Cartridge ballistics

6.5 PRC ballistics chart

The 6.5 PRC trajectory with a 147-grain match bullet: drop, wind drift and retained velocity from a 100-yard zero out to 1,500 yards.

Overview

The 6.5 PRC is a short-magnum answer to the question 'what if the 6.5 Creedmoor had another 200 fps?'. It runs the same bullets 150-250 fps faster, flattening the trajectory and pushing the supersonic range and wind performance out meaningfully further.

That velocity costs powder, muzzle blast, and barrel life, and it needs a magnum bolt face and a longer or magnum-length action. It is a strong choice for a dedicated long-range hunting rifle where the extra reach matters and round counts stay moderate.

Typical uses: Long-range hunting, backcountry rifles, and open-class precision competition.

Sample load

The trajectory below is calculated for this representative factory load in a standard ICAO atmosphere. Your rifle will differ — enter your own chronographed velocity and verified BC in the calculator for numbers you can dial.

Bullet
Hornady 147 gr ELD-M
Muzzle velocity
2,910 fps
Ballistic coefficient
0.351 (G7)
Zero
100 yd

Open this load in the calculator

6.5 PRC trajectory table

Zeroed at 100 yd. Drop is bullet path relative to line of sight; elevation is the come-up to dial. Wind column is a 10 mph full-value crosswind. Italic rows are subsonic.
Range (yd) Velocity (fps) Energy (ft⋅lb) Drop (in) Elevation (MIL) Elevation (MOA) Wind 10 mph (MIL)
1002,7752,5140.00.00.00.1
2002,6422,280-3.00.41.40.3
3002,5142,063-11.01.03.50.4
4002,3891,863-24.51.75.90.6
5002,2671,678-44.12.58.40.8
6002,1491,508-70.53.311.20.9
7002,0351,352-104.44.214.21.1
8001,9241,209-146.75.217.51.3
9001,8171,077-198.46.221.11.5
1,0001,712957-260.77.424.91.7
1,1001,609846-334.88.629.12.0
1,2001,510744-422.410.033.62.2
1,3001,413652-525.211.438.62.5
1,4001,319568-645.513.044.02.8
1,5001,229493-785.914.850.03.1

Learn more

New to reading a table like this? These guides explain the numbers:

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