Ok, that’s a shorter list than I was expecting. Follow up. How many times do you want to pull the trigger, per year?
For deer, 6.5 Creedmoor is plenty. It’s plenty for elk too, if you’re a good shot. I’m a good shot. I shot a 300 WSM on my last elk hunt. Why? ft-lbs of energy. 6.5 CM - 2300. 6.5 PRC - 2800. 300 WSM - 3400. A 30 cal bullet traveling at 3000 fps is a lot of energy, especially at normal hunting distances (400 yards and in). Make a mistake and the 6.5 mm bullet is just less forgiving. 6.5 PRC is more so than CM, but still.
But let’s say you’ll shoot 100 deer for every elk you kill. 99% of the time, you’re shooting a deer, rather than some big bodied 600 lb behemoth. Let’s talk about why you might want a 6.5 CM vs a 6.5 PRC.
1. Cost. 6.5 CM is much less expensive.
2. Availability. 6.5 CM is much easier to find under normal circumstances.
3. Recoil. CM will have less recoil and muzzle blast than PRC.
4. Barrel life. CM will last into the several thousand . PRC will be in the 1500-2000 max I think.
But to be fair, we have to talk about the PRC advantages, too.
1. Down range energy. @ 400 yards, 1475 vs 1800 ft-lbs on a Hornady 143 ELD-X. PRC
2. More versatile. 6.5 PRC can hunt more animals. It is simply more powerful making elk, moose, etc. more feasible.
3. Longer Mean Point Blank Range. The PRC has a longer one than the CM. Anytime you can take out a variable on a hunt, I’m for it. Using MPBR eliminates holdover and no doubt PRC has a wider envelope.
I’ll tell you what I think and you can make a decision. First I want you to understand I shoot thousands of rounds of ammo a year. Cost is a big consideration in anything I do. I don’t hunt much. MPBR is a very important factor I use when planning a hunt. It means almost nothing to me when I’m shooting since I am not under a clock or have “deer fever”. I dial almost every shot but I use a reticle for holdover to practice faster target acquisition. I own almost no second focal plane scopes. Hell, my 22 long rifles have the ability to dial in dope for 300+ yard shots. I’m primarily a target shooter, but I split an Ibex’s heart at 125 yards last month.
Why do I tell you this? So you understand where I’m coming from. I’m primarily just a guy who loves to shoot. But I do a little hunting too.
If I were buying a “deer” rifle right now, Bergara would be hard to argue against. They’re light, accurate and priced right. They probably outsell every other gun on the market COMBINED for new shooters to “long range”. They work.
My scope for a typical yardage hunt would be a First Focal Plane scope cause that’s what I shoot. I would probably top a primarily focused hunting rifle with an Athlon Midas Tac 4-16. It’s a MIL scope but that’s what I shoot. If you need MOA, the 6-24 is slightly heavier and slightly more expensive. I think Leupold makes a lighter MOA FFP but I wouldn’t pay the premium probably. If weight is super important, I can come up with some alternatives, but I would need to do some research. If you absolutely don’t want a FFP, I can come up with alternatives, but again, I would need time. And budget. I know nothing about the Vortex you listed.
6.5 PRC. Man, it’s a killer round. And just not widely adopted. Ammo choices are limited and it’s a long action cartridge. Personally, if it is ONLY hunting, and you don’t want to shoot much, I would get a 300 Win Mag in a long action. So many ammo choices and so versatile. 150 - 200 grain bullets. Available anywhere in the world. Kicks like a mule and makes a bang so loud Afgani’s take cover when you shoot a deer in Texas with a muzzle brake on. But you can shoot coyotes and grizzly bears with it. It might not be your first choice for either, but it will do the job both places. 30-06 would be another good choice.
For JUST deer and/or higher volume shooting, I would pick 6.5 CM. Easier round to shoot in all capacities. It would not be my first choice for elk, but if you know the rifle, understand the limits of the cartridge, and know you won’t go all blind crazy when encountered with a bull “just a bit outside” the capabilities of the cartridge or yourself, it would be fine. You can kill an elk with a 223 Rem with proper shot placement at proper range. Just don’t do it, ok?
6.5 MM is a really versatile bullet. The CM is a really nice round for a lot of reasons. If you’re planning on pulling the trigger 2 or 3 dozen times a year, PRC will be a great choice. It’s a better hunting cartridge for a lot reasons. If you think it is possible you could shoot a bit more than to “freshen up” your skills before deer season, then opt for a friendlier round. But honestly, if you’re just going to shoot 30 times a year, why buy anything? Just shoot what ya got and be happy. Dead is dead.
FYI. I shoot 223 Rem, 6.5 CM, 22 LR, and 17 HMR more than anything. I have about 15,000 22 LR rounds. That probably tells you all you need to know about what I shoot the most.
Hope that helps.