.308 vs 6.5mm Creedmore

[titsonritz]

It will be primarily be for the occasional elk/deer hunting trip.

I have been wondering if the 6.5CM would make a viable Elk harvester...

I'm doing for a precision rifle for sure, thinking of the same in a hunting rifle. What do you guys think?

[Slater]

For that I'd look at the 223 version. 308 ammo ain't cheap, though for 350 yards, 168gr would be more than fine. 75-80gr223 is going to smack stuff that close just fine. I agree, having a 308 bolt gun seems like something you just have to have. Barrel life is almost forever.

Yeah, I've heard barrel life on .308 bolt guns described as anywhere from "very good" to "outstanding". Don't know about semiautos.

[Failure2Stop]

I've been shooting .260 and 6.5 semi-auto guns professionally for a couple of years now. Here's my "off the top of my head" list of observations:

-Recoil is pretty similar to 7.62/.308 when all other variables are the same.
-With factory ammunition, baseline "accuracy" seems to favor 6.5 over .260, but the difference between 6.5 and .308 seems to be more related to the ammunition itself and barrel specifics. I.E.: don't go to 6.5 if your desire is to just shoot tiny groups at 100 with factory ammunition.
-The high BC projectiles really need to be thrown at high speed to show advantage (I'm really liking 130gr at around 2900), which requires a barrel in the 22" area.
-There are magazine limitations for COAL, pay attention to how much room you have in your magazine.
-There is a definite advantage in ranging error with 6.5 over 308, especially if you are coming from 16-20" 308 barrels to a 22" 6.5 (like I did).
-There is a significant wind advantage with 6.5 over 308, and given that most people at high performance levels struggle with wind more than any other single aspect, that makes a difference.
-There is a noticeable difference in time of flight between the two, giving a slight advantage with mid-range moving targets.

I think that a lot of the perception of driven off of primary platform experience. I shot a lot of 16" 308, so when I went to a 22" 6.5 all of the little advantages of the 6.5 over 308 were magnified. If all else is equal, the performance delta of the two is much more narrow, but if you're starting from the ground up, going with 308 for a 22+" gun wouldn't seem like the best decision given that you can get ahead by simply going with a more efficient cartridge.

[GH41]

I have been wondering if the 6.5CM would make a viable Elk harvester...

I'm doing for a precision rifle for sure, thinking of the same in a hunting rifle. What do you guys think?

I don't know why it wouldn't. It's not that far behind the ancient 270 Winchester with 130g bullets. The 270 has killed a million elk and some of them across canyons.

[soulezoo]

Jack is dead on here. If starting out and have a choice, 6.5 is that choice. Factory loads are more plentiful now, and really good ones too. If terminal ballistics are key, at or around the 7-800 yard range max, then .308 is still a little better.After that 6.5 starts to take over.
All things equal though, the 6.5 trends to be a little easier to be accurate with and with a 24-26" barrel, you can be more accurate over a much greater distance with 6.5. It simply gives more headroom.
If you reload, 6.5 is the choice hands down.

[soulezoo]

I have a Tikka Tac A1 topped with a Kahles k525i in a sphur sp-4602 mount. Great rifle. I have not had it past 1000 yards yet, but that setup shooting eld-x 143 grains should be good for about 1450 yards or so according to my calculator and scope adjustments20181013_154947.jpg

[gaijin]

I have been wondering if the 6.5CM would make a viable Elk harvester...

I'm doing for a precision rifle for sure, thinking of the same in a hunting rifle. What do you guys think?

They’ve used 6.5X55 in Sweden for ever on Moose.
Sure it’d work, bullet selection being key.

[dmd08]

I have been wondering if the 6.5CM would make a viable Elk harvester...

I'm doing for a precision rifle for sure, thinking of the same in a hunting rifle. What do you guys think?

I'm hoping to find out in a week and a half. I'm hand loading 140gr. Nosler Partitions at about 2775fps.

[B52U]

I have been wondering if the 6.5CM would make a viable Elk harvester...

I'm doing for a precision rifle for sure, thinking of the same in a hunting rifle. What do you guys think?

Here is an Elk that was just taken in Utah with a 6.5 creedmoor at 1550 yards. This particular hunter has won several state long range and sniper competitions so the ethics police don't need to jump in, he has the skills to do this. 147gr ELD-M bullet, 2 hits in immediate succession.

[titsonritz]

I don't know why it wouldn't. It's not that far behind the ancient 270 Winchester with 130g bullets. The 270 has killed a million elk and some of them across canyons.

They’ve used 6.5X55 in Sweden for ever on Moose.
Sure it’d work, bullet selection being key.

Thought the same thing about those rounds specifically.

I'm hoping to find out in a week and a half. I'm hand loading 140gr. Nosler Partitions at about 2775fps.

Right on, good luck with your hunt. Come back and share with us.

Here is an Elk that was just taken in Utah with a 6.5 creedmoor at 1550 yards. This particular hunter has won several state long range and sniper competitions so the ethics police don't need to jump in, he has the skills to do this. 147gr ELD-M bullet, 2 hits in immediate succession.

OK I'm sold, I don't ever see myself going out that far but it is reassuring knowing the round is much more capable than I.