.308 Win vs .260 Rem/6.5 Creedmoor

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I agree, get the 308. If for some reason you don't want it, I'd lean towards the 7mm-08 instead of the 260 (though I love the 260)

The 260 imo replaces the need for a 243 winchester

@curtism 1234
An air rifle or thrown rock replaces the need for a 243. So does a few sessions with a good counsellor/ psychologist.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My thought is still get a 308, get proficient with it. Then ream it to 300WSM slap on a silencer on it and get a 375H&H as the 2nd caliber. But thats just me. Ammo is available and you have a bush and long distance caliber x2, and a entry level DG caliber .

@Jörg Krüger
I think it would work out cheaper to buy a new Howa in 300 win mag. I would forget the WSM as ammo may bea problem. In Namibia I would stick with the plain old cakibers like the 308, 30.06, 300WM and 375. All common easy to get.
As much as I love the Whelen you would be hard pressed to find anyone in Namibia who has heard of it let alone seen one.
Just my thoughts
Bob

 

[Forrest Halley]

Townsend Nelson Imports, LLC will be opening soon in Namibia to expose the good people to the one true King of Rifles: .35 Whelan.

 

[CBH Australia]

@Jörg Krüger
I think it would work out cheaper to buy a new Howa in 300 win mag. I would forget the WSM as ammo may bea problem. In Namibia I would stick with the plain old cakibers like the 308, 30.06, 300WM and 375. All common easy to get.
As much as I love the Whelen you would be hard pressed to find anyone in Namibia who has heard of it let alone seen one.
Just my thoughts
Bob

Did he just say that?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Townsend Nelson Imports, LLC will be opening soon in Namibia to expose the good people to the one true King of Rifles: .35 Whelan.

@Forrest Halley
You are a silly Vegemite I am not that silly, it would only be the 308, 30.06, 300 WM and 375.
Bob

 

[2L8]

@curtism 1234
An air rifle or thrown rock replaces the need for a 243. So does a few sessions with a good counsellor/ psychologist.
Bob

I think the .243 has its place for 100 kilo game animals. I have an acquaintance that has killed over 200 whitetail deer out to 250 meters with one and never lost an animal. Most are just bang-flop (High Shoulder Shot) My problem is with people that insist on taking shots from a bad angle or on 300 kilo animals. It's simply the wrong tool for that application.

 

[shark_za]

Strangely, last year when all the shops were sold out of most Howas there was a .338 WinMag available, that would be interesting at new old stock pricing.

 

[MerKuryM8]

@Forrest Halley
You are a silly Vegemite I am not that silly, it would only be the 308, 30.06, 300 WM and 375.
Bob

You forgot .22LR!

 

[Forrest Halley]

Strangely, last year when all the shops were sold out of most Howas there was a .338 WinMag available, that would be interesting at new old stock pricing.

The knowledge of what is available during the lean times is valuable with respect to ammunition. Unless you're well stocked, left over rifles are essentially worthless.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think the .243 has its place for 100 kilo game animals. I have an acquaintance that has killed over 200 whitetail deer out to 250 meters with one and never lost an animal. Most are just bang-flop (High Shoulder Shot) My problem is with people that insist on taking shots from a bad angle or on 300 kilo animals. It's simply the wrong tool for that application.

@2L8
I think the only place for the 243 is in my garden for tomato stakes. Your friend is lucky as I have seen it fail to many times on game like goats. Never seen one give bang flop results. Seen plenty of bang, bang, bang shit out of bullets shots and the game had to be finished with a bigger caliber or a close range finisher.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You forgot .22LR!

@MerKuryM8
To hard to get ammo for.
Ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[2L8]

@2L8
I think the only place for the 243 is in my garden for tomato stakes. Your friend is lucky as I have seen it fail to many times on game like goats. Never seen one give bang flop results. Seen plenty of bang, bang, bang shit out of bullets shots and the game had to be finished with a bigger caliber or a close range finisher.
Bob

He just takes out the brachial plexus and both shoulders in the process. Seems to work for him. That said he doesn't take shots from bad angles and the deer here rarely exceed 100 kg. He usually loads 100 grain Partitions and gets pass through penetration.

