Hornady 6.5 PRC build

[WeatherbyFan65]

Well been looking forward to building a rifle chambered in 6.5 PRC ever since it was introduced, I know I know like we need another new cartridge but this one appeals to me !

Here's picture of the Barreled action which is being built by Gary Flach in Langley,BC

Defiance action, Wildcat Stock ( is there any other stock !) Timney Calvin Elite Trigger and a #1 Contour SS Benchmark Barrel 1-8 twist,5R, 26" long

Should be a nice rig when all said and done

[3blade]

Sexy. What are you seeing for cost of factory ammo? I’ve been thinking about a 6.5 for a while, nearly bought a mark v in 6.5-300 but at $120/20, my wallet grabbed the boys and said “nope!”

[WeatherbyFan65]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Sexy. What are you seeing for cost of factory ammo? I’ve been thinking about a 6.5 for a while, nearly bought a mark v in 6.5-300 but at $120/20, my wallet grabbed the boys and said “nope!”

I bought 4 boxes of Hornady ammo at $55 a box, 2x 143gr ELD-X
2x 147gr ELD-M, so a whole lot cheaper than the 6.5-300 ammo from Weatherby

I sent my 6.5-300 back for a refund to many issues with accuracy so I'm sticking to building rifles !

[propliner]

I planned on building a rifle on the 6.5 PRC but changed direction and went with a used rifle in .260 based solely on economics.

What you're doing looks like a real winner and the PRC ammo and brass seems to be getting fairly common. It's already proven to be an exceptionally accurate cartridge and should work great for you on that action. You'll love the Timney.

[WeatherbyFan65]

Originally Posted by propliner

I planned on building a rifle on the 6.5 PRC but changed direction and went with a used rifle in .260 based solely on economics.

What you're doing looks like a real winner and the PRC ammo and brass seems to be getting fairly common. It's already proven to be an exceptionally accurate cartridge and should work great for you on that action. You'll love the Timney.

Thanks for the kind words, yeh seems like the 6.5 PRC is going to take off and as you say components are becoming readily available, some mainstream Rifle companies are already chambering rifles in the cartridge.

I used the TCE trigger in a Cpl builds already and its an exceptional trigger, I have a Jewel trigger in my 28 Nosler build and so far I think I prefer the TCE.

[rem338win]

Does anyone have an idea of water capacity?

My 6.5 Rem Mag on paper is the ballistic twin and the 6.5-284 is right in its heels.

Looks like Hornady reinvented a wheel and have hit the marketing out of the park again.

[WeatherbyFan65]

Originally Posted by rem338win

Does anyone have an idea of water capacity?

My 6.5 Rem Mag on paper is the ballistic twin and the 6.5-284 is right in its heels.

Looks like Hornady reinvented a wheel and have hit the marketing out of the park again.

Here's a Question and answer youtube video with George Gardener, 6.5 PRC inventor.

https://youtu.be/7rIIb3YSPj4

[3blade]

Originally Posted by rem338win

Does anyone have an idea of water capacity?

My 6.5 Rem Mag on paper is the ballistic twin and the 6.5-284 is right in its heels.

Looks like Hornady reinvented a wheel and have hit the marketing out of the park again.

Solves the feeding, availability and cost issues with those two.

Hornady wouldnt sell much 6.5x284, because everyone who has one, already has lapua or Norma brass and a reloading setup. Its something new, fixes the issues that comparable cartridges have, and they will manufacture and sell a crap ton of bullets, brass and ammo at reasonable prices. Just like they did with the creedmoor.

Those who reload won’t get it, just like last time, but not everyone wants to reload or has access to a range.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Those who reload won’t get it, just like last time, but not everyone wants to reload or has access to a range.

This!

Nice to be able to have options to the latest trends at higher performance levels without having to get into reloading. Win win. Gets more people shooting and driving improvements in the industry overall. Hornady is kicking azz here, and the manufacturers that recognize that and team up with them.

I was dreaming about the Grendel in CZ 527 American back when it was first introduced and people were re-barreling them and reloading. I can appreciate the ballistics and am a ballistics nerd but no interest in doing so much stuff that requires smiths all the time and also reloading and all that goes with that. I'm not alone. Not that I couldn't...i'm into a million other things, i simply don't want too.

Took many years but finally the good stuff does rise to the top and Hornady and the manufacturers teaming up with them are making it all happen now, and faster too. This is awesome. I waited a long time for things to get to the point i wanted to get back into the gun/cartridge game again and do more play in this area.

Couldn't be happier to see these cartridges and also this precision rifle stuff has added a lot of desirable attributes to industry too. You can buy actions and chassis and put things together in your house and get sub-moa if not half moa rigs, buy factory ammo, go long etc. remove the smith if you want when you want. Should everyone go this way? No of course not but nice to see the options that can suit everyone wanting to shoot/hunt etc.

Not only was i surprised to see the great new cartridges and in one rifle i always liked but the chassis action systems led me to another that will be ideal for the kids too, the modular approach making easy to build one size fits all rigs appealed right away.

This 6.5 PRC will be an awesome rig, look forward to seeing it done.

[WeatherbyFan65]

OK men here's another masterpiece from Gary's Bench.......a dream to shoulder, a perfect weight, I'm really liking this rifle, off to the range in the morning, I can't thank Gary Flach enough for his first class craftsmanship.

