6.5 PRC hunting build

So I've been doing a lot of research (this site has been invaluable) and I'm going to be doing a rebarrel of a Savage 16 from .300WSM to 6.5PRC just to see how easily(or not) that it can be done. If Savage was offering the new 110's in 6.5PRC I wouldn't be writing this but unfortunately so far I only see the High Country (8.5lbs naked) and the 10GRC (10lbs) offered in this chambering.

I haven't hunted the last few years and need a new hunting rifle. I live in Calgary, Alberta so I want a rifle that has the reach to take antelope out on the prairies, the power for moose or elk out to a couple hundred yards in the foothills, and is light enough for mulies and sheep in the Rockies, with fairly low recoil. I don't want to turn this into a caliber debate, just giving a bit of logic on why I'm going this route. I've always been a .308 guy but my friends finally convinced me that 6.5CM just makes sense if a guy is buying a new rifle. I was all set to go that route, but then a few months ago my brother who handloads told me about the 6.5PRC. It seems all of the arguments for why the Creedmoor is superior to the .308 apply to the 6.5PRC over the Creedmoor. So here we are.

Last weekend I picked up a model 16 in .300WSM:

https://i.imgur.com/LkzGdlJ.jpg

I put it on the scale and it sits at exactly 8 lbs with scope and sling which is light enough for my needs but it has has a blind mag. I prefer dbm and I plan on bedding the stock so I found a take off model 12VLP laminate with 2 magazines that arrived in the mail last night.

When I get home from work I'll be swapping out the stocks. The magazines are .308/243 but I'll pop my existing box from the .300WSM onto one of the magazines bottoms which should be a straight swap. I'll try to get some pictures up tonight. Feel free to post questions, criticism, and any advice!

Update:

Proved a few things that were obvious and some things that weren't:

The action fit beautifully in to the new stock:

https://i.imgur.com/7RrgP3g.jpg



Unfortunately as many of you probably predicted like I did, it is quite a bit heavier now. I can't tell you how much it weighs, but I can say that it is now exactly two lbs. heavier. I weighed it with the old scope and the sling re-attached so I know the difference is purely the stock. Apart from the fact one is tupperware and the other is laminate, there is a lot more "meat" to the laminate:

https://i.imgur.com/sNWqw1N.jpg


The next dissapointment was the barrel contouring. The 12VLP stock was built around a varmint profile barrel. I reckoned a magnum profiled .300wsm couldn't be all that skinnier. I was wrong:

https://i.imgur.com/Ks5Z0x8.jpg


I have it rolled to one side in the picture but that gap is on both sides of the barrel, approximately 3/16" each side. I figured the weight gain could be offset with some selective butt drilling (yeah i said that) and inletting, but with the barrel channel being so wide I'm going to give up on it. I certainly don't want a heavier profile barrel adding more weight. I'm going to see whats out there for tupperware with DBM.

The high point of the exercise was the magazines. The box in the blind stock came out easy enough. There is quite a visible difference in the feed lips of the standard vs. the magnum boxes.

https://i.imgur.com/lwzf3aG.jpg

The followers were also slightly off and even though they look very close, they were not interchangeable.

https://i.imgur.com/Z5hHwb5.jpg

I swapped the magnum box and follower onto the standard base in about 10 seconds, it fit perfectly. The project is going to wait while I decide how to proceed with my stock, as I said 10lbs just isn't going to cut it. I will have an update towards the end of next week though. My brother is coming for a visit and will load a couple dummy rounds in 6.5PRC. I'm hoping I can verify feeding from the mag, even though it is still wearing the WSM barrel. If it looks like the feed lips only need minor tweaking I'm going to purchase the barrel. Planning a 24" Shilen prefit in heavy sporter or magnum profile.

https://i.imgur.com/U4P2feT.jpg

I think you will find the 6.5 PRC and easy swap with just a little narrowing of the feed lips. What overall length on the inside of that WSM magazine? 2.950?

Hi Robinhood,

When I was looking into this everything I could find online suggested the mag boxes on the Savage SA is about 3". This one is actually:

https://i.imgur.com/15actTw.jpg

Excellent. There are few better short actions for this task. Hang it our and stuff it full!

Nm

my wsm mag box measures near same and feeds 2.97 just fine. Its nice to use that capacity

Thanks for the support. Luckily I don't have to defend my decision too hard. I'm without a hunting rifle currently after taking a break for a few years so I'm not replacing .308 with a 6.5. One of the Creedmoor fanboys I hang with sent me this article that finally won me over:

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/20...08-winchester/

Its mildly offensive, long winded, and pretty funny. But It was also pretty logical to me and I think the arguments hold just as true comparing 6.5CM to 6.5PRC. I know I'm just re-inventing the wheel and guys have attempted or done all this before but I like to try things for myself. Plus it annoyed me greatly to go into one of the big box hunting stores and I asked the guy behind the gun counter if they were expecting anything chambered in 6.5PRC to come in this year. A blank look and "What is that?" were the response.

Lucky for me this will be "The one rifle" I will need and the last one I ever have to spend money on. Right? Right.

Nm

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Orr89rocz

my wsm mag box measures near same and feeds 2.97 just fine. Its nice to use that capacity

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Thanks for the input. :cool: Are you loading 6.5PRC? 143 Eld-x, or something different?

Quote:

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7mm-300WM

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Dave, is that Practical?

...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brokenhead

Thanks for the input. :cool: Are you loading 6.5PRC? 143 Eld-x, or something different?

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oh no i am a 300 wsm. Just confirming the mag box works fine up to 2.97 which will help with the 6.5 prc length

Nm

You got it. :cool:

Nm

So I put the laminate stock up for trade hoping to find a plastic stock that's inlet for bottom metal and a great guy from Saskatchewan contacted me. We've swapped stocks and I'm much happier with the fit. The magnum contour barrel will free float with a touch of sanding and I'm sure a sporter or heavy sporter will pop right in. I weighed it and with bottom metal and the magnum profile .300wsm barrel at 24" it's an even 7lbs. With my scope and a sling it will be 8.5lbs which is light enough for my purposes.

https://i.imgur.com/QKUgSVN.jpg

My brother slapped a 143gr eld-x into a case just shy of 3". I gave a quick flex to the magazine feed lips by putting a set of needlenose in the front and then the rear of lips and pulled them open just a touch. Even at the length shown below it fed perfectly, so it will definitely work at max COAL. I probably didn't even need to adjust the lips.

https://i.imgur.com/dHyVCOy.jpg

Now I just need to order a barrel and get it on. I think I will shave weight and go with a heavy sporter profile. Might be a while before the next update, gotta raise some cash to order the barrel. Pretty safe to say if a guy picked up any Savage short action in any wsm chambering its a matter of twisting on a new barrel.

Thanks for this info... I am looking to build one of these myself. Tagged and looking forward to seeing groups!

Well boys, the long wait is over. Ordered the barrel May 5th and it showed up today. Now I just gotta get it on and wait for my brother to load some cartridges. Still haven't seen any on the shelf anywhere.

https://i.imgur.com/AOrOBek.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NRNNamh.jpg

The 6.5 PRC sure is impressive. I have a couple stories that are almost unbelievable with mine. It cuts the wind SO nicely. I am not sure it is quite as big of jump from the 6.5 Creedmoor to the PRC as it is from the 308 to 6.5 Creedmoor, but I am liking it a LOT!

Hi want2ride,

What powder are you using?