308 0r 6.5 CM?

[BCD]

I'm looking at buying a 308 or 6.5 in the Bergara Ridge Wilderness Hunter. I will be using it mostly for practice but will also be taking it on an antelope hunt or two, a mule deer hunt (possibly combined with the antelope hunt), and whitetail hunts. I would also like to use this rifle as a backup to my 300 WSM for elk trips out west. Being that I may use it for elk at some point, I am leaning towards the 308 as I like the availability of heavier bullets for the 308. I ordered the scope already (Vortex Razor LHT).

Any thoughts here?

Thank You!!

 

[Ramblr]

I vote .308.

Relatively cheap to shoot for practice. Hunting bullets from 150 to 180 to cover all the game you list.

Nice scope too. I have all 3 of the original Razor HD LHs.

 

[Sandstrom]

I was in the same position a few months ago, although with a Ridgeline. After much debate and soul searching, I went with the 308. Not that the 6.5 is bad in any way, I already have a 308, having it as a back up rifle it is nice to have ammo compatibility.

Ryan

 

[ianpadron]

I personally don't think it matters, pick whichever cartridge you like the most.

I have a .308 and 6.5, both are awesome. Both kill critters just fine.

I will note that the .308 with the 168 grain ELDM superformance loads produced the most lights out kill I've ever witnessed on a big old black bear at 300 yards. Definition of dead on impact. 168 grain .308 bullet at 2900fps is no slouch.

Haven't been quite so lucky with the 143 grain ELDX out of the 6.5, but everything I've shot with it has gone down. Probably moving to 147 ELDMs in that one as the ELDXs are way to frangible for my liking, which is bizarre since they are a hunting bullet compared to the ELD Match...

ANYWAY, buy what you like, if I could only pic one for myself it'd be the .308. If I could only pick one for a fella who already has a 300 WSM, it'd be the 6.5

 

[Maverick1]

It may also be useful to share your anticipated shot distance or confidence interval. Are you planning to shooting at game at 200, 400, 600, 800, yards?

 

[BCD]

It may also be useful to share your anticipated shot distance or confidence interval. Are you planning to shooting at game at 200, 400, 600, 800, yards?

Great question! I would not take a shot over 400 yards at game currently. Hopefully my skills will improve and that will change. I will shoot targets out to 500 and occasionally 650.

 

[rootacres]

Good choice on scope.

I was leaning towards the 308 until I read that you already have a 300 WSM. Unless the 300 WSM is a pain to pack around that will serve as a great elk cartridge and also muley if you choose. The 6.5 CM would be a great rifle for antelope, and adequate for deer, personally I wouldn't take a 6.5 CM on an elk hunt but in a pinch it could be used. I like the idea of having a backup rifle but the likelihood of it actually being needed is so slim.

good luck

 

[hodgeman]

Since you've got the 300... a light recoiling, flat shooting 6.5 makes more sense. While it wouldn't be my first pick for elk or moose, if that's what I had- it'd work.

I love my 300WSM and I've slobbered a whole bunch of critters with it, but I like shooting my 6.5 a whole lot more.

 

[simpsonhntr]

I'm looking at buying a 308 or 6.5 in the Bergara Ridge Wilderness Hunter. I will be using it mostly for practice but will also be taking it on an antelope hunt or two, a mule deer hunt (possibly combined with the antelope hunt), and whitetail hunts. I would also like to use this rifle as a backup to my 300 WSM for elk trips out west. Being that I may use it for elk at some point, I am leaning towards the 308 as I like the availability of heavier bullets for the 308. I ordered the scope already (Vortex Razor LHT).

Any thoughts here?

Thank You!!

I am voting for the 308. I have this exact gun and I have shot two elk with it. I really like it and it will be cheaper to shoot than the 6.5.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

.308 every time for me... Own several & have been loading for it for 25 years.

 

[Fatcamp]

Moved from .308 to 6.5cm.

Animals die right where they are and with a 6X scope I get to watch it all.

Not that .308 has a bunch of recoil, but the CM is less, and I have come to enjoy that.

Cost per round shouldn't matter, as you will be reloading before long anyway.

 

[EmperorMA]

Since you've got the 300... a light recoiling, flat shooting 6.5 makes more sense. While it wouldn't be my first pick for elk or moose, if that's what I had- it'd work.

