Ttying to distract myself as I am sitting by my wife as she is sleeping in the hospital. I want to add a bolt action rifle that will be used for deer hunting in Georgia. I am looking at the Tikka T3X. I don’t plan on handloading. I want ammo to be easy to find. I don’t like a lot of recoil or muzzle blast. I am thinking.308 or 6.5 Creedmoor. What would you choose and why?

Peas in a pod for deer. Find the rifle you like in either one. Great choices for factory ammo.

Those 2 are going to win the ammo availability game if you're just shopping in Wal-Mart, Academy, etc. Recoil in 6.5 is negligible to me and 308 isn't bad either, but definitely a little more. If you're willing to buy ammo online, Norma has some outstanding deals on 308 ammo right now. Hope all's well with your wife!

Creedmoor


Less recoil

EZ button.

What I would choose.

Exactly. They will both shoot very well and ammo will be easy to find for either one. Recoil is slightly less with the Creedmoor. OP says he doesn't like recoil, so that may be the best choice.

Hi kandpand,

If you go with a .308, I recommend Winchester Super-X .308, 180 Grain Power Point, lethal on game and very cost effective.

Best of luck Sir!

KB

I’d go Creed based on lower recoil.

Buy whichever one you want or split the difference with a 7mm-08. 7mm-08 ammo may not be as available but isn’t crazy hard to find and how much do you really need for a deer gun. All are can’t miss choices.

Best wishes for you and your wife.

Recoil and muzzle blast bad... look for the 6.5 in a heavier rifle with 24” barrel.

I would say .308. While there is a lot of Creedmoor ammo out there, most of it around me is Match ammo. I see a lot more hunting ammo in .308. For GA deer, all you need is a 150 grain bullet. There won't be a ton of difference in recoil between that and a 140 grain 6.5 bullet out of a Creedmoor.

Tikka is the easy choice.
6.5 over 308 is also easy choice when it comes to recoil.
I imagine you don’t shoot long distance in Georgia. But I really like 76239 out of bolt action. Cheap ammo, 3030 ballistics and can be moa shooter. I think howa still makes some rifles.

I like the .308 Win myself but 6.5 CM is not a bad choice either especially if you wear your hair in a manbun 😁.....Hb

Yep. My 6.5 CM has much less felt recoil then either my 3-08 or 7-08. Kills deer and hogs just as well too.

Flip a coin. Either one is the Easy Button.

Crudmoor, you will like it. I load 120 Barnes for my two Savages

Split the difference and go with a 7mm-08. I sure like mine.

If barrel length is important for the way you hunt, then consider that the T3X has a 22" in 308, and 24" in 6.5CM

Also, while both are very affordable, 308 ammo is usually cheaper.

I'll fourth this, Creedmoor would be the easy button for sure. Lots of factory ammo options, and in a decent rifle (like Tikkas) most ammo is going to shoot pretty well without any fuss. Creedmoor provides more than enough killin' for Georgia deer, but does have noticeably lower recoil than .308 in similar rifles. The only strike against the CM in Tikkas is that you're stuck with a 24" barrel versus the 22" of the .308. Not a huge factor but I prefer 22" for unsuppressed hunting rifles.

.308. Hopefully your wife is doing ok?

I prefer the 308 to the 6.5 Cm because I like the larger bore and heavier bullets for elk hunting, and because I like the military rifles chambered in it. But if I lived where you do I'd take the 6.5CM instead because it is going to work just as well to kill deer -----and is going to kick less.
I am not bothered by recoil much but it is NOT some kind of virtue either.
Recoil may not hinder in some cases, but it's never helpful.

6.5 creed. Great factory ammunition, low recoil, and kills elk just fine.

308

308

Less gay

308 because loaded with a lot of bullets in different weights.

Low recoil = 6.5 grendel. I'd go with a Howa Mini.

