Help with caliber choice 6.5,708 or 308

[dakotakidd]

I'm ordering a Kimber Montana for my wife and better do it soon to get it my Christmas. I'm just undecided on the caliber. It's between 6.5 creedmoor, 7mm08 and 308. I own a couple 6.5s and one 7mm08 so i have dies, brass, powder and bullets assuming I can get the Montana to shoot with some combination of bullet and power I already have would simplify things. It will be used mostly for deer and antelope but possibly elk in the future. I think with a good bonded bullet they are all capable within 2-300 yards. Is there any benefit to one cartridge as far as ease of loading or one more inherently accurate than the others, or does that come down to the rifle?(Which I know is a touchy subject with a lot of guys, but I like the Montanas and I think they're a good value for a light mountain rifle)
Let me know what you think. Open to your opinions.

 

[elkaholic]

For your wife and 300 yards, it's pretty hard to beat the Creed. Low recoil, super accurate with inexpensive factory ammo, and enough pop for elk at that range and beyond.

 

[MudRunner2005]

There is no such thing as "inherent accuracy". Any cartridge can be accurate. Accuracy is up to the rifle. Consistency is up to the ammo. Repeatability is up to the shooter. And all of this is only as good as the quality of the components, how well they're put together, and the person who pulls the trigger.

.260 Remington will be hard to beat... Lapua makes brass for it, and 6.5mm bullets have a large selection. Low recoil, good velocity, and with a good shot and within a reasonable distance, shouldn't have any issues dropping anything in North America (other than bears, of course).

The 7mm-08 is also a great one. .308 Win is one of my favorites, but most women won't want to handle the recoil of the .308 Win with the type of bullets that really make it shine.

Not sure what the rifle weight requirement is, but if you don't plan on hiking with it, the Remington 700 5R Milspec chambered in .260 Rem is a hell of a rifle for a factory gun. The 5R Milspec rifles are not your average 700.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/525930/remington-700-5-r-gen-2-rifle-threaded-fluted-hs-precision

 

[dakotakidd]

I've had a 5r gen 2 in 300 win. Good shooter, but heavy. We generally put a lot of miles on when we hunt. I had her use a 243 of mine this year that weighted 7lbs 9oz so I would like to keep it at that or less. 260 would be a fine choice but rifle options seem limited and with so many rifles in 6.5 creed I would lean that way between those 2.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've had a 5r gen 2 in 300 win. Good shooter, but heavy. We generally put a lot of miles on when we hunt. I had her use a 243 of mine this year that weighted 7lbs 9oz so I would like to keep it at that or less. 260 would be a fine choice but rifle options seem limited and with so many rifles in 6.5 creed I would lean that way between those 2.

I would see if you can have Kimber build you a long-action .260 AI. That would be the best option out there, IMO. And the .260 AI stomps the 6.5CM in every aspect, other than cheap brass and cheap factory ammo.

 

[dakotakidd]

For your wife and 300 yards, it's pretty hard to beat the Creed. Low recoil, super accurate with inexpensive factory ammo, and enough pop for elk at that range and beyond.

I do like the creed. Shoots soft and accurate with tons of ammo choices. I've shot deer goats and black bear with mine. There's just a part of me that thinks it's over hyped and wants to bring back some classics. Make 308 Great Again haha. It's odd to hear someone bought or built something that isn't a 6.5.... ya know

 

[MudRunner2005]

I do like the creed. Shoots soft and accurate with tons of ammo choices. I've shot deer goats and black bear with mine. There's just a part of me that thinks it's over hyped and wants to bring back some classics. Make 308 Great Again haha. It's odd to hear someone bought or built something that isn't a 6.5.... ya know

Tell me about it... Been sick for years of hearing 6.5CM this and that as if it was built by God himself... Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, every internet post, every f*cking youtube video... I mean, ****, how much are they going to whore it out?

 

[elkaholic]

I do like the creed. Shoots soft and accurate with tons of ammo choices. I've shot deer goats and black bear with mine. There's just a part of me that thinks it's over hyped and wants to bring back some classics. Make 308 Great Again haha. It's odd to hear someone bought or built something that isn't a 6.5.... ya know

Those who know me probably know I don't often try to sell a Creed!
If I had my way, you'd have a 6.5 sst but I picked one you asked about.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

6.5-284. Now you have a mid range 26 cal without the marketing hype of the creed. Significantly more power than the creed and still has low recoil.

Steve

 

[gregsjt]

If the creedmoor was all marketing hype we would've stopped talking about it by now. The reason it's still all over the place is because it works, plain and simple.

OP, I love the 7-08 but if I was looking for a do it all, light weight rifle for a women or child, it would be an easy choice. 6.5 Creed. Low recoil, easy to load for, great factory ammo, cheap factory ammo, great brass and bullets available, it easily fits in short actions, I feel like the list of pros could go on and on.

 

[MudRunner2005]

If the creedmoor was all marketing hype we would've stopped talking about it by now. The reason it's still all over the place is because it works, plain and simple.

OP, I love the 7-08 but if I was looking for a do it all, light weight rifle for a women or child, it would be an easy choice. 6.5 Creed. Low recoil, easy to load for, great factory ammo, cheap factory ammo, great brass and bullets available, it easily fits in short actions, I feel like the list of pros could go on and on.

LOTS of things "work"... Doesn't mean it's all that cutting edge or worthy of the hype. It just means there's tons of sheep out there, listening to what the wolves are selling them, and you will buy exactly what they want you to buy. Why do you think folks get hammered by commercials on TV, Radio, internet, etc... They want you to buy this or that, so they're gonna keep showing you the same commercials over and over and over again until your subconscious tells your conscious that you "need one". Unfortunately, subliminal messaging is in everything these days, and is a fact of life.

I'm not saying the 6.5CM isn't a good cartridge, I'm just saying the whole thing was a gigantic marketing campaign, and a successful one at that. They created a "need" where there previously wasn't one. Now everyone can't live without it.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Don't get me wrong. I like the creed for what it is. A small 6.5 caliber.

My 6mm Creed is a death ray!

Steve

 

[dok7mm]

If light weight and SA is what you're looking for, the Creed or 7mm08 would fill the bill. I have two 6.5-284s and they are well above either of the first two, but significantly more recoil with 140s @ 2,950+.....more than your wife would like without a brake.
Plus it really needs a long action, to shine.

I just bought a SA and I'm also back & forth on 6.5 Creed and the 7-08 for the build. So, I'd advise you to get one you have tools & powder for. Wife would probably like whatever you surprise her with.

 

[gregsjt]

That's not true, a couple years ago all the rage was the 6.5 SAUM, I don't see many posts about it these days and I see lots of guns chambered for it in the for sale section.

I know it's hard for some people to comprehend, but the reason the creedmoor works is because it's so easy. A guy like the OP can get a Kimber Montana and a box of shells over the counter and go shoot. No need to fire form brass or make sure your free bore is set up correctly or use a longer mag box or whatever. All of the stuff that most people on this forum don't think is a big deal, is a big deal and it is expensive and time consuming. Why mess with all that stuff to get a few more fps?