Head to head

6.5 PRC vs .300 PRC: Maker-Page Loads and SAAMI Specs Side by Side

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 5, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

This page puts 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC side by side using only our own ammo guides, 6.5 PRC ammo (17 loads) and .300 PRC ammo (10 loads), plus the cartridge specs SAAMI publishes in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard. The guides copy bullet weights, velocities, energies and test barrels from maker product pages (checked Nov. 4, 2026). We don’t rate or rank cartridges, and we don’t subtract one maker’s velocity from another’s, because their test barrels differ.

How to read this page: every number is copied from a maker page or from SAAMI, and a test barrel length sits next to every velocity (or says the maker lists none). A dash (—) means the maker has no load in our tables for that cartridge. Fire only the cartridge your rifle’s maker says it is chambered for.

SAAMI specs side by side

These are the figures in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (approved Feb. 10, 2025), as already recorded in the SAAMI sections of our 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC guides. Pressures are as SAAMI lists them.

Measure	6.5 PRC	.300 PRC
SAAMI name	6.5 PRECISION RIFLE CARTRIDGE [6.5 PRC]	300 PRECISION RIFLE CARTRIDGE [300 PRC]
Drawing issued / revised	06/13/2018 / 11/18/2021	06/13/2018 / 02/17/2022
Maximum average pressure (transducer)	65,000 psi	65,000 psi
Crusher pressure	Not established	Not established
Cartridge overall length	2.755 in min to 2.955 in max	3.575 in min to 3.700 in max
Case length	2.030 in (−.020)	2.580 in (−.020)
Bullet diameter	.2644 in (−.0030)	.3084 in (−.0030)
Bore / groove diameter	.256 in / .264 in	.300 in / .308 in
Twist	1 in 8.00 in, right-hand (marked optional), 6 grooves	1 in 8.50 in, right-hand (marked optional), 6 grooves
SAAMI reference velocity (15 ft from test barrel)	2,900 fps for 147 gr	2,800 fps for 225 gr
SAAMI velocity test barrel	24.000 in (±.010), 1:8.00 twist, 6 grooves	24.000 in (±.010), 1:8.50 twist, 6 grooves

The two reference velocities are for different bullet weights (and different bullet diameters), so they are not a like-for-like speed comparison.

Load ranges by maker and test barrel

Each line groups one maker’s loads that share a test barrel, so a velocity is only ever shown with the barrel it was measured in. Ranges are bullet weight and muzzle velocity as the maker page prints them. Do not read across makers: their barrels and bullets differ. For how barrel length moves velocity, see our barrel length vs velocity data.

Maker	6.5 PRC loads in our table	.300 PRC loads in our table
Federal	test barrel not listed: 5 loads, 120 to 143 gr, 2,900 to 3,050 fps	test barrel not listed: 2 loads, 210 to 212 gr, 2,850 to 2,860 fps
Hornady	24 in test barrel: 5 loads, 100 to 147 gr, 2,910 to 3,450 fps	24 in test barrel: 5 loads, 165 to 225 gr, 2,810 to 3,200 fps
Berger	26 in test barrel: 3 loads, 140 to 156 gr, 2,900 to 3,000 fps	26 in test barrel: 3 loads, 205 to 245 gr, 2,720 to 2,985 fps
Nosler	24 in test barrel: 3 loads, 120 to 142 gr, 2,900 to 3,100 fps test barrel not listed: 1 load, 140 gr, 2,900 fps	—

Same maker, same line, both cartridges

Where one maker sells the same product line in both cartridges, the loads are listed side by side exactly as the maker pages print them. We match lines by the maker’s own product-line name in our guide tables. Compare only within a row, and check the test barrel in each cell.

