.308 Win vs .260 Rem/6.5 Creedmoor

[MerKuryM8]

Regarding recoil mentioned in your original post, put a silencer on your rifles.

I am intending on putting a silencer on and hopefully never having to take it off again, because I value my hearing My dad always said that if it's just 1 shot, it doesn't matter to him because "my ears always ring in any case". I told him his ears always ring because of exactly that.. and then he stood about 15 meters behind a guy shooting an 06 without a silencer and for some reason, he suddenly changed his mind... I wonder why

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I have a 308Norma Mag which is on par with the 300Winmag. This is the only rifle I have and have taken animals from Springbok to Gemsbok with it. For meat shooting on a Springbok you have to be very selective on your shot to minimize meat damage. So if you consider long range shooting and using using a rifle for springbok and a bit bigger critters ,I personally cannot see why a 6.5 can't work.
Enough animals have fallen to the 6.5x55 for over 100 years. But keep the distance in sane ranges.
If you do choose a 6.5, Leave the 6.5 Manbun(aka Creedmoor) in the Gun shop and get the Swede.
They perform great with bullets in the 140gn-160gn range

 

[MerKuryM8]

If you do choose a 6.5, Leave the 6.5 Manbun(aka Creedmoor) in the Gun shop and get the Swede.

Haha! I did consider the Swede, but (I might be wrong) I believe it is too long for it to fit into a Short Action. I will be putting the Barrel Action into an MDT XRS, which to my knowledge only comes in short action lengths. I do prefer the sound of a .260 Remington over the 6.5 Creed, but with ammo availability, as you have mentioned, it seems like the Creed would be the only real option there. I was originally considering the 7mm-08 as well, but I didn't include it because I doubt there is much, if any ammo available here. I don't mind the hippie status of the Creed though, I already have the long hair to match and I am part of the younger Generations
I think it's probably more than an 80% chance of me leaving with a 308, but there is a slight chance of the rest creeping up.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Haha! I did consider the Swede, but (I might be wrong) I believe it is too long for it to fit into a Short Action. I will be putting the Barrel Action into an MDT XRS, which to my knowledge only comes in short action

I thought you wanted a Howa 1500? They do make a swede. Yes the swede will work with a standard 30-06 length action

 

[Jörg Krüger]

For the 260 rem to be most effective it needs to be used with a standard action as well

 

[Zambezi]

If you're just starting out and still practicing your longer range shots then that probably means you're happy out to about 300m... that means the .308 is your calibre as it has more punch up to that range and also a little more margin for error.

By the time you are proficient out to the longer ranges (400m-500m+) you'll be getting your .300WinMag so the 6.5mm will be obsolete for your purposes.

IMHO

 

[MerKuryM8]

I thought you wanted a Howa 1500? They do make a swede. Yes the swede will work with a standard 30-06 length action

I will be putting the Howa 1500 Barrel Action into an XRS chassis. My dad and I went through everything in depth on it and came to the conclusion that the classic style stocks might look good (I personally like both classic and modern styles, when done right), but they don't give the same level of adjustability. I am still growing, so something that fits well now, might not fit as well in a year. There are other benefits, but that is the biggest at the moment.

 

[shark_za]

Namibia is one of the places where long range shooting is possible and actually may be needed.
But realistically, how much of your hunting will be done over 500m?
Only at these extreme ranges to the higher BC bullets start taking over.
Your first rifle should be very versatile, and both thosee calibers certianily are that.

6.5 with 156gr Oryx is abolutely deadly as short to medium range on even large animals.
With a 140gr premium bullet you can hunt anything short of big Eland.
With a high BC 130gr bullet you amost give nothing up to a .270

Get a 6.5 Creed or Swede, even the 260 is fine as you will import cases and reload for almost any caliber.
The Swede handles the heavier bullets best of the three.

 

[MerKuryM8]

By the time you are proficient out to the longer ranges (400m-500m+) you'll be getting your .300WinMag so the 6.5mm will be obsolete for your purposes.

IMHO

I may have overestimated how quickly I will learn. I do have space to shoot further than 1600m and was intending on reaching 600m next year some time, but reaching 1000m will take much longer, that's for sure. I would probably only buy a .300 Win Mag in 2 or 3 years, but almost purely for hunting.
Having to compensate more for longer shots might prove to be better practice

 

[CBH Australia]

Haha! I did consider the Swede, but (I might be wrong) I believe it is too long for it to fit into a Short Action. I will be putting the Barrel Action into an MDT XRS, which to my knowledge only comes in short action lengths. I do prefer the sound of a .260 Remington over the 6.5 Creed, but with ammo availability, as you have mentioned, it seems like the Creed would be the only real option there. I was originally considering the 7mm-08 as well, but I didn't include it because I doubt there is much, if any ammo available here. I don't mind the hippie status of the Creed though, I already have the long hair to match and I am part of the younger Generations

I think it's probably more than an 80% chance of me leaving with a 308, but there is a slight chance of the rest creeping up.

I was wondering why 7mm-08 didn't get mentioned . I like it and it might be suitable.
You would not go wrong with .308 .
.260 once piqued my interest but I have the 7-08.
I'm not jumping on the Creedmoor wagon myself.
You can always rebarrell the Howa later if you have the means and opportunity.
A Howa with good optics won't let you down, neither will a .308.

 

[MerKuryM8]

I was wondering why 7mm-08 didn't get mentioned . I like it and it might be suitable.

A Howa with good optics won't let you down, neither will a .308.

