600 Yards Max for Whitetail: 7mm STW vs 6.5 Creedmoor

Dilemma:

I have a VX6HD 3-18X44 coming with the illuminated TMOA reticle. I have a Remington Sendero FS 7mm STW and a Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor. I hunt large ag fields and the woods so I can shoot anywhere from 10 yards to 500-600 yards and the quarry is whitetail only.

I am trying to decide on which rifle to put the scope. The Sendero is heavy but spooky accurate. It's great for the box blind but I'm iffy about hauling it around in the woods in the treestand. The Tikka T3x is light and shoulders great and the 6.5 Creedmoor recoil is light. Its a great handling gun.

Comfort wise I like the Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor vs the 7mm STW but the STW has some impressive ballistics.

Between a 7mm STW and a 6.5 Creedmoor, which would you choose as a better choice for an all around deer rifle from woods to fields? BTW I also have a Tikka T3 .308 with a 22" barrel that is a sporter rifle.
As an all-round rifle, I'd use the .308 Win. As a beanfield rifle, I'd use the 7mm STW. Accuracy, range and impact far exceed the two others. For use in a tree stand, you can haul the 7mm up with a rope and lower it the same way. For shot inside 300 yards using a carry rifle(walking and stalking) the .308 is more than sufficient, and has plenty of impact at that distance, with heavy, larger diameter bullets for better energy transfer than the 6.5. That's just physics.
 
Dilemma:

I have a VX6HD 3-18X44 coming with the illuminated TMOA reticle. I have a Remington Sendero FS 7mm STW and a Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor. I hunt large ag fields and the woods so I can shoot anywhere from 10 yards to 500-600 yards and the quarry is whitetail only.

I am trying to decide on which rifle to put the scope. The Sendero is heavy but spooky accurate. It's great for the box blind but I'm iffy about hauling it around in the woods in the treestand. The Tikka T3x is light and shoulders great and the 6.5 Creedmoor recoil is light. Its a great handling gun.

Comfort wise I like the Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor vs the 7mm STW but the STW has some impressive ballistics.

Between a 7mm STW and a 6.5 Creedmoor, which would you choose as a better choice for an all around deer rifle from woods to fields? BTW I also have a Tikka T3 .308 with a 22" barrel that is a sporter rifle.
If the both shoot equally in accuracy and you have properly sorted ballistics dope to use at the point of the shot I'd. a G7 range finder or the like, I'd pick the lighter 6.5. The "flat" shooting capability of the STW is really not required now that you can dial with accurate data. The STW might have an edge is bucking wind, depends on the bullets you're using. Both cartridges have plenty of velocity to kill at 600 yards.
 
I took a deer in the middle spine with a 140 amax from the creedmoor. WT doe. Was still alive when i got there, but paralyzed from the shoulders back. Coup de grace was necessary. First bullet did not exit spine; perfect mushroom. Hit too high, but she was where i hit her, plus a couple steps-worth of dragging herself.
i will not take that shot again, but im usually a meatsaver guy unless im using big enough cast bullets up close.
The STW has significantly more potential for wounding with heavier and larger diameter bullets, but you must still consider bullet construction and shot placement.
That same shot with the creed, but closer, would have been lethal in my experiences.
Lastly, my Tikka 308 is cut to 16" and is my go-to, always. I have all the other calibers and some are better for any application. But for me, at 600, my favorite is to get closer.
 
Well if it's possible carry both rifles to the blind and take the Creed with you when working the woods. Also like Lance offered maybe a bit less scope for the woods.
 
Both rounds will do the job handily. And you've made an excellent choice on the glass...The Tikka is a good rifle but is also very light. I think you're going to have better success in stabilizing the Sendero over the Tikka as it is a much heavier rifle, as you indicated. The Tikka is more of a general purpose rifle where the Sendero is purpose built for taking king shots like this. -My vote is for the Sendero.

Dilemma:

I have a VX6HD 3-18X44 coming with the illuminated TMOA reticle. I have a Remington Sendero FS 7mm STW and a Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor. I hunt large ag fields and the woods so I can shoot anywhere from 10 yards to 500-600 yards and the quarry is whitetail only.

