Understanding the Foundation: What is Action Length?
Defining Action Length and Its Significance
The 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge, or 6.5 PRC, has taken the long-range shooting world by storm. Celebrated for its flat trajectory, exceptional ballistic coefficient, and impressive downrange energy, it’s become a favorite among hunters and competitive shooters alike. But building a rifle chambered for this powerhouse cartridge requires more than just a barrel and a bolt. One of the most crucial decisions you’ll face is selecting the right action length. This choice significantly impacts the rifle’s performance, accuracy, and overall functionality. This guide dives deep into the world of 6.5 PRC action length, providing you with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision and build the rifle of your dreams.
Before we delve into the specifics of the 6.5 PRC, let’s establish a solid understanding of action length. In the realm of rifle building, “action” refers to the receiver, the heart of the firearm. It’s the central housing that contains the bolt, firing mechanism, and often, the magazine well. Action length, in simple terms, is the overall length of the receiver.
Why is action length so critical? It’s the foundation upon which the rest of your rifle is built. Choosing the wrong action length can lead to a host of problems, including:
- Feeding Issues: The cartridge might not feed smoothly from the magazine into the chamber.
- Magazine Compatibility Problems: The magazine might not fit properly or might require extensive modifications.
- Overall Rifle Weight and Balance Discrepancies: An improperly sized action can throw off the rifle’s balance and add unnecessary weight.
- Limited Bullet Options: You may be restricted from using certain bullet weights or designs due to the constraints of the action length.
Action length directly affects the bolt’s travel distance (the distance the bolt moves back and forth when cycling the action), the size of the magazine, and ultimately, the overall dimensions of your rifle. A longer action generally accommodates longer cartridges and allows for a greater overall cartridge overall length (COAL), meaning you can use longer bullets. Shorter actions, conversely, are typically designed for shorter cartridges. The selection of the correct action length is therefore paramount.
The 6.5 PRC Cartridge: Dimensions and Design Considerations
Examining the Cartridge’s Characteristics
The 6.5 PRC is designed to be a high-performance, long-range cartridge. Its inherent design characteristics dictate the action length considerations required for optimal performance.
The 6.5 PRC cartridge is approximately 2.955 inches (75.06 mm) long in total length. This includes the case, the bullet, and the primer. The case length itself is about 2.030 inches (51.56 mm). These dimensions, along with the bullet choices available, inform the necessary receiver length.
Bullet selection is a key factor. Shooters often choose the heavier 6.5mm bullets (140 grains and up) for their superior ballistic coefficients and wind-bucking capabilities, which are critical for long-range accuracy. Heavier bullets, and those with longer ogives (the curved part of the bullet’s nose), require more internal magazine space to allow the cartridge to be seated at an ideal COAL. The appropriate COAL is crucial for ensuring the bullet engages the rifling properly in the barrel, which directly affects accuracy. The action length chosen needs to accommodate these longer bullets without hindering feeding or forcing the bullet to be seated deeper into the case than is optimal.
Furthermore, the intended application of the rifle influences the choice. If you’re building a rifle primarily for hunting, where magazine capacity may not be a primary concern, a medium-length action might be perfectly suitable. But if you plan to compete in a shooting discipline that values magazine capacity or uses extremely long-range bullets, a longer action might be the better choice.
Exploring Action Length Alternatives for the 6.5 PRC
Breaking Down the Available Choices
Deciding on the ideal action length for your 6.5 PRC build can be complex. The key is to thoroughly examine the choices available and select the optimal balance. Let’s break down the options:
Considering Medium Action: The Go-To Choice
Advantages and Disadvantages of Medium Actions
For most 6.5 PRC builds, the medium action serves as the workhorse. It often represents the best compromise of size, weight, and functionality. Medium actions are readily available from a wide array of manufacturers. The medium action often provides sufficient magazine space to accommodate the typical 6.5 PRC loads, allowing for the use of many popular bullet weights.
Advantages of Medium Action:
- Wide Availability: Medium-action receivers are a common offering from most reputable manufacturers. This means you’ll have a large selection of brands, features, and price points to choose from.
- Balanced Handling: Compared to long actions, medium actions typically result in a lighter and more compact rifle, making it more maneuverable and easier to handle.
- Adequate Capacity: Medium-length magazines generally offer sufficient capacity for hunting and most target shooting applications.
- Cost-Effective: Medium actions are often more affordable than their long-action counterparts, as they are more common and there’s more competition between manufacturers.
