Help me pick a caliber out!

[TxLite]

Im not looking for a .243 or similar caliber. I’m looking for the 120-140 grain range offerings that comes in a lightweight platform that me and my children can both shoot. From the input I’m stuck between 6.5cm and 7-08.

I think you’d be happy with either option. I’m a big fan of the 7-08 but there’s a lot more out there for factory ammo with the creedmoor

 

[N2TRKYS]

I hunt with a 7-08 and a 6.5 Creedmoor. I actually prefer the 7-08. A 140 grain Accubond is faster in my 7-08 than my 6.5 and the 7-08 has a 20” barrel. My 6.5 Creedmoor has a 24” barrel.

 

[nubbin]

I hunt with a 7-08 and a 6.5 Creedmoor. I actually prefer the 7-08. A 140 grain Accubond is faster in my 7-08 than my 6.5 and the 7-08 has a 20” barrel. My 6.5 Creedmoor has a 24” barrel.

What is recoil like between the 2? I’ve shot a 7mm-08 a few times, but have never fired a 6.5 cm. I’m not the best at judging recoil because I’m not a small guy. I can just remember the 7mm-08 as being a snappy recoil.

 

[Pharmseller]

What is recoil like between the 2? I’ve shot a 7mm-08 a few times, but have never fired a 6.5 cm. I’m not the best at judging recoil because I’m not a small guy. I can just remember the 7mm-08 as being a snappy recoil.

When my boy was 10 his first hunting rifle was a 7mm-08. Recoil for him was very manageable, not snappy at all.




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[TxLite]

What is recoil like between the 2? I’ve shot a 7mm-08 a few times, but have never fired a 6.5 cm. I’m not the best at judging recoil because I’m not a small guy. I can just remember the 7mm-08 as being a snappy recoil.

I’ve got both. They are pretty similar but the 6.5 has slightly less

 

[jjshires57]

6.5

 

[grappling_hook]

What is recoil like between the 2? I’ve shot a 7mm-08 a few times, but have never fired a 6.5 cm. I’m not the best at judging recoil because I’m not a small guy. I can just remember the 7mm-08 as being a snappy recoil.

IMO all the mid-sized calibers will be too much for a kid to spend a lot of time practicing on, even with lightly loaded cartridges. And of course recoil isn't just bad because of the blast/snap/pain/flinch (although those are certainly bad), but also because recoil reduces accuracy even for someone who isn't recoil sensitive, and impacts the shooter's ability to keep the target in the scope picture. So be sure to pick something where they won't get sore after 40-50 rounds in a practice session, but also that won't impact accuracy.

If you're set on 6.5 Creedmoor or larger, I'd consider 120 grain Hornady ELD-Ms for the kids (and having them practice with 95gr V-Max or Nosler 90gr Varmageddon), while you shoot your deer and elk with the 140gr ELD-Ms or 143 ELD-Xs; all come in factory ammo for the 6.5 Creedmoor. That will have them practicing with about 2/3 of the recoil that you're getting with the same gun with the 140gr ELD-Ms.

 

[N2TRKYS]

What is recoil like between the 2? I’ve shot a 7mm-08 a few times, but have never fired a 6.5 cm. I’m not the best at judging recoil because I’m not a small guy. I can just remember the 7mm-08 as being a snappy recoil.

My 6.5 Creedmoor is a Tikka Lite with a 24” barrel, so it’s fairly heavy. My Model Seven 7-08 has a McMillan edge dill stock with a 20” barrel, so it’s way lighter.

I don’t notice that much difference, though. Definitely not enough to pick one or the other.

 

[grizz19]

7MM!

 

[miller3483]

Based on my experience I would not have a kid shoot any bullets in the 120-140 range until they are quite a bit older. I would stay more on the 75-108 bullet weight range.

 

[Mike 338]

Ehhh, as many others suggested, the 6.5 Creed seems like a nice middle of he road cartridge. Except for one or two shots a year, a hunting rifle is actually a target rifle and the 6.5's are pretty sweet to shoot for a big game rifle. Lots of fun shots downrange without a dinner plate sized bruise on the shoulder.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

@nubbin Does your state allow you to own suppressors? If so, get one. It's more the noise/muzzle blast than the recoil typically.

6.5cm with 130gr hornady match factory ammo and a suppressor.