.308 or 6.5 creedmoor

[mxgsfmdpx]

FWIW, Using Hornady's supplied #'s, the creedmoor is more of a 750 yard gun with the 147's and that is using a 24" tube.

Using the values I provided above from my 20" gun with true Garmin chrono values, I was looking at old dope charts I had on my computer. I threw it in a quick calculator using their G1 BC just now...

 

[Marble]

I've seen multiple 80-100 FPS discrepancies in a single box with factory Hornady 147 6.5 PRC. Was 2920 the average MV or the hot rounds?

Ignoring the advantages of recoil reduction and using the "my wife shoots it fine" argument is weird. My wife also shoots a 6.5 PRC "without thinking twice". She shoots her .243 better, and my .223's even better than that. She's switching to a 22 Creedmoor for next season for a reason.

2920 was the average from ~40 rounds. the spread was ~15 higher or lower. I do not recall the exact numbers, but they were low enough for me to be happy with the factory ammo.

 

[Maxhunter]

Recommendation 6.5PRC suppressed.

 

[Speaks]

I debated this for a month recently, same gun Tikka T3x superlite and 308 vs 6.5. I also happen to have roughly 5k rounds of mil surp 308 which while not a hunting ammo, as practice ammo factored into my thinking. After nearly buying the 308 several times I went with the 6.5. My next rifle will be a 223 honestly.

Need to figure out the best way to sell the 308 I have, got a great deal on it 15 years ago and always figured I would end up with a gun for it but never did.

If not for my stack of ammo I would have 100% gone straight to the 6.5, eventually ended up there anyway.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

2920 was the average from ~40 rounds. the spread was ~15 higher or lower. I do not recall the exact numbers, but they were low enough for me to be happy with the factory ammo.

10-4. If you're only getting 30 FPS spread you better have ordered at least 1,000 from that Lot # haha!

 

[Marble]

I don’t want to be that guy, but if you’re selecting for your girlfriend, go with the 7mm-.08 as the other option against the 6.5.

Better comparison and I’d buy either for my wife tomorrow and never look back.
Heck I might just add a. 7-.08 to the stable just for me.

There are tons of people that either forget, don't know about or dismiss the 7-08. It's a fabulous cartridge. It seems to be right in the middle of the pack for everything and capable of doing most anything in the right hands.

 

[Marble]

10-4. If you're only getting 30 FPS spread you better have ordered at least 1,000 from that Lot # haha!

I actually purchased those directly right off the shelf at a sportsman. I picked through all the boxes and found all the ammo with the same lot. Just got lucky I guess. I just needed enough to get her going and I can handload for her next year.

 

[HuntHarder]

Using the values I provided above from my 20" gun with true Garmin chrono values, I was looking at old dope charts I had on my computer. I threw it in a quick calculator using their G1 BC just now...

View attachment 814098

Yeah, I did Phoenix elevation not 5k. That is the difference in the drop. Either way only 100-150 yards difference between the 2 cartridges.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Yeah, I did Phoenix elevation not 5k. That is the difference in the drop. Either way only 100-150 yards difference between the 2 cartridges.

Ew Phoenix

 

[KurtR]

I personally prefer the 143 ELDX over any of the 6.5 ELDMs. I also prefer the 129 SST over any of the ELDMs but that's because I "know" how that bullet behaves and where to place, having shot it and killed hundreds of big game animals with it since 2014 now.

Have the same results. Had mine built 2011 before it was a factory cartridge and the 140 a max then the 143 eldx have killed a couple hundred deer from close to far with boring consistency. One elk at 823 that the bullet took the top of the heart and exited . I built it to shoot tac comps with a 24” sendero contour bbl so it’s 13 pounds but damn it’s fun to shoot. Heavy to carry but worth it with the confidence I have.

 

[Deadfall]

I’d go 308. The recoil might be more but, I can’t tell it. It doesn’t kick at all.


I’m a huge advocate for shooting what fits. But, the difference in killing power perceived at the shot, a 30 caliber bullet will always hit harder then a 6mm bullet. Does that matter.? Not in the least as long as they both get put in the right spot. But, it’s nice to “Pole Jack” something from time to time. A 308 is better at that no doubt.

This...

 

[def90]

The most basic layman's explanation. 6.5 flatter shooting trajectory than .308 but loses impact energy at longer distances as in 700 yds or more than .308.

