Caribou Gear

7-08 or 6.5 creedmoor

With the long range greatness of the 6.5 creedmores. I was wondering if anyone has stuck a custom 30 inch barrel on a 6.5 creedmore and used quality handloads in it at say 1000 yards. What kind of performance gains did you see from it. I see a lot of newbies at the range with 6.5cm trying to shoot out to 1000 with factory ammo and. They usually leave the range fairly disappointed, way to much vertical.

I am thinking about buying a 6.5 cm, but till I see one at the range lay waste, or even keep up to my 308 with good accurate handloads. I just haven't been able to justify the cost. Not knocking the 6.5cm just hoping someone that has spent time and really tuned a load give me some info on what the 6.5 real capabilites are.

Way too much vertical is the newbies problem? They leave disappointed because they don't have any idea what they're doing. There's no need for a 30" barrel and it will knock the socks off your .308 even with a 24" barrel. There's a reason you see very few .308's at longrange comps.

Either cartridge will be great. If you don't handload pick one with the best ammo selection in your area.
 
I guess the reason I said we haven't seen a 7mm creedmore, is theres not much left to improve on. The reason the 6.5 is inherently accurate isn't because of the cartridge exactly, it more because the rifles it was marketed in had a different twist than other .260 rounds available. Kinda the old 6mm rem vs. .243 thing. With the creedmore case I'm willing to bet that you will will be 100fps slower than the 7mmHt, and no real advancement in accuracy. Many on here better versed than me on this stuff. Am I wrong? I think the 6.5 creedmore filled a niche and became a success. The 6mm will likely fail as a sporting cartridge because what is it really doing better. A 7mm would likely be a flop too.
 
I guess the reason I said we haven't seen a 7mm creedmore, is theres not much left to improve on. The reason the 6.5 is inherently accurate isn't because of the cartridge exactly, it more because the rifles it was marketed in had a different twist than other .260 rounds available. Kinda the old 6mm rem vs. .243 thing. With the creedmore case I'm willing to bet that you will will be 100fps slower than the 7mmHt, and no real advancement in accuracy. Many on here better versed than me on this stuff. Am I wrong? I think the 6.5 creedmore filled a niche and became a success. The 6mm will likely fail as a sporting cartridge because what is it really doing better. A 7mm would likely be a flop too.

Try a google search for 7 creedmoor or 7 gpc. It is not commercially available but a handloader can improve on the trusty old 7 HT...
 
So realize I'm kinda a hillbilly and definitely more a hunter than a shooter. That said, I'm not sure I get what could possibly be much difference between the 6.5 Creedmore and the 7-08. The parent cartridge is the .308, and between the 2 is half a millimeter of bullet diameter. Maybe I'm missing something. I suppose that .5 mm could create enough difference in BC to notice 1000 yards down range, but sounds like splitting hairs in a hunting situation.
 
So realize I'm kinda a hillbilly and definitely more a hunter than a shooter. That said, I'm not sure I get what could possibly be much difference between the 6.5 Creedmore and the 7-08. The parent cartridge is the .308, and between the 2 is half a millimeter of bullet diameter. Maybe I'm missing something. I suppose that .5 mm could create enough difference in BC to notice 1000 yards down range, but sounds like splitting hairs in a hunting situation.

The parent case of the 6.5 is not the .308 but other than that I agree with you. Whatever animal is on the business end of either one will not know the difference...
 
I'd go w/ the 7mm HT if those were my choices. Better bullet selection, better brass selection, more likely to be in production for longer and more options for handloading down the track.
 
I have both. Very happy with each caliber. The 6.5 in a Savage LRH (heavy girl) with a 6.5-20 x 50mm scope. The 7-08 in a light weight 20 inch barreled rem 700 with after market trigger and stock with 3-9 x 40. So, not apples to apples as far as rifles are concerned. I hand load for each, but my son shot factory ammo from 7-08 for first couple years. My experience with my son shooting 7-08 through teen years was great, as stated by almost all replies the 7mm range of bullet selection is awesome. We have used 140 core lokts, 162 grain SST and current favorite is 140 grain Accubond. Plenty of one shot kills on deer, antelope and pigs. Last year the boy killed two big boars with the Accubonds. Both pigs dropped stone dead within a couple feet of each other. The 6.5 is more impressive at the range consistently shooting sub moa at much longer ranges. For pure hunting applications I would choose the 7-08 for the heavier bullet options and more confidence on elk. I know lots of guys have killed elk with 6.5 and shot placement is obviously the important component. For me the 7mm offers just a bit more.
BTW the teenage version of me was all about Mary Ann, well until I saw Audrey from Big Valley!
 
I guess the reason I said we haven't seen a 7mm creedmore, is theres not much left to improve on. The reason the 6.5 is inherently accurate isn't because of the cartridge exactly, it more because the rifles it was marketed in had a different twist than other .260 rounds available. Kinda the old 6mm rem vs. .243 thing. With the creedmore case I'm willing to bet that you will will be 100fps slower than the 7mmHt, and no real advancement in accuracy. Many on here better versed than me on this stuff. Am I wrong? I think the 6.5 creedmore filled a niche and became a success. The 6mm will likely fail as a sporting cartridge because what is it really doing better. A 7mm would likely be a flop too.

In addition to the twist rate, the Creed case and chamber dimensions allow high BC bullets to be seated close to the lands, something the 308 case starts to fizzle out on as bullet weights go up. Whether that is enough to warrant a factory introduction is another matter. It certainly was with the 6.5.
 
Try a google search for 7 creedmoor or 7 gpc. It is not commercially available but a handloader can improve on the trusty old 7 HT...

I couldn't find much, but what I did, appeared that it was an "improved" version of the parent case. I may be mistaken. Also I would like to see what pressure they are using, which was the original improvement with the 30 TC. Which was never able to compete with the .308 much less the 06 it was intended for. Time will tell and I could deffinitelt be wrong.
 
I'm another vote for either if you handload I've killed KY whitetail with both. I would prob push the 7-08 if you don't simply because of the availability of ammo. I love both. I own a 6.5CM and borrowed my neighbors 7-08 just to give it a go.
 
I'm another vote for either if you handload I've killed KY whitetail with both. I would prob push the 7-08 if you don't simply because of the availability of ammo. I love both. I own a 6.5CM and borrowed my neighbors 7-08 just to give it a go.

I don't have either. Probly never will. I understand the benefits if each. Me, I like a cartridge that can work when shots are not perfect. Sometimes shots get tough. mtmuley
 
I don't have either. Probly never will. I understand the benefits if each. Me, I like a cartridge that can work when shots are not perfect. Sometimes shots get tough. mtmuley

You would get along with my cousin!!! A lot of whitetails have died in KY to the boom of his 7mmRUM. I developed a load for him after doing some tinkering to it. After 30 thumps in the shoulder I was seriously feeling it. Took me three days go back out and start fine tuning the load again, but its a sweet load. I have sworn off developing loads for big boomers though. I'll load all the rounds he wants to shoot, but its his shoulder taking the punch from now on. Don't get me wrong I love a big boomer from time to time. And if I was hunting something bigger then a KY whitetail I would prob own a rifle chambered in something bigger then .270win!!
 
Sounds like I wouldn't be wrong in getting either one, my main concern is the ammunition. Sounds like the 6.5cm has a lot of options online but seeing that comifornia is basically all but banning online ammo sales I'll probably have to reload. So my next question would be how is case availableity and case life on the creedmoor?
 
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