Defiance Rebel XM Action
Benchmark #1 contour 24" SS 1-8 twist, 5R Barrel
Wildcat Ultralight Stock, Palm swell and High Comb added, 13.5 LOP
Timney Calvin elite Trigger 2lbs
Zeiss V4 4-16x44 scope
Talley Low Lightweights
Black-Gold Gunkote

[Stinky Coyote]

Beauty!

[3blade]

Very nice. Congrats. Looking forward to the range report

[Nyksta]

Whats 6.5 PRC got compared against 270 wsm?

[lclund1946]

Very nice. Looks like the perfect rifle for the 6.5PRC cartridge. Look forward to range reports.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by Nyksta

Whats 6.5 PRC got compared against 270 wsm?

it's going to go further with less powder, same formula as the other new 6.5's (creedmoor and grendel)....all designed around fast twist barrels(1 in 8) for long high bc bullets from the get go

case capacity of 6.5 prc near as i can find is 66-67 grains and .270 wsm 70-72 grains (creedmoor 52-53 grains for comparison)

the higher bc even with less powder will likely stretch it a couple hundred yards further than the wsm...if you reload you could equalize the two pretty well i suspect, you'll need the extra powder of the wsm to offset the higher bc of like 6.5 bullet choices

[Jerry D]

Nicest thing is that high comb added!

[WeatherbyFan65]

Thurday and Friday at the range with a few rifles, day one my son and I got together for some shooting, he did the shooting I worked the Labradar and the cleaning rod on the new 6.5 PRC

Brad shooting the 6.5PRC


His favourite rifle of the day was the 28 Nosler shooting a pretty tight group with Noslers 175gr ABLR factory ammo.



The 6.5 PRC shooting the two factory loads 143gr ELD-X and 147gr ELD-M, velocities was almost identical to adv velocity 143gr ELD-X 2960 and the 147 ELD-M 2910, they were all with 10fps on either side of adv velocity

best groups out of the 143 ELD-X was .35" at 100 yards and 1.2" at 300 yards

best group with the 147 ELD-M was 1" at 100 and most were 1.25" at 100

[marky_mark]

Berger is coming out with 155gr elite hunters this fall.. should work well with your rifle

[WeatherbyFan65]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Berger is coming out with 155gr elite hunters this fall.. should work well with your rifle

Right on thanks for the info, I have yet to use any of the Berger ammo so looking forward to this.

[marky_mark]

Ya it’s part of their hybrid line so seating depth isn’t as much of an issue. The testing results that guys are reporting is really impressive

[3blade]

Now if Barnes will load the 127 LRX for it...mv in the 3200 range, out of a short action, 24 inch barrel...ideal mountain rifle.

my bank account might get a lot slimmer

[Salavee]

That's an awesome rifle and a cartridge to match. Nicely done !

[Beeman3]

Originally Posted by WeatherbyFan65

Right on thanks for the info, I have yet to use any of the Berger ammo so looking forward to this.

You could also look into the MATRIX bullet line-up. I have shot their 6.5 cal bullets in my 6.5 SHERMAN. Very accurate bullet and made in Canada. The 160 gr is a beast! The 150 gr May be better for the PRC.

[TUFFBUFF]

That's a real nice build! Who finished the stock and added the couple options?

How do ya like the scope compared to the hd5's or old conquests?

Originally Posted by 3blade

Now if Barnes will load the 127 LRX for it...mv in the 3200 range, out of a short action, 24 inch barrel...ideal mountain rifle.

I have a 6.5RM and a bunch of these to do up for my all round load once I deplete some 130 S2's have loaded - should hit 3200 handily I hope.

[WeatherbyFan65]

Originally Posted by TUFFBUFF

That's a real nice build! Who finished the stock and added the couple options?

How do ya like the scope compared to the hd5's or old conquests?

Thank you for the kind words.

Gunsmith-Gary Flach (Langley,BC) built the rifle from scratch, its a Wildcat Ultralight stock (Alberta) and Gary added the palm Swell and High Comb and paint scheme, he does an excellent job for sure.

the V4 is the nicest scope Ive ever owned, brighter than the VX5 HD and VX6 HD as I have both, I'm really impressed with it so much I ordered a second one for my next build.

[WeatherbyFan65]

Originally Posted by Salavee

That's an awesome rifle and a cartridge to match. Nicely done !

Thanks you, yes Im really happy with it, it's a pleasure to shoot not to mention accurate,

I'm going to build its twin in 280AI

Just waiting for the action and barrel to show up.

[WeatherbyFan65]

I thought I would mention some interesting info about the Zeiss V4 4-16x44 scope compared to the Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x40 30mm CDS, VX5 HD 3-15x44, VX6 HD 3-18x44 CDS, I have all these scopes mounted with Low Talley Lightweight mounts on various rifles.

The Leupold scopes all have 25-27 MOA of vertical adjustment from a 100 yard zero, the Zeiss has an amazing 53 MOA of vertical adjustment from a 100 yard zero.

[lclund1946]

Originally Posted by WeatherbyFan65

I bought 4 boxes of Hornady ammo at $55 a box, 2x 143gr ELD-X
2x 147gr ELD-M, so a whole lot cheaper than the 6.5-300 ammo from Weatherby

I sent my 6.5-300 back for a refund to many issues with accuracy so I'm sticking to building rifles !

Where did you buy the Hornady ammo? I would like a few fired brass. PM me if you would be willing to sell some.

[JD848]

I never was to hot on the new 6.5 ,because the swede has been in my safe for 45 years,plus a new tikka swede about 4 years ago.Every guy needs to buy his own birthday gifts so this ones comin my way in a few months.

Very nice rifle you go posted on here.plus 7lbs scoped is bang on.