I think the majority of problems with minor calibers is people's unwillingness to work within the cartridges limitations and use proper bullets. You can't expect an 87 grain conventional cup and core out of a .250 Savage to hold together on a "Texas Heart Shot" like a 405 gr .45/70.

I have no experience on goats.

 

[CBH Australia]

He just takes out the brachial plexus and both shoulders in the process. Seems to work for him. That said he doesn't take shots from bad angles and the deer here rarely exceed 100 kg. He usually loads 100 grain Partitions and gets pass through penetration.

I think the majority of problems with minor calibers is people's unwillingness to work within the cartridges limitations and use proper bullets. You can't expect an 87 grain conventional cup and core out of a .250 Savage to hold together on a "Texas Heart Shot" like a 405 gr .45/70.

I have no experience on goats.

Goats are not hard to kill if hit right.
I used to shoot them with a .222 using 50gn so Winchester factory loads. The meat was taken for dog food.
Now there is a market for goats so not many places will let you shoot them.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Goats are not hard to kill if hit right.
I used to shoot them with a .222 using 50gn so Winchester factory loads. The meat was taken for dog food.
Now there is a market for goats so not many places will let you shoot them.

@CBH
Chris the last goat I shot was at 50 yards in the back of the head with a 22lr. You wasted a lot of good meat feeding it to dogs, it as a beautiful sweet meat better than lamb.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

@CBH
Chris the last goat I shot was at 50 yards in the back of the head with a 22lr. You wasted a lot of good meat feeding it to dogs, it as a beautiful sweet meat better than lamb.
Bob

It was good accessible hunting at the time and I had a German Shepherd.

You might be able to take a small one for the pot in these parts. They are mostly free range and mustered for export fetching good money.

I eat more lamb than goat. A lamb roast rates highly in my books.

Goat is good for curries and Indian food. Nice for a change.

 

[MS 9x56]

You are much more likely to shoot a critter at 60 yards than 600 meters statistically speaking. It’s the ones at 6 meters you need be more concerned with. The shorter the distance, bigger is better. If you enjoy shooting get the 6.5. If you enjoy hunting get the 308. Just an old hunters opinion.

 

[Forrest Halley]

You are much more likely to shoot a critter at 60 yards than 600 meters statistically speaking. It’s the ones at 6 meters you need be more concerned with. The shorter the distance, bigger is better. If you enjoy shooting get the 6.5. If you enjoy hunting get the 308. Just an old hunters opinion.

I shot a turkey at 10 yards with a .308 twice and the bullets literally exploded apart. 150 grain core lokt wasn't. It was unlocked and the jackets were recovered from the far side skin. That bird died in a hail of bullets and trail of organs and parts literally falling out.

 

[Whitebear995]

Personally I'd go with the 260. Felt recoil is about 20 percent less than the 308 thru all bullet weights. Both calibers are excellent for deer size animals and a little heavy for small varmints. Remember it's not always what you hit 'em with but where you hit 'em that counts.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I shot a turkey at 10 yards with a .308 twice and the bullets literally exploded apart. 150 grain core lokt wasn't. It was unlocked and the jackets were recovered from the far side skin. That bird died in a hail of bullets and trail of organs and parts literally falling out.

If I'd have had a ²⁴³ I could have toe-mah-toe staked it into the ground and talked it to death with stories of the mighty turdy-phive... Alas all I had was iffy ammunition and an even iffier rifle.

 

[Cleveland48]

I’ve never hunted in Africa yet hopefully lol. I do have a lot of experience with the 6.5 mm’s though. I’ve owned the 6.5 Swede, 260 rem, and the 6.5 CM. First thing is on game performance for all the is the exact same. So depending on ammo availability where u live pick any of the three you’ll be fine. I fully get the 308 for a first rifle also, and that is another great choice. I would pick whichever has the most ammo available to you honestly. I will say one thing though about penetration though. It takes a 180 grain 30 caliber bullet to pretty much match the sectional density of a 140 grain 6.5 mm bullet. And the 180 grain in a 308 looses alot of velocity in the 308 case. Whether you choose a 6.5 or a 308 just choose good bullets, and plenty of practice and you won’t have any issues. If you are wanting to also use this rifle as a long range target rifle, then without a doubt go the 6.5 route. I only say this because I saw earlier your were looking at a chassis instead of a conventional stock, and this usually leads to wanting to play at long range