243

308 Winchester is the most versatile hunting rifle ever.

That might be a stretch, but not far from it. I'd go .308 Win as well, but 6.5 Creedmoor will win out for light recoil. The reason I said .308 was the fact I was in inthe only Walmart within 20 miles of me today. Town has a population of 7K, and they only had one box of Winchester Deer Season XP Creedmoor ammunition, 5 types of .308 Win a few boxes in each, not counting 7.62X51.

Cheapest most available ammo is and will remain, 308. It’s a better fit too if you might hunt hogs or black bear, though 6.5 could handle all. The 308 however will do it in stride, without the need for premium bullets. Personally I would feel underprepared (let’s call it) hunting elk with a 243, 6.5 or 7-08, withOUT also using the best possible premium bullet such as Nosler Partition, Accubond or similar. I would not feel that way with a box of Remington 308Win 180 grain PSPCL on an elk hunt.

This kind of thinking is backerds. The guy asked about a rifle to hunt deer in Georgia.

This is what all the gun writers taught us way back when. That for your first rifle you should get something that’s good for all game in all of North America. So the first rifle I bought was a 30-06. But I never went hunting elk or grizzlies or moose.

And years ago, I had a buddy that had killed more deer and hogs than anyone I knew. Probably more than the large majority of gun writers. He’d show ya his boat paddle 12 twist 223 and say, “This is all ya need.”

Now I’m not saying everyone should hunt deer with a 223. But I also wouldn’t add the condition that they’d need premium ammo for elk if they bought something less than a 308 if they ask about a deer rifle for Georgia.

I have Tikka's in both cartridges. I'm heavily invested in 308 with several 308 rifles that I like. And I've spent time and effort working up loads that I like and trust. I tend to reach for one of the 308's 1st.

I ended up with a 6.5CM just to try one and see what the fuss was all about. It lives up to the hype and have to admit it is probably the better cartridge for most people. The only caveat is that presently I see more 308 ammo on shelves. Before the latest ammo shortage there was plenty of both. If you don't handload I'd check ammo availability 1st.

I’m a huge .308 fan, but I think you should buy the 6.5. No doubt it will kick less, and ammo is available pretty much everywhere. Just be sure to keep ahead of your needs.

If you handloaded, I’d suggest a 6.5 Grendel for even less recoil, but I just checked online and ammo is spendy and scarce right now.

Just bought my first .308, Ruger American Predator and screw a can on it. Me too much like! Ordered some 130 gr TTSX and ready for some fun under the green light, piggies beware.

Another vote for the 7-08. I have 5 of them. Also soft shooters. Load em up with 120 TTSXs or 139 Interlocks and go kill schiet.

If factory ammo, I would source the ammo before the rifle. See what’s available that works for you and buy a rifle for it.

Yes he did say he wanted to hunt deer in GA but that State also has hogs and black bear. He said his biggest concern was Ammo availability and cost and that he wasn’t a hand loader. He also asked WHY someone would recommend one over the other. I started by saying that 308 is cheap and available and will remain so for a good while longer. The 308 Ammo is cheaper primarily because it is readily available and performs well WITHOUT premium bullets. Six and 6.5 would be OK for deer with cheaper cup and core bullets but not larger, tougher game in my opinion. I thought I’d add that part in answer to the WHY of it. In other words - fine for deer but if you might cross species, you’ll need to spend $45/box for the smaller calibers. With 308 you can pretty much do it all for $25/box.

I don’t always look, but I went in Wallyworld last week and checked out the ammo isle.
It was pretty bare. Most common rifle ammo was limited to a box or two or none. There were four or more boxes of 6.5 Creedmoor, a bunch of 350 Legend and 22-250, and a decent supply of 22LR. No other rimfire that I noticed.

Not sure I’d base my rifle choice on what I saw there though. Maybe a wider search of some actual sporting goods stores might be a good idea.
I don’t know though. I have enough to hunt for the rest of my life if I was frugal with it.

I have some premium ammo for 223 and 243. And I’ve never spent $45 on a box of ammo.
But times have changed. I think all of the 6.5 Creedmoor ammo I saw was premium, and about $45.

Still, I don’t know that availability of new ammo from a retail store favors one over the other.
Rifle availability might be a different story.

