New Deer and Long-Range Rifle

[Crash]

I'm looking for a new deer rifle with which I'll also do some long-range target shooting (at least 500, maybe 1000 yards). I've decided on a Savage, either the Tactical 110 or the new Impulse. What I'm concerned about now is which caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester? What concerns me most is ammo availability. I think I'm more likely to find .308 almost everywhere, whereas the 6.5 Creedmoor may be harder to find.

Opinions? Inputs? Recommendations?

Crash

[puma guy]

I'm looking for a new deer rifle with which I'll also do some long-range target shooting (at least 500, maybe 1000 yards). I've decided on a Savage, either the Tactical 110 or the new Impulse. What I'm concerned about now is which caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester? What concerns me most is ammo availability. I think I'm more likely to find .308 almost everywhere, whereas the 6.5 Creedmoor may be harder to find.

Opinions? Inputs? Recommendations?

Crash

Unless you reload I'm thinking even when (and if) the ammo crisis ends it will still be more difficult to find 6.5 in exactly the load you're looking for. I shoot .270 and .308 deer hunting as does my son-in-law and we have always been able to find ammo. I'm sure there are also many more choices for bullet weight and design for .308 Win.

[Crash]

puma guy,

Thanks for your input. I'm thinking more and more about the .308.

Crash

[RPBrown]

I have a Savage 110 but in 30.06 and I love it. Not sure about the long range that you are talking about (I can't even see that far ). Most of my shots are 250 or under. As for ammo availability, even in the worst of times, seems I always saw some 308 on the shelves when I was looking.

[Crash]

RPBrown,

Thanks for your input. I'm leaning more and more toward the .308 just because of the ammo availability issue.

Crash

[Excaliber]

RPBrown,

Thanks for your input. I'm leaning more and more toward the .308 just because of the ammo availability issue.

Crash

I went with .308 years ago mainly for the ammo availability issue and haven't seen anything to change my mind yet.

I'd like to have a nice, flat shooting 6.5 Creedmore too, but I don't do enough real long range shooting (read that as "none") to justify it.

[Paladin]

6.5CM is available right now, but expensive.

.308 ammo is cheaper and since everyone is moving to 6.5CM, used 308 rifles are very available as well.

If you actually want to shoot at 1000 yards, 308 is a very poor choice. At 800 yards most .308 loads hit the transonic region and their path after that is less predictable.

Why are so many switching?

...the 6.5 Creedmoor has 33% longer effective range with less recoil. At 1000 meters, it has double the hit probability, retains 30% more energy and has 40% less wind drift.

link

[Beiruty]

Ge the Savage 110 Tactical in 6mm CrdM
Whatever the 6.5 can do, the 6 can do it a little better.
Later on, you can replace the stock with something better.

[Crash]

Paladin,

Thanks for your input and recommendations. Although I have quite a bit of experience with the .308--and that is/was my reason for probably sticking with it--as I get more info from TCHL members, I may be changing my mind and leaning toward the Creedmoor. I really like the idea of better long-range ballistics with less recoil.

Crash

[Crash]

Beiruty,

For probably no good reason I am prejudiced against anything smaller than .260/6.5 mm for deer and similar-sized animal hunting. I know a lot of people who hunt our small Central Texas whitetail successfully with the .243 Winchester, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I talked to a professional guide once who told me that he had seen more deer lost to to the .243 than to any other caliber. And, yes, I understand that the 6mm Creedmoor is more capable than the .243, but I just can't get my head around using a bullet that small. As I said, no good reason, just my prejudice.

Thanks for your input.

Crash

[Rafe]

I'm agreeing with everyone so far. I have a friend who's into local PRS competitions, and the 6mm Creedmoor seems to be the thing. Way I understand it, the 6 uses a slightly shorter case than the .243 (as in 0.125 inches shorter, and it has 30° shoulder angle instead of 20°) which allows for a longer and more aerodynamically stable bullet, plus it has a SAAMI spec of 62,00 psi instead of 60,000. The first-ever rifle I owned that wasn't a .22LR was a .243, and the first deer I tried to take with it didn't go down easy (of course, I was about 11 years old and wasn't exactly putting my shots within an MOA target).

For deer, my buddy--who's richer than I am--uses a 6.5mm Creedmoor. His PRS rifle weighs, literally, almost 20 pounds; wouldn't want to go in the field with that even if it was just a mile hike to a tree stand.

