6.5 PRC vs .280AI

[recurveman]

OP - you don't need another gun. You need more range time and ammo.

The most feared man is a guy with ONE rifle and knows how to use it.

To many guys have a safe full of guns that they get all fired up about and they really never take the time to learn their gun(s). I'm more of a one gun guy and if I need to dump something at a given distance the critter is in trouble. Once you step back to 1000 yards and learn what changes the point of impact then the caliber really doesn't matter. A .308 is a great round to shoot and learn from.

 

[GlockZ]

Between the 2 choices you've narrowed it down to, I'd personally go with the 280AI, factory ammunition choices are scarce for both, but if that's the only downfall, then so be it. I would also second what someone else has posted earlier, you could go with a rifle chambered in 270 Win. It is a very capable round and would be more than sufficient for your needs. Good luck with your choice.

 

[6mm Remington]

You said you are going to use mono bullets and the 120 gr. Nosler E-tip in the 6.5 PRC or the 140 gr. Nosler E-tip in the 280AI would both work very well on elk at the distances you speak of. The mono's seem to penetrate very well and retain their weight. Case in point, my son shot his first elk with one shot at 350 yards with his 6mm Remington using a 90gr. Nosler E-tip. He hit her tight behind the right shoulder and the bullet exited out the left shoulder right in the center of the shoulder. She staggered for 20 yards and dropped.

I think either cartridge would be a lot of fun to have and hunt with. One thing you talked about was not having a lot of selection on choosing a rifle in 280AI as so far not a lot of makers have started chambering it. (Bad on them!) Do what I did.............make the perfect rifle that YOU WANT!

I looked around and found a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter chambered in 270 Winchester as a donor. I purchased it at a good price and made my dream rifle. Had my gunsmith chamber a Shilen match grade stainless barrel 24" with a 1-9 twist. He trued the bolt and action face. The trigger was worked to where it breaks like glass at 2.5 pounds. I like both synthetic and wood stocks and since the wood stock on this rifle was in great shape I kept it and used it. Had the gunsmith pillar and glass bed the stock. The metal work was then coated with John Norrell Moly Resin in a flat black color. It perfectly matches the 4.5-14x40mm Leupold with B&C reticle I mounted on the rifle. It was a lot of fun making the rifle just as I wanted it, and it means more to me I feel than a rifle just purchased off the rack. You might think about doing something like what I did. I know I certainly do not regret it one second. My 280AI is what I used on my grizzly bear hunt last year shooting 140gr. Nosler Accubonds out of it. One shot at 158 yards!!

If you are thinking the 6.5 PRC is the route you are going to go, I certainly don't think that would be a bad one either. It looks to be a great cartridge with excellent ballistics. Thinking along the lines that I did in building my 280AI just as I wanted, and your build, a thought comes to mind. You should be able to find a nice 25-06 chambered in a nice rifle that you like. It would be simple to have it bored out to a 6.5-06. It would have essentially the same ballistics as the 6.5 PRC and 25-06 brass would be easily ran over an expanding ball and there you have 6.5-06 brass simple and easy. The 6.5-06 would be a great cartridge also and not every kid on the block would have one of those either! Go with either one. David

 

[6mm Remington]

The plain Jane 280 Remington would be an excellent choice also. A fabulous cartridge and one I really like also. The 280AI sure has some pop to it though. Here is what these rifles shot over the chronograph shook out.

280 Remington 140 gr. Nosler Partition using IMR4350 22" barrel on a Remington 700 MTN rifle. 2940 fps

280AI 140 gr. Nosler Partition using IMR7828SSC 24" barrel on a Winchester Model 70 action. 3230 fps
140 gr. Nosler Accubond using IMR7828SSC 24" barrel - Winchester Model 70
3186 fps

 

[completesportsman]

If it were me I’d get 280AI, great cartridge, versatile, and because I’m a 7mm fan boy

I have never heard anything about it but I wonder if barrel life would be short on the 6.5prc?