Pull in here get a Crudmoor



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I'm the first to whine when someone provides choices other than what the OP requested. However, based on how you worded your alternatives, I'm assuming it is open season on choices. Having said that, based on your criteria and only those two cartridge choices, I would go 6.5 Creedmoor as it falls in line more with your criteria.

However, given your stated criteria, I would select an 8 twist 223 and shoot 77 grain TMKs, 75 grain Amax or 75 grain ELD-M. It too fills your criteria and then some and will work just as effectively as every thing suggested so far. I'm just a mental midget who thinks too many people overlook the effectiveness of the 223, unnecessarily so, when the criteria jumps up to medium and big game however one defines those.

Arguably, with those bullets and especially the 88s mentioned by the homunculus from Alaska, assuming your rifle were twisted properly and had the mags and throat to handle them, one could hunt pretty much all North American big game with that combination. Note, I said arguably and recognize that is fodder for a different thread.

Probably the best advice I’ve seen yet.

Thanks for all of the replies

My wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that has spread. She is a fighter and with treatment she is going to overcome this. She is a health nut, eats well, and was walking 10000 steps a day. This has bee a total shock. I posted about this several days ago asking for prayers. I come here to get distracted when she is sleeping and I cannot. Please pray for her.

I have a fast twist single shot.223 that I feel confident in for deer hunting. I am looking for an all around deer rifle that could be used for hogs, black bear, and maybe other animals if the opportunity ever arises to hunt out out of state. I don’t mind ordering ammo online or purchasing at stores. In my small town, 308 and 350 Legend has been the only consistently available ammo. I have used the 7mm08 a lot but ammo availability and price males the 308 make more sense to me. The 6.5 Creedmoor checks a lot of boxes to. I know it is really just mind games as most of my shots will be under 100 yards.

I'll be sending prayers for your wife. I hope she beats that cancer.

If recoil is a problem the the maybe the 6.5 CM might be the answer. However, I've been a reluctant fan of the .308 for a long time now. Reluctant? I always thought the 30-06 was king of the walk for a general all round rifle until too many cigarettes made the old bubba'd Springfield 03 just too damn heavy at 9,000 feet plus above sea level. I reluctantly bought a Remington 660 in .308 Win. at the local hardware store in the little rural town I was living in and went with that. I thought recoil was brutal in that rifle until I got a set of muffs as a birthday present. Dang! Where did the kick go? The rifle had a 20" barrel which didn't help. Still leery as hell about the .308 until a deer hunt that year (1976 IIRC) I took a shot at a Mule Deer my hunting partner had wounded. Dropped the deer with one shot and when we paced it off, 426 paces. I kind of looked a bit differently at the .308. Now I have 5 I think. Did quite a bit of hunting up in the Kaibab with a Ruger M77 RSI. Longest shot with that on was 250 yards on a nice Mule Deer.
The real eye opener was when for spits and grins, I ran some 180 gr. Winchester Power Points in a Winchester M70with 22" barrel against the same make ammo/bullet combo in a 30-06 Remington M700 over a chronograph. End result was the .308 did 2610 FPS and the 06 did 2630 FPS. Big whoop!.

I guess you know which would be my choice. The .308. I think I explained the why. Anyway, good luck whichever one you choose. I hope your wife gets better. I'll be sending her prayers.
Paul B.

Still have a 7-08?

Stuck on a 6.5 CM and 308 only?

I do not have a 7mm08. I started thinning rifles out a little while back. I am not limiting my choice to the 6.5 CM or the 308.
Not sure what our financial future is with everything that is going on but just trying to come up with that one all around deer rifle

Well it seems like every shelf in every gun store in Georgia thinks everyone has 5 Creedmoor in their arsenal. Does anyone buy anything other than a 6.5 Creedmoor anymore. They are 20 to 1 over every cartridge it seems anymore. So for that reason I’d do the creed. A 308 is fairly “findable” ammo.

I would choose a .308 Winchester and for several reasons.

