I thought that's what a 308 was supposed to do??
More recoil, more weight, more drop, more drift, more expense all for less impact velocity, less precision, less shoot-ability.
It might be "splitting hairs" for some people, and if you already have a rifle that's fine, but if buying new it makes little sense to pay more and endure more recoil for less performance..... You're taking about 308's/30/06's/270's/etc and I'm wondering why you're shooting deer with big arse cartridges? You can get bullets for 223's that will shoot stem to stern on a deer, and you can get bullets for the 223 that will nearly destroy the entire front half of a deer.
I shoot around 12k rounds of "match" 308 a year. The load I and my buddies all shoot for competition and hunting is a 185gr Berger Juggernaut at 2,800fps from a 24in barrel. It has near the performance of a 300WM and the recoil too. Not one of us chooses to use the 308 over the 6.5Creeds (or several other chamberings) unless forced to.
To no no one I particular,
Placement, bullets, headstamp- in that order. People always want to focus on the things that matter the least, and pay no attention to the things that matter the most. Take Robby Denning's 270WSM and the Berger 130gr Classic Hunter at 3,125fps (what his article said he's shooting) and at 600 yards the Creedmoor with the 147gr ELD-M at a mild 2,750fps has matched impact velocity, has less wind drift, and more "energy" (not that energy means anything). Now I've shot and killed quite a few animals with a 270WSM and it works well, but that itty bitty Creed using 43gr of powder with nearly half the recoil, more precision, a shorter and lighter gun with less muzzle blast, less muzzle rise, and less cost with FACTORY $25 box ammo "beats" a 270WSM with handloads.
It isn't that the 6.5Creedmoor is "magical" nor is it a "fad". It's simply the first factory cartridge that brings together all things that matter to rifle, twist, cartridge, and bullet. The 6mm Creedmoor was next, and there will be more.
