6.5 PRC?

[Sadler]

So I have a 6.5 PRC being built right now so I can have a long range low recoil rifle as my main hunting rifle for elk and deer BUT I was just invited to go on an Alaskan moose hunt this coming September. This throws a wrench in things, in a good way though.

I’ve already bought all the parts for the gun and want to know if anyone has successfully killed moose with the 6.5 caliber. I’ve never hunted moose before but I’ve heard they just kind of stand there and soak up bullets until they tip over. And based on videos I’ve seen, if they do run they don’t run far so follow up shots should be easy to make. That’s all situational of corse.

So should I just pony up another $650 and get another barrel in 284 or 308 or just run heavy 6.5 bullets like the 156 Bergers and go for it? This rifle will be suppressed if that makes any difference.

 

[270quest]

I plan to use my 6.5 prc and 139 scenars if and when I draw Idaho moose.

 

[Dioni A]

6.5x55 was one of the all time most popular moose cartridges in European countries. Maybe try a heavy bonded bullet or partition

 

[ljalberta]

There are some people who use a .243 to regularly kill moose. You do your job, and the bullet will do its job.

 

[WRO]

I'd run the 143 eldx.. moose die easy generally.


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[hodgeman]

6.5 PRC would work with a good bonded or monolithic bullet and a solid presentation...but it's really too light in my book since you aren't guaranteed any of those things. It's true they are soft for their enormous size, but make no mistake, they can take plenty of killing to get on the ground.

Swedish moose hunting and Alaskan moose hunting are two entirely different things. The Swedes are basically farming them and shooting them in drive hunts in the fall with plenty of yearlings and cows in the harvest. Alaska moose can vary widely. My closest shot was 250 yards, furthest at 415...one was broadside, one was hard quartering away., one was in a lake. You might be near water or have a critter at a bad angle and even the smallest legal bull is going to be fairly big and a 6.5 with a soft bullet can get outclassed in a hurry.

Whenever I have a moose tag in my pocket, I take a .300 loaded with Accubonds or Partitions.

 

[carter33]

I'd run the 143 eldx.. moose die easy generally.


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Agreed that a 6.5 PRC is plenty. Interested in your thoughts in the 143 eldx over the 156 Berger?

I plan on running the 156 Berger’s in my 6.5 PRC but don’t even have it in my hands yet. My thought is that neither are “controlled expansion” and the 156 is heavier and has a higher BC. Having seen the 143 eldx and 156 Berger’s cut in half the extra jacket thickness on the eldx seems nominal. I took my most recent moose with a 210 Berger out of a 300 win mag and it did great but realize that is completely different and probably not relevant.

 

[VernAK]

6.5 PRC would work with a good bonded or monolithic bullet and a solid presentation...but it's really too light in my book since you aren't guaranteed any of those things. It's true they are soft for their enormous size, but make no mistake, they can take plenty of killing to get on the ground.

Swedish moose hunting and Alaskan moose hunting are two entirely different things. The Swedes are basically farming them and shooting them in drive hunts in the fall with plenty of yearlings and cows in the harvest. Alaska moose can vary widely. My closest shot was 250 yards, furthest at 415...one was broadside, one was hard quartering away., one was in a lake. You might be near water or have a critter at a bad angle and even the smallest legal bull is going to be fairly big and a 6.5 with a soft bullet can get outclassed in a hurry.

Whenever I have a moose tag in my pocket, I take a .300 loaded with Accubonds or Partitions.

Undoubtedly the Bergers will kill a moose if everything goes as planned. If something goes wrong and you now have a running away shot, the pelvic area can be very lethal but requires a substantial bullet to get there and break down those hind quarters. I'd opt for monolithic or bonded core bullets.

I've shot Bergers for bench match and predators and they fly really well but I wouldn't use em for my moose hunting. YMMV.

 

[hodgeman]

If something goes wrong and you now have a running away shot, the pelvic area can be very lethal but requires a substantial bullet to get there and break down those hind quarters. I'd opt for monolithic or bonded core bullets.

Absolutely- the one I hit hard quartering away was a follow up on a botched first shot. The bullet hit him in the ball joint and ripped the femoral artery in half...he was down instantly in a red spray. It was the quickest kill shot on a moose I've ever seen. Not something I'd do on purpose, but it doesn't always work like that and it definitely doesn't work with soft bullets.

