6.5 Creedmore vs 308 Winchester
- Thread starter Ditch Doc
- Start date
I wanted a Creedmoor but needed a lefty so I did the 260. Now I hardly shoot the 308.
Lots to like in that range of 260/6.5 although factory ammo is harder to find.
I usually do not shoot factory but last time I checked I could pick between 5 different 6.5 loads. As for accuracy the 143 Hornady ELDX shot under 1/2 min at 200.
Cost wise you are a little higher for 6.5 but you will also see your hit ratio go up because of wind bucking and flatter shooting.
When it comes to barrel life most 6.5 cartridges will last 2000-2800 rounds. I consider that a good barrel life. It is really only beat by a hand full or cartridges that are used in long range.
Now for shooting 1000 yds. If you have the basic fundamentals down, a scope with enough elevation you can shoot 1000 with a little coaching. Don't let people tell you that a 1000 dollar scope will not get you to 1000 yds. You give me a RPR in 6.5 with an entry-level long range scope I will get hit at a 1000 with good factory loads all day long. I won't be winning match but will get hits.
Ryan
Cost wise you are a little higher for 6.5 but you will also see your hit ratio go up because of wind bucking and flatter shooting.
When it comes to barrel life most 6.5 cartridges will last 2000-2800 rounds. I consider that a good barrel life. It is really only beat by a hand full or cartridges that are used in long range.
Now for shooting 1000 yds. If you have the basic fundamentals down, a scope with enough elevation you can shoot 1000 with a little coaching. Don't let people tell you that a 1000 dollar scope will not get you to 1000 yds. You give me a RPR in 6.5 with an entry-level long range scope I will get hit at a 1000 with good factory loads all day long. I won't be winning match but will get hits.
Ryan
6.5/260 is a reloader's cartridge, for factory 308 is a lot cheaper. I plink all the 200m abandons clays with NORC ammo at 40c a pop, 80% hits.
For precision most reload. Cost of reload 308 and 6.5 is very similar. Haven't shot my TRG 308 in a while. Miss the cheap clay plinking.
For precision most reload. Cost of reload 308 and 6.5 is very similar. Haven't shot my TRG 308 in a while. Miss the cheap clay plinking.
I am with the guys that said to put the money for the new rifle into one of your existing Savages and a reloading kit.
As long as one of your current 308s fit you well then spin on an after market barrel. You can fit one yourself and the barrel will likely be more accurate than buying another factory rifle. In this case you don't have to stick with 308 either, but for ease just have it chambered in something that uses your current 470 bolt face.
As long as one of your current 308s fit you well then spin on an after market barrel. You can fit one yourself and the barrel will likely be more accurate than buying another factory rifle. In this case you don't have to stick with 308 either, but for ease just have it chambered in something that uses your current 470 bolt face.
So far the 129 gr Accubond ABLR and the 120 gr Nosler BT have been good on my first round of load development for the 260.
Actually the Fed Fusion 120 factory is a decent accuracy round, for factory ammo.
Played a bit with 123 and 129; have settle on 139 Lapua Scenar, very accurate (.4MOA 5 shot with SRS, .5MOA with CTR); bonus is POI within 1/2MOA of 140 Berger hunting VLD if ever I hunt.
Recoil of 139 is light compare to 168+ on 308. Getting 2800FPS with 26" barrel. Expect to complete the 1/2" 5 shot 5 group challenge as missing just several shots during load development.
Recoil of 139 is light compare to 168+ on 308. Getting 2800FPS with 26" barrel. Expect to complete the 1/2" 5 shot 5 group challenge as missing just several shots during load development.
You've got to ask yourself one question: How often do I shoot past 800 yards?
Almost never - 308
All the time - 6.5
And now some humor
Ha, good one!
Actually, that's a pretty good chart for Norinco 147gr 308.
