.308 Win vs .260 Rem/6.5 Creedmoor

[Jörg Krüger]

Uh oh, don't tell Bob! He is infatuated with the .35 Whelen.

But therefore we have plenty of his next loved caliber, the 243 Win.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

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.

Howa is exceptional quality for price.
They rarely need work to shoot straight. The trigger does need a bit of a lot of times though

 

[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

So now I through a spanner in your works.
Why not get the Howa 1500 in 308. And then when you are ready, ream it to 300WSM?
Just spoke to my Gunsmith about it. Will not need much work to do that project

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Due to cost and availability I would recommend the 308. Options available I really like the new 6.5 PRC caliber. It carries more punch and slightly better ballistics at longer ranges than the 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[MerKuryM8]

So now I through a spanner in your works.
Why not get the Howa 1500 in 308. And then when you are ready, ream it to 300WSM?
Just spoke to my Gunsmith about it. Will not need much work to do that project

No wait.. you weren't meant to make me want a 300WSM even more!

 

[MerKuryM8]

Due to cost and availability I would recommend the 308. Options available I really like the new 6.5 PRC caliber. It carries more punch and slightly better ballistics at longer ranges than the 6.5 Creedmoor.

I definetely don't disagree, except with ammo availability for the 6.5PRC. I'm not too sure about all the available ammo at my local GS yet, but I doubt they will have 7mm-08 or 6.5PRC. Both seem like solid cartridges that I did consider, but (factory) ammo will be quite tough for them.
The other thing for me is recoil. I'm not scared of it, but I do want to get something with low recoil for now, to get myself ankle deep, before I go knee deep.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I definetely don't disagree, except with ammo availability for the 6.5PRC. I'm not too sure about all the available ammo at my local GS yet, but I doubt they will have 7mm-08 or 6.5PRC. Both seem like solid cartridges that I did consider, but (factory) ammo will be quite tough for them.
The other thing for me is recoil. I'm not scared of it, but I do want to get something with low recoil for now, to get myself ankle deep, before I go knee deep.

308 recoil is low. Put a silencer on it. When you ream it out to 300WSM, you don't even have to get a new silencer.

 

[Philip Glass]

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.

6.5CM has no place as an all around cartridge in Africa. .308 or larger is my advice.

 

[CBH Australia]

So now I through a spanner in your works.
Why not get the Howa 1500 in 308. And then when you are ready, ream it to 300WSM?
Just spoke to my Gunsmith about it. Will not need much work to do that project

I have never given any wsm serious consideration or researched it.

I do own a .300wm and for some reason I always thought it's handy to have one of my own.

I won't be buying a wsm. I'm not sure what's involved in conversation of a .308 but I expect opening up the bolt face and changing the magazine follower are required as well as rechambering.

Buy a Howa and save for another Howa in the next desirable chambering

My PH Lionel who guided me in SA kept a Howa .300 wm as a hire rifle, he said if you took one rifle for Africa you could not go wrong with .300wm. I had actually hired a 7mm from the outfitters.

kust a thought, if suppressors are an option in your country if .300wm ammo is available is there any disadvantage in buying a .300wm straight off?

 

[MerKuryM8]

My PH Lionel who guided me in SA kept a Howa .300 wm as a hire rifle, he said if you took one rifle for Africa you could not go wrong with .300wm. I had actually hired a 7mm from the outfitters.

kust a thought, if suppressors are an option in your country if .300wm ammo is available is there any disadvantage in buying a .300wm straight off?

The .300WM is a favoruite here for a reason, but I personally want to get started with a much lower recoiling rifle, to learn the fundamentals and just general skills, without being shaken up by it. I'm not the smallest lad, but I'm far from a big build, so I don't intend on being shaken up that much. I intend on getting a .300 Win Mag (or 7RM/.338WM/.300WSM etc.) once I have learnt to shoot 'properly' and don't need to spend as much time with that rifle, learning the basics.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I have never given any wsm serious consideration or researched it.

I do own a .300wm and for some reason I always thought it's handy to have one of my own.

I won't be buying a wsm. I'm not sure what's involved in conversation of a .308 but I expect opening up the bolt face and changing the magazine follower are required as well as rechambering.

Buy a Howa and save for another Howa in the next desirable chambering

My PH Lionel who guided me in SA kept a Howa .300 wm as a hire rifle, he said if you took one rifle for Africa you could not go wrong with .300wm. I had actually hired a 7mm from the outfitters.

kust a thought, if suppressors are an option in your country if .300wm ammo is available is there any disadvantage in buying a .300wm straight off?

I have not discussed this in full with my smith, but he has a reamer for the 300WSM.
He told me it is not difficult to change the 308 to 300WSM. Plus the 300WSM is a short action which is required to fit the stock that is intended to be used.
Now if that stock design is only available for short actions, I dont know?
Maby somebody with more knowledge can chime in regarding the stock.

 

[MerKuryM8]

I have not discussed this in full with my smith, but he has a reamer for the 300WSM.
He told me it is not difficult to change the 308 to 300WSM. Plus the 300WSM is a short action which is required to fit the stock that is intended to be used.
Now if that stock design is only available for short actions, I dont know?
Maby somebody with more knowledge can chime in regarding the stock.

I know that the MDT Oryx does come in standard length (friend has it in .300 WM), but I'm pretty sure the MDT XRS does not.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

@MerKuryM8
PM sent

 

[Mountaineer]

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.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

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.

To my knowledge the 338 Federal this is not much a medium range caliber(up to max 300 yards?)
Also not readily available here

 

[.45]

I hunt with a 30.06 and my kids hunt with a 6.5x55 swede. I have the utmost respect and affection for the 6.5x55 swede. In terms of larger species, my son has hunted a Kudu Cow and a Kudu Bull. My daughter has hunted a Kudu Bull. All three were effective one shot kills.

If I were to choose a caliber between .308 and 6.5x55 as my first rifle, I would certainly choose the .308.
I concur with opinions that highlight Factory ammo availability and cost, as well as having the advantage of extra energy with the .308.
What I have also noted is that .30 calibers offer an enhanced blood trail over the 6.5, due to exit wound diameter, on follow ups.

 

[mark-hunter]

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.

 

[MerKuryM8]

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.

I haven't gone too in depth on the bullet selections, but for handloading I am interested in the Barnes X, Nosler Partition or AccuBonds and the Swift A-Frames, but like I said, I haven't done too much research into it.
All I know is that the cheapest .308 factory ammo available is Sellier & Belliot SP for 640N$ for 20, which I can deal with. Apparently they will be sufficient for Warthogs, but aren't recommended for Gemsbok (in .308), so I won't even try that.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

In 308 the Sierra game kings are not bad for reloading and are very well priced(for the reloading days to come)
For the rifle just make sure you have the right barrel twist for the heavier +-165-180gn bullets.

 

[MerKuryM8]

In 308 the Sierra game kings are not bad for reloading and are very well priced(for the reloading days to come)
For the rifle just make sure you have the right barrel twist for the heavier +-165-180gn bullets.

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