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

I was having the same debate last year when looking for a rifle for my son. In the end, I ended up getting a good deal on a Ruger Hawkeye in 6.5 CM from Mtnboomer. So far, he has used 123gr Scenars with good success on several deer. This year was his first year hunting elk, and for that I loaded some 140gr partitions and they worked just fine. I don't think you could go wrong either way, but I wouldn't dismiss the 6.5 where elk are concerned.

Cool pics! Walnut M77 is a classy way to go.

For a bolt rifle...

Why a short action?


The .270 Winchester - has been the premier field cartridge for almost a hundred years... and just gets better w/ time.

What I got my boys, in the Mossberg Patriot Synthetic - Vortex Scoped Combos.

~ $400/pop.




GR

for the average hunters and their new youth hunters tuff to beat a 6.5 Creedmoor , i do like the 7mm-o8 too, because i am reloader i can and have loaded both of these fine cartridges. but at our hunting camp i have gave all members of the family a 257 Robert rifle to own and hunt with , because this way they all have the same cartridge and this grand old cartridge has some great old history with light recoil too. i feel we don`t need the family hunters need a new wiz bang cartridge , some of our 257 Roberts rifles do have new Brux barrel 8 twist barrels on them and shoot very well too, i am also rebarreling a Ruger #1 to a another 257 Roberts , Brux - 8 twist barrel too for me .

I vote 7-08 my rifle has been used on 3 cow hunts by young hunters and all 3 elk were drt. Plus they like shooting it at practice secession.
Including my wife.

6.5 for me. Many 6.5s come in rifles where the twist, chamber, and magazine are optimized for shooting higher BC loads. Also, there is a certain inertia of success with the 6.5 cal matched with a 140 grain bullet that’s too good to ignore 😊 Thanks, Sweden.
Actual killing capabilities are the same. Plus everybody and their brother is turning out good, stupid expensive, 6.5 factory ammo. I remember having to reload cuz rifle rounds were costing a DOLLAR. Now my components cost that …

The RAR in 6.5 is a great motivator.

I agree.

Creed for me. I like both, but there's more options for factory ammo with the creed, it's usually cheaper, and there's more low recoil options with the Creedmoor.

I’ve got both calibers. The 7-08 has more recoil IMO.
And I see lot more Factory Ammo available for the 6.5 CM.
If you don’t reload, I’d go with the Creed.

I can’t see any difference in how the two calibers kill game. Both work very well.

Don’t be a dumb azz and buy a good 308 based on your entire post .

6.5 for a variety of reason. Easier to find both rifles and ammo. Reasonably cheap ammo for 6.5 promotes more practice. 6.5 CM shoots really soft and I’ve never heard of one that didn’t shoot well.

Thank you! That was the one stipulation he had, he didn’t want a plastic gun. 😎

I’ve always wanted to like my 7mm-08s more than I actually have. The 6.5mm CM is at the confluence of a great many human factors.

^^^This^^^

Same experience with my 7mm 08 and 6.5 creed.
My daughter is shooting the 7 08 and my 9 year old granddaughter is shooting a 6.5 creed. If I had to pick just one for a youth, It would be the 6.5 creed.

I've had the opposite experience, My son has been shooting a model 7 synthetic 708 since he was 9. Recoil is nothing. I shot my buddys kimber hunter in the creed, it would absolutely stomp you. I couldnt imagine a kid shooting it. Was shooting 120nbt in model 7 and the kimber....and I'd consider the hunter and 7 similar sized guns. The model 7 does have a limbsaver on it. I just bought another 708 for myself since my son has taken over mine.

What I highlighted invalidates the comparison between cartridges.

Yup - the Model 7 was often marketed as a kids first rifle. I can't imagine a worse platform to start a kid out on.

GREAT!

Nice. I like the walnut stock rifle a lot. That youngster needs a real shooting sling though.

That wasn't really where I was going.