7mm-08 vs 6.5 creedmoor

[bonecollector777]

I've researched and researched and just can't make the decision. I'd originally wanted to make a 6.5 creedmoor for my brother for his sheep hunt. Then my dad suggested 7mm08 is very similar if not slightly better. What's your guys thoughts? This will be a fairly lightweight rifle in the 7.5 pound range so don't know if that should have anything to do with the choice. Let me know your thoughts on which one. He isn't a reloader so no wildcat caliber suggestions please.

[Lucafu1]

I used a 7mm-08 on my sheep hunt. its now my deer rifle. My wife has one and so will my daughter. I love the round. Finding good/really accurate ammo is hard though (for me). I am kinda picky and stuck on barnes so it is the main reason why I want to reload.

[300RUM]

About 6 years ago I built myself a lightweight rifle, 7.5 lb scoped, loaded and ready to hunt. My final two choices for chambering wwee .260 Remington and 7 mm - 08, in my case I was looking at the AI version. In the end I chose the 7mm because I may use the rifle for all species up to Elk and felt the heavier bullets would be an advantage there. Had I built the rifle just for deer, goats and sheep I would probably have chosen the .260.

[Zeke-BE]

^^^^ What 300RUM said!

[Zeke-BE]

If you don't handoad not a lot of options of heavy bullets for the 7mm-08, most common is the 140s and BC is usually .10 BC less than the 6.5 unless you start hand loading 160 grains you will be right there

[lancetkenyon]

While I have never owned or shot a 7-08, my personal opinion is that case capacity does better with a lighter bullet, in the 130-150 range. On that note, the 6.5 will have better ballistics in that bullet weight range. You can load up to 160 grain bullets if you reload or know someone who does if you want to go heavier.

 

But I would also look at .260 Rem or 6.5x55 along with the 6.5 CM.

 

If you were going a LA, or slightly bigger case capacity, then I would lean towards a 7mm cartridge like .280 Rem, .284 Win, or similar. Heck, even a 7RM with a brake in a light rifle.

[Hoss50]

What Lance said.

I personally lean toward 6.5CM of those 2 you listed.

 

Outside those 2 I like old school. 6.5x55 & 7x57. Both are calibers of love and of the past, but both are still great options if you are willing to look to history and ignore fads & the main stream.

[kazpilot25]

I own both and love them both. I own a Tikka T3 Stainless in 7mm-08 and a Sako A7 Stainless with fluted barrel and a brake in 6.5 Creedmoor. I also had a custom AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor that shot dimes at 250 yards.

 

Of the two calibers, here's where my breakdown is:

 

Accuracy: 6.5 Creedmoor

Recoil: 6.5 Creedmoor

Ammo Accessibility: Tie

Ballistics: 6.5 Creedmoor (barely, as they're pretty dang close)

 

From my experience with several 7mm-08 rifles and 6.5 CM rifles, I can say that the 6.5 is an inherently accurate round. Much more so than the 7mm-08. You can literally get some off the shelf ammo and a $400 Ruger Predator rifle and shoot .75 MOA right now with 6.5 CM. 7mm-08 will require some tuning with handloads to get you there.

[Big Browns]

When in doubt, just do what Lance does:) My vote is 6.5 CM.

[PRDATR]

I handloaded the 7-08 for a bunch or years from 100gr up to 168. It is a very forgiving cartridge and accurate but if you are only looking at factory ammo I personally would learn towards the Creed.

Higher BC par for par energy. I probably shot somewhere in the neighborhood of 3500 handloads in the 7-08 I had.

[300RUM]

Is your 7.5 lb weight spec. for a bare rifle or scoped and field ready? A 7.5 lb field ready rifle is a pleasure to carry but not real fun to shoot. When the weight of the rifle drops the ft/lb of recoil energy obviously goes up. There is a second component of recoil, recoil velocity, that also increases substantially with a real light rifle. The combination gives the guns a real "sharp" feel to the recoil that some people really don't like. If you haven't worked with a light rifle before and would like to try shooting one before building one let me know. I live in Chandler and visit my parents in Forest Lakes on some weekends.

[Big or Bust]

Both my 7-08's are at 6 3/4 and 7 pounds on the nose, all up....

 

Recoil is a nonissue and I hate recoil...

[rossislider]

I have a 7-08. Great rifle and caliber. However, it required the most work, by far, of any of my rifles to get a load dialed in. Several of my buddies have had similar experiences. But it was worth it and I am very happy with it.

[Big or Bust]

I've had the exact opposite. Easiest cartridge to load for I've had...

[PRDATR]

I have a 7-08. Great rifle and caliber. However, it required the most work, by far, of any of my rifles to get a load dialed in. Several of my buddies have had similar experiences. But it was worth it and I am very happy with it.

 

Some guns can be finicky, the one I had was the factory heavy 24" Varmint Special, 9 1/4 twist. The only bullet that shot poor were some 140 PMC soft nose. They were almost 2" at 100 yards so I shelved them. A year later I Ioaded some up in my 7Mag and they grouped under an inch. Guess they just need a couple of hundred FPS more.

I mostly used 748 and 4064 in the 08 IIRC and then later 760 for the 168's.