 

[LuketheDog]

I don't care what cartridge you buy as long as it's big enough to do the job and you spend time at the range so you're comfortable with it. I had a guy gut-shoot an elk last week with his grandpa's .338 at 162yds. After the shot he turned to me and said "That didn't kick NEARLY as much as I thought it would". Apparently, contrary to what he'd told me the day before, he'd never actually fired the rifle

 

[Don Fischer]

Yep, I could. But two guns are better than one!
I like my 308 but I’m not in love with it. Ballistically, the bullet has a lot of drop at range and doesn’t take wind as well as others.
But yes, this is mostly a case of want, not need.

Doesn't matter what case a bullet come's out of or the diameter or length of the bullet. All bullet's have a lot of drop at 500 yds! They are also all effected by wind . Your choice of a cartridge will not make you a better 500 yd shot, only practice can do that and then you'll still have to deal with lot's of drop and depending on the wind, wind drift. In other words don't look for a cartridge that solve those thing's for you, it does not exist!Once you practice and are good at 500 yds, try 510 yds. At some point shooting become's a science!

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Screw the itty bitty bullets, after my latest elk hunt failure I’m looking for recommendations for the best “brush busting” rifles. What will be guaranteed to plow through the oakbrush and kill the bull on the other side? I’m thinking a .470 double rifle.

No such thing as a brush busting rifle cartridge.

 

[MTLabrador]

No such thing as a brush busting rifle cartridge.

I know. Maybe I didn’t hit the sarcasm hard enough.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I know. Maybe I didn’t hit the sarcasm hard enough.

You really gotta lay it on thick with this crew

 

[MTLabrador]

You really gotta lay it on thick with this crew

You’ll need a brush buster once the willows start growing up in Colorado. Your rivers are about to be saved.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

You’ll need a brush buster once the willows start growing up in Colorado. Your rivers are about to be saved.

Colorado is going to be a amazing state for chasing beaver...errr or wait not a good state? I can never remember if we get more or less beaver out of this deal

 

[MTLabrador]

Colorado is going to be a amazing state for chasing beaver...errr or wait not a good state? I can never remember if we get more or less beaver out of this deal

I think more..? Because the wolves also kill coyotes. And the coyotes eat beavers.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I think more..? Because the wolves also kill coyotes. And the coyotes eat beavers.

Wolves don’t eat beavers? I thought everyone liked eating beaver...

 

[MTLabrador]

Wolves don’t eat beavers? I thought everyone liked eating beaver...

These wolves are Canadian and they’re too polite to admit that they do.

 

[tzone]

You can have my 280 rem, " when you pry it from my cold dead hands ".

That's kinda how I feel about mine. I'd like to lighten it up a bit though. It's a M70 fwt, but it's far from light.

 

[brockel]

Here’s 4 bullets. Two of them are 6.5 and two are 7mm. One 6.5 is a 140 Berger shot at creedmoor velocities and one is a 140 Berger shot at 3000fps. One 7mm bullet is a 160 grain accubond shot at 3250 FPS and one is a 168 grain accubondlr shot at 2900fps. All pulled from elk. All elk died with no drama. Tell me which bullet is which. Pick whichever cartridge tickles your fancy

 

[Irrelevant]

I thought everyone liked eating beaver...

yes, one of the few things I learned in college.

 

[cahunter805]

Here’s 4 bullets. Two of them are 6.5 and two are 7mm. One 6.5 is a 140 Berger shot at creedmoor velocities and one is a 140 Berger shot at 3000fps. One 7mm bullet is a 160 grain accubond shot at 3250 FPS and one is a 168 grain accubondlr shot at 2900fps. All pulled from elk. All elk died with no drama. Tell me which bullet is which. Pick whichever cartridge tickles your fancy
View attachment 161055

Exploding Target bullets? Say it isn’t so!

Choose whatever cartridge you are comfortable shooting with and practice practice practice. It’s normally not the arrow but the Indian that’s the problem in most situations.

 

[brockel]

Exploding Target bullets? Say it isn’t so!

Choose whatever cartridge you are comfortable shooting with and practice practice practice. It’s normally not the arrow but the Indian that’s the problem in most situations.

Speaking of “exploding target bullets” here’s the off shoulder of my wife’s bull after she punched a 140 Berger through the on shoulder. Bullet made it all the way through and was caught by the hide after going through both shoulders