6.5 Creedmoor vs 7mm-08 AI

Iclimb said:

If your not looking for an excuse I'd just shoot the creed! Frankly if you can't get closer than 400 or 500....well, you'll be able to! Just run a good bullet. Many an elk has been smoked with a 22-250 or 220 swift! Not recommending it but seriously the 6.5 will do you just fine!

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I'm tilting that direction. I tried RL-26 behind the 140 but the Lapua brass couldn't hold enough powder to make a difference. I've got some once fired Hornady from barrel break in and I can get the full Berger max load in it a little compressed. If I can pickup a 100fps or more then I'm right in the wheelhouse so I'm go to load some just for a velocity test and if it works do a full load development from there.

But in the long run accuracy trumps everything and I can ring six inch plates at 500 all day long with the 6.5 creed as it is right now.

morning, 260AI, justme gbot tum

I like the idea of the 7-08AI pushing a 160-175 for elk out to 500 over a 6.5CM pushing a 140. Although, people have been killing elk and moose sized game for a LONG time with 6.5mm bullets from cartridges like the 6.5x55 Swede. I just personally like a bit bigger and heavier bullet myself.

Or, you could try the 150-160 Matrix bullets out of your current 6.5CM, bump way up in BC for downrange retained velocity and energy. I bet you could get 2700+ from the 150, and probably close to that with the 160, and Sectional Density is fantastic for penetration.

Let's just say you push the 6.5mm 160 Matrix VLD to 2700fps. @ 6000'AMSL & 30°F, that leaves you with 2169fps & 1672ft/lbs @ 500 yards. Or....2071fps & 1524ft/lbs @ 600 yards.

Nothing wrong with your original thought either. Short mag in savage small shank works. I built a 338 edge on a small shank and it shoots awesome. Saving money for 7 saum build next.

Ndfarmer said:

Nothing wrong with your original thought either. Short mag in savage small shank works. I built a 338 edge on a small shank and it shoots awesome. Saving money for 7 saum build next.

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That's very interesting. The conventional wisdom seems to be if Savage spent the money to tool up and beef up the shank for the 300wsm then it must have been based on something they saw or knew. I did see a few folks having extraction issues with the 300wsm in particular.

How hot a load were you running in your 338 edge?

LongWalker said:

How hot a load were you running in your 338 edge?

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Isn't that like asking "how big is that engine on your top fuel funny car?"

Yes, yes it is....................

I am getting 2835fps with 48 grains of rl26 with the 147eld out of a 24 inch 8 twist tikka with coal of 2.960. This takes the 6.5 creedmoor to another level for elk hunting. You could try the 150gr Sierra also.

Here's some ballistics (straight from Berger's calculator) with the exact same ambient conditions, appropriate approximate velocities (of 6.5 CM and 7mm-08 AI), same everything, comparing the Berger 6.5mm 140 Elite Hunter to the Berger 7mm 175 Elite Hunter.

The 6.5mm only beats it by 10-11" of drop, and nothing else. Every other category, the 7mm-08 AI 175 EH wins. It barely squeaks by in the windage, but it's largest appeal is the extra 200 ft.lbs. of retained energy at 1000.

Berger 6.5mm 140 Elite Hunter



Berger 7mm 175 Elite Hunter

I'm getting 2890 using 89 grains of h1000 shooting the 300gn Bergers. Didn't have chrono last time out but new jug of h1000 must be hotter. Bolt lift was little harder and my normal drop chart was off.

Save your money and just use your 6.5 creed. In my honest opinion, the jump in energy from a 6.5 to a 7-08 ai is not enough improvement to justify a rebarrel. Plus, I have killed two elk (and LOTS of deer and antelope) with my .260 ai with a 140 vld. One was a 5x6 bull at 715 yds (2250 fps and 1574 ft.lbs), the other a large cow at 610 yds (2363 fps and 1736 ft.lbs), Both one shot kills, both complete pass throughs, actually every animal I have shot with it (around 30) has been a full pass through with the vld's. The last kill in this video is my bull this year at 715.

.260 AI is more powerful than the 6.5CM by over 100 FPS. It's a different animal completely.

MudRunner2005 said:

.260 AI is more powerful than the 6.5CM by over 100 FPS. It's a different animal completely.

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That why I posted impact energy and velocity.....my 715 yard shot is pretty much identicle to his 500 yard max. So it is relevant.

codyadams said:

That why I posted impact energy and velocity.....my 715 yard shot is pretty much identicle to his 500 yard max. So it is relevant.

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I was just stating that to establish the fact... Alot of folks have heard the rumors of "magical powers" of the 6.5CM, and seem to think it can do more than it actually does. That's why I was making the distinction between the 2.