6.5 creedmoore vs. 7mm-08

[4IDARCHER]

I am looking to buy a light weight rifle in one of these two calibers for backpacking in on game from Caribou on down (leave the big stuff for the .300WM) and one the wide and kids can shoot in a few years, but am having a hard time deciding between the two. I know ammo availablity will favor the 7-08 but I like the mild mannor and high SD of the creedmoore. Also Hornaday has emailed me back that the internond bullet in their superformance line should start up again late this year and a 129gr SST or Interbond at 2950 has some appeal as an all around mid-sized game load.
What are your thoughts on these two rounds, or should I just say forget it and go with a lightweight .308 even though the kids and wife might not like shooting it as much?

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

I have a creedmore and it is an amazing round. Super efficient with no recoil. I'm glad I got it

 

[Shrek]

Creedmoor is interesting but I'd go with a 260 rem if for no other reason than lapua brass available. A wyatts extended mag box in a m700 sa and you're good to go. I'm always thinking of handloading and semi custom rifles but factory ammo for the 260 is reasonably available too. I don't know of anyone other than Hornady making the Creedmoor brass but maybe someone else has added it. I have a 7-08 and it's a fantastic do everything round imo. Lots of components and loaded ammo available. Even lapua brass this year.

 

[colonel00]

one the wide and kids can shoot

Sorry, I have nothing constructive to add. I just got a chuckle out of this. Obviously just a typo but I sure hope she doesn't see it...

 

[4IDARCHER]

Changed and pretty sure she didn't.... I hope

 

[skylinekelley]

6.5 is a handy round to have, I went back and forth for a year. Glad I got mine. Always several good choices in factory ammo to choose from and easy to handload. Great shooter strait from the box

 

[hodgeman]

I like the 7-08... not sure there's enough difference between it and the Creedmore to worry about...but the little 7-08 is a low recoil killer.

 

[luke moffat]

130 grain ttsx out of a 308 are very mild and uni hace personally seen black bear, moose, goats and blacktail deer taken with it. Plus as the kiddos get older they can work up to heavier 165, 180, and 200 grain loads. Thing not possible with .264 and .284. That said if all you are hunting is deer and black bear than the 264 or .284 versions of the 308 will do just fine.

 

[gmajor]

I have no in-field experience with it, but I've heard quite a few guys rave about the 7mm-08. Most use 140 grains on all kinds of game. One even uses 120 grain ttsx's with fantastic results on moose. Interesting you mentioned Caribou, as I heard the round called "the ideal caribou round" just recently. While I won't be going after caribou, I just bought a 7-08 for my all around rifle - deer bear and elk. It sure shoots nice, but I can't personally vouch for the effect on game. The ballistics look pretty sweet even when comparing it to a .308 or .270, especially considering the mild felt recoil. Anyway, I bit the hook and picked one up. I'm sure you'll be happy with either round.

 

[GLB]

They both are similar balisticaly. The 708 will give you more bullet options and the 6.5s will have less recoil.

 

[hooker]

140 Partitions in either a 7mm-08 or the 6.5 Creedmoor would be a nightmare for big game.

 

[Warren1726]

I don't know all the western state regs, but, in KY you must use a .270 or larger on elk. So, no 6.5, but I'd love to have one for deer and hogs.

 

[RobG11Z]

I don't know all the western state regs, but, in KY you must use a .270 or larger on elk. So, no 6.5, but I'd love to have one for deer and hogs.

Still have my .270 of 30+ years, but after firing the 6.5, the .270 was relegated to bridesmaid. The 7mm08 does look good in regards to a flat shooting, low recoil rifle that meets the .270+ rule.

 

[derekbeaudry]

Having shot and owned a 6.5 creed and a 7-08 for hunting purposes i would choose the 7-08. I think the 7-08 is a little better for hunting with the same high bc bullet choices. Both are good choices but i prefer the 7-08.

 

[jhm2023]

They are both fairly similar regarding performance. I have seen the little 6.5 take a couple moose and several caribou, so certainly no shortcomings there. As far as the statement saying the 7mm-08 has more bullet and ammo options, well that's just shenanigans. Looking at midway usa right now and they list 69 different factory ammo options for the 6.5 Creedmoor and only 31 for the 7mm-08. The same website also list 104 bullets choices in 6.5 (.264) and 107 choices for 7mm (.284), so no real difference for bullets but more than double in the factory ammo category. The 6.5 will give a little better SD and BC when weights are similar if that matters to you. The 7mm allows you to go heavier when needed. I'm a big 7mm fan but I like them leaving the barrel at 3,100 fps or faster which puts the 7mm-08 on the no go list for me. Really it all comes down to personal preference and which one will make you happy as the critters won't know the difference.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I have both, 6.5 CM Barrett Fieldcraft and 7-08 Tikka T-3 Lite. The FC seems to have less felt recoil when shooting similar wt. bullets (and it’s over a pound lighter the way I have them set up), but I’m not sure if that has more to do with the difference in stock design or caliber.


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[jhm2023]

I have both, 6.5 CM Barrett Fieldcraft and 7-08 Tikka T-3 Lite. The FC seems to have less felt recoil when shooting similar wt. bullets (and it’s over a pound lighter the way I have them set up), but I’m not sure if that has more to do with the difference in stock design or caliber.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think the negative comb on the FC really helps with the recoil. I always enjoy shooting my wife's 6.5 FC to the point I want to buy another.

 

[Ratbeetle]

They are both fairly similar regarding performance. I have seen the little 6.5 take a couple moose and several caribou, so certainly no shortcomings there. As far as the statement saying the 7mm-08 has more bullet and ammo options, well that's just shenanigans. Looking at midway usa right now and they list 69 different factory ammo options for the 6.5 Creedmoor and only 31 for the 7mm-08. The same website also list 104 bullets choices in 6.5 (.264) and 107 choices for 7mm (.284), so no real difference for bullets but more than double in the factory ammo category. The 6.5 will give a little better SD and BC when weights are similar if that matters to you. The 7mm allows you to go heavier when needed. I'm a big 7mm fan but I like them leaving the barrel at 3,100 fps or faster which puts the 7mm-08 on the no go list for me. Really it all comes down to personal preference and which one will make you happy as the critters won't know the difference.

I'm sure there were many more factory options for 7mm-08 in 2015 when that post was made.

 

[jhm2023]

I'm sure there were many more factory options for 7mm-08 in 2015 when that post was made.

I highly doubt it lost that much of the market in just 4 years.

 

[Ratbeetle]

That's exactly what happened. The CM's popularity has exploded in the last few years. It had only been around about 7 years in 2015. Even Lapua didn't make brass for it until just a couple years ago.