Examples of Manufacturers:
- Defiance Machine: They are known for their quality, tight tolerances, and consistent performance, often available in medium-action configurations.
- Impact Precision: Similar to Defiance, Impact Precision produces high-quality actions, with good reputations and wide acceptance in the long range community.
- Zermatt Arms: They offer medium-action options with various features and customization options.
- Lone Peak Arms: They are popular choices in the custom rifle building world for their reliability and performance.
Potential Drawbacks:
- COAL Limitations: Although most medium actions can accommodate the vast majority of 6.5 PRC loads, you might encounter limitations if you plan on using extremely long, heavy-for-caliber bullets. This is because the bullet could potentially exceed the magazine length, resulting in incorrect feeding.
- Custom Magazine Requirements: In some instances, depending on the chosen magazine type or bullet profile, you might need to use custom-made or modified magazines to achieve the best possible feeding and COAL.
Making the Case for Long Action: When More Space Matters
Examining When a Long Action is Required
While medium actions often fit the bill, a long action might be warranted for very specific reasons. If you are set on using some of the very longest bullets, or if you want the ultimate flexibility in COAL, a long action may be the better choice for your 6.5 PRC rifle. This option has its place in the realm of custom rifle builds.
Advantages of Long Action:
- Maximum COAL Flexibility: The primary advantage is the ability to accommodate the absolute longest bullets. This provides the maximum freedom to optimize COAL for specific bullet designs and achieve the highest possible ballistic performance.
- Increased Magazine Capacity: Long-action magazines can hold more rounds, which can be beneficial for certain competitive shooting disciplines or situations.
- Enhanced Re-loadability: It might allow for multiple reloads by optimizing the space in the magazine.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Increased Size and Weight: Long actions are typically heavier and bulkier than medium actions, potentially affecting the overall balance and handling of the rifle.
- Longer Bolt Throw: The longer bolt travel can result in a slightly longer cycling time.
- Cost: Long-action receivers are usually more expensive than medium actions.
- Less Common: Long-action receivers, chambered for the 6.5 PRC, are less common than medium actions, which reduces the options available.
Manufacturers that produce long actions:
- Kelbly’s
- Borden Rifles
The possibility of Short Action: A Less Common Path
Understanding Why It’s Rarely Used
In almost all instances, using a short action for a 6.5 PRC build is not recommended. The cartridge is too long to function reliably in these systems. However, it’s possible in very, very specific situations, like some custom builds.
Why it’s Generally Not Recommended:
- Feeding Problems: The 6.5 PRC case is simply too long.
- Reduced Magazine Capacity: The magazine would have to be significantly altered to hold the round correctly.
Key Considerations: Selecting the Right Action Length
Important Factors in the Decision-Making Process
The decision is not solely about action length; you must consider all the elements:
Bullet Selection: This is the most critical factor. The weight, and profile of the bullets you intend to use are paramount. A very long bullet might not fit properly within a medium action, and a long action might be needed.
Magazine Compatibility: Ensure the action you choose is compatible with readily available, reliable magazines. Consider factors like magazine capacity, feeding reliability, and how easy it is to load and unload.
Intended Purpose: Consider how you intend to use the rifle. Is it for hunting? Target shooting? What are the typical distances and shooting scenarios you’ll encounter? If you are shooting at long ranges at targets that require extended rounds, a long action may be preferred.
Handloading Practices: Reloaders have more control over COAL. If you reload, you may be able to use slightly longer bullets with a medium action, as the handloader can fine-tune the COAL to suit the action and the specific bullet.
Research and Choosing Your Perfect Receiver
Recommendations for Research and Selection
Once you understand action length and its implications, the next step is to begin your research. The custom rifle market offers a plethora of choices.
- Read Reviews: Seek out reviews of actions from different manufacturers, paying close attention to their reputations for reliability, accuracy, and overall build quality.
- Consider Customer Service: Think about customer service.
- Consult with a Gunsmith: A reputable gunsmith is an invaluable resource. They can assess your specific needs and recommend the most appropriate action based on your desired components and shooting goals.
Conclusion: Making the Right Choice
Selecting the correct action length is a vital step in building a high-performance 6.5 PRC rifle. Carefully consider the bullet weights, intended use, and magazine choices. By understanding the principles of action length and exploring your options, you can build a rifle that will deliver exceptional accuracy and performance for years to come.
