How many are doing a rebarrel to the 6.5 PRC?

03 February 2019, 20:42

Jeff mills

I am not the type to rush out and jump on the next big thing.
This new cartridge has me interested. It would fill a void I have between cartridges and the caliber is one I have a surplus of 6.5 bullets on the shelf that don't shoot well out of my .260 Remington model seven.
I find myself looking for a cheap rifle to use as a project starter.
I wouldn't be as interested. But it seems barrel makers are chambering an awfully lot of these. That sounds like it is getting use more and more, and popular for both competition and hunting.
This means that brass is very likely to be made by at least a couple companies for a long time to come.
A DIY rebarrel is the high end of my budget at around $800.00 . I doubt any affordable rifles are coming out in this cartridge any time soon.
Would like to hear about your experiences rebarrelling an action to this new cartridge.
Any problems with feeding? Particulars that had to be addressed?

12 February 2019, 22:20

Jeff mills

This seems to be the most affordable way to get shooting this cartridge, as what's in production is $1200.00+.
Guess no one here is doing a project in this cartridge.
Thanks anyway

12 February 2019, 22:57

custombolt

Are you interested in American rifles only?
These Sauer 100's run under $800. Found some on Gunbroker. Might be worth a look. Never owned one. Due diligence required I guess.
Maybe Biebs knows more about them.

Sauer 6.5PRC

12 February 2019, 23:13

dpcd

Post a drawing of the cartridge and I will think about it.

12 February 2019, 23:13

bghntr416

Mauser has also just announced that they will chamber their M18 in this caliber and these models are said to be accurate. Ruger has a long range set up as well. Given the cost to re-barrel and the likely hood that you will have to work on feeding issues I am not sure rebarreling will be the cheapest way to get into a rifle. BTW I have a Bergara Highlander on the way. A bit more money but reviews say they are tack drivers. JB

12 February 2019, 23:38

Duane Wiebe (CG&R)

I'd give this cartridge a little time to ripen...Have you tried to buy any Lazzaroni ammo lately?

13 February 2019, 00:17

Timan

I'm doing a Rem.700 conversion to a Wyatt's 2.995 inch wsm box.
The 6.5 prc is commercially loaded to 2.950 which is too long for a Rem. 700 short wsm box. Hence the conversion. Seating deep and jumping more than necessary isn't a possibility. Client wants to shoot commercial ammo by Hornady.
The tube is a light Palma by K&P 1-8 twist. Love the K&P barrels.

What can the PRC do that the rest of the 6.5's can't do? Not much, except maybe sell more rifles.

13 February 2019, 00:33

butchlambert

Stu, I thought K&P sold out a few years ago.

13 February 2019, 00:58

Timan

Butch , I wasn't aware of that. Ken is going strong in Rapid City SD . I've put on close to 50 of Kens barrels in the last 2 years. I've personally shot every one, they shoot!!.
And Ken can make a barrel almost as fast as you can write a check for it, he's a groove cutting goterdid kind of guy.

13 February 2019, 01:35

butchlambert

I thought when he left Raton the business was gone. Had a big machinery sale back then.

13 February 2019, 02:44

dpcd

I looked it up; it is a 6.5 Creedmoor Magnum.
It won't have anywhere near the success of the 6.5 Creedmoor I predict.
And we already had a 6.5 cartridge with a 60 grain case capacity; the 6.5 Rem Mag. Quite dead.
On second thought, I won't be getting a reamer....

13 February 2019, 08:32

NormanConquest

Yeah,the 264 WM kinda shot that one out of the saddle.

13 February 2019, 19:17

Timan

Butch,
Ken did have his fair share of problems in Raton. He told me his history of the Raton years, in short it didn't work and was wrought with setbacks.
After the Raton experience Tom Houghton hired him and Ken was with HS Precision until Tom Houghton passed away. Right around that time Ken got K&P going again, 1st in his home shop outside of Rapid City then about 3 years ago he moved it into an industrial suite in town, in Rapid City. That shop is a 50 minute drive for me. The opportunity to meet Ken and do business with him face to face is a true honor and privilege to me, it's so nice to have his services so close by, he's a true asset to the area not to mention the rifle world community. As long as the decision is mine I'll never buy barrels from any other maker.

