From what I have read, the only big advantage of the 6.5 CM over .308 is the huge difference in drop after about 300 yards. Is there anything else? If I'm never going to take a shot past about 250 yards, is there any real advantage to the 6.5?

I'm asking because I have about 15 long guns in .223, 300 BLK and .308. I am Don't really want to add another caliber but if there is a big advantage I'm not aware of, I could be convinced.

Not enough in my opinion. I am a huge fan of the 6.5 in both CM and Grendel but I don't see any advantages at close distance. That being said, 16 rifles is an even number.

6.5 is just the flavor of the week. 308 is versatile, time tested, accurate, and efficient.

Nothing against 6.5, but for your application, 308 is great.

If you're not shooting "long range" then there's no point. 308 is a lot cheaper to shoot and more readily available.

The main benefit to 6.5 is the extremely high BCs and being able to stay super sonic past 1000 yards. This is critical to accuracy at long ranges because transonic velocities (between super and sub sonic) are very unpredictable and inaccurate. It is very helpful if you can keep the projectile supersonic until it hits the target.

The 308 with 180 grain bullets has much more stopping power and will be a more lethal hunting caliber than a 6.5 CM. I like to see kids graduate to a 308 when they are big enough. Especially at 250 yards or closer.

For punching paper or ringing steel, the 6.5 CM is really awesome.

Read up on maximum point blank range and enjoy building proficiency with your current quiver for your needs

As to the "6.5 is the flavor of the week" comment, i know a Swede who would like to have a talk...

I have a Winchester in 6.5 Swede. Awesome rifle.

agsalaska said:

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I have a Winchester in 6.5 Swede. Awesome rifle.

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Love the round. Bought a model 70 for my dad chambered in 6.5x55 about 15 years back. Hope to put it in my safe one day.

IMHO, there is considerable difference in felt recoil between the 6.5 CM and .308.

The flavor of the week comment was aimed at the popular 6.5s at the moment. Every one has to have a Grendel or Creedmor right now. It's the caliber equivalent of a Yeti or whatever.

In a few years it will be another caliber.

SanAntoneAg said:

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IMHO, there is considerable difference in felt recoil between the 6.5 CM and .308.

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I think the Creedmoor has zero kick. It's my favorite rifle to shoot but it's also the only short action hunting rifle I own... for now.

Add another for the 6.5 Swede, I stinkin love that rifle.
If you're looking for another rifle give that a look classic, accurate, and deadly. The BC of the 6.5 is a very effective killing pill.

clintaggie04 said:

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From what I have read, the only big advantage of the 6.5 CM over .308 is the huge difference in drop after about 300 yards. Is there anything else? If I'm never going to take a shot past about 250 yards, is there any real advantage to the 6.5?

I'm asking because I have about 15 long guns in .223, 300 BLK and .308. I am Don't really want to add another caliber but if there is a big advantage I'm not aware of, I could be convinced.

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...and less recoil....and less wind drift. Match ammo prices are the same, .308 wins with cheap surplus ammo available if you like to blast lots of rounds.

For your use case either will do just fine. I bought a 6.5 CM and was making first round hits on a steel howling coyote plate at 605 yards in a 10mph crosswind with a rifle that weighs 7.25lbs scoped. That was the first time I've ever shot past 350.

The nice thing about 6.5CM IMO is it was set from the start to deal with little annoyances for people trying to wring every last drop that happen with other cartridges. It'll eat up less case volume fitting long, high BC bullets in SAAMI length magazines compared to .308 based rounds. Factory rifles chambered in 6.5 CM come twisted fast enough to stabilize those same bullets.

I'm trying to figure out if your username checks out or not.

Why do you hate the Creedmoor? It superior in every possible way to all other rounds.

/kidding

I read somewhere the 6.5 holds it's accuracy better going thru glass...so there's that

Quote:

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The flavor of the week comment was aimed at the popular 6.5s at the moment. Every one has to have a Grendel or Creedmor right now. It's the caliber equivalent of a Yeti or whatever.

In a few years it will be another caliber.

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The 6.5 Creedmoor IS the flavor of the week, but its not going away. The USSOCOM has adopted the CM to replace the .308 as it's "Precision Intermediate Caliber Ammunition" (sniper round) USSOCOM Adopts 6.5 Creedmoor.

