The common theme in the gun community recently is 6.5mm or .264 caliber cartridges. They are quickly taking over as the standard for long range hunting and shooting in part to their ability to shoot high BC bullets.
Two of the more popular .264 caliber cartridges are the 6.5 PRC and the 260 Remington. These are two cartridges that are used for similar purposes but aren’t often compared. So in this article, we will compare these two to see which is better and why.
Here is the short answer:
The 6.5 PRC has slightly more energy, as well as less drop, and usually less wind drift. However, the 260 Remington is cheaper, more established, and has less recoil.
In-Depth Look at the 260 Remington
The 260 Remington, introduced in 1997, is a versatile hunting and long range shooting cartridge based on the 308 Winchester case necked down to 6.5mm. One of its more admirable qualities is its moderate recoil and a wide selection of bullet weights and styles.
The 260 Remington is well-suited for hunting various game species including mainly hogs, deer, antelope, and on occasion elk. It is a popular choice for deer hunters as it can be used to take deer as far as 400 yards if necessary.
There are some downsides to the 260 Remington such as the fact that it is a little on the light side for most elk hunters. Additionally, the 260 Remington, while popular, can be hard to get at times, so a cartridge such as the 30-06 that can be found pretty much anywhere, may prove to be better.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 260 Remington with a 142-grain bobtail hollowpoint bullet:
| Range (YD) | Drop (IN) | Wind Drift (IN) | Velocity (FPS) | Energy (FT-LB) |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2750 | 2384 |
| 50 | -0.1 | 0.2 | 2675 | 2257 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.6 | 2602 | 2135 |
| 150 | -1.1 | 1.2 | 2530 | 2018 |
| 200 | -3.6 | 2.2 | 2459 | 1907 |
| 250 | -7.5 | 3.4 | 2389 | 1800 |
| 300 | -13 | 5.1 | 2320 | 1698 |
| 350 | -20.1 | 7.1 | 2253 | 1600 |
| 400 | -28.9 | 9.4 | 2187 | 1507 |
| 450 | -39.5 | 12.1 | 2121 | 1419 |
| 500 | -52 | 15.1 | 2057 | 1334 |
In-Depth Look at the 6.5 PRC
The 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) is a relatively new cartridge introduced by Hornady in 2017 but really started to gain traction as a popular cartridge in 2021. It is a popular round among hunters and long range shooters because it can use high BC and long slender bullets as well as having a very moderate recoil.
Game you can hunt with the 6.5 PRC include: Elk, deer, sheep, antelope, and wild hogs. Because of its impressive ballistics and great energy retention, it is popular for long range hunting.
There is really only one downside to the 6.5 PRC and that is that it is a new cartridge and is therefore less established. This means ammo will be expensive and, at times, hard to come by.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 6.5 PRC with a 130-grain Federal Terminal Accent:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3000 | 2598 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 2910 | 2443 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.5 | 2821 | 2297 |
| 150 | -0.9 | 1.3 | 2734 | 2158 |
| 200 | -2.9 | 2.3 | 2649 | 2025 |
| 250 | -6.2 | 3.6 | 2565 | 1899 |
| 300 | -10.7 | 5.3 | 2483 | 1780 |
| 350 | -16.7 | 7.2 | 2403 | 1666 |
| 400 | -24.2 | 9.6 | 2324 | 1558 |
| 450 | -33.3 | 12.4 | 2246 | 1456 |
| 500 | -44.2 | 15.6 | 2170 | 1359 |
In-Depth Comparison
When comparing the 260 Remington to the 6.5 PRC, several factors come into play:
Ballistics: The 6.5 PRC generally offers higher muzzle velocities, more energy, and flatter trajectories compared to the 260 Remington. But you should keep in mind that with the right bullet, you can get very similar performance from the 260 Remington.
Recoil: While both cartridges produce manageable recoil, the 260 Remington typically has slightly less felt recoil than the 6.5 PRC due to its smaller case capacity. This makes it an ideal cartridge for smaller framed shooters.
Availability: The 260 Remington has been around for longer and has widespread availability in terms of rifles, ammunition, and reloading components. The 6.5 PRC, being a newer cartridge, may have more limited availability in some regions. But you should keep in mind that the 6.5 PRC is gaining in popularity very fast.
Conclusion
The 260 Remington and the 6.5 PRC are two great cartridges, but they have their differences. The 6.5 PRC is a better cartridge in terms of ballistics, while the 260 Remington is better in terms of price and availability.