6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor

The 6.5 Creedmoor is a cartridge of nice debate. Point out it amongst completely different teams of shooters, seize some popcorn, and wait; somebody goes to get triggered. Nevertheless, point out the 6.5 PRC in a gaggle of shooters and the response will likely be completely different. The 6.5 PRC is cherished by hunters. I haven’t heard of any complaints about its efficiency even in relation to elk. However what are the true variations between the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor?

Let’s put the web discussion board smack speak apart for a second and have a look at the target variations between the 2 cartridges when it comes to ballistics, accuracy, recoil, and rifle availability. 

Intro to the 6.5 Creed

I nonetheless don’t perceive the 6.5 Creed hate, however I’m not a reloader, and my looking with it has been restricted to antelope, mule, and whitetail deer. Whereas I’ve had nice success taking all of the aforementioned recreation with the 6.5 Creedmoor, it has most of my adoration as a goal cartridge. Launched in 2007 by Hornady, the Creed didn’t obtain true recognition till a number of years later. Learn in regards to the full historical past of the 6.5 Creedmoor right here.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has a excessive ballistic coefficient because of its ​​streamlined form. It stays supersonic with a 140 gr. bullet, like Hornady’s ELD Match, past 1400 yards, which, in my sort of capturing, carries weight. I’m primarily a goal shooter, participating metal targets at varied distances to a mile and past. I compete in native PRS model matches a couple of occasions a 12 months, and I’ve competed in ELR competitors as nicely. 

I’ve discovered that the 6.5 Creedmoor is a enjoyable one-mile shooter so long as situations aren’t too forbidding. On high of that the recoil is manageable, and could also be thought of gentle relying on what you’re used to. Add to that barrel life, which is usually past 4,500 rounds so long as you’re protecting the load to sane ranges. Sure, the 6.5 Creedmoor has changed the .308 because the do-all king so far as I’m involved.

Intro to the 6.5 PRC 

In 2018 Hornady launched the 6.5 PRC. I used to be excited in regards to the claimed and true 250 fps enhance in velocity over the Creedmoor. I used to be in love earlier than even capturing it however I wasn’t conscious of the challenges it offered in the way in which of added recoil and decreased journal capability — you lose three rounds in an in any other case 10-round journal. The elevated velocity means extra barrel put on too however the further pace would enable me to run a shorter barrel and nonetheless have the ballistic efficiency I needed for banging metal. I want shorter barrels primarily as a result of I nearly all the time shoot suppressed. Suppressed rifles might be fairly lengthy, and shorter barrels hold the general size extra manageable.

The manufacturing facility load of 143 grains within the Hornady ELD-X offers you round 3,000 fps, and there are after all many different masses obtainable as nicely. Lengthy vary aggressive shooters have discovered a pal within the 6.5 PRC pushing heavier bullets like Hornady’s 153-grain A-TIPs. With normal manufacturing facility masses just like the 147 gr. ELD-M you possibly can shoot a mile with relative ease. All that is performed in a brief motion receiver. Learn our full information to the 6.5 PRC right here.

Ballistics

As you possibly can see under, the 6.5 PRC boasts 300 fps greater than that of a 6.5 Creedmoor and it does this, at the least in match bullet trim, with a 147 gr. ELDM whereas the Creedmoor pushes the 140 gr. ELDM. That is obvious within the chart displaying each barrels 24 inches in size.

6.5 Creedmoor 140 gr. ELDM 24” Barrel

6.5 PRC 147 gr. ELDM 24” Barrel

Issues change considerably when the PRC barrel is a 20-inch though the match load remains to be almost 100 fps sooner. However the looking masses take a giant hit, with velocities almost the identical because the 24-inch Creedmoor barrel. This being the case, power on track would be the identical. In different phrases, the 20-inch PRC is not any more practical than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Sure, you profit from a shorter rifle, however you additionally acquire extra recoil.