As far as equipment he still has his original core group of machines, drilling, reaming, cnc rifling for cut rifled barrels. He's added a cnc mill and lathe in the last few years, he is well equipped and producing.

13 February 2019, 19:42

butchlambert

quote:
Originally posted by Timan:
Butch,
Ken did have his fair share of problems in Raton. He told me his history of the Raton years, in short it didn't work and was wrought with setbacks.
After the Raton experience Tom Houghton hired him and Ken was with HS Precision until Tom Houghton passed away. Right around that time Ken got K&P going again, 1st in his home shop outside of Rapid City then about 3 years ago he moved it into an industrial suite in town, in Rapid City. That shop is a 50 minute drive for me. The opportunity to meet Ken and do business with him face to face is a true honor and privilege to me, it's so nice to have his services so close by, he's a true asset to the area not to mention the rifle world community. As long as the decision is mine I'll never buy barrels from any other maker.

As far as equipment he still has his original core group of machines, drilling, reaming, cnc rifling for cut rifled barrels. He's added a cnc mill and lathe in the last few years, he is well equipped and producing.

Sounds great Stu.

14 February 2019, 10:05

Jeff mills

Thanks for the replies ,guys.
That Sauer 100 rifle does have an affordable price. But the press fit barrel and general look, isn't something I think I could go for. It only comes in a 22" barrel also.
I am set on having a 24" barrel. Want to get all the performance out of the cartridge.
I have a beautiful peice of walnut I have been saving for a rifle stock build, for over 11-12yrs now and would like a more classic model 70 or a 700 to put it on.
I have spoken to the Remington custom shop, and they will chamber a 700 in the PRC. But not for cheap.
I am patient, so I will wonder around some this spring and see what I come across.

14 February 2019, 18:38

Timan

So Jeff,
Do you see yourself going with a push feed or a controlled round feed action in your build.

15 February 2019, 05:07

Jeff mills

Well crf or not, it will certainly be dependent on the price of the doner rifle. But I don't have any reservations about hunting and Target shooting with a push feed.
I have model 70 rifles in crf and push feed and they both work equally well in most instances.
The only time I see a real difference is if the rifle is canted sideways. Then a controlled round feed will cycle more reliably.

15 February 2019, 05:17

Jeff mills

I would have loved to use a Remington model seven. I was getting some conflicting information for a while as to weather or not this PRC cartridge would work in a seven .
Most know now that it isn't as short a cartridge as some lead us to believe.
Definitely a no/go on the model seven. Unless you seat the bullets awfully deep.
I may actually end up using a long action.

15 February 2019, 16:55

matt salm

The mag box on the Win 70 WSM actions is 3.050" internal length. Works well for 284 based cartridges too. There was a time you could find the WSM 70's pretty reasonable.

15 February 2019, 19:23

Timan

Like Matt says, a donor M-70 WSM would be ideal. I agree with him. Maybe find a good used classic with a worn out barrel for the donor.

Winchester has an action that is kind of a semi crf action I think it's called a Coyote. The bottom of the bolt face is open allowing the cartridge to slide into the bolt face upon feeding.

15 February 2019, 20:46

matt salm

There's a fair collection of Win 70 take-off barrels in a 5 gal bucket next to my lathe from very similar projects such as this one

. The last one dropped in there was a 325 Win and that donor became a 6.5 RSAUM.

16 February 2019, 01:57

Jeff mills

I sure like the 6.5 RSAUM, but ammo and brass availability makes that one a tuff sell.
I really think this newer cartridge, though not any better overall than many previous to it, should stick around a while.
Already a couple different manufacturers making brass, and several companies now sell rifles chambered in the 6.5 PRC.
It doesn't seem to be much different ballisticly than the 6.5x 284, but it appears to be a very efficient cartridge with an excellent recoil to velocity ratio and gets good powder burn out of a 24" barrel.