Maker line	6.5 PRC	.300 PRC
Federal ELD-X	143 gr ELD-X, 2,900 fps, 2,670 ft-lb, test barrel not listed, item P65PRCELDX1	212 gr ELD-X, 2,860 fps, 3,850 ft-lb, test barrel not listed, item P300PRCELDX1
Federal Terminal Ascent	130 gr Terminal Ascent, 3,000 fps, 2,598 ft-lb, test barrel not listed, item P65PRCTA1	210 gr Terminal Ascent, 2,850 fps, 3,787 ft-lb, test barrel not listed, item P300PRCTA3
Hornady American Whitetail Tipped	129 gr SST® American Whitetail® TIPPED, 3,120 fps, 2,788 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 81624	165 gr SST® American Whitetail® TIPPED, 3,200 fps, 3,751 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 82163
Hornady Match	147 gr ELD® Match, 2,910 fps, 2,764 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 81620	225 gr ELD® Match, 2,810 fps, 3,945 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 82162
Hornady Outfitter	130 gr. CX® Outfitter®, 2,975 fps, 2,555 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 81622	190 gr. CX® Outfitter®, 3,000 fps, 3,797 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 82164
Hornady Precision Hunter	143 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter®, 2,960 fps, 2,782 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 81621	212 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter®, 2,860 fps, 3,850 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 82166
Hornady V-Match	100 gr ELD-VT® V-MATCH®, 3,450 fps, 2,642 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 81627	174 gr ELD-VT® V-MATCH®, 3,150 fps, 3,833 ft-lb, 24 in test barrel, item 82168
Berger Elite Hunter	140 gr Elite Hunter, 3,000 fps, 2,798 ft-lb, 26 in test barrel, item 50020 156 gr Elite Hunter, 2,900 fps, 2,914 ft-lb, 26 in test barrel, item 50010	205 gr Elite Hunter, 2,985 fps, 4,057 ft-lb, 26 in test barrel, item 55010 245 gr Elite Hunter, 2,720 fps, 4,025 ft-lb, 26 in test barrel, item 55020
Berger Hybrid Target	153.5 gr Hybrid Target, 2,900 fps, 2,876 ft-lb, 26 in test barrel, item 50030	215 gr Hybrid Target, 2,940 fps, 4,127 ft-lb, 26 in test barrel, item 55030

What the sources say when you choose

These are points taken from the figures above, each with the page it rests on. They are not recommendations or scores.

If pressure rating is your question: SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 65,000 psi by transducer for both 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC, and establishes no crusher pressure for either. Source: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4.
If bullet weight is your question: the 6.5 PRC loads in our table run from 100 gr (Hornady V-Match 81627) to 156 gr (Berger Elite Hunter 50010). The .300 PRC loads run from 165 gr (Hornady American Whitetail Tipped 82163) to 245 gr (Berger Elite Hunter 55020). Sources: those maker pages.
If you want to see the printed velocities: the slowest and fastest 6.5 PRC muzzle velocities in our table are 2,900 fps, test barrel not listed (Federal ELD-X P65PRCELDX1) and 3,450 fps, 24 in test barrel (Hornady V-Match 81627). For .300 PRC they are 2,720 fps, 26 in test barrel (Berger Elite Hunter 55020) and 3,200 fps, 24 in test barrel (Hornady American Whitetail Tipped 82163). These come from different barrels and bullets, so we show them side by side without a difference. Sources: those maker pages.
If you are comparing against a box or a chronograph: SAAMI’s rifle test barrel is 24.000 in (±.010) for both cartridges. Many maker pages list a different barrel or none, as the tables above show. A shorter barrel than the one a maker lists will likely give lower velocities than the box; see our barrel length vs velocity data. Source: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 and the maker pages linked above.
If chamber fit is your question: SAAMI publishes a separate cartridge drawing for each, with case length 2.030 in (−.020) for 6.5 PRC and 2.580 in (−.020) for .300 PRC, cartridge overall length 2.755 in min to 2.955 in max and 3.575 in min to 3.700 in max, and bullet diameters of .2644 in and .3084 in. Check the cartridge named in your rifle’s manual or marked on its barrel. Source: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4.

Not yet verified

Winchester and SIG Sauer loads are not in either guide’s table (see the “Not yet verified” section of each guide).
A dash in the range table means the maker has no load in that guide’s table, not that the maker sells none.
We have no 6.5 PRC or .300 PRC barrel-length-velocity page, so this page shows no barrel-length corrections.
Prices, recoil, accuracy and hands-on results are not in our data, so this page says nothing about them.

See the full tables in our 6.5 PRC ammo and .300 PRC ammo, the barrel length vs velocity data, 6.5 Creedmoor vs 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC vs .300 PRC, .308 Win vs .300 Win Mag, .300 Win Mag vs .300 PRC, the new ammo of 2026, all ammo releases and all comparisons.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC?

SAAMI lists 65,000 psi for both, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4.

Do 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC use the same bullet diameter?

No. SAAMI lists .2644 in (−.0030) for 6.5 PRC and .3084 in (−.0030) for .300 PRC in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4.

Which test barrel do the makers list?

It varies by maker and load. SAAMI's rifle test barrel is 24 in for both cartridges. Our tables show the barrel each maker page lists next to every velocity, and many pages list none.

Which is better, 6.5 PRC or .300 PRC?

We don't rate or rank cartridges. This page copies maker-page figures and SAAMI specs side by side, and it does not cover price, recoil or hands-on results.

Where do these numbers come from?

From our own ammo guides (6.5 PRC ammo and .300 PRC ammo), which copy maker product pages, and from ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4.

SAAMI specs side by side

Load ranges by maker and test barrel

Same maker, same line, both cartridges

What the sources say when you choose

Not yet verified

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

The Gun Release Report