Per the testing:

• doubles hit probability at 1000 meters.
• 33% increase in effective range.
• 30% increase in energy on target.
• 40% increase in wind effect.
• Decreased recoil.

Accepted maximum felt recoil for military weapons is 15 ft/lbs. That is why the military uses 150:
Cartridge Grain Ft/lbs
Grendel 123 8.9
Swede 140 10.6
CM 140 11.9
308 150 15.8
308 165 18.1

I say if you don't shoot over 10 rounds in one sitting than stick with the 308. If you really enjoy shooting, especially for longer distances than choose the CM. Besides... it looks like there will be an abundance of cheap 308 ammo in the near future.

Newoldarmy said:

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6.5 is just the flavor of the week. 308 is versatile, time tested, accurate, and efficient.

Nothing against 6.5, but for your application, 308 is great.

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Speaking of flavors of the week, whatever happened to the short magnums that came out about 20 years ago? Did they ever take hold in any appreciable volumes? I never hear about them anymore, but they were all over the gun magazines for awhile.

My brother in law uses a 300 WSM. Its loud as hell and obviously an obscene amount of gun for white tail at 80 yards. He bought it thinking he would use it on bigger stuff but so far hasnt made it out of Texas.

To 6.5 Swedes point, the new 6.5 probably wont go down that road with the military contracts. It looks like a badass round and the first new round I have been interested in for a long time.

IDAGG said:

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Newoldarmy said:

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6.5 is just the flavor of the week. 308 is versatile, time tested, accurate, and efficient.

Nothing against 6.5, but for your application, 308 is great.

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Speaking of flavors of the week, whatever happened to the short magnums that came out about 20 years ago? Did they ever take hold in any appreciable volumes? I never hear about them anymore, but they were all over the gun magazines for awhile.

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a guy i work with has a 6.5 SAUM with a can on it. it is one hell of a sweet shooter.

All the creedmoor hype led me to buy a 260

Newoldarmy said:

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The flavor of the week comment was aimed at the popular 6.5s at the moment. Every one has to have a Grendel or Creedmor right now. It's the caliber equivalent of a Yeti or whatever.

In a few years it will be another caliber.

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No, in a few years I will still be making 1200 yard shots with my creedmoor...

Newoldarmy said:

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6.5 is just the flavor of the week. 308 is versatile, time tested, accurate, and efficient.

Nothing against 6.5, but for your application, 308 is great.

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No, the 6.5 bullet has been around forever and is now in a mass produced load.

http://www.accuracy-tech.com/6-5-creedmoor-vs-308-winchester/

I'll be selling my .308 eventually and buying another 6.5

IDAGG said:

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Newoldarmy said:

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6.5 is just the flavor of the week. 308 is versatile, time tested, accurate, and efficient.

Nothing against 6.5, but for your application, 308 is great.

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Speaking of flavors of the week, whatever happened to the short magnums that came out about 20 years ago? Did they ever take hold in any appreciable volumes? I never hear about them anymore, but they were all over the gun magazines for awhile.

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No b/c they, like the .40cal, were a solution loking for a problem.

Starting to get a bit off tangent in here, but OP you pretty much answered your own questions. Inside 300 yards there isnt a big difference and if you wont ever take a shot past 250 then you wont see much of a benefit. Reduced recoil will be about the only thing the 6.5 does better.

Plus the fact that you are trying to keep caliber variety fairly consolidated means it's an easy choice, just buy your next rifle in .308. I was the opposite of you, wanted to diversify calibers by adding a new one, and wanted something that could go 500+ yards so that's why I ended up with a RPR in 6.5 that I really like, but can see it obviously doesnt fit your situation or needs.

I own a .308 and am a big fan of that cartridge. Having said that, the 6.5 should be plenty for shooting big game. Both my kids took their first mule deer with a 6mm Remington with 100 gn bullets Both deer dropped without taking a step. So a 6.5 would be plenty for deer. Elk sized game with a 6.5? IDK, I'll leave it to the experts, but I will say plenty of elk have been dropped with .270 Win.

