If you are only going to have one - consider that while the factory hunting ammo selection for the 6.5 Creedmoor is more than adequate but for the 6.5x47L is virtually nonexistent. The .308 has all the factory offerings that you could need or want. Regarding recoil, you could always add a muzzle brake - I have one on every rifle I own with the exception of my .223.
6.5 Creed replace the .308 for hunting?
- Thread starter Danehunter
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akula682
New Member
For hunting, stick with the 308.
Heck, i had my Winchester 670 rebarreled to a 338 Federal for hunting, it's (to me) the best short action round for North America.
Heck, i had my Winchester 670 rebarreled to a 338 Federal for hunting, it's (to me) the best short action round for North America.
just country
Well-Known Member
morning, lets really stir the pot. 260AI or 6.5x55AI.
I like others have a 308. mine is a custom. no change.
justme gbot tum
I like others have a 308. mine is a custom. no change.
justme gbot tum
mfk
Well-Known Member
I agree on the cherry picking. apples to apples is comparing one heavy for caliber cartridge to another heavy for caliber cartridge.
TX Badger
Well-Known Member
I like my 260ai, but you run into Mag length issues with a 3" Mag. Sounds like this rifle is even shorter. And I believe the swede longer yet.
wyogeargeek
Well-Known Member
My thoughts are stay with the .308 but if a change is desired go with the classic in that rifle the 250-3000.
fiftybmg
Well-Known Member
If the mag can accomodate, 30-06. Beats the crap out of the .308 and any CM any day.
Otherwise stay with .308 - for hunting bigger is better.
Otherwise stay with .308 - for hunting bigger is better.
The 6.5 creedmore has one , and only one advantage over the 260 rem. That is relatively affordable, match ammo! The 260 has much better availability of hunting ammo if that is your aim and if you handload it has a bit of an edge ballistically, ie better performance. I like the 6.5 cartridges and have one or more of about all of them. But dont think like many that the 6.5 is a magic cartridge. It is a good cartridgein its own right, but the main advantage is stated above. The 308 also is a great cartridge. What really matters is that you know the cartridge. Can put accurate hits on game with a good bullet. I would say the 6.5 s are better at long distance but at 500 yds and under i dont think you have a lot to gain. Having said that, sometimes its fum just to have something new, but for hunting with the creed i hope you handload.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
The .30-06 is less than 150 FPS (closer to 100) ahead of the .308 Win... I'd hardly call that "beating the crap out of it"...
greenejc
Well-Known Member
It is your call, but if you're going to hunt deer and elk with the rifle, the Speer on line manual gives the 7mm O8 at 175 grain bullet with a velocity of about 2620fps max. The .308 Winchester will get 2690 max with 180 grain bullets. Both these figures are from 24 inch barrels. Also, the action is designed for the .308 length case. The 257 Roberts is a 57mm case and you might need a little to a lot of action work to make it feed reliably. Also, I kind of like Handskill's suggestion. You could go up to 338 Federal or 358 Winchester. Both will push a 225 grain bullet at around 2550 fps from a 24 inch barrel, the cartridge dimensions are exactly the same a the .308, and both will kill anything up to elk out to 400 yards with a 200 to 225 grain bullet. I wish I had thought about it first. A 215 grain Sierra can be pushed to 2670 fps in the .338 Federal, and has good sectional density and a reasonable BC. This would absolutely flatten a Whitetail or Mule deer and do respectably for elk. Either caliber would work good on bear, too, with the heavy bullets. I know the .35 Whelen loaded with the Speer 250 grain or the Sierra 225 grain bullet will spin a Mule deer or a Whitetail completely off of its feet at 400 yards. Energy for good hand loads in the Whelen is in the neighborhood of 3,500 to 3,900 ftlbs. With the .358 225 grain bullet at 2550 fps, you'd get around 3200ftlbs at the muzzle. You'd get the same with the .338, but with a BC of .498, and a trajectory similar to a .308 with 180 grain bullets. You'd have 2,000 ftlbs of energy at 400 yards. That makes this a good elk rifle at 300 yards and a good moose rifle at 250yards. Just something to think about.
greenejc
Well-Known Member
That depends on what you load in the -06, my friend. My hodgden 2019 annual manual lists max velocities of 3070 with two of their powders and the Nosler Ballistic tip. It lists the 165 grain Sierra at 2972fps and 2938 fps max velocity and the 180 grain Sierra at well over 2800 fps with at least two loads. Speer lists a max load with their 200 grain HotCor which I got through correspondence at over 2660fps using RL26. I'm going to experiment with that powder for both the Speer and the Sierra, now. The strength of the 30-06 over the .308 is in the heavier bullet weights. But that's a side issue. The throw length of the Savage action is designed for short cartridges. So is the magazine. It just won't accomodate the 30-06 length cartridge. As a side note, I'll say that CFE 223 seems to be THE high energy powder for the .308. I gives 75 fps to 100 fps more to most of the bullets in the manual. But Superformance does the same thing for the 30-06. So may RL 26. I need to buy a new Speer manual now. I know Speer lists CFE 223 and the 250 grain bullet in the Whelen as a max of 2660-2670fps, and Power Pro 2000 MR at 2700fps for the same bullet. But I get afield with this. The 30-06 just won't fit that action without completely rebuilding the rifle.
fiftybmg
Well-Known Member
30-06 capability is far in excess of 308. Loaded to the same pressure, the performance margin is much more.
The design of the 30-06 cartridge is still better than all the new stuff. Have you measured the ratio of neck length to bore size on a 30-06 ? That means you can load the 30-06 for proper performance, while keeping the bullet out of the powder column. Did I mention the lower pressure ?
The 30-06 case capacity is 21% greater than a .308 . That fact alone should tell you that the quoted number of 100 fps difference to a 308 is not comparing apples with apples.
Canhunter35
Well-Known Member
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The 30-06 isn't relevant to the ops question.
He has 2.8" magazine limits
He has 2.8" magazine limits
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
I beg to differ... The case design of the .30-06 is beyond outdated and antiquated. Long necks, long low shoulder angle, and very heavy body taper... Far from even equal to anything modern.
Performance-wise, the .308 Win will still be within 100-150 FPS when loaded to the same pressures. That 21% greater capacity does not automatically mean 21% greater performance. Most magnum cartridges are proof of this.