Do you shoot more than the annual sight in day before the season and how far with accuracy can you actually shoot your rifle?

 

[StupidLightweight]

Outside of specialty applications, maybe a sub-12-inch barrel shorty, the Creedmoor crushes the .308. It’s better in every single way.

The only reason to go .308 is, well…nevermind. There is zero reason to pick the .308 over a 6.5 CM.

 

[7mm-08]

Since the direction of this thread has, I believe, changed with the OP being informed that the 6.5 Creedmoor IS legal to use to hunt elk in CO, the answer to this question is really down to two calibers. The 6.5 Creedmoor and the 7mm-08. You can't go wrong with either choice. You'd think by my moniker that I'd be advocating for the 7mm-08. Quite the opposite. I had a 6.5 Creedmoor put together from parts three years ago and (now) hunt with nothing else. My three 7mm-08's sit in the safe. For comparison sake, I'm 5'05 and 130 and the recoil of the 6.5 Creedmoor has me solidly in that camp. Factory ammo selection is highly in favor of the 6.5 Creedmoor as well. Good luck with your decision.

 

[KenLee]

As much as I want to like the 143 eld-x from a 6.5 Creed, the 165 gr Superformance SST from a 308 just drops em better. Sample size of roughly a dozen with each.

 

[ColPenguin]

This is an excellent description of a trusty old .308.

For the guys saying they cannot tell the difference in .308 recoil versus 6.5CM they either don’t shoot often, have some slight amnesia, or are flat out lying to seem “tough” on the internet.

Let’s say you want to maximize the cartridges and shoot the heavy for caliber high BC bullets out of both.

An 8 lb bolt action hunting rifle in 308 shooting 168 ELDM with a factory level powder charge will be around 18ish ft lbs of free recoil energy.

An 8 lb bolt action hunting rifle in 6.5CM shooting 147 ELDM with a factory level powder charge will be around 12ish ft lbs of free recoil energy.

Anyone with a brain will 100% notice a 30-35% difference in felt recoil no matter their size or how “tough” the human may think they are.

They are way closer in felt recoil than you are estimating. Add a can and it makes less of a perceptible difference in felt recoil. That is all that matters, the recoil felt by the shooter. If you were ONLY measuring free recoil then it wouldn't matter that the weight of the rifle was 8 lbs. because free recoil is independent of that variable.

There is not much difference in case capacity between the two cartridges. Where would all that extra felt recoil be coming from? All things equal, the variable in these two cartridges factor into felt recoil is bullet weight and velocity. It certainly is not the powder capacity that differentiates the two cartridges.

There is no need to compare a heavy .308 win to a heavy 6.5 CM. If the goal is to shoot heavy 180+ gr. bullets, the .30-06 would perform better. A 140-150 gr. in 6.5cm and a 150-165 gr. in .308 win cases will have not have more than 1-3 ft.lb difference in felt recoil. I don't know how you arrived at these numbers but it seems almost like you're comparing a .243 win and a .30-06 and misrepresenting both of the .308 win and 6.5 CM. Show your work, if you plugged it into shooter calculator then how did you arrive at the figure? I can't seem to reverse engineer your numbers with the guns and bullets that I shoot.

If you're ONLY optimizing for BC just pick the 6.5 CM and shoot longer lighter bullets faster. If you want to go lighter and faster still, there are the .243 caliber brothers of both these cartridges.

There is more often, than not, cheaper per round practice ammo for .308. It's a little easier on barrel life. It probably starts dropping off faster out past 400 yds.

 

[oldskool67]

.308

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

They are way closer in felt recoil than you are estimating.

The difference in felt recoil in the same weight gun using the cartridge and bullet examples I mentioned is not an “estimation”.

 

[ColPenguin]

The difference in felt recoil in the same weight gun using the cartridge and bullet examples I mentioned is not an “estimation”.

Your numbers don't make any sense.

How did you arrive at these numbers? If there are very similar case capacities, what variables other than projectile weight and velocity account for the disparity?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Your numbers don't make any sense.

How did you arrive at these numbers? If there are very similar case capacities, what variables other than projectile weight and velocity account for the disparity?

It’s a calculation, SAAMI has a good explanation on how you can arrive at the values.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gun-Recoil-Formulae-2018-07-9-1.pdf