Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Might make the switch from 6.5 CM to 308

The main issue in this thread, and every other one that *certain people* get involved in, is that they create a ballistics binary in which the cartridge with slightly inferior ballistics is 100% disqualified from being useful at all, in spite of it having a decades-old track record of successfully putting down big game. The Creedmoor has a better trajectory at 700 yards. Great. Who is shooting elk at 700 yards and what does that have to do with the 308 or 30-06 at 150 yards? The answers are hopefully no one and nothing, respectively. I own a 6.5 and a 280. They both work. And one working doesn't spoil the other. Also own a 30-30. Is it a 400 yard cartridge? No. But apparently because it can't match the ballistics of a 7-08 it hasn't accounted for untold game for well over a century... yeesh.

I plan to switch from the 260 to 308 - less meat damage.

I may go back to 358, but I’m a tad hesitant because of the trajectory given I somethings shoot over 300.

Had a 308. Will likely never have one again. Dropped it. No interest because it's not better than several other cartridges in a SA. Why have it then? Better is better, even if it's better in an area I'd never utilize. It's not better in areas I do utilize either.

While I get clockwork's point - it's not that it's binary and the question isn't "I have NO rifle, which?" But "I have A rifle and it does happen to have advantages over the 308. Should I switch to 308?"

Never shot a Creed, dunno nuffin' about it.

The .308 is pretty good if belt fed. 6 barrels helps. It'll cut down big trees, eat a hole thru a bunker roof and plink monkeys running across the tree tops.





I don't have much use for pistols.

Teal - the 6.5 definitely has advantages over 308. But the 308 also has a few and a lot could depend on the rifle itself. If you told me I could have a M70 FWT in 308 or a Savage Axis in 6.5, and I'm never going to shoot game past 250 yards anyway, I'm taking the Winchester faster than you can say 308. Or if you just wanted to use heavier bullets, 308 might be your ticket. In a specific area, ammo might be more available for one or the other, but online sales seem to make that a push.

I guess my point is the next new cartridge doesn't make every cartridge behind it obsolete, because most of what makes it better only applies to .0009% of the shooting population and makes zero real difference in real world hunting scenarios. Otherwise, why does anyone have a Creedmoor? The newer 6.5s have better ballistics.

In the current environment, I believe 5 boxes of ammo for your rifles is too low. My local LGS and Academy have bare shelves. periodically something shows up but not normally my desired caliber ay reasonable prices. That's 257 Weatherby,270 Weatherby,22-250 and 30-30. I think reasonable prices may have to be redefined also. Everything has gone up except my pension. I bought last year what In thought I would need in 257 and 270 and found some 22-250 last week @ 21 a box. Have seen no boxes of 30-30. Do not need it but would like to add to my stash.

Guys are endlessly looking for the perfect tool, but forget it's the craftsman that makes the tool, not the reverse - of course in this case the tool is the rifle/cartridge, the craftsman is the hunter/rifleman.

Q: "what's the best elk rifle/cartridge?"
A: "Whatever the best elk hunter/rifleman has in his hands."

I get it of course. The reason most of us are on this site is we're rifle nuts. Part of loonyism is debating over, and playing with a variety of platforms and cartridges. I guess the difference for me is I've never been under the illusion that I "needed" anything other than a 308 for my hunting, in spite of having dozens of rifles chambered in dozens of cartridges. Every cartridge is a compromise weighted in one direction or another, and there are all kinds of factors that enter the choice other than just "the numbers."

Your points are well taken but in the favor of the 308 over others is inexpensive GI brass for the 308 and easier found 308 bullets. Of course that only counts with those of us who believe in having more than 2 boxes of ammo on the shelf ready to go. But you know you allways need to consider the source. Mb

Holy [bleep]!

I'm so old, I remember when you could get .308 SSTs for ~$22 bucks a box.

That was several variants ago 😇😂

The other problem now is that guys are inevitably going to panic buy ammo in bulk before they know if it shoots worth a damn in their rifle.

Clockwork people.have to take their own son of a bitch lessons you can't do it for them.. mb

We agree on something lol.

What lessons are those? That internet posers are a dime a dozen?

Get the 308 as a back up. Both the 6.5 and 308 will work on elk with proper bullets, And more importantly shot placement. Worse case scenario you get the dated 06 to shoot 180s for your dedicated elk rifle

More than one A hole at work was in need of ammo before season.
The guys that always "one up" on any topic.

Fuggem.

Wouldn't sell em anything.

However, if a decent guy or bud needed some in a pinch I'd just give it to them.

Oh, and I have only one .308 and no 6.5.
The advantage of .308 for me is wider choice of platform.

Switch barrel set up for me.


Factory 24" 308 barrel




Carbonsix 26'' 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor barrel

This is exactly where I am.

In the context of the 200-300 yards being the farthest I'd ever have to worry about, a 308 with a 130 gr bullet (TTSX) uses pretty much comparable powder charge weights, to shoot said bullet as fast or faster than the 6.5mm Creedmoor throws its 130 grain bullet.

One is a lot more efficient afterwards sure but what do I care? Nothing at all. Recoils the same, possibly even lighter depending on what rifle it is coming from.

And if I ever decide I want to go heavier over those same relatively short ranges, I can. Best of both worlds.

The impetus for his change was elk hunting. Recoil? The 308 may bother some in long strings from a bench or prone but it really isn't a hard kicker. And that wonderful flatter trajectory comes into play around the time you need a rangefinder anyway. If you know your drop then hitting out to 500 yards isn't hard just as if you know your wind values the improved wind bucking abilities only come into play farther out than most will shoot at live animals.