I am trying to decide on which rifle to put the scope. The Sendero is heavy but spooky accurate. It's great for the box blind but I'm iffy about hauling it around in the woods in the treestand. The Tikka T3x is light and shoulders great and the 6.5 Creedmoor recoil is light. Its a great handling gun.

Comfort wise I like the Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor vs the 7mm STW but the STW has some impressive ballistics.

Between a 7mm STW and a 6.5 Creedmoor, which would you choose as a better choice for an all around deer rifle from woods to fields? BTW I also have a Tikka T3 .308 with a 22" barrel that is a sporter rifle.
 
Both rounds will do the job handily. And you've made an excellent choice on the glass...The Tikka is a good rifle but is also very light. I think you're going to have better success in stabilizing the Sendero over the Tikka as it is a much heavier rifle, as you indicated. The Tikka is more of a general purpose rifle where the Sendero is purpose built for taking king shots like this. -My vote is for the Sendero.
If you need to toggle the scope between the two rifles...A lot of guys mount up a 20MOA picatinny rail on each gun and use the Leupold "QR" rings...You'll need to record your adjustment and likely run a 3 shot zero each time you remount..
 
I would take the rifle that your comfort level is the highest with if it were me. Bigger or faster isn't necessarily better in my opinion. Your ability to place the shot where you want it in this situation is more important, both calibers are more than adequate to kill whitetail at the ranges you are talking about. 140 gr ELDX or similar out of the 6.5 is pretty lethal. I hunt in areas of high grizzly concentrations. Even though I have a 375 HH and a 338 win mag, I hunt with my 300 win mag because I am more confident of placing the round where it needs to be with that rifle when I have to vs the other two. All 3 shoot well, I just have a higher comfort level with the 300.
 
Dilemma:

I have a VX6HD 3-18X44 coming with the illuminated TMOA reticle. I have a Remington Sendero FS 7mm STW and a Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor. I hunt large ag fields and the woods so I can shoot anywhere from 10 yards to 500-600 yards and the quarry is whitetail only.

I am trying to decide on which rifle to put the scope. The Sendero is heavy but spooky accurate. It's great for the box blind but I'm iffy about hauling it around in the woods in the treestand. The Tikka T3x is light and shoulders great and the 6.5 Creedmoor recoil is light. Its a great handling gun.

Comfort wise I like the Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor vs the 7mm STW but the STW has some impressive ballistics.

Between a 7mm STW and a 6.5 Creedmoor, which would you choose as a better choice for an all around deer rifle from woods to fields? BTW I also have a Tikka T3 .308 with a 22" barrel that is a sporter rifle.
Interesting question: two different hunting scenarios and asking for help in choosing one rifle caliber to do both. For me its less about the calibers and more about rifle set-up. In a ground blind, where bench setup is achievable I would choose the 6.5(less recoil) with a trigger wt between 1/2 to 3/4 ounce and a bullet wt. exceeding 135 grains. On the other hand(woods hunting), my self imposed requirement would require a trigger wt in excess of 2 lbs and because of less control on shot placement the larger(.284) caliber with a bullet wt. around 175 grains might be my choice for shots greater than 500 yards. Having to choose one over the other, today, I would go with the 6.5, 145 grain bullet, and adjust trigger to greater than 2lbs. At my age, less recoil is nice! As to scope, your choice. Hope that helps.
 
Sounds like you're passing through the woods a much as anything. I'd be a lot less likely to take a jump shot vs a rested one with either rifle. I'd rather swing the sendero cranked down to 3 than try to steady a flyweight gun in a blind on 18.
 
As an all-round rifle, I'd use the .308 Win. As a beanfield rifle, I'd use the 7mm STW. Accuracy, range and impact far exceed the two others. For use in a tree stand, you can haul the 7mm up with a rope and lower it the same way. For shot inside 300 yards using a carry rifle(walking and stalking) the .308 is more than sufficient, and has plenty of impact at that distance, with heavy, larger diameter bullets for better energy transfer than the 6.5. That's just physics.

I've got some .308 175 grain Federal Terminal Ascent I'm going to send down range tomorrow. It might fit the bill for both scenarios.
 
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