. This is my first custom (even though I’m grandpa status). If there is a problem i’m Hoping to identify it before they get to far along. Is your bottom metal/mag short action and not having any feeding problems? Thanks for helping. I wish I had started using custom builds 45 years ago!!!!

 

[Lynn313]

I have a 6.5PRC that is an 8T Krieger MTU finished at 28". It's screwed onto a Stiller Tac30 action (short action) and the reamer is the Manson Hornady (at the time) proprietary reamer specs. I have not found a situation where I need to seat bullets below the neck/shoulder junction. In fact this reamer seems to have a bit longer free bore than the original design if I remember correctly.
The 6.5PRC, so far has performed well. I found a node that gets the 140 ELDM to about 3,100 FPS, has low recoil and very easy on brass.
I'll go revisit my loads to be sure just exactly where the bullet sits in regard to neck/shoulder depth.

That would be nice to know if your base is below the neck/shoulder junction.

Also, would appreciate knowing what dies you use. I use Redding FL type S bushing dies for my other bolts. They are not making them yet.

 

[oldduc]

I have a 6.5 PRC that is on an FN Mauser action that was built as a 7X61 Sharp and Hart around 1960 and rechambered to 7mm Gradle Express a couple years later. Gradle brass hasn’t been available for 40 years, and when the 100 I had all died(split), the PRC was the simplest round to change to with the gun’s medium length action and magnum bolt face. It has reasonable recoil for a 7 pound gun and is very accurate. I don’t hunt anymore, but this would be a great gun for deer/elk, here in Oregon. I have Hornady dies, which are very well made for the price.

 

[Lynn313]

I have a 6.5 PRC that is on an FN Mauser action that was built as a 7X61 Sharp and Hart around 1960 and rechambered to 7mm Gradle Express a couple years later. Gradle brass hasn’t been available for 40 years, and when the 100 I had all died(split), the PRC was the simplest round to change to with the gun’s medium length action and magnum bolt face. It has reasonable recoil for a 7 pound gun and is very accurate. I don’t hunt anymore, but this would be a great gun for deer/elk, here in Oregon. I have Hornady dies, which are very well made for the price.

I was talking to a barrel maker today and he told me the perfect action would be a medium size. I believe he said 98 Mauser. I think you have a great setup. The bullets are just to long for a SA magazine if you load to the lands.

 

[Kurz]

The M98 Mauser action pre-1957 or WWII vintage are considered to be 'medium' actions made for the 8x57 and 7x57 cartridges. Those post-1957 or the FN 'improved' solid side actions were long actions suited to the .30-06 length cartridges.

Defiance Machine makes an action length called out as the XM which are true medium length actions for the 3.2" or intermediate length cartridges.

 

[Lynn313]

Do a search here. ALF did a great thread on the 6.5 PRC. Several pages with pictures. Type in 6.5 PRC and look for the thread by alf..

I read all 5 pages. Others had feed issues when loading close to lands. After reading I still don’t know if anyone has solved how to load long cartridges without having feed issues.

The M98 Mauser action pre-1957 or WWII vintage are considered to be 'medium' actions made for the 8x57 and 7x57 cartridges. Those post-1957 or the FN 'improved' solid side actions were long actions suited to the .30-06 length cartridges.

Defiance Machine makes an action length called out as the XM which are true medium length actions for the 3.2" or intermediate length cartridges.

i’ll Check. If they make it there must be bottom metal to match

 

[Lynn313]

The M98 Mauser action pre-1957 or WWII vintage are considered to be 'medium' actions made for the 8x57 and 7x57 cartridges. Those post-1957 or the FN 'improved' solid side actions were long actions suited to the .30-06 length cartridges.

Defiance Machine makes an action length called out as the XM which are true medium length actions for the 3.2" or intermediate length cartridges.

I forgot to say thank you.

 

[Lynn313]

I read all 5 pages. Others had feed issues when loading close to lands. After reading I still don’t know if anyone has solved how to load long cartridges without having feed issues.

i’ll Check. If they make it there must be bottom metal to match

I went and looked. They do have it. The Rebel with the hunter port would be my choice. The website didn’t say anything about the bottom metal to feed it. I called. There was no answer . I left a message and waiting on a call back.

