.308 Win vs .260 Rem/6.5 Creedmoor

[Jörg Krüger]

Oh yep and the GKs, forgot about them.
The Howa 1500 has a 1:10 twist for .308, which according to some online sources is enough to stabilise a 180Gr

That is perfect for 180gn

 

[curtism1234]

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

 

[Bert the Turtle]

If I cared to shoot a 6.5 at long range, it would be a 6.5-284, not a 6.5 CM

*won’t fit a short action though

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I think 308 is the best choice. If you can pick up a case of mil-surp 7.62 NATO it will give you a lot of cheap practice.

 

[MerKuryM8]

I think 308 is the best choice. If you can pick up a case of mil-surp 7.62 NATO it will give you a lot of cheap practice.

Not too sure where to find that in a small town in Namibia

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Not too sure where to find that in a small town in Namibia

Well darn! Either way I still think the 308 would be your best choice on game.

 

[CBH Australia]

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

Some would say there is no need for a .243 anyway

 

[colorado]

280 Rem

 

[CBH Australia]

280 Rem

I think he wants a short action and probably a Howa standard chambering otherwise he would have gone straight to the top of the pile with a .280ai

With ammo availability etc it also excludes 7mm-08 from the equation.

I would be weary of that small gunshop offering a .260 Rem , can they guarantee ammo availability?

Are .260 rifles commonly used in those parts.

Are visiting hunters a possible source of ammo? Can they hook you up with leftover .308 for example? They are a good bunch here so people visiting the area might leave some behind if you can meet up.

 

[Buffalo1]

The .308 is the time tested, proven marksman caliber for both military and civilian use. I is long range accurate and has the penetration ability to get the job done on any African plains game animal at any distance when accuracy (proper shot placement) is applied.

 

[TMac]

I get the argument that some people make about the 6.5 creedmore and the .280 Rem being "flatter" shooting cartridges, and thereby better for shooting at greater distances..

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the 6.5CM described as flat shooting. Approx. 2,700 FPS from a 140 gr. bullet iirc. Very similar to a 178 out of a 308 iirc. The 280 is closer to flat shooting than the 6.5, but not too much. Approx. 3,000 fps from a 140 gr. bullet, 2,700 from a 175 gr. bullet iirc. I think you were referencing the high BC bullets the CM is commonly loaded with, being able to stay supersonic similar to a 308, for LR shooting?

 

[shark_za]

A high BC bullet shoots flatter than a low BC bullet, all else being equal. ( at a longer range)
More importantly is the ability to resist wind drift at normal hunting ranges.

Ammo availablity short of the top 5 rounds is a problem in Southern Africa no matter what the caliber.
Cases can be found and/or imported for any caliber and 6.5 are the second most abundant bullets these days (After .30)

 

[Jörg Krüger]

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 .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting, so I hope I'm doing this right.

I am just about to jump into my first rifle (intending on getting a Howa 1500 Barrel Action), here in Namibia, for Hunting (Warthog up to Gemsbok on our own property) with ranges varying between 50m and 400m (or more, but I'll need to get lots of practice first) and steel/paper out to a maximum of 1600m, depending on ballistic performance.

I guess that the .308 Win would probably be best within 300m for hunting, but having just recently watched a family hunt by John X Safaris, 2 young kids shooting with a 6.5 Creedmoor (even Gemsbok at I believe 480 yards), got me thinking whether it is necessary to go with the "old, trusty" .308, or whether it might be better to get a 6.5CM/.260 Rem which have less recoil with better long range performance.
Of course, factory ammo availability would always be a factor, but I intend on getting into reloading towards the end of next year.

@MerKuryM8
I would go the good old 308 or the 260 rem and forget the 6.5 crudmore. The 260 rem can be made very easily with just one pass of a 308 are thru a 260 fls.
Both far better rounds than the crudmore. The Howa is a great rifle and usually very accurate straight from the box.
My son shot everything in Namibia with his 08 using 150gn accubonds including zebra and Oryx.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

A high BC bullet shoots flatter than a low BC bullet, all else being equal. ( at a longer range)
More importantly is the ability to resist wind drift at normal hunting ranges.

Ammo availablity short of the top 5 rounds is a problem in Southern Africa no matter what the caliber.
Cases can be found and/or imported for any caliber and 6.5 are the second most abundant bullets these days (After .30)

Since 6.5 are the second most abundant, are they selling?
I imagine .30s are being burned up in all manner of poular .30 Cal shells.

 

[shark_za]

They are only stocked because they are selling. The second most varied options, from 100gr to 160gr.
I would actually go .308 for a first rifle, something you can use for a while and also loan out to friends when they hunt with you.
When you later upgrade to a more specialised caliber like 6.5x55.

 

[Forrest Halley]

First rifle? This is such a simple answer given the stated uses: .308 Winchester.

There is so much published data, dope and research on this cartridge. The cases are most widely available as are dies and bullets.

If you refuse to do this, because you must have a 6.5, then I would go with the .260. It's a great rifle to shoot out to 500m in the wind. I have fired a borrowed rifle at silhouettes and was very very impressed with the way it shot.

Whatever you choose, I would equip it with either a threaded muzzle for a suppressor or a flash hider adaptor and then a suppressor. I'm not a fan of signature anymore. Sound and flash can be controlled and should be if at all possible. The less disruption and disturbance you make to the hunting environment the better.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

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.

@MerKuryM8
My son's bog standard howa 308 came with th hogue stock that fit him quite well at 15 and 5 foot 10. He is now 6 foot 1 and I'm 6 and a half foot and it fits both of us still. My son only weighs 65kilos and I'm a 120 kilos and the howa allows us both to use it accurately and comfortably.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Consider the 338 Federal. It’s nothing more than a 308 necked up to 338 caliber. Use 180 to 200 grain bullets. It kills twice as good as the 308 with very little recoil difference. It’s an amazing cartridge.

@Mountaineer
Why not step up again to the 358 and loading it with the 225gn sierra game king.
But I think he should just go with the plain old vanilla 308 it will do all he needs.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

After choosing the caliber, next thing will be choosing the bullet.
For training - any, as cheap as possible.

For hunting, two considerations for bullet:

1. As heavy as possible, but for 308 it will most likley be 180 grains

2. Construction of bullet: premium bullet construction.
It means one of three premium constructions. Bonded bullet, monolithic, or partition type of bullet.

Every ammunition company today makes some or all of the three premium type of ammo. Do the google research about these three types. There is a reason why they are more expensive, but this is for hunting. Then, check availability of this ammo in local shops.

If you have few choices of ammo in local shops, drop the question about that on the forum, ask for advice.

@mark-hunter
My son had no problems in Namibia with the 150gn accubond on game upto oryx and used th 140 gn outer edge mono on his zebra.
If you want more speed and penetration on smaller game with reduced recoil you could also go the 130gn TTSXs but a good 150gn like the accubonds or Aframe out of the 08 at 2,900fps will be more than enough out to 400 yards. Sighted in 2.5 inches high at 100 yards the drop at 400 is only 21 inches.
Bob