IDAGG said:

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I own a .308 and am a big fan of that cartridge. Having said that, the 6.5 should be plenty for shooting big game. Both my kids took their first mule deer with a 6mm Remington with 100 gn bullets Both deer dropped without taking a step. So a 6.5 would be plenty for deer. Elk sized game with a 6.5? IDK, I'll leave it to the experts, but I will say plenty of elk have been dropped with .270 Win.

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.308 not even on the list

https://www.fieldandstream.com/12-best-rifle-cartridges-for-elk-hunting#page-14

BCStalk said:

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That being said, 16 rifles is an even number.

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Number of Firearms you own = X

Number of Firearms you SHOULD own = X+1

Deats said:

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IDAGG said:

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I own a .308 and am a big fan of that cartridge. Having said that, the 6.5 should be plenty for shooting big game. Both my kids took their first mule deer with a 6mm Remington with 100 gn bullets Both deer dropped without taking a step. So a 6.5 would be plenty for deer. Elk sized game with a 6.5? IDK, I'll leave it to the experts, but I will say plenty of elk have been dropped with .270 Win.

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.308 not even on the list

https://www.fieldandstream.com/12-best-rifle-cartridges-for-elk-hunting#page-14

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That's fine. It's not new, trendy, or obscure like about half of the cartridges they name. What? Gun magazines pimping new cartridges to sell more rifles? Say it ain't so!
.338 RCM?
.30 Nosler?
.28 Nosler?
And of course the 6.5mm Creedmore


The .308 has killed lots of elk. I am glad to see they like the 6.5 for elk. That answers my question. I am sure it is a very fine round.

IDAGG said:

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Deats said:

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IDAGG said:

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I own a .308 and am a big fan of that cartridge. Having said that, the 6.5 should be plenty for shooting big game. Both my kids took their first mule deer with a 6mm Remington with 100 gn bullets Both deer dropped without taking a step. So a 6.5 would be plenty for deer. Elk sized game with a 6.5? IDK, I'll leave it to the experts, but I will say plenty of elk have been dropped with .270 Win.

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.308 not even on the list

https://www.fieldandstream.com/12-best-rifle-cartridges-for-elk-hunting#page-14

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That's fine. It's not new, trendy, or obscure like about half of the cartridges they name. What? Gun magazines pimping new cartridges to sell more rifles? Say it ain't so!
.338 RCM?
.30 Nosler?
.28 Nosler?
And of course the 6.5mm Creedmore


The .308 has killed lots of elk. I am glad to see they like the 6.5 for elk. That answers my question. I am sure it is a very fine round.

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Sorry, I should have posted a shocked face. That article is a gun writers wet dream covered in new, low production cartridges.

OK, now I get why you posted it. It's funny how that works isn't it. Kind of like your comment on the .40 and short magnums.

Thanks everyone. I'm fine with the recoil on the .308's so sounds like I'm sticking to what I've got.

Mas89 said:

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The 308 with 180 grain bullets has much more stopping power and will be a more lethal hunting caliber than a 6.5 CM. I like to see kids graduate to a 308 when they are big enough. Especially at 250 yards or closer.

For punching paper or ringing steel, the 6.5 CM is really awesome.

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The first part of the bolded statement is potentially true within 200 yards (depending on the specific round being used) but outside of 200 yards, the stopping power game quickly falls in favor of 6.5 CM. 6.5 just retains energy so much better than a .308. Even a faster, better BC 308 only keeps up out to 400 yards.


As for the lethality, stopping power and lethality are very different and the second part of your statement in bold is just not verifiable. and one could argue quite easily that a round which is effected far less by environmental factors will be more lethal because it lets the shooter be more accurate. and shot placement will be by far the biggest factor in lethality.

edit:
i'm not meaning this as a knock on 308, its a great round, lets just not pretend that it is something that it is not

When the crap hits the fan, having a gun to reach out that far with enough energy to kill will be invaluable!

Semi-related (also semi-hijack)... Outside of the magnum calibers, is there a better hunting caliber for NA game than .270 Win? I have been looking at rifles, and can't find any reason to not go with a .270.

I guess the 6.5 should be more accurate and less affected by wind and other factors at long distances, but at 500 yds and in, does that really matter?