308 vs 6.5 Cr

[meltingfeather]

The 6.5 is a hot topic now but wait ten years.

lol because caliber evolution tends to backwards?
6.5 is here to stay-- until something else kills it.

[DRT]

lol because caliber evolution tends to backwards?

6.5 is here to stay-- until something else kills it.

Maybe but the reason some calibers don't fade is because they are so saturated into civilian as well as military use they are hard to abandon.
The 6.5 is a great caliber. But it won't replace the .308 in my lifetime.

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[Stick1]

This comparison is always entertaining! Haha. Two facts that can't be argued are that both are extremely easy to find ammo for, and the 6.5 has less recoil. The rest can get pretty subjective I'd personally argue that the quality of the available ammo is higher for the 6.5 across the spectrum of what's out there when you step away from "match" ammo.

You can slice it and dice it anyway you want to make it look good for either. Taking realistic numbers based on what bullets folks commonly use to hunt with(I picked a 165gr for the 308 to be generous, and a 143 gr for the 6.5 as it represents the most common commercial hunting load)and pushing them to the SAAMI limits in Quickload for each round sheds some light on the truth in each category. The 308 is starting at 2,812 fps, and the 6.5 at 2,771 fps.

Energy - The 308 starts at 2,896 ftlbs and the 6.5 starts at 2,439 ftlbs. But that gap has disappeared by 400 yds with the 308 @ 1,600 ftlbs and the 6.5 @ 1,603 ftlbs. They are dead even at this point, and the 6.5 will continue to surpass the 308 in retained energy from this point forward to whatever distance you choose.

Wind drift - A full value 10 mph wind at 500 yds will blow the 308 bullet 17.1" off target. That same wind will only move the 6.5 bullet 12.2" off target.

Bullet drop - With a 100 yd zero, both are going to be 9.6" low at 200 yds. There will be a slight edge for the 6.5 building with distance beyond this range. 800 yds for example has the 308 @ 218.9" of drop and the 6.5 @ 195.4" of drop.

So outside of a small advantage in short-range energy, what does the 308 have that makes it so much better? The 6.5 has less recoil, more energy at distance and is more forgiving of range and wind call errors. For the record, I'm not really that interested in either round. But one does seem to stand out over the other based on it's merits.

[LFD2037]

This comparison is always entertaining! Haha. Two facts that can't be argued are that both are extremely easy to find ammo for, and the 6.5 has less recoil. The rest can get pretty subjective I'd personally argue that the quality of the available ammo is higher for the 6.5 across the spectrum of what's out there when you step away from "match" ammo.

You can slice it and dice it anyway you want to make it look good for either. Taking realistic numbers based on what bullets folks commonly use to hunt with(I picked a 165gr for the 308 to be generous, and a 143 gr for the 6.5 as it represents the most common commercial hunting load)and pushing them to the SAAMI limits in Quickload for each round sheds some light on the truth in each category. The 308 is starting at 2,812 fps, and the 6.5 at 2,771 fps.

Energy - The 308 starts at 2,896 ftlbs and the 6.5 starts at 2,439 ftlbs. But that gap has disappeared by 400 yds with the 308 @ 1,600 ftlbs and the 6.5 @ 1,603 ftlbs. They are dead even at this point, and the 6.5 will continue to surpass the 308 in retained energy from this point forward to whatever distance you choose.

Wind drift - A full value 10 mph wind at 500 yds will blow the 308 bullet 17.1" off target. That same wind will only move the 6.5 bullet 12.2" off target.

Bullet drop - With a 100 yd zero, both are going to be 9.6" low at 200 yds. There will be a slight edge for the 6.5 building with distance beyond this range. 800 yds for example has the 308 @ 218.9" of drop and the 6.5 @ 195.4" of drop.

So outside of a small advantage in short-range energy, what does the 308 have that makes it so much better? The 6.5 has less recoil, more energy at distance and is more forgiving of range and wind call errors. For the record, I'm not really that interested in either round. But one does seem to stand out over the other based on it's merits.

You should've thrown in the stats for the 7mm-08 that he already owns. I bet it lands in the middle of the 2.

[BigJimmyRustler]

This comparison is always entertaining! Haha. Two facts that can't be argued are that both are extremely easy to find ammo for, and the 6.5 has less recoil. The rest can get pretty subjective I'd personally argue that the quality of the available ammo is higher for the 6.5 across the spectrum of what's out there when you step away from "match" ammo.

