6.5 prc vs 260ai

[nastynatesfish]

I don't have any experience with the 260ai but I've put together four 6.5 prc's to specifically shoot the 156gr Berger's for hunting. All of them shot 1/2 moa with factory Hornady 143gr eld-x ammo and with the 156gr Berger's loaded with Reloader 26 going 3000 fps. they were even better. All four of the rifles had 7-1/2" twist 24" barrels and shot pretty much the same load. The node was pretty wide with both powder and seating depth.

As far as brass availability, it's out there if a guy looks. I was able to find both ADG and Lapua brass for these rifles. I'm sure factory Hornady brass will be fine to, just not the same quality as the others though.

John

I've not seen any prc brass in stock from reputable shops. I seen 500 rounds of the 143gr ammo for 280 bucks. But I don't know the site, and being I see a box of 20 selling for 60-90 bucks I'm not to sure about that website.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

The .260AI will give you much better barrel life (9-10 grs. less powder) and it will run with the 6.5x.284 with RL-23. 3,000 fps with a 140 is not at all a stretch with RL-23.

I've never owned a 260ai but I'd be surprised if barrel life would be much if any better than a x284 if you're rodding it to the same velocity.
At the very least pressure would have to be extreme

 

[10XSHOOTER]

I shoot both 260AI and 6.5X.284. Both are accurate as Hell! Give me the AI any day of the week. Way too much powder in the PRC, It will be a barrel burner, as is the 6.5 X .284.
Use a 1-7 barrel and shoot 150 Sierra's in it and you'll be surprised What you can do with it!

 

[nastynatesfish]

I shoot both 260AI and 6.5X.284. Both are accurate as Hell! Give me the AI any day of the week. Way too much powder in the PRC, It will be a barrel burner, as is the 6.5 X .284.
Use a 1-7 barrel and shoot 150 Sierra's in it and you'll be surprised What you can do with it!

How's the 1-7/1-7.5 handle the 130class bullets? I shoot them in my grendel. And I'd probably be into the 130/140gr for hunting bullets

 

[JLT]

I've never owned a 260ai but I'd be surprised if barrel life would be much if any better than a x284 if you're rodding it to the same velocity.
At the very least pressure would have to be extreme

I got 2,300 rounds out of my last .260AI barrel. My one and only 6.5x.284 gave up the ghost at 1,200. The shoulder/neck geometry has something to do with it.

I ended up running the 140s 2,950-ish. The pressures are modest with RL-23. The brass is still going strong in the next barrel.

 

[Fast14riot]

I pulled my last barrel at 1800+ rounds, but its an F/class only gun. Barrel still has plenty of life for steel and hunting. I'm actually thinking of picking up another action to screw it on as a hunting gun.

 

[JFrank]

I don’t know if there is much difference between the PRC and the WSM, either will kill Elk however the 260 Ackley might be lacking in knock down power for that size game.

 

[Bc'z]

I don’t know if there is much difference between the PRC and the WSM, either will kill Elk however the 260 Ackley might be lacking in knock down power for that size game.

No, it'll work just fine

 

[JFrank]

L

No, it'll work just fine

Let me ask you this, with a Bull elk standing a couple hundred yards out in the pasture and all three calibers sitting next to the door loaded’ which one do you grab ?

 

[crystalgayleguy]

you forgot about the 6.5 saum either way you go make sure you have a fast twist barrel 6.5 284 isn't bad

 

[JLT]

L

Let me ask you this, with a Bull elk standing a couple hundred yards out in the pasture and all three calibers sitting next to the door loaded’ which one do you grab ?

The closest one. At 200, it won't matter.

 

[AckleymanII]

Politics being what they are today, PRC brass is rare as chicken lips. In a pinch, you could form 260 AI off of a number of 308 based cases, huge consideration for some. Having Something to shoot beats a wall hanger in my book.

 

[Bill Norris]

Politics being what they are today, PRC brass is rare as chicken lips. In a pinch, you could form 260 AI off of a number of 308 based cases, huge consideration for some. Having Something to shoot beats a wall hanger in my book.

And even blowing out brass you can get some amazing accuracy.

 

[alf]

PRC all the way....factory brass, factory ammo, factory dies......

No problem getting 3100 with 140's in a 24" tube.

 

[Bc'z]

L

Let me ask you this, with a Bull elk standing a couple hundred yards out in the pasture and all three calibers sitting next to the door loaded’ which one do you grab ?

It's an elk, not a armored vehicle.
I grab the 1 I'm most comfortable with, at 200 you should be able to whisper in his ear.

 

[284winner]

I shoot both 260AI and 6.5X.284. Both are accurate as Hell! Give me the AI any day of the week. Way too much powder in the PRC, It will be a barrel burner, as is the 6.5 X .284.
Use a 1-7 barrel and shoot 150 Sierra's in it and you'll be surprised What you can do with it!

I own both also. My reason for going with the 6.5-284 was purely from the accuracy standpoint. The 6.5-284s we're winning everything in matches vs the other cartridges when I built mine. Nobody ran the 260 like they did the 284 parent case. Accuracy was superior with that case. The other nice thing with the 284 case round is you can run it at around 2950 which is where I mostly run mine and barrel life is around 1500-1800 rounds with under .5 MOA. After that many rounds accuracy only minimally opens but never have I ever have a worn barrel go outside the 1" MOA. That keeps me in the business as a deer rifle for 600 yards or less. My .260 running around 2900 gives me similar barrel life.

 

[deadduck357]

That's my thoughts as well. I'm leaning more to 260ai being I do want to stay small primer. I'm going to do some looking around. I seen the Savage rifle I was looking at for 700, on sale for 550 last night in prc. I just don't know if I want to fight finding brass with it.

Yeah I've been debating 6.5-284, 6.5 PRC, or 6.8 Western for months now and haven't been able to make a decision. Cabela's had the $700 110 Tactical on a Black Friday sale yesterday for $525 and I had a $100 gift card sitting in my console sooo I guess now I gotta start finding 6.5 PRC ammo and brass.

 

[nastynatesfish]

Yeah I've been debating 6.5-284, 6.5 PRC, or 6.8 Western for months now and haven't been able to make a decision. Cabela's had the $700 110 Tactical on a Black Friday sale yesterday for $525 and I had a $100 gift card sitting in my console sooo I guess now I gotta start finding 6.5 PRC ammo and brass.

Seen that. I'm still looking at it lol. And yeah that's my biggest reservation on the prc is brass

 

[nastynatesfish]

After all the looking I'm gonna pass on the pcr. It's just to expensive for me being a cheap reloader to spend 70 bucks on a box of 20 rnds. Even if I only did it to get 2-300pcs of brass built but. I'm going to look tomorrow at a couple small shops and pawn shops for a donor rifle in 3006/270/2506. Hopefully pick one up under 400 bucks. I've got a gun builder local to do some truing for me and I can chamber it myself. But I'm going to go the 260ai for now. Hell. I was even looking at the 260 terminator...but I shoot the hell out of my rifles. I have a barrel burner already in a 22/6mm(I'm on my 3rd barrel now) I'm going to go with Deadshot probably for barrel. But I'm looking now at barrel makers for a 25" probably

 

[nastynatesfish]

I appreciate all the conversation on the rounds. Hopefully the prc brass comes around more soon. But I doubt it.