 

[Yellowknife]

6.5 PRC would work with a good bonded or monolithic bullet and a solid presentation...but it's really too light in my book since you aren't guaranteed any of those things. It's true they are soft for their enormous size, but make no mistake, they can take plenty of killing to get on the ground.

I'm with Hodgman on this one. You don't need a lot of horsepower to kill a moose, but you do want the penetration to punch through that shoulder at a quartering angle and still have enough left to put a good size hole in the lungs behind it.

At standard ranges, a PRC is a ballistic twin to a .270 winchester. That caliber has a long track record on moose, but most who use lighter calibers have opted for controlled expansion bullets. If you have to use a 6.5, I'd be going with one of the many premium options. And I say that as a guy who uses cup and core (including ELDX and Bergers) the for most my hunting.

 

[sheepaholic]

Ive killed British Columbia bull moose with my kids .243, i plan on hunting moose with my 6.5 PRC.

 

[Bruce Culberson]

Something like the 140 Accubond (SD 287 and BC 509) is where I would start with load development....

 

[Sadler]

Thanks for all the input guys. I’ll stay away from the Bergers and stick with a heavy accubond or partition. The monolithic bullets (Barnes and Nosler) all seem to be lighter other than the Cutting Edge Bullets. Have any of you guys used those? Or a heavier one other than those three?

 

[Wapiti1]

Barnes and Nosler make bullets for the standard twist rate SAAMI lists for that cartridge. Since copper weighs less, their bullet is the same volume as the heavier lead core, but lighter in weight. Cutting Edge makes the ideal bullet weights and ignores rifling twist assuming their customers will choose accordingly. Cutting Edge bullets are very good performers. Hammer would be another to look at in a mono-metal. Also good bullets.

If it were me, I would shoot 160gr Woodleigh PP Weldcore. Huntingtons carries them. You'd be hard pressed to find a better heavy 6.5mm bullet.

Jeremy

 

[Sadler]

Barnes and Nosler make bullets for the standard twist rate SAAMI lists for that cartridge. Since copper weighs less, their bullet is the same volume as the heavier lead core, but lighter in weight. Cutting Edge makes the ideal bullet weights and ignores rifling twist assuming their customers will choose accordingly. Cutting Edge bullets are very good performers. Hammer would be another to look at in a mono-metal. Also good bullets.

If it were me, I would shoot 160gr Woodleigh PP Weldcore. Huntingtons carries them. You'd be hard pressed to find a better heavy 6.5mm bullet.

Jeremy

I’m definitely going to try out those 160’s. Thanks for that. I’ve never heard of those bullets before and they look like they’ll work perfectly for what I need.

 

[OXN939]

I’m definitely going to try out those 160’s. Thanks for that. I’ve never heard of those bullets before and they look like they’ll work perfectly for what I need.

Nosler E Tips. Deep, consistent penetration and virtually 100% weight retention. Exactly what you want for extra large game.

 

[EJFS]

I'm sure it'll get the job done no problem under ideal conditions, but moose hunting opportunities are pretty darn rare unless you live in AK... I think I'd want a little more knock down just in case your only shot ends up being further than you'd like, harder quartering angle, through some brush, etc. If you already have a 300 that seems like the obvious choice to me.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

It wouldn’t be my first choice but whatever. I used a 375HH with a 260g accubond from 120yds, I was happy with the results and sold on the caliber/bullet.

 

[Sadler]

It wouldn’t be my first choice but whatever. I used a 375HH with a 260g accubond from 120yds, I was happy with the results and sold on the caliber/bullet.

The more I’m looking into it and thinking about it, the more I’m questioning it. I don’t doubt that it’ll kill a moose but like EJFS said, moose hunting opportunities are rare and I don’t live up there so having more knockdown power for potential bad shot placement seems to be the right way to go. Luckily I’ll have a 300 PRC I can use by the time the hunt rolls around.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

The more I’m looking into it and thinking about it, the more I’m questioning it. I don’t doubt that it’ll kill a moose but like EJFS said, moose hunting opportunities are rare and I don’t live up there so having more knockdown power for potential bad shot placement seems to be the right way to go. Luckily I’ll have a 300 PRC I can use by the time the hunt rolls around.

yeah, if you are making the trip up to hunt as a non resident it dosent make sense to bring anything less than the ideal rifle along. Just my opinion though. I used a 30-07 for a long time on moosebut after watching my buddy do his last year with a 375, I decided I was going 375 for Moose.