Cartridge selection is critical when deciding on a new rifle. For example, should you select the flashy new 6.5 Creedmoor or venerable .308? The answer depends of factors such as whether you will be hunting, if you plan on shooting 500 or 1,000 yards, recoil tolerance, availability, and several other factors tackled by the author in this head-to-head review.
Having owned several $3,000-$5,000 precision rifles, the quest for accuracy can be expensive. The goal of this build was a rig with fine, precise accuracy with a price tag most shooters could afford. At full MSRP this complete ready to shoot setup is under $1,800 including gun, optic, rings, and magazine and easily delivers sub-.5-inch 100-yard groups—all day long.
If you have ever used the 6.5x55mm Swede, you know it is a game killer—out of proportion to its size. The 6.5 Creedmoor is even better in the modern rifles it is chambered in. As a varmint caliber, the 6.5 Creedmoor offers excellent utility. It offers longer range than the .223s and greater bullet mass. With Hornady TAP loads, it is also a fine tactical load, splitting the difference between the .223 and .308.
Springfield Armory’s MIA Series has a hard-won reputation for handling any mission, any condition, any foe, at any range—and for taking home trophies from monster bucks to National Match crowns. Highly precise .308 WIN-chambered M1A models are found in the hands of elite tactical teams, snipers, backcountry hunters and competitive marksmen. Now skilled shooters can get unmatched Springfield M1A performance in 6.5 Creedmoor caliber.
In 2016, Weatherby reviewed existing calibers and determined it was time to introduce a cartridge that had been in development by Roy Weatherby since the early 1960s—the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum. The 6.5-300 quite simply, does everything that the 6.5 Creedmoor does, but better. An increase in speed of over 500 fps is just the start.
The 6.5 Creedmore was certainly the big news from this year’s SHOT Show and likely to be future of long-range shooting. If you are serious about going long, Savage’s new Model 10 GRS will be a must have regardless of whether you go with the newer, sexy 6.5 Creedmoor or the venerable .308 Winchester. Here is the full release from Savage Arms.
The editor of Cartridges of the World picks seven cartridges for your next rifle that will make you the talk of deer camp.