 

[Kurz]

Most everyone from Customer Service and Sales are at SHOT Show this week. There is bottom metal for this action length, I have it in the fixed magazine box, not Detachable Box Magazine.

 

[Lynn313]

Most everyone from Customer Service and Sales are at SHOT Show this week. There is bottom metal for this action length, I have it in the fixed magazine box, not Detachable Box Magazine.

Thanks. I did find it on their website when I didn’t get a call back. It sure seems like the way to go for someone wanting the 6.5 PRC and only wants to handload got it. It seems to me using the short action is the way for people wanting to shoot factory ammo.

 

[mauser284]

Never....Never.....Never build anything that uses a modern decent sized cartridge to shoot ELD/VLD heavy for caliber bullets on a short action! NEVER!!!! Especially if it is advertised as a "Short Action" or "Short Action Magnum" cartridge. NEVER!

Why? Because it will never be future proof at the rate they are developing VLD heavy bullets! You will be lucky to make it a season before you end up playing the "COAL Magazine Limit Game" as newer and heavier for caliber bullets come on the market.

Anyone that tells you a short action is stiffer and more accurate is a liar and their breath stinks! Ask them for engineering studies from military or government or Universities documenting this. Then ask them to show you documentation of it producing statistically significant improvements in accuracy everything else being equal! No one on this planet can produce that research because it does not exist!

Every company has a different length for each action length in terms of magazine box limits. For someone that is going to be hunting with a rifle it is not a big deal since the best hunting bullets are seldom VLD and on top of that if it is factory ammo they always play it safe. Also most hunters are ethical and do not intend to shoot Elk at 1300m with a 6.5CM or 6.5PRC so again a Spitzer is not a deal breaker!

A lot of guys have ran into trouble with so called "short actions" and short action cartridges when they decide they want to shoot the latest greatest VLD's. 284Win is a good example of people having to single feed or eat into case capacity to make it fit and then they can not reach the lands. Same thing happens with 6.5CM and 6.5PRC.

Go to any Long Range Hunting sight and the No.1 problem is guys with $6,500 rifles wearing $3000 optics that can not get the bullet they want to shoot in the cartridge they want to shoot it from to feed from the magazine, reach the velocity they want, and not have a huge gap to jump to get to the lands! It is because they listen to idiots on sights like this and gun rags and other internet experts! In every single case the action is too short and a box magazine not up to the job.

A person with a 8th grade education could foresee and prevent the situation on the cheap by just using a standard length action. Then you do not need expensive custom magazine box, magazine, custom clearancing of the action, custom in letting of stock on and on.....This is not a new problem either it has been going on for a while now. The "short actions are stiffer" people can not stop parroting the bad info or admit that short actions can not do everything better than a standard length action long enough to actually help people not repeat this mistake!

Now on the other hand if you do not need to shoot the latest and greatest bullets with the best possible BC or you have no need to feed from a magazine and do not need to hit some magical velocity you have nothing to worry about.

 

[500yards]

It looks like fun, little bit wider powder column than the 6.5x284, probably can push it a little faster, but not sure if hornady brass will limit your top end performance. I know a 6.5x284 will flirt with 3100 fps with 140 bergers.

 

[DangerRanger]

“I don’t want any inside the shoulder.”

then you have 2 options:

Medium length action
Different cartridge (6.5 sst should work)

fwiw I ran 2.95 coal in an accurate mag on a short action with mine and was pleased for a hunting rig. Then again I think a hunting rifle that will consistently shoot .6-.8 not cherry picking is a good one. (.133 reamer, 147 eldms)

 

[alf]

The problem throating for the longest bullet out to keep the pressure ring in the neck, comes when the things won't shoot, then you're stuck jumping all the "shorter" bullets.

Pick your poison.....

Another option:

https://wyattsoutdoor.com/product/short-action-mid-length-prc-kit/