Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game First rifle for young hunter; 7-08 vs 6.5 Creed

What are advantages/disadvantages between 6.5 Creed and 7-08? I think I have a pretty good handle on them but wonder if there is something I don’t know or haven’t thought about.

We will probably buy new in one of the entry level bolt rifles. With seasons over here this year we are biding our time with an eye out for a bargain. If the right deal comes along, new or used, a .243 or .308 would do. This will be primarily for blacktail deer in the wet jungle, but elk and black bear are on the local menu.

If you don't handload, the CM seems to have way more ammo availability. At least in my area. The CM seems really easy to get to shoot really well, at least from my examples. I don't think you would be able to tell the difference on animals.

If you do handload, either can be whatever you load it to be. I would have leaned toward the 7mm-08 based on past experience until I tried a couple Creedmoors.

Having owned both and shot both I'll vote for the 7MM-08 only because IMHO felt recoil seems to be less in the 7MM-08. When I've had rifles that are about 99% identical I always thought the 08 just didn't seem to kick as much or felt that way. The CM seemed more snappy if that makes sense?? But since you said for a young hunter it may make a difference??

7mm-08

Between those two, it’s a toss up. Ask the kid which one they want.

To me, it would depend on ammo/component availability and what bullet you want to shoot out of said rifle.

I'd go 7mm-08 every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Taylor handloads and recoil to shooter size then party on.

They both kill shiiit just fine. 6.5 easier to find ammo for. More new production and used rifles available im sure. Probably twisted better from factory as well

It’s really not going to make or break them whichever way you go

I wouldn’t discount 243 or 6creed if they are recoil sensitive. And a 308 or 260 would do everything you listed also

Do you reload is the big question and should be a big deciding factor

If not 308, 6.5 creed, or 243 should be your options imo

I would favor the 7-08 if you are talking bears and elk on the menu. 7-08 ammo has been skimpy around here for a while. I just received an order from Norma on some 7-08 Whitetail variety for a friend along with .308 Win for me. At $16 a box for .308 and $20 a box for 7-08, couldn’t pass it up.

I love my 7mm08 and will keep using it but if I was starting over right now with zip looking for a deer rifle I would go with 6.5. For many reasons but mostly that ammo and rifle manufacturers have provided a lot of options.

6.5 Grendel. They may never need another rifle.

Yep. The 7mm-08 is not as plentiful as the Creed for a factory-ammo shooter. Otherwise, I'd go with whichever rifle you happen to find in stock. Both are good choices.

Buying an entry level rifle for a new shooter to use for a few years, I'd go as small as I could find. I used a 700 in 243 for the kids to start killing stuff at age 8. No flinching developed and they had great success in the field. After a few years, simply buy a better quality slightly larger rig and roll on. I think the old 243 had a 4x weaver on it so they didn't screw around with the scope any.

Good luck either way.

OM, that's interesting and probably due to the "rocket effect" given the .264" bore vs. the .284" bore. I've often found cartridges don't "feel" like recoil numbers indicate, and have always assumed bore size, given comparable platforms, accounted for most of the perceived difference.

Having both and having kids use both I say go with the 7mm08. If bigger game like you said elk and bear then defiantly the 7mm08 gets the nod.

Agree.

And if OP is a hand loader.

If not, go Creed.

DF

Both would be an excellent choice. I have a crop of grandkids coming up and felt faced with the same decision last summer. I went with a 7mm-08. I consider it almost a coinflip sorta decision. On the positive side, it's an excuse to buy another rifle. : )

I've had a number of 7-08's. The cartridge just never did anything for me. OTOH, I really like the 6.5CM, and would be comfortable using it on everything here in MT. Aside from far more factory offerings, I also think the 6.5CM has an out of the box accuracy advantage.

I think that's true in much of the country. Handloading aside, it can matter if the hunter needs to fly on a commercial airline to hunt.


Okie John

That is interesting....

I have two identical kimbers in each of the chamberings discussed here and can tell you without a doubt that the Creed is the softer shooter... and that's both running 140's.

The Creed has way more over the counter ammo offerings and it's a pretty simple task to tailor a low recoil load that would be a good trainer and work fine on deer.

I've killed enough Roosevelt elk with the Creed and my .260 to dismiss any idea that the 7mm will work better... hit for hit, there is no difference. I've killed elk with the 129 Interlock, 140 Federal Fusion and 140 Sierra spbt - no worries...

When I set my grandson's up with their 1st big game rifle, they'll both be in 6.5 Creed.