Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC (Read 471 times) previous topic - next topic

Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

I see in TV gun shows, shooting forums and on Youtube posts that the 6.5 CM is now so widely accepted that it's almost boring to see it. (But always satisfying)

The 6.5 PRC is becoming preferred by many as a "magnum" 6.5 cartridge and I'm puzzled as to where these people were when the 6.5/284 was introduced.

Eric B.
"I can stop buying guns and gun stuff anytime I want - I've done it hundreds of times."

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #1 –
The PRC has traction over the 6.5/284 due to factory ammo at a very reasonable price.

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #2 –
Who would have ever thought that after the introduction of the 6.5 during WWII (or did Finland introduce the rifle and rounds after that) would have so much success today.  Kind of like the 7.62 NATO introduction and how it is so common now.  I find that the 6 mm and 6.5 mm to be very exciting an it is always fun to read about the latest advances in this now recent popular rifles and cartridges.  Has anyone come up with a 6.5 PRS Ackley Improved?
In adversity remember to keep an even mind, train hard and fight easy.
                            Horace and Alexander Suvorov

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #3 –
the old faithful 6.5x55 swede is 125 years old now and still going strong. it never did see the mainstream appreciation over here in north america as it did over in europe. it was to them as the aught six was to us. its crazy to think how many different 6.5 calibers where offered/available to everyone over the past century or so but it wasnt till a few years after the creedmoor came out till it really took off. basically every rifle manufacturer chambers 6.5 creed and it is bar none their most popular seller. same goes with components. before the creed went mainstream it was hard to find .264 bullets or a good selection of them at least. and H4350 was easy to come by. and now there are a literally a million .264 bullet offerings and the only reason there impossible to find is because everyone is buying them up and trying to find H4350 was like it never existed in the first place. and yet no problems buying .308 or .284 components which used to be scarce ones. quite the paradigm shift we have seen in the reloading/shooting world in recent times. all because of one little cartridge that made all other 6.5mm calibers more popular and their wildcats and turned the "6.5 creedmoor" in a synonymous household name. no more "6.5 creedmoor or 6.5x55 swede. whats that? is that bigger or smaller than a 30-06 or my 7mm mag?" and again what constitutes as larger for your typical "one shot at the target to make sure its sighted then go hunting" hunter we see everywhere that only buy the cheapest box of ammo no matter what game they are hunting and expect different brands of different grain ammo to have the the point of impact without shooting or veryifying that it does...which 9 times out of 10 it doesnt. i mean yeah your 7mm mag has a shit ton more powder then my old 303 british or 8mm mauser. but does that really make it bigger? what is bigger? diameter of the bullet? grain of the bullet? and "what do you mean your 140 grain .264 bullet out penetrates my 300win mag shooting 150 grain bullets. mine is a magnum its obviously better."

but anyways way off topic and gotta love some peoples logic. gotta love the kind of things you hear people talk about in a gun store. let alone the people behind the counter especially in big box stores telling their customers.

bought my first 6.5 creed in 2010 second one in 2016. a grendel in 2017, always had a old 6.5 carcano kicking around. and always wanted a 6.5x55 and now want a 6.5 prc. crazy world we live in for sure, and how some stuff becomes so popular even though its been around for longer than all of us currently living have been on this earth.

cheers to everyone who owns a creedmoor and or its siblings. and PS. stop buying all the damn components up driving the price higher and availability lower so i can afford to shoot both of mine more and be able to find everything i want.

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #4 –
Many years ago I can remember looking at the ballistics charts in the Remington book and seeing how flat the 6.5x55 was and thinking to myself, "I need to get me a Swedish Mauser." They were $125 at the time.  I never did get one.  I have the 6.5 CM and 6.5 Grendel now, but I have lately been considering building a 6mm Grendel.
 

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #5 –
Windsage, I just finished a Savage Target Action 6mm Grendel.  I had built an AR-15 upper first and was really impressed with the performance in an AR platform, so I thought I would build a bolt version.  I ordered a 28" X-Caliber barrel.  I am just now loading for it and haven't shot it yet....hopefully soon.  Plan to use some variant of a 105-107g bullet.

Bob
Bob

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #6 –
Quote from: autoxforfun on
Windsage, I just finished a Savage Target Action 6mm Grendel.  I had built an AR-15 upper first and was really impressed with the performance in an AR platform, so I thought I would build a bolt version.  I ordered a 28" X-Caliber barrel.  I am just now loading for it and haven't shot it yet....hopefully soon.  Plan to use some variant of a 105-107g bullet.

Bob

I'd be interested in how that comes out.  I was thinking of doing it in an AR upper using a 20" Criterion barrel.  I was specifically looking at the 105 Hybrid to see if a 6mm Grendel based unit might be as good as a 6mm Dasher, and easier on brass.

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #7 –
Windsage, you bet.  I plan on loading rounds this weekend....probably shoot the following Friday....if all goes as planned.  I will be loading Berger 105g Hybrids....like you, I'm wondering how competitive this could be against the 6BR and Dasher guys.  I suspect it will take around 80-100 rounds to get the barrel to settle down.  But I'll post the journey.  The rifle started life as a 204 Ruger LRPV.  I changed the stock awhile ago and then changed the barrel and bolt face to convert it to 6mm Grendel.

The AR-15 upper that I have has a McGowan HBAR barrel (26").....it is the upper one in the attached photo....the lower one is the 6.5 Grendel with a 24" Brownells barrel (actually doesn't do too badly either).  I also included a picture of a typical 100 yrd 5 shot group.  What I find with the AR is that the first round chambered by releasing the bolt will shoot low.  The next 4 group nicely.  Still noodling on how to address this other than shooting the first round into the ground.

Bob
Bob

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #8 –
bob could you manually ease the bolt forward on that first round and see if it goes with the rest of them.. you have probably done tried that but just a thought
Grant

Re: Popularity of Both 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC

Reply #9 –
I am scratching my head as to why this happens.....I don't have a good concept as to the cause that I have validated..  I checked the headspace on the bolt and that looked perfect.  I then thought that perhaps I didn't have enough neck tension and the bullet was moving out and perhaps hitting the lands.  Since after the first round, the cycling of the bolt seems like it would be more violent that just releasing the bolt the first time.  So I measured COAL for a few rounds.  I then released the bolt and then ejected the round and remeasured the COAL....no difference.  Then I fired a round and then ejected the second round and measured the COAL....no difference.  So it looks like that was not the issue.  Also, this is very repeatable.  I load up three magazines each with 5 rounds.  For all three, the first round will be low.  Doesn't matter if the barrel is cold or not.  So there is something different about how that first round is being seated in battery....

But to the question....I have not tried releasing the bolt slowly......I will give it a try next time out.  All suggestions are welcomed.


Bob
Bob