I think my worst recoil experience ever was with a .300 Weatherby. I had this in a Mark V for about five years. With a 200 grain Accubond loaded to 3000 fps, it just sucked. Very nasty, sharp recoil impulse, and this was maybe a 10 pound gun. Even my .30-06 is a lot easier to shoot with a 168 @ 2880.

Yeah my dads 300weatherby kicked my ass.

I have an old .270 Remington pump that feels like getting punched in the shoulder. Not sure why but it is miserable to shoot.

Now y'all talmbout my all-time favorite caliber. Been putting that .300 Weatherby Backcountry Ti in my cart for about a year now. I've read the 300PRC will outrun her, but I'm a sucker for that fat girl with a belt.

https://shooterscalculator.com/recoil-calculator.php

https://www.nosler.com/6-5-prc#WPLIRN7

It is indeed a hell of a cartridge. Incredible ballistics and will drive a big heavy bullet at a pretty high speed.

Green2Maroon said:

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It is indeed a hell of a cartridge. Incredible ballistics and will drive a big heavy bullet at a pretty high speed.

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And will drive a big heavy clavicle back the other way…

I shot a .500 Nitro once. Once. And that was still more preferable to my Dad's old .300WBY.

A .500 Nitro wasn't as bad? Lol that's kinda surprising. Although the .300 WBY definitely kicks.

I shot my dad's old 7 mag with a <20" barrel. I do not like that gun

A 7 mag with a 20" barrel? That would have to be very loud as well as heavy recoil.

It's not pleasant. I shot half a box of that and a box of .308 this morning.

My shoulder hurts.

Not exactly sure where barrel starts, but it's between 19 & 21"

OP, the round you are looking for if you think the CM doesn't suit you is the 6.5x284

One major thing to consider is rifle weight. That's a big deal in a hunting rifle, and where the weight is located and how the rifle balances is another.

I suspect I have more experience with inexperienced shooters and the CM than most. Being able to shoot a lot makes you a better shooter, 200 FPS don't matter at all when you don't put it in the right place.

My opinion is the 6.5 PRC is a solution in search of a problem. It has advantages around the edges, but it brings a matching set of issues. Now, don't ask me to pick between my 300 PRC and my 338L…that would be ugly. If you want true performance then get a 300 PRC, but it's not a gun to practice with either.

A guy named Hornady told me the 6.5 was to "fill the line". It did. I really tried to like it. But I think there are better answers. And less problems.

Any idea of velocity with this? You don't see a 20" barreled 7 mag every day.

I have no idea. I also have a browning medallion22-250 with about the same length barrel, and a youth 243 with like a 16" barrel. Those were all his, and became mine

I'm not real sure why my dad did that, as I would imagine it loses a lot of velocity. The 7 mag just seems ****ing dumb honestly… that's probably what my kids will say about my 10" .556 though lol. seems I got my love for short barrels from him.

I had though about upgrading the glass and putting a brake on the 7,but didn't. That's the last gun my dad hunted with before he died and I want to keep it exactly as it was. I really only pull it out when I'm missing him, and I got a 308 to use instead.

Anywho, sorry for hijacking

I always liked the 7 mag ballistics but chose the .280AI instead. Definitely more efficient with nearly the same speed. Mine is a 24" barrel though.

JeremiahJohnson said:

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Interesting. Do you have a link to that Nosler calculator? Want to see my loads.

Most recoil tables I've read put 308 with more recoil with 150+ grain bullets. They have 308 lower with 125 grain. Hell if I know. Just from googling today. Need someone like Pew Science or precision rifle blog to do the testing with instruments rather than formulas.

https://www.sportsmans.com/recoil-table

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Dude. Quit looking at generic tables, they're fing worthless. There ARE calculators out there were you can control for all the variables. But it really shouldn't be this hard… you said you reload, so you're putting 55ish grains in your PRC load? Compared to low 40's for the 7mm-08, 308 win, and CM. It doesn't take fancy testing, just common sense, to see the PRC is going to recoil much more everything else constant.