6.5 PRC 143 gr. ELDX 20” Barrel

6.5 Creedmoor 143 gr. ELDX 24” Barrel

Accuracy

Few issues are extra satisfying in precision capturing than punching tiny teams at 100 yards. It’s much more satisfying when you are able to do that with a “looking” rifle as nicely. Total the 6.5 Creedmoor is extraordinarily exact and it’s uncommon that I take a look at a rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor that doesn’t shoot sub-MOA, five-shot teams with particular ammo. If the construct is stable, whether or not manufacturing facility or customized, and it has a superb 1:8 twist barrel, it’s going to greater than possible shoot Hornady’s 140 gr. ELD-M load nicely. In case your 6.5 Creedmoor received’t shoot the 140 gr. ELD Match, there’s possible one thing unsuitable together with your rifle.

I’ve had good luck with the 6.5 PRC as nicely. At this level, I could sound like a damaged document, however Hornady’s 147 gr. ELD Match load has all the time been a exact spherical and let’s not neglect that it was the one one obtainable for a while.

Felt Recoil

As you possible already know, the 6.5 PRC is a magnum cartridge, primarily based off of the .375 Ruger with a .532” case head and it requires a .540 bolt face. Sure it’s nonetheless brief motion however brings with it a substantial quantity of recoil. Don’t let the 6.5 half idiot you. If I needed to evaluate the recoil of a 6.5 PRC to something, it might be somewhat stouter than a .308 Winchester, relying on the rifle weights and bullet weights, after all. No, it’s not insufferable recoil, but when your capturing requires recognizing your personal misses and impacts, it’s sufficient to alter the end result.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is delicate recoiling, and in my shoulder estimation, 20 % lower than a .308. When you’ve got a muzzle brake or suppressor in your rig, the 6.5 Creedmoor makes for an awesome companion for almost any capturing you need to do. The minimal recoil coupled with the ballistics are two of the explanation why the 6.5 Creedmoor is a no brainer for a rifle buy.

To place primary numbers to this, an 8-pound rifle in 6.5 PRC generates 18.6 f-p of recoil and the 6.5 Creed generates 14.9 f-p in recoil, each firing 143-grain bullets. For reference, an 8-pound .308 Win. firing a 180-grain bullet generates about 17.5 f-p in recoil. 

Rifle Availability

Buying a superb high quality manufacturing facility rifle in both chambering isn’t a lot of a problem. In truth the choices are almost limitless if you would like a manufacturing facility goal rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, or a looking rifle chambered in both 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 PRC. You title the producer they usually possible have a goal targeted Creedmoor and a light-weight looking variant. One solely must do a fast on-line search to uncover a plethora of choices.

We’re within the glory days of rifles. Rifle actions and barrel decisions are plentiful if you wish to construct your personal. Many shooters are choosing barreled actions and shopping for their very own inventory or chassis, bolting them collectively and making a “customized” rifle versus a conventional customized construct. In truth the rifle that I used for reviewing each the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC looking masses was the identical Falkor MT-7 motion, fitted with completely different Proof Analysis prefit barrels. I merely torqued off the 6.5 Creedmoor barrel, and torqued on the 6.5 PRC, and changed the bolt (I ordered two bolts with the Falkor motion). The outcomes communicate for themselves once you have a look at my outcomes. If I can do that, anybody can.

I must also point out the distinction in magazines when you go for a removable journal in your rifle. You’ll want to make use of a .300 WSM journal for the 6.5 PRC, whereas the 6.5 Creedmoor makes use of an AICS journal until the rifle requires a proprietary sort journal.

Learn Subsequent: Greatest 6.5 Creedmoor Rifles

Taking pictures the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor

Years in the past, after having a 6.5 Creedmoor constructed with a barrel from a benchrest-focused producer, I shot teams utilizing seven completely different manufacturing facility masses (one five-shot group per load, per rifle). Whereas I can’t discover the goal (this was a while in 2017), I keep in mind particularly that the general group dimension common was sub .6 inches. So I got down to strive that fast spot verify once more utilizing a target-focused rifle and a lighter, hunting-focused rifle, for every chambering, for a complete of 4 completely different rifle setups.