I love my 300WSM and I've slobbered a whole bunch of critters with it, but I like shooting my 6.5 a whole lot more.

Yet hunters in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland have been killing moose with the 6.5 for 125 years. That’s longer than we’ve been killing anything with the .30-‘06.

 

[hodgeman]

Yet hunters in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland have been killing moose with the 6.5 for 125 years. That’s longer than we’ve been killing anything with the .30-‘06.

Moose and moose hunting in those places don't resemble moose and moose hunting in the bulk of N. America. Shiras moose are overall smaller and moose hunting there is more pastoral than here, the harvest consists of a lot of cows, calves, and small bulls and shooting tends to be much closer.

Can you do it? Sure, but a .300 is a much more capable tool for it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I am a creed fan but it is largely subjective IMO unless you really start to stretch the distances beyond what I would shoot for a hunting shot. at 400 yards, they are within 2.5 inches of one another as far as bullet drop While both would be close in terms of kinetic energy. Maybe the 308 is better elk medicine, I do t know enough to say. 308 practice ammo is cheaper but anything you would want to hunt with is probably roughly the same cost. I know I enjoy shooting my 6.5 a lot more.

 

[BCD]

I am a creed fan but it is largely subjective IMO unless you really start to stretch the distances beyond what I would shoot for a hunting shot. at 400 yards, they are within 2.5 inches of one another as far as bullet drop While both would be close in terms of kinetic energy. Maybe the 308 is better elk medicine, I do t know enough to say. 308 practice ammo is cheaper but anything you would want to hunt with is probably roughly the same cost. I know I enjoy shooting my 6.5 a lot more.

Do you enjoy shooting the 6.5 more due to less recoil and do you find the recoil to be significantly less than a 308?

Thanks!!

 

[Fatcamp]

Do you enjoy shooting the 6.5 more due to less recoil and do you find the recoil to be significantly less than a 308?

Thanks!!

Les. I don't know about significant. In general I have a way easier time watching my hits with 6.5.

 

[BBob]

If mainly for practice 308 barrel life will be triple or more longer than the CM and the 308 kills things just fine.

 

[22lr]

Id vote 308 if it was my option. Easily a 400 yard killer and tons of great rounds on the light to heavy end of the spectrum. But, im also biased in that I hate adding new calipers to my collection and I already have a few 308s so it would fit right in for me (probably a plug for 300wsm if you already have one). Barrel life is also a factor for some (as mentioned several times above) but for me its a mute point since I don't get to shoot enough to shoot out a 6.5cm barrel yet alone a 308...

But ill be the guy that says "all hail the glorious 30-06, the king of all hunting cartridges."

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Since you have a 300 WSM, pick up a 6.5 CM. Have the 6.5 CM be the primary for animals smaller than elk and the 300 WSM for elk-sized animals and larger. Both can be used as a backup for the other if needed (may need to make adjustments at shot distance).

Most commercially available ammo for the 308 Win will hit 1800 fps around 500 yards (not taking into account environmentals nor the actual velocity for a specific rifle). With the same constraints most commercial 6.5 CM ammo will hit 1800 fps around 700 yards. Some folks use "super performance" commercial ammo or handloads that push the 308 Win to (near) magnum velocities. Awesome for them but that may not be feasible for some folks (ex: handloads) or their rifle may not like the commercial "super performance" loads.

Unless you plan to shoot surplus ammo for the 308 Win, don't expect much (if any) cost savings on ammo. Using Hornady Precision Hunter as an example, they are both $39.99 at Bass Pro.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Do you enjoy shooting the 6.5 more due to less recoil and do you find the recoil to be significantly less than a 308?

Thanks!!

Yes. Recoil. I don’t know how to measure it. I have heard some say the that recoil is 30-40% less. I can tell you I have shot the 308 and 6.5 in the same session and felt recoil is a lot less on the creed shooting 120s vs 308 shooting 150s. My 308 is also more than 1# heavier than the creed.

not sure about elk, but the creed is good deer medicine in my limited experience. my buddy and I bought creeds two Seasons ago. Both shooting 120 grain copper. Among the 6 deer we have taken, only one has gotten out of sight. That was a quartering to single lung and gut shot my buddy made this year and it went 150 yards down a Fairly steep hill. All the others dropped in sight and most within a step or two.