I originally was going to add it, but it seems to be so similar to .308 (it seems marginally better for me) and as far as I know, it has a lack of ammo here, so I left it out, thinking I'd jump on it if it's worth it.

Also good to know that the Howa won't let me down. Everything has so many mixed reviews, except for Tikka T3 or T3x, which is too expensive (3 times the price here).

 

[mark-hunter]

@MerKuryM8

I shoot long range at competitons.
I encourage always shooting at paper targets at longer distances.
With such training you become better rifleman. You get familiar with your rifle, you improve your skills.
And thats about it.

But, do not hunt long range, with small recoil calibers.
Check balistic tables for 308 win or 6.5CM - for example at 600 meters - check the bullet energy at that distance, and compare with energy requirements in hunting for your country.
It will be insufficent, far below reqirement.

With slow speed on end of trajectory the hunting bullet probably will not even expand, second bad unwanted effect. Wounding is almost certain

Hunting distance is: up to 200 meters, and for best experienced hunters up to 300 m, that is reeasonable.

You want long range hunting, under modern "sniper hunting hype" then take proper long range hunting caliber like 338 win mag, or something in that ballistic level.
This will aso require a good rifle capable to deliver accuracy at distance, good long range scope preferably with ballistic turrets, and more expensive ammo that wil reduce training sessions.
Prices jump signifcantly for that type of exercise.

Stick to 308 win, and normal distances, and you will be ok.

BTW, how old are you?

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I was wondering why 7mm-08 didn't get mentioned . I like it and it might be suitable.
You would not go wrong with .308 .
.260 once piqued my interest but I have the 7-08.
I'm not jumping on the Creedmoor wagon myself.
You can always rebarrell the Howa later if you have the means and opportunity.
A Howa with good optics won't let you down, neither will a .308.

The 7mm-o8 is like the 35 Whelen here, non existent.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I was looking at the 6.5 PRC for some time. Same thing, non existent.

 

[MerKuryM8]

@MerKuryM8

I shoot long range at competitons.
I encourage always shooting at paper targets at longer distances.
With such training you become better rifleman. You get familiar with your rifle, you improve your skills.
And thats about it.

But, do not hunt long range, with small recoil calibers.
Check balistic tables for 308 win or 6.5CM - for example at 600 meters - check the bullet energy at that distance, and compare with energy requirements in hunting for your country.
It will be insufficent, far below reqirement.

With slow speed on end of trajectory the hunting bullet probably will not even expand, second bad unwanted effect. Wounding is almost certain

Hunting distance is: up to 200 meters, and for best experienced hunters up to 300 m, that is reeasonable.

You want long range hunting, under modern "sniper hunting hype" then take proper long range hunting caliber like 338 win mag, or something in that ballistic level.
This will aso require a good rifle capable to deliver accuracy at distance, good long range scope preferably with ballistic turrets, and more expensive ammo that wil reduce training sessions.
Prices jump signifcantly for that type of exercise.

Stick to 308 win, and normal distances, and you will be ok.

BTW, how old are you?

For Gemsbok and that size game, my maximum range definitely won't be further than 250m once I am skilled enough with whichever one of these I end up with. I want to get something bigger down the line, like a .300 Win Mag or similar, to etend capable range and make Eland possible, or less "iffy".
For game like Springbuck, Warthogs or Impala, that are not as strong, I personally don't see a problem with pushing it a bit further though. The Impala don't tend to stray into the open here, but our warthogs do present themselves at over 800m in a dry lake, for crazy people. I do intend on hunting Springbok on friends properties next year, which has a possibility of requiring up to 400m - but of course, no shots that I'm not comfortable with.
I have a lot of practice to do, at the range and hunting, before I get anywhere near hunting at those distances.
My goal of 600m was for paper or steel, so that if I were to wound an animal and it runs, I will almost always be able to take a follow up shot, but I don't intend on ever hunting that distance on large game, especially not with these cartridges.

I'm just 18, which is why I'm only now buying a rifle.

 

[MerKuryM8]

I was looking at the 6.5 PRC for some time. Same thing, non existent.

I seem to have a thing for weird cartridges... My top pick for a larger cartridge originally was a .300 WSM.. I don't know.. I just like it

 

[mark-hunter]

@MerKuryM8

With 18 YO, the world of hunting and shooting is your oyster!

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I seem to have a thing for weird cartridges... My top pick for a larger cartridge originally was a .300 WSM.. I don't know.. I just like it

Then get yourself a 308 Norma Magnum. We need more of them .
My gunsmith down here has a reamer(I think) but he definitely has brand new set of loading dies for the 308 Norma. He does work for for Rosenthal sometimes
It seems to me for what you want to do a 6.5 and a .30cal magnum will do the trick.

 

[CBH Australia]

The 7mm-o8 is like the 35 Whelen here, non existent.

Uh oh, don't tell Bob! He is infatuated with the .35 Whelen.
I understand, I mostly have stuck with standard chambering myself.

 

[CBH Australia]

I originally was going to add it, but it seems to be so similar to .308 (it seems marginally better for me) and as far as I know, it has a lack of ammo here, so I left it out, thinking I'd jump on it if it's worth it.

Also good to know that the Howa won't let me down. Everything has so many mixed reviews, except for Tikka T3 or T3x, which is too expensive (3 times the price here).

Howa have been in Australia over 35 years that I know of. They are reasonably priced and reliable, functional and real value within their price point.

Remington 700, Tikka T3/T3x and Howa all have heaps of custom options. All popular in Australia. All work.

Howa start in a lower price point and still shoot straight.