We had a guy shooting these at a PR match at Mons and they were all over the place by the time we got to 800. I was in the butts and couldn't even tell what target he was shooting at as the bullets had dropped to subsonic and had become unstable.Yes, 308 ammo can be cheap but you get what you pay for.
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^ Haha yup. While I love 308 for its component availability and long barrel life, if someone primarily shoots at longer ranges there are just better cartridges out there (like the 6.5 and 6mm's).
I rarely get the opportunity to shoot past 800 and even the competitions I shoot in don't go further than 660 yards so 308 works great there. I still have 2k rounds of life left (3k down range now) before the rebarrel so longer life saves money.
I rarely get the opportunity to shoot past 800 and even the competitions I shoot in don't go further than 660 yards so 308 works great there. I still have 2k rounds of life left (3k down range now) before the rebarrel so longer life saves money.
Mystic Precision
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As we know, LR ammo tech never stops and the biggest change in tech has been in the 30cals... specifically wrt to FTR competition out to 1000yds.
For this comparison, consider a mag fed 6.5 CM with a 140/142gr class bullet at the typical 2700'ish fps vs a single feed FTR type 308 pushing heavy high BC bullets at elevated velocities. The wind drift at 1000yds is actually much closer today then it was even 4 yrs ago.
I compete beside Open rifles which are mostly 7mm but a few 6.5's show up. Accuracy is near identical and drift is not that far apart anymore. I have shot beside a 6.5X47L pushing 140's to over 2700fps out to 1000yds. Our initial wind setting on the scope were IDENTICAL.
yes, the FTR stuff is very specific and hot rodded.. this is not your Fed GM 168gr loads
But if you really want to shoot the 308 AND don't need to feed from a mag, build it like a FTR and be blown away by how well it can shoot at LR.
In competition, there are plenty of relays where a 308 shooter will out score the field of open shooters typically using 7mm's of some flavor.
For a frame of reference, at 1000yds the X ring is 5" and the 10 ring is 10". If confirmed, the new FTR NRA 1000yds record is 200-16X out of a possible 200-20X. I think the Open record is 200-17X or thereabouts.
The difference in match scores between FTR and Open is closing... the closest it has been in the last 5yrs.
SO, if you want to compare apples and oranges, you might be able to change this debate in favor of the "308".... at least the super sized versions used in competition.
The one thing that will not change, the 6.5 CM recoils less vs the 308. I am really enjoying shooting the 6.5 CM with the 140 class bullets.
yep, I have both so am basing this on first hand experience.
Jerry
For this comparison, consider a mag fed 6.5 CM with a 140/142gr class bullet at the typical 2700'ish fps vs a single feed FTR type 308 pushing heavy high BC bullets at elevated velocities. The wind drift at 1000yds is actually much closer today then it was even 4 yrs ago.
I compete beside Open rifles which are mostly 7mm but a few 6.5's show up. Accuracy is near identical and drift is not that far apart anymore. I have shot beside a 6.5X47L pushing 140's to over 2700fps out to 1000yds. Our initial wind setting on the scope were IDENTICAL.
yes, the FTR stuff is very specific and hot rodded.. this is not your Fed GM 168gr loads
But if you really want to shoot the 308 AND don't need to feed from a mag, build it like a FTR and be blown away by how well it can shoot at LR.
In competition, there are plenty of relays where a 308 shooter will out score the field of open shooters typically using 7mm's of some flavor.
For a frame of reference, at 1000yds the X ring is 5" and the 10 ring is 10". If confirmed, the new FTR NRA 1000yds record is 200-16X out of a possible 200-20X. I think the Open record is 200-17X or thereabouts.
The difference in match scores between FTR and Open is closing... the closest it has been in the last 5yrs.
SO, if you want to compare apples and oranges, you might be able to change this debate in favor of the "308".... at least the super sized versions used in competition.
The one thing that will not change, the 6.5 CM recoils less vs the 308. I am really enjoying shooting the 6.5 CM with the 140 class bullets.
yep, I have both so am basing this on first hand experience.
Jerry