Idk wtf you were googling, but here are a few:
https://shooterscalculator.com/recoil-calculator.php
https://bisonballistics.com/calculators/recoil
https://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmrecoil-5.1.cgi
https://robrobinette.com/Gun_Recoil_Calculator.html
https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/recoil-energy

So all recoil tables are worthless. Got it

Only 6.5 I have fired is the .260. Recoil is a lot milder than the .280AI and .30-06 class. I can comfortably shoot 30-40 rounds of .260. I can't do that with the two bigger rounds, you're talking more like 10 or 15 depending on the load. The Creedmoor is going to recoil about like the .260. PRC will definitely be worse although not a .30-06.

tandy miller said:

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6.5 Grendel > all other 6.5

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For a kid starting out, the Grendel is a good option too.

So OP. Were we any help?

Of course.

Came with the Crossfire on it. I'm planning to put something a bit more powerful than the 3x9 on it but excited to get to the range with it. Hoping the ammo I ordered gets here in time to do that on Saturday. Supposed to go to Pearsall on the 12th so would be nice if I could take this. If not, the .270 will do the trick. Thanks for all the feedback. Some of you need to chill.

ETA: if anyone is interested in the Crossfire on it, let me know. Vortex Crossfire II, 3x9x40. Came with Vortex literature but not a Vortex-specific box for it.

We will never chill haha. Glad you got your gun. Assume you went with the PRC? If you are near BCS I can give you a box until yours comes in.

Yes, went with the PRC. I spoke to a couple other folks who had good things to say about it. Been 16 years since I've bought a new rifle and I was ready to try something new. Not getting rid of my .270 but really excited to try something different for a bit at least.

All PRCs are for long distance shooting. The ammo costs shttons of money and is impossible to find. Which is to say, it's a terrible caliber for a kids first deer rifle. Theres like 20 better options with reasonably price ammo.

I just started killed with mine this year and it is doing the job on deer and pigs. I've been wary of shots closer than 100 yds out of concern of expansion issues (note: shooting 120 gr Barnes TTSX), but I just flattened a big doe at 50 yds with a devastating wound channel. I'm loving it thus far. I've got a Howa 1500 heavy barrel and it really doesn't kick much at all.

Wasn't all that familiar with it when I wrote that but I have a few other options that could fill that role if I decide I like the PRC enough for it to be my go-to. I was able to find ammo pretty easily on ammoseek at $36/box of 20 so not substantially more expensive then really any other.

tandy miller said:

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I bought a 6.5 creedmoor a few weeks ago. It came with a free tracking dog

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If i was buying again, i would get a 6.5C/7mm-08 with an 18 inch barrel and suppress it. Easily maneuverable in a blind with a suppressor. teach kids to shoot without the big concussive blast distracting or scaring them.

LilSebastian13 said:

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Yes, went with the PRC. I spoke to a couple other folks who had good things to say about it. Been 16 years since I've bought a new rifle and I was ready to try something new. Not getting rid of my .270 but really excited to try something different for a bit at least.

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Every kid is different of course, but the biggest challenges in my mind for young shooters are stock length, weight, recoil, and muzzle blast. We bought our kids a .243 with a youth stock and they love it. All of his little hunting friends use .243, 6.5 cred, or 6.5 grendel.

In about three years when your boy wants to start hunting you will buy another rifle that will fit him Then when he gets a little older you will give him this one. And then you will miss this one and have to go buy another one. But since you have been shooting the 6.5 PRC for years at this point you will decide to try something different and buy a different gun. In other words you did this the correct way.

Exactly how I felt

The Academy by me has been consistently stocked with Precision Hunter in 6mmCM, 6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC, and 300 PRC. The 6.5 PRC is only $5/box more than the CM so I don't understand what the fuss is about.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/christensen-arms-mesa-bolt-action-rifle



FYI, Cabela's has a nice sale on some Christensen Arms 6.5
You have to find the right combo of finish/stock colors to find it.
But I saved $400 and got the 6.5 PRC for $899 (green w/ black webbing)

Now I just need to find some glass to put on it...

Is an option the .257 Weatherby? Ammo is pretty expensive on it though. Great shooting gun. It was my wife's Christmas present from her dad in 2021 but basically became mine in 2022.

I've always kinda wanted a .257 Weatherby. Lightning fast, flat as a pancake, and can reach way out there.