6.5 Creedmoor vs .308: Which is more of a "Killer"

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Rifle season is fast approaching here in Tennessee and I have two excellent Tikkas. 1) Tikka UPR 308 2) Tikka CTR 6.5 Creedmoor

I handload for both

308:168 grain Berger Classic Hunter or 168 grain ELD-M/AMAX 2)
6.5 Creedmoor: 143 grain ELD-X

Between the two short action cartridges, which is more of an emphatic "killer" at yardages from 10 to 500 yards?
 

Marbles

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Rifle season is fast approaching here in Tennessee and I have two excellent Tikkas. 1) Tikka UPR 308 2) Tikka CTR 6.5 Creedmoor

I handload for both

308:168 grain Berger Classic Hunter or 168 grain ELD-M/AMAX 2)
6.5 Creedmoor: 143 grain ELD-X

Between the two short action cartridges, which is more of an emphatic "killer" at yardages from 10 to 500 yards?
With that bullet selection, the ELD-M will likely destroy more tissue, so potentially kill more emphatically and waste more meat.

My guess, not having used either is the 6.5 will kill very well with an ELD-X and produce more desirable amounts of damage.

Form's pictures of wounds from a 308 using bullets like the ELD-M show what I would consider excessive meat damage.
 
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Personally, I favor high weight retention bullets to minimize meat loss.
Of those choices, both will work, but I would favor 6.5 CM with ELD-X.
 

hereinaz

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Bullet placement is higher on my list of “killer“ potential, and you essentially have some of the best performing bullets.

If you drew a circle around the best, a 65 could shoot and the best hey 308 could shoot, when you consider environmental factors, then the 6.5 Creedmoor is a better choice.

To make my point, draw that same circle around a six Creedmoor, shooting a 105 or 115 burger, and it will kill more effectively simply because it will print a smaller group at distance, considering wind drift and drop.
 

svivian

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Looks like plenty of relevant discussion on these threads


 
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Looks like plenty of relevant discussion on these threads



My question was about .308...not 30-06.
 

ElPollo

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I was debating the same two cartridges not too long ago and went with the 6.5 due to lower recoil and better down range ballistics. I took three animals with it last year and have no regrets. If anything, I’d go smaller now. I’m in the process of picking up a 223 bolt gun. The ammo is way cheaper for practice. And I am confident that, with the right bullets, it’ll handle anything I’m hunting these days.
 

amassi

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The A-max is a messier bullet than the eld-x.
Potentially would result in more emphatic kills
But like already noted, you’d be hard pressed to tell a difference between the 2.
 

dv8pnt

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I have shot a lot of PA whitetails with hornady precision hunter 143 grain eldx 6.5 creedmoor. None went far.
 

11boo

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I have got to try that leisure hunting. And my .308 has easily dropped elk, and I just got a 6.5 a while back. Really, I like it more.
 
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