You can slice it and dice it anyway you want to make it look good for either. Taking realistic numbers based on what bullets folks commonly use to hunt with(I picked a 165gr for the 308 to be generous, and a 143 gr for the 6.5 as it represents the most common commercial hunting load)and pushing them to the SAAMI limits in Quickload for each round sheds some light on the truth in each category. The 308 is starting at 2,812 fps, and the 6.5 at 2,771 fps.

Energy - The 308 starts at 2,896 ftlbs and the 6.5 starts at 2,439 ftlbs. But that gap has disappeared by 400 yds with the 308 @ 1,600 ftlbs and the 6.5 @ 1,603 ftlbs. They are dead even at this point, and the 6.5 will continue to surpass the 308 in retained energy from this point forward to whatever distance you choose.

Wind drift - A full value 10 mph wind at 500 yds will blow the 308 bullet 17.1" off target. That same wind will only move the 6.5 bullet 12.2" off target.

Bullet drop - With a 100 yd zero, both are going to be 9.6" low at 200 yds. There will be a slight edge for the 6.5 building with distance beyond this range. 800 yds for example has the 308 @ 218.9" of drop and the 6.5 @ 195.4" of drop.

So outside of a small advantage in short-range energy, what does the 308 have that makes it so much better? The 6.5 has less recoil, more energy at distance and is more forgiving of range and wind call errors. For the record, I'm not really that interested in either round. But one does seem to stand out over the other based on it's merits.

What barrel lengths are used for this exercise?

[B&C]

Get both. If you can't, get the .308. It's more versatile.

[firemanjj82]

I officially have both. I know the ballistics of the two, but still would like to keep both because I like the easy recoil of the 6.5, but the idea of having a long range 30 caliber round with a broad assortment of loads. I know both will do anything I need it to do with Texas game, but I would be more confident with the 308 going for anything bigger than deer.

[kkp005]

I have both but prefer my 308’s... can find factory loads from 130-180gr. I know the 6.5 shines at distance...... but I’d be willing to wager the strong majority of us will never shoot at anything alive further than 300 yards

[TX03RUBI]

I have both but prefer my 308’s... can find factory loads from 130-180gr. I know the 6.5 shines at distance...... but I’d be willing to wager the strong majority of us will never shoot at anything alive further than 300 yards

The last 4 deer I’ve shot the closest has been 318 yards. The furthest was 598. Only one took a step, and it was the 598. It made it about 10 steps. The other were between 318-404, and all 3 fell where they stood. All of them shot with a 6mm. Two a 6x47 Lapua and the other two 6 Creed. I’d feel plenty confident with either the 6.5 Creed or 308 within 500, but I wouldn’t have much faith in the 308 past. I like energy, but I’ll take speed over energy if they’re similar enough. Without that speed the projectile will pencil right through without expansion. As you mentioned that’s not an issue for either 6.5 or 308 at typical hunting distances though. Most hunters won’t ever see a difference in the two, but they may feel a bit of difference at the shoulder.

[Bowhuntamistad]

The 308 is gone....went to a new adult hunter that will be hunting deer and elk. Figured he could use the universal caliber more than me. Will be fun to take him out and I reserved the right to get it back if hunting doesn’t work out for him.

Time to take the Creed out for some fun this weekend.

[Bowhuntamistad]

Thanks for all the help guys! I was really thinking of keeping both but it worked out better in the end. I have a range here out to 1K so this will be more for fun and antelope hunting than anything else. Daughter has been eyeballing the new rifle too

[Keg]

The 6.5 Creedmore is the
man-bun caliber.

Fixed it...😆

And my 308 keeps killin’...

[Fmjag64]

Back to the OP, .308 vs. 6.5CM, unless this is in a AR platform, since both of those calibers are offered in AR, I would also consider .270 and 7mm Mag also.

[SmackDown73]

I have both. The 6.5 shooting a Hornady Precision Hunter round in 143 grn. is impressive!! The knock down power in that round is awesome! Deer and Hogs.

[MUZZYSLINGR]

Fixed it...[emoji38]



And my 308 keeps killin’...

Judging by that pic I’d say so.


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