Thread: 6.5 v 7mm

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

mate......the size of the hole will be stuff all diferent...unless it pencils and even then it will still be the same... frangible is what it is,explody and fly apart... too long and both will tumble at times,too slow and both will not open properly,too fast and both MIGHT be too explody .
and there is such a huge variety of cases to poke them out of,its not apples with apples unless same parent case eg .260 and 7mm/08 nothing is relevant if yo ucant get projectiles in first place...there is the 6 and a bit .257 and the only TRUE 7mm the .277 to also consider....

I have the 284 for hunting and a 6.5x55 for paper (and the eldms for both), I've always been skeptical about the 6.5 at distance but I was surprised by the numbers. Outside the size of the wound channel, they are pretty much equal on paper out to a long way (assuming similar expansion) and the 6.5 does it with about 30% less recoil.

Originally Posted by Fisherman

I have the 284 for hunting and a 6.5x55 for paper (and the eldms for both), I've always been skeptical about the 6.5 at distance but I was surprised by the numbers. Outside the size of the wound channel, they are pretty much equal on paper out to a long way (assuming similar expansion) and the 6.5 does it with about 30% less recoil.

Don't tell everyone about 6.5!
Must say the 168eldm 308 do the trick as well.
When I went to buy my first rifle I quizzed my guru hunting mate and his advice was if your going to put a hole in it make it a big one.
So bought an old Mauser Fiberglass stock 30-06 and no cans in those days!
Talk about recoil!
To be fair shot placement is the big one and not over stepping the chambering and your ability.
It takes years to master the above 3!

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@andyanimal31 is right about shot placement. For many years when I started hunting deer I just aimed at the chest area. As I gained experience I've learnt to pick the exact spot on the animal I want to hit. I was sighting in on paper and shooting MOA or less then going out and aiming at the big bit on animals.

I imagine that part of the 6.5 thing at distance is at what point it stops being frangible, then you would expect considerably slower killing. The PRC would move that distance quite a way out from the 450 yards I've seen the 6.5x55 being effective (shooting at the big bits).

Shoot to kill and the animals won’t know the difference. Since I bought my PRC earlier this year, I’ve shot 27 deer from 31 shots, from ranges 80m to 560m. The furthest any ran after being shot was 30m. My 7mm results were not much different if I recall correctly, although the hit/miss ratio has increased over the last 12 years of using it


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Originally Posted by JoshC

Shoot to kill and the animals won’t know the difference. Since I bought my PRC earlier this year, I’ve shot 27 deer from 31 shots, from ranges 80m to 560m. The furthest any ran after being shot was 30m. My 7mm results were not much different if I recall correctly, although the hit/miss ratio has increased over the last 12 years of using it


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Just got a message from a mate who put down a Sika at 700 yards with PRC (147eldm), be bloody cold up there this morning.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

shit loads of difference....you can shoot animal with your 7mm projectiles but you cant buy any 6.5mm ones to use.

Other way around Micky. There's plenty of 6.5 140 & 147 ELDM on the shelf, its the 7mm that's suffering the most.

Anyway to the OP, 6.5 all the way....just coz, rest is all academic

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. 17% bigger hole 100mm off target makes 50% longer kill time. Of cause my stats mean nothing.
First consideration has to be can you shoot it accurately?

Currently having a 6.5 built, looking forward to it

First point is that in general cases for the 6.5 cal are smaller because grain for grain of powder they generate more pressure and more barrel erosion. So powder charge and kinetic energy are less than with the equivalent 7mm. Eg 260 Rem vs 7mm08. Its easier to build an accurate rifle in a lower power cartridge and easier to shoot it well.

The main thing is that for the same bullet weight you get better BC in. 6.5 which improves your probability for shot placement ( but only noticeable at > 300 m and if you use a rangefinder well).

Originally Posted by Bagheera

First point is that in general cases for the 6.5 cal are smaller because grain for grain of powder they generate more pressure and more barrel erosion. So powder charge and kinetic energy are less than with the equivalent 7mm. Eg 260 Rem vs 7mm08. Its easier to build an accurate rifle in a lower power cartridge and easier to shoot it well.

The main thing is that for the same bullet weight you get better BC in. 6.5 which improves your probability for shot placement ( but only noticeable at > 300 m and if you use a rangefinder well).

Recoil is massive for me for some reason, I get good results but it makes the preparation harder, zeroing, practice etc. I shot a sika hind at about 400 yards a while back with my mates 6.5x55 (143eldx @2700fps) and my only thought after letting it go was "no recoil", dropped the hind on the spot, I might work up a load and see where it goes.

Originally Posted by Fisherman

Just got a message from a mate who put down a Sika at 700 yards with PRC (147eldm), be bloody cold up there this morning.

They punch above their weight

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I shot the 147 and 156 in my 6.5 saum and the 168 in my 7saum I get far more bang flops with the 168 but it’s considerably heavier so it’s apples for oranges .260 and 7-08 with 143 eldx and 140 NBT would probably be as close in weight as you could get for a decent comparison I find my 7 kills faster but same thing heavier pill so it’s a little more forgiving . I had endless bangflops on Tahr with my 6.5x55 with 139gn sp probably more than any other rifle iv had

With the absolute non existent supply of 7mm projectiles its a fairly easy choice to go for something that actually has projectiles available. So with that you've got 6.5, .277 and 30 cal. Put the rightly constructed bullet in the right place and I'm sure they won't tell the difference.

( I own 2 7mms and It's a shit to shoot them as every projectile counts)

Originally Posted by Rock river arms hunter

With the absolute non existent supply of 7mm projectiles its a fairly easy choice to go for something that actually has projectiles available. So with that you've got 6.5, .277 and 30 cal. Put the rightly constructed bullet in the right place and I'm sure they won't tell the difference.

( I own 2 7mms and It's a shit to shoot them as every projectile counts)

Berger the world