300wm vs 6.5x55

[Keegz94]

Hi guys, I'm New to the site so I hope I'm doing everything right so far.

I'm in the process of acquiring a new rifle, i have two choices that I would like to explore (nothing else because of availability from where I am from) these being the 6.5x55 Swede and the 300wm.

As I understand the 6.5x55 is a beautiful little gun and is quite capable of making those long shots (I have a friend who shot a baboon at 840m, not too long ago), the one reason I sort of lean more to the 300wm is because I own a 308 Winchester(are these so similar that owning them both would be a waste?). The type of shooting I do is the occasional range shoot where we test the limits up to 1000m. I hunt yearly aswel and shoot Kudu, Wildebeest, Fallow deer, Gemsbuck etc (South African Game) and would like a rifle that can handle a 800 m shot if I ever saw the opportunity.

Is the 6.5 capable of doing this realistically or is it pushing its limits?
The 300 I know is capable of this, but if the 6.5 is also, it would make more sense because of less recoil as well and price in reloading.

I hope you guys can give e some advise.
Thanks

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

A chest hit anything is more than likely not going to survive for long if you can hit it....their all only as good as the shooter, once you pass that 500 yard mark you'd better know the distance, your bullet's trajectory and how to adjust your scope accordingly. The only advantage with more powder in bigger cases is usually velocity and flatter shooting bullets making hits possible at extreme distances. There's a big difference between the .308-300wm, maybe 400-500 fps with any bullet especially over 165..that's a lot of energy difference and feet flatter shooting trajectory out further...get the .300em, there's no substitute for .308 cal power when hunting!

 

[Keegz94]

Hi Frank thanks for the reply. I have obviously worded my question incorrectly. I was wanting an answer with a comparison between the 308 and the 6.5x55, not the 308 to 300, as I already own a 308 and am looking at the 6.5 or 300 I just wanted to know how big a difference is there between the 308 and the 6.5, ifs not much then I'll go with the 300.

 

[Jerry M]

For shooting the animals mentioned I would choose the .300 Magnum. It will hit harder then the 6.5x55. I shot Baboon, Blue Wildebeest, Diker, Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Warthogs, and a Zebra with a .30-06 Springfield. BUT all at close range. Wildebeest, Kudu are big and Gemsbok notorious tough to kill and require a bigger bullet than 6.5x55, in my opinion. Especially if you are shooting at long range.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[Predator 22]

Even though I am a big 6.5mm fan, with the animals you mentioned at the ranges you mentioned I would say the 300 win mag is your best option. You should look up some of broz past posts, to many here including myself he is the 300 mag guru. He knows this cartridge and it's capabilities better than whoever designed it in my opinion.

 

[FEENIX]

I am a fan of both chambering but will take the .300 WM anytime for all the games listed.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

It's not like the Scandinavians don't dump moose and stuff with their 6.5x55's or anything. Both the 6.5 and the 300 are capable cartridges, but they really aren't any more than an apples and grapefruit comparison. The 300win can carry 50-60 grains more bullet weight to a few hundred fps faster that the 6.5x55. If you were talking the 6.5x55 vs. a 270 or 280 they would be more equally matched though.