My understanding is, overall in the U.S., the most common deer hunting calibers are 30.06, .308, and .243, in that order. Doesn't make 'em the best, just the most common. I haven't been deer hunting in a long time. Hogs have been about it, and those infrequently. And I can't remember the last time I took a shot at even a stationary paper target over 400 yards away. So I'm competent to make not one single observation or recommendation about your question.

But several years ago I went through a caliber consolidation. Like I said, I'm not as rich as my PRS friend, and I decided I'd rather have a higher round count in fewer calibers than fewer rounds in a lot of different calibers. Both handguns and rifles. Had to be a solid round, of course, but my main driver after that was availability. I ended up with only three utility rifle calibers: .22LR, 5.56mm, and .308. If I win the lottery and can throw a hundred grand at it without blinking, I'd almost certainly expand that list. A lot. For no good reason, I've wanted a .338 Lapua Magnum ever since I shot one umpteen years ago. I still wouldn't be able to hit anything past 400 yards, but I would miss with definite authority.

Based on all my conversations with my PRS buddy, I think it comes down to just how purpose-driven you need the rifle to be. For going long range precision, you'll want to spend probably more than the cost of the rifle on quality glass, and then pick up one of the latest--and not cheap--internet-of-things magic range finders that can reach way the heck out there. Going over 1,000 yards can get expensive really quickly.

Bottom line is that there may be no perfect tool for both typical deer hunting scenarios as well as 1,000-yard-plus precision rifle shooting. The right shooter for PRS may be a bull-barrel heavyweight that you wouldn't want to lug around on hillsides for hunting. And it might have a Swarovski 5-25x52 scope that costs more than a lot of people's monthly salaries that you wouldn't want to bang around on tree trunks.

So I think Paladin offered pretty good information if you end up wanting to to choose more of a compromise: a capable round for hunting medium-sized game that can also shoot flat enough to reach out past .308 accuracy probabilities.

And if I'm never able to have a .338 Lapua, maybe someday I'll get a Barrett in .50 BMG to snipe coyotes at 150 yards. Everything doesn't have to be for-purpose specific...

[Beiruty]

Beiruty,

For probably no good reason I am prejudiced against anything smaller than .260/6.5 mm for deer and similar-sized animal hunting. I know a lot of people who hunt our small Central Texas whitetail successfully with the .243 Winchester, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I talked to a professional guide once who told me that he had seen more deer lost to to the .243 than to any other caliber. And, yes, I understand that the 6mm Creedmoor is more capable than the .243, but I just can't get my head around using a bullet that small. As I said, no good reason, just my prejudice.

Thanks for your input.

Crash

Second option,
7mm-08
it has better external ballistic than the 308, longer range and it is capable of hunting anything the 308 can do.

https://www.americanhunter.org/content/ ... remington/

More detailed analysis
https://www.snipercountry.com/7mm-08-vs-308/

[flowrie]

This….
“Both handguns and rifles. Had to be a solid round, of course, but my main driver after that was availability. I ended up with only three utility rifle calibers: .22LR, 5.56mm, and .308. “

These 3 calibers are plentiful and economical. Also 5.56/223 and 308 both offer a good selection of bullets if you ever decide to reload.

That’s my 3 cents worth.

[03Lightningrocks]

Beiruty,

For probably no good reason I am prejudiced against anything smaller than .260/6.5 mm for deer and similar-sized animal hunting. I know a lot of people who hunt our small Central Texas whitetail successfully with the .243 Winchester, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I talked to a professional guide once who told me that he had seen more deer lost to to the .243 than to any other caliber. And, yes, I understand that the 6mm Creedmoor is more capable than the .243, but I just can't get my head around using a bullet that small. As I said, no good reason, just my prejudice.

Thanks for your input.

Crash

My son's first deer rifle was a 243. He dropped his first deer at 8 years old with the 243. He took several more and we never had to chase them more than 100 yards but he was always a good shot and almost always hit them dead in the heart. I had a buddy who hunted the same lease with us who used a .243. I swear to goodness he was always dragging us out to help track his wounded deer. My take on it is that shot placement becomes more critical when using a smaller caliber like the .243. I have used the 25.06 for 30 years and always dropped them. The 25.06 has very similar ballistics to the 30.06.

[Beiruty]

The OP never defined long range. 308 would go to 600yard with first shot hit at coyote size target
After 800 yards, it is dicey with 22" barrel. 1000 yards is possible with 30" barrel and 200gr VLD bullets single fed into the chamber