My method was fairly easy and easy. I fired one five-shot group of every sort of ammunition by every rifle, using the goal masses within the goal rifles, and the looking masses within the looking rifles. The one exception to this was an extra five-shot group shot by the shorter barrel of the looking PRC utilizing the 147 gr. ELD-M goal load. I did this as a result of I needed to understand how a lot slower the heavy goal load can be from the shorter barrel. Velocities have been collected for every load utilizing the superb Garmin Xero chrono.

Goal Rifle 1

6.5 Creedmoor, Falkor Seven motion, Falkor Chassis, Proof SS Competitors Profile barrel (1:8), Timney Set off, Leupold MK5HD 7-37x56mm, MDT Ckyepod, 23 lbs.

Goal Rifle 2

6.5 PRC, trued Remington 700 motion, Hawk Hill Customized MTU profile barrel (1:7.5), Timney Set off, Steiner T6xi 5-30×56, MDT Ckyepod, 20 lbs.

Looking Rifle 1

6.5 Creedmoor, Falkor MT-7 motion, AG Composite AG Hunter fiberglass inventory (no bedding), Proof Prefit 24” Sendero profile barrel (1:8), Set off Tech Set off, Leupold MK5HS 3-18x44mm, Atlas bipod, Elite Iron Asset Lite suppressor, 11lb flat.

Looking Rifle 2 

Identical as looking rifle 1, swapped out prefit barrel, bolt, and journal for six.5 PRC chambering. 

These rifles are on the reverse ends of the rifle spectrum particularly once you think about goal ammo versus looking ammo, however I used to be really fairly shocked by the outcomes. With eight completely different Creedmoor manufacturing facility masses shot by the goal rifle, and 6 completely different masses shot by the looking rifle, the numbers weren’t too far aside. Common group dimension of all of the goal load teams was .712 inches whereas the looking load group was 1.02 inches. Had I finished at six masses with the goal rifle, the outcomes would have been even nearer.

I must also be aware that I shot the goal rifle at 30x magnification (method an excessive amount of magnification) on the optic whereas I maxed out the hunter’s optic at 18x with comparable damaged reticles. Level of influence didn’t shift a lot both, and I maintained the identical level of purpose on the backside tip of the diamond on every goal.

6.5 PRC outcomes have been somewhat extra shocking. Sadly I solely had one goal load, the 147 gr. ELD-M from Hornady. It managed a .527-inch five-round group. The looking rifle, with 4 completely different masses averaged .70 inches with a better of .65 inches from Hornady’s Clothes shop 130 grain CX. That’s simply insane to me. A barrel I threaded on the evening earlier than, after capturing the 6.5 Creedmoor, circled and averaged sub 3/4 MOA. No customized work. No handloading, fiberglass inventory, with no bedding. The 20-inch CF barrel did surrender velocity although, with roughly a 250 fps drop in common velocity. With 4 inches much less barrel, the 6.5 PRC is principally a 6.5 Creedmoor with extra recoil.

Ultimate Ideas on the 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 Creedmoor

The .264 is a superb and confirmed caliber. Like the rest it has its efficiency limitations. For goal capturing in both chambering, it’s correct and fairly exact. Recoil turns into an element with the 6.5 PRC and solely in light-weight rifles.

For looking functions, increased velocities ought to be maintained for effectiveness no matter which chambering you select. The advantage of the PRC is that you could run shorter rifles, thus protecting the general size extra manageable even whereas suppressed. This can be a massive deal for a lot of hunters. If that’s your objective, it’s possible you’ll need to restrict your recreation to particular sizes, and be extra conservative together with your capturing distances. Ultimately, shot placement is king. Apply accordingly.