6.5 PRC vs. .257 Wby. Mag

I have a .257 Wby. mag., and it super accurate, and a wicked deer killer with mild recoil. I use factory Wby. 115 NBT ammo in the .257. I just got a Super Grade in .264 Win. mag., but haven't even shot it yet...still waiting for the scope. I only hunt whitetails, but if I hunted elk, I would grab the 7 RM, or the .300 Wby. mag.
 
I reload my 257 to keep cost low. It shoots the 110 accubond very well and is a really good deer round. I have killed a few elk with the 115 Barnes. Very accurate round that shoots sub MOA with just about anything I put through it.
 
I do not have a 6.5 PRC but recently built .264 WM with 26" specifically built to propel the 156 Berger. Also, in the process of building .257 WBTY specifically for the 133 Berger. The barrel is going to be 22" and suppressed. I cannot find the 133s at the moment but I have 117 Cayugas to try. I have another 8-10 weeks wait for the barrel so I am in no hurry.
 
I can’t add much about the 6.5 prc, but I’ve had a 257 weatherby for about 6 years. I’ve used nosler factory 110 accubonds and hand loaded 100 grain Barnes ttsx with a hot load of rl-22. Those 100 grain Barnes hit so hard at those speeds. It’s amazing watching a 100 grain bullet just pancake big bodied deer. I never chronographed them, but I’d guess 3600-3700 FPS going based off what others have said with the same load.
 
Reloading the 257 is relatively easy..at least it has been for me. A max load at max COL has never failed to result in sub MOA. My 110 accubonds are @ 3475
 
utah400elk said:
I reload my 257 to keep cost low. It shoots the 110 accubond very well and is a really good deer round. I have killed a few elk with the 115 Barnes. Very accurate round that shoots sub MOA with just about anything I put through it.
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What rifle & barrel twist?
 
If you end up going .257 Wby I have 200 117 grain Hornady Sst bullets and well over 100 rounds of brass some once fired some never fired that I’m gonna sell soon on here as well as the RCBS die set and 2 shell holders for that size carriage in the die. Some of the brass is Hornady and some is Weatherby which I believe is made by Norma. If the OP or anyone else is interested in this just PM me and I’ll send you pics of what I have available and you can make me an offer.
 
In my opinion, a great all around rifle should have lots of bullet weight options, and be capable of pushing those bullets over 2,900fps.
The 6.5 PRC is certainly that.
Reasonable recoil, ammo cost, and more importantly be offered in rifles that are affordable.
The 6.5 PRC fits all that.
Very capable for coyotes to elk.
I would certainly look hard at the PRC.
 
Not sure if the OP has decided on a rifle, but in the current state of ammo and reloading supplies just from what I’ve observed. I’ve seen more 257 wby ammo on the shelf during this shortage than any prc. I guess I’d take that and help decide if buying a gun that likely won’t get shot until the supply comes back or get one that will be able to be shot.
 
bf1002 said:
Thanks for all the information. I am heading to the local gun shop this weekend and will see what I like.
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Own both love both but the 6.5 is something else. Extremely accurate and very tight. Having some issues getting bolt to operate smooth on ejection. Better bullet sizes also
 
bf1002 said:
Looking to purchase a new rifle and I think I 've narrowed it down to one of these two calibers. I'm looking for a gun to shoot everything from TX whitetail to Elk with. Realistically 500 yds is probably the max I feel comfortable shooting at right now. I don't reload right now and I am worried about finding ammo for either one of these cartridges. I know they are both fairly flat shooting calibers, but would one do better against larger game? I've read a ton on both, but would like to hear from people that have actually used them in the field. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
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6.5 rpm.
 
How did your testing of this rifle go ? Did you get a chance to hunt with it ?
Big Fin said:
I find this discussion timely. Howa just sent me a new 6.5PRC that we are testing for a lightweight mountain rifle. The first iteration has a carbon stock and traditional Howa barreled action. Mostly checking for weight, balance, and recoil. If it works how I expect, they want me to test it in a full carbon set up, stock and barrel.

They have sent me four 6.5 CMs over the years and I'm not overly impressed with that round. It doesn't do anything that my many 7mm-08s can't do just as well, at the ranges I keep myself to while hunting. Maybe I am stuck in the past, the same way those rifles are stuck in the back of my safe.

The 6.5 PRC does interest me from a ballistics standpoint. The 6.5 as a caliber is proven for decades. The bullet selection, when available, make for a lot of appealing options. Just not sure what the recoil will be in a lightweight platform. Guess I will find out over the next few months ......... if I can get my hands on any
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From my understanding, and I may be wrong, but the 6.5 PRC is essentially a modern, standardized version of the 6.5-284. From what I've seen there are several chamber versions of the 6.5-284 and no standard, when Hornady came out with the PRC it set a standard, and in certain aspects made a slightly better version of 6.5-284. The 257 WBY is in a class by itself, a capable cartridge for sure. If you don't reload, the Weatherby can be expensive.
 
Bought 6.5rpm in the Mark5 classic. Love it. Weathby 140gr interlock in cloverleaf at 125 yards First deer taken was quarter ing to me, entered just in front of rt shoulder and exited left rib cage cutting 4 ribs. My buddy who owns a prc was impressed
 
GlockZ said:
From my understanding, and I may be wrong, but the 6.5 PRC is essentially a modern, standardized version of the 6.5-284. From what I've seen there are several chamber versions of the 6.5-284 and no standard, when Hornady came out with the PRC it set a standard, and in certain aspects made a slightly better version of 6.5-284. The 257 WBY is in a class by itself, a capable cartridge for sure. If you don't reload, the Weatherby can be expensive.
Click to expand...
Yup,
Your wrong. :D

The 6.5-284 is a SAAMI standardized cartridge.
There is also a 6.5-284 Norma that is CIP standardized.
The Europeans (CIP) have to submit standardization & proof information for any changes to the original chamber design.
Hence if they do a longer or shorter freebore they have to rename it and get aproval.

Much like the 6BR Remington SAAMI here, but 6BR Norma CIP there.
CIP i believe also requires a proofing if your going to change chamber pressures also.
 
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