First, performance on game will be an absolute wash; it'll not make one iota of difference at the ranges the average hunter shoots whitetails. However, the .308 Winchester does indeed have the largest catalog of ammunition choices as well as .308" bullets are offered in a greater variety of projectiles than any other round should you decide to take up handloading. Additionally, there will be more brass choices for .308 Winchester than most others and it tends to be cheaper than 6.5 Creedmoor. on the lines of cost, recently Norma was direct selling their excellent 150 gr. "whitetail" ammo in .308 Winchester for $16.99/box. I've seen this ammo on sale multiple times over the last two years anywhere from $12/20 to $16/20. It has shot sub-MOA for me in three different rifles. The Norma brass is also excellent should you decide to save it to be used in future handloads.

Another consideration few seem to mention is barrel life. The 6.5mm Creedmoor, as anemic as it is compared to other 6.5s still has around 2500 rounds of barrel life. I have seen many that just wouldn't shoot anymore. If you're like me and shoot 400-500 rounds a year, you'll enjoy having double or more barrel life in .308 Winchester (and that's a conservative estimate).

To be honest, the only reason I can think to choose a 6.5 Creedmoor as a primary whitetail rifle is because one may be recoil-sensitive, which additionally burden will be added with a light rifle such as the T3X Lite.

I don’t think you have to be recoil sensitive to benefit from a lower recoiling rifle.

Heck, I can shoot a 30-06 or 300 Mag if I want. It don’t hurt. But it’s a lot easier to be ultra accurate with a 243.

I’ll repeat what I said earlier
For 100 yard shots on deer or pigs. Low recoil, supper cheap ammo in bulk of 500 rounds, that’s fairly accurate is the 7.62x39.
Or as I am slowly learning I can re confirm what you want to hear. The 6.5 has less recoil than the 308 and will work great for your wife

Perhaps not, but where is that line drawn? Should we all use .22lr? The .308 Winchester doesn’t recoil to the point which it affects accuracy on most adult males…unless you’re recoil sensitive.

Sometimes less recoil can be present with more blast, so it can be a trade-off.

What do you currently have on hand??

270 would be a good one. Easy to find ammo and an absolute hammer on whitetails.

Less recoil than a 308 and will shoot just as flat as the 6.5 to normal hunting ranges.

22LR isn’t even legal for deer hunting.

Most 1000 yard open class competition shooters are adult males. Most use something resembling a 243 and not a 30 caliber.

I used to shoot a 660 in 308 with no pad. It’s a handy powerful rifle in tight quarters. And I could shoot a box or two of 180’s if I wanted and never flinch. But i do believe the jumpiness of the muzzle made it more difficult to shoot with any kind or extraordinary precision if shooting a lot from a bench.

I mean if I’m shooting four or five hundred rounds a year like you do, I’d rather a 243. Because I, personally, would have some kind of goal of extreme accuracy.
Or a 6BR if I wanted long barrel life. This is closer to the choice of a 3-600 yard competition shooter.
Surely most anyone shooting four or five hundred rounds isn’t just out to burn powder with the cheapest off the shelf ammo they can find. Most likely that’s a proposition for a reloader.

Prayer for your wife.
If someone asked me this question a year ago I would have said 308. That was before I had Mrs Blacktailer's Kimber rebarreled to 6.5 Creedmoor. Haven't shot it a lot yet but loaded up some 129gr Hornady SP and got over 3000 fps MV (24 inch barrel, nowhere near max). I'm thinking it will kill stuff. We'll see what the 127gr LRX from Barnes will do.
Again, best to you and your wife. My wife and I have been through the big C twice each and are still on this side of the grass. I thank the Lord everyday.

Most Open division shooters are shooting a .284 Winchester, with some 7 SAUMS, .300 WSMs, or .300 Winchester thrown in. Some shoe-horn their 6mm BR derivatives in, but they do not shoot a .243 Winchester.

If I'm shooting 500 rounds a year through a hunting rifle for practice, that means I need to either rebarrel or buy a new .243 Winchester about every three years or so. That is NOT what I want. With a .308 it can last TEN years or more.

Buying cheap ammo, for instance like what I mentioned above, is EXACTLY what one wants to practice their field shooting with.

So you basically know what to expect from a 7mm-08 class of rifle. And when you combine “all around” and “deer”, in your estimation it’s not just for deer.

But if you don’t know what your financial future is, odds are you are not going out west in pursuit of elk or larger for the foreseeable future. Because even if you were so lucky to draw a tag, it wouldn’t be an inexpensive proposition. So I wouldn’t buy a rifle with that in mind.
Although I would never disregard the possibility of a used rifle. In which case it might come down to rifle preference over preference for a certain cartridge.

Besides what everyone else has already said, I’d also think about the rifle itself. I think Tikka uses a 24
inch barrel on the 6.5 CM and 22 on the 308. If that matters to you.

Take a sample...most F-Class shooters shooting LR are shooting a .284 Win (or variant thereof), a 7mm SAUM, .300 WSM, .300 Winchester Magnum, etc.

6mm chamberings aren't really competitive at all at LR, but many shoe-horn them and they are mostly seen at 600. But you really didn't address any of my points, you just showed a video.

You are correct that most F-Class Open shooters use heavier calibers. Most.

I’m not saying that the OP should buy a .243 Win.

But John Whidden did.
https://www.ssusa.org/content/six-key-reasons-why-john-whidden-uses-243-win-for-long-range-shooting/

I have both a .308 and a 6.5 Creedmoor in Tikka T3x Superlites. I have owned and hunted with .308s since 1964 and have tipped over a fair pile of big game with this cartridge over the years. The .308 has been very good to me. However, I have become a believer in the inherent efficiencies of 6.5 bullets and the pleasurable shooting experience of the Creedmoor cartridge in lightweight hunting rifles. So, I would recommend you try the Creedmoor for a couple of seasons and determine if it works for you.

6.5 all day. Lots of good cartridges, minimal recoil. Perfect.

Did he though? He DID shoot a .243 Win in 2014, but does he now? John Widden is one of the best shooters in the world that could win (and has) with multiple different cartridges. He's also been BEAT by other excellent shooters using something else. I fail to see how this adds to the conversation. OP is not a gunsmith, is not asking about shooting F-Class, is not asking about a custom rifle, and is NOT considering a .243 Winchester.

Accurateshooter.com is a great resource if you'd like to discuss the merits of .243 Winchester for F-Open LR. You may also check out F-Class John, Keith at Winning in the Wind, and Erik Cortina on YouTube. They may have a few pointers on 6mm's merits at 1000 yards vs a 7mm or .308 cal.

Georgia deer hunting, I’d go 6.5 Creedmoor. Out west with mule deer, black bear, elk and moose, I’d settle for more bullet weight and a 308 WCF.

Are we talking about a deer gun or a target rifle?

You are correct that competition shooting has nothing to do with hunting rifles.

But the OP did say that recoil was a factor.

And in spite of what you are comfortable with, many, including John Whidden, and quite a few other commenters here, believe they can shoot better with a lower recoiling rifle.
So I guess I might have been angling towards this aspect/advantage.

Not suggesting a 22LR or a 243. Just saying that it requires less effort for me to shoot a lower recoiling rifle well than one that has more recoil like a lightweight 308.

I got offtrack trying to make a point because the OP had said that recoil was a factor.

Sorry.

Dollar Short seems to think the relevance of what a guy shot in F-Class eight years ago is relevant due to him saying he preferred to have less recoil for the same performance. That particular competitor no longer uses that cartridge because technology has changed.

And again, that was recoil being lower with SAME performance...and a gunsmith that can change burned up barrels without issue. All this in a competition setting where HUNDREDS of rounds are shot over the course of a few days where sub-half MOA performance is needed. Then the same shooter/gunsmith has since switched as bullet technology has changed. And that's ONE shooter eight years ago. Apples and oranges. Its irrelevant to the post.

All I was saying is if it makes a difference in a 22 pound rifle to a top shooter than it surely makes a difference to a more average shooter with a 7 or 8 pound rifle.