First Bolt Gun: .308 or 6.5CM?

[FourT6and2]

I've been doing lots of reading on the battle between these cartridges. Seems like it's a give and take. This will be my first bolt gun. And I'll 99% be shooting at 100 and 200 yards. Very rarely will I be able to get to a range that's longer. Doing that would require me to rent a car and drive 4 hours (each way). No hunting. Just simply shooting paper and steel. But maybe in the future things can change if I move somewhere more conducive to shooting sports (i.e. not the SF Bay Area).

Seems like .308 is more readily available and from a wider choice of manufacturers and loads. 6.5CM is only available from Hornady?

I also won't be reloading. Sticking with factory ammo, at least for the foreseeable future. So ammo availability is a concern.

I've read that the 6.5CM is better (more accurate, more precise, and more consistent) at longer ranges? But barrel life will suffer. And ammo is harder to come by maybe?

Any experience or advice?

[Dave626]

start with 308 if you don't reload.

6.5cm can reach at longer range due to the ballistic coefficient. not more accurate, more precise or consistent than 308.

Effective range on 308 factory ammo approx. 800 yards
Effective range on 6.5cm factory ammo approx. 1200 yards

u can't be accurate if it out of your effective range.

Read this, should get u start http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html

[Standard]

For that range, .223.
308 and 6.5 don't have any advantages at that range. Their disadvantages include higher cost and more recoil.

[jrjones707]

If you are only shooting paper or steel at a range. what 300yds is the furthest i have been able to find in the bay area. go with the 308. Ammo availability aside if you dont reload your never going to get less than 1 moa anyways may as well be with something you can shoot more of.

[TMB 1]

If I was only going to shoot paper targets and plink at 100 to 200 yards. I'd go with a 222 or 223 Remington. The 223 would have the cheaper plinking ammo.

[Midtown]

.22LR

[FourT6and2]

If you are only shooting paper or steel at a range. what 300yds is the furthest i have been able to find in the bay area. go with the 308. Ammo availability aside if you dont reload your never going to get less than 1 moa anyways may as well be with something you can shoot more of.

I don't know man, if I am to trust the photos people are posting with this rifle chambered in .308, they're getting some pretty tight groups with factory ammo. Rifle has a .5 MOA guarantee from the manufacturer. Not sure how much you can trust that promise though. Maybe these groups are cherry picked?

5-shot groups, .308:










Federal factory Gold Match:

[CSACANNONEER]

I don't know man, if I am to trust the photos people are posting with this rifle chambered in .308, they're getting some pretty tight groups with factory ammo. Rifle has a .5 MOA guarantee from the manufacturer. Not sure how much you can trust that promise though. Maybe these groups are cherry picked?

Of course they are cherry picked. Just because a manufacturer says a certain gun is capable of sub moa, it doesn't mean that everyone can sit behind it, feed it any ammo and it will magically shoot sub moa. Most people can't consistently shoot sub moa and those who can have experience, knowledge and skill.

[JMP]

I've been doing lots of reading on the battle between these cartridges. Seems like it's a give and take. This will be my first bolt gun. And I'll 99% be shooting at 100 and 200 yards. Very rarely will I be able to get to a range that's longer. Doing that would require me to rent a car and drive 4 hours (each way). No hunting. Just simply shooting paper and steel. But maybe in the future things can change if I move somewhere more conducive to shooting sports (i.e. not the SF Bay Area).

Seems like .308 is more readily available and from a wider choice of manufacturers and loads. 6.5CM is only available from Hornady?

I also won't be reloading. Sticking with factory ammo, at least for the foreseeable future. So ammo availability is a concern.

I've read that the 6.5CM is better (more accurate, more precise, and more consistent) at longer ranges? But barrel life will suffer. And ammo is harder to come by maybe?
Any experience or advice?

Sounds like the 308 is for you. .223 is also an option that will save you money that folks have mentioned. Even though .223 is about the most inefficient cartridge known to man, it's still quite a bit cheaper if you plan to plink factory ammo at steel. In fact, it's easier at close distances since it has less recoil so you can more easily spot your hit.

6.5CD is a good cartridge for one-gun shooters. I have a very good, accurate 6.5CD, but it never sees the light of day. That's because I shoot mostly 308 recreationally. Then, if I need to bump up my ballistics, I step down to a 6mm or up to a 8.6mm or larger. The 6.5mm shorts are a great compromise for one-rifle type people, so it also may be a good choice for you. OTOH, you may wish to just go 308 and add a second rifle in 6mm.

Of course they are cherry picked. Just because a manufacturer says a certain gun is capable of sub moa, it doesn't mean that everyone can sit behind it, feed it any ammo and it will magically shoot sub moa. Most people can't consistently shoot sub moa and those who can have experience, knowledge and skill.

1 MOA is giant these days with the availability of precision machining. Also all rifles are 1 MOA capable; it is the shooter and ammo that are the problem. As long as the barrel isn't flawed, you should be able to do 1 MOA, or you need to work on your skills in either ammo or shooting. Now, 0.25 MOA, which many people claim is quite difficult since a true 0.25 is a ragged one-hole. Don't sweat it if you don't get an honest 0.25 MOA for a while without using a custom barrel. Most people that claim it cannot do it repeatably.

[ar15barrels]

I don't know man, if I am to trust the photos people are posting with this rifle chambered in .308, they're getting some pretty tight groups with factory ammo.

The dime is covering a bullet hole in this picture.
You can see the tear in the target paper just above the dime.
That means there are probably 2 holes under the dime.

[eric n]

Jmp,
How is the 223 the most inefficient round known to man?

[19hugeracks57]

depernds what u r doing ...shooting paper..or hunting. 308 is easier to get ...and don't forget going copper in 2017 state wide for hunting.do they sell copper in 6.5

[FourT6and2]

I won't be going .223. I already have an AR15 that I can knock out 1 MOA groups with. Sometimes smaller. I'd like something different.

The rifle I'm considering is the DTA SRS. I won't be shooting benchrest competitions or anything, so it's not like I need something made for that purpose. I like the idea of the SRS because I can have one rifle, one optic, multiple calibers if the need should arise down the line, and the shorter length makes it pretty great.

The factory barrels are Lothar Walther. But I can get a custom one made from TS Customs or SAC, from Bartlein blanks. But that's if I want to chase 1/4 MOA groups using hand loads I guess (which I've seen from owners using larger calibers, if you can trust their photos).

Seems like .308 is the way to go then. And I can always swap the barrel out for something else in the future. I think they currently offer:

.308
.260 Rem
6.5 CM
6.5 Lapua
7mm WSM
300WM
338 Lapua

338 and 300WM are overkill for me right now. I have no knowledge of 7mm or 6.5 Lapua or .260 Rem.

The dime is covering a bullet hole in this picture.
You can see the tear in the target paper just above the dime.
That means there are probably 2 holes under the dime.

Sneaky sneaky.

[FourT6and2]

depernds what u r doing ...shooting paper..or hunting. 308 is easier to get ...and don't forget going copper in 2017 state wide for hunting.do they sell copper in 6.5

Someone didn't read the OP lol...

[NoHeavyHitter